How To Organise A Pop Up Event

Andrew

What is a pop up event?

Pop up events are events that pop up for a brief period of time and then pop down again. They are a great tactic for giving companies the opportunity to sell their products in an environment completely designed and controlled by them, and because they’re not permanent, they are a relatively low-cost and low-commitment way of getting in front of people.
From retail marketing to experiential dining, pop-up events have real power in building brand awareness and impressing a new audience as they typically last from a day to six months – making them perfect for sampling products with brand new audiences.

Organising a pop up event

Follow our six steps below to find out how to organise a pop up event that is successful, safe and follows government guidelines.

1. Plan an event timeline

Preparation is key when it comes to pop up events and good organisation can set you up for success and make you stand out from the crowd. Putting together an event timeline will help you work out exactly what needs to be done, at what time and by who. There are plenty of useful event timeline templates online that you can use for free. For larger-scale events consider investing in event software to help you and your team succeed.

2. Set a budget

Setting a budget will help keep you on track to ensure that your pop up event will be profitable. Budgets also aid with the planning process and make it easier to make decisions as you’re planning with the budget in mind. Despite the cost of a venue being considerably lower with a pop-up event, there are still factors to consider, such as:

    • Insurance
    • Internet
    • Utilities
    • Inventory
    • Marketing

how to organise a pop up event
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It is worth writing down goals for your event to help inform your budget. For a first time event, you may just be looking to build your social media following and brand awareness, so would be satisfied with breaking even, but knowing your objectives can help you decide the pricing and format of your pop-up.

3. Pick a location

Because your pop-up is only temporary, at least at the beginning of your pop-up venture, you will need to choose a location with plenty of footfall in order to maximise the number of people who are seeing your pop-up and therefore testing and buying your products.
Places to consider hosting your pop up include:

  • Outdoor stands or kiosks
  • Empty storefronts
  • Disused car parks
  • Market spaces
  • Flexible retail spaces

Services like Peerspace can help you find available locations.

4. Get necessary licensing

A common mistake many organisers make is not realising the licences that are needed in order to host a pop-up event legally. Before you start anything, pop-up venues should be researched fully to ensure they comply with laws and licenses. Doing your research decreases the chance of your event not going ahead and a lot of hard work going to waste!
You’ll need to apply for a temporary events notice (TEN) if you’re putting on an event in an unlicensed space, this will cover you for things such as selling alcohol, providing entertainment, and serving hot food for up to 10 days. You can apply for up to five notices per year.
pop up event
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5. Order necessary equipment

You’ll need all the necessary equipment to host a successful pop-up event and that all starts with where you will be based. To ‘pop up’ somewhere you will need a temporary structure that can quite literally pop up, like a branded gazebo, and then pop down just as easily.
Gazebos are ideal for pop up cafes and bars, market stalls and exhibitions as they invite passers-by who may not want to get caught in the rain whilst they browse what you have to offer – it also means your branding is getting in front of a large number of people.
Other equipment you may need is dependent on the type of pop up event you are hosting. Equipment that works well across the board are things such as; tables, chairs, signage, card readers, tills and hand sanitising stations.

6. Promote your event

In order for a pop-up event to be successful, organisers need to really create a buzz. What you really want to achieve is word-of-mouth recommendations so figuring out a way to encourage word of mouth is vital to the success of your pop up.
One of the easiest marketing tools you’ll use for marketing your pop-up is social media and other forms of digital marketing, which can spread the news of where you are at, what you’re selling and how to find you.
Finally, recording pop-up events by taking lots of good quality photos and videos for social media, whilst also encouraging attendees to post their pictures of your event, is one way to extend the longevity of your events. This can help with your social media following and create more of a buzz for any future pop up events you may plan on doing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, preparation is key when organising a pop up event and ensuring you have the right equipment, licensing and budget for your chosen location is essential. Once the preparation has been put in place, the success of your event will rely on how well you promote it – remembering to take into account the nature of pop up events and the buzz they require to get passers-by interested. By ensuring that you have taken into consideration the above points, you will be in a good position to host a successful event that showcases and celebrates the products or services you have to offer.

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