From experience, we all know it: many companies struggle to get the results they expected from their events. And often, this has nothing to do with the organizers' skills, but rather with how well the event's strategy aligns with business objectives.

This is where you need to develop a skill: choosing your type of event based on these objectives. We'll give you the keys to do just that, and finally get the event ROI you deserve.

Why your objectives should guide your choice of event type

Before you start organizing any event, keep in mind that every professional event is first and foremost a marketing and sales tool. In that sense, your events need to fit into an overall strategy, and therefore into a logic of objectives and business impact.

This is where aligning your event's main objective with its format becomes crucial. Thanks to this alignment, you benefit from:

  • Better-targeted planning. The choice of venue, tone, content, and speakers is made based on the expected outcome, not guesswork.
  • Relevant event KPIs. For example, if your main objective is converting prospects, you'll measure the leads generated; if it's about improving your brand's communication and awareness, you'll track reach or social media mentions.
  • An optimized return on investment. By precisely following your main objective, your resources (budget, time, tools) are put to use where they have the most impact.
  • A consistent experience for your attendees. As a result of all the points above: your event's format, content, and message all work together.

In short: without set objectives, it's hard to build a consistent attendee experience, and impossible to measure the event's performance and ROI. That's why it's worth not skipping this step of setting objectives.

The prerequisite: defining your business objectives

Before even choosing your event's format and type, start by asking yourself this essential question: why are you organizing it in the first place? Remember: behind every professional event lies a business ambition.

Here are the main types of event objectives you could aim for:

  • Awareness: to build your brand's visibility, highlight your expertise, or launch a new product, for example.
  • Engagement / Interaction: to build connections with your community, customers, or partners through a memorable experience.
  • Conversion / Sales: to generate qualified leads, speed up your sales cycle, or close deals.
  • Loyalty / Cohesion: to build connections between your teams and boost their motivation (seminars, team building, internal events), or to build brand attachment among your customers (customer events).

But keep in mind that your objective, however relevant, will only be useful if it's truly clear. So use the SMART method to set objectives in a structured way: your objective should be:

  • Specific: define a precise goal, such as “Strengthen our brand's awareness among IT decision-makers”
  • Measurable: attach a concrete indicator to your objective, for example “Reach 500 webinar sign-ups”
  • Achievable: aim for a result that's ambitious but realistic, such as “Convert 10% of leads into sales opportunities”
  • Realistic: adapt your ambitions to your resources and your company's reality, for example “Run a hybrid event on a controlled budget”-
  • Time-bound, set yourself a timeframe, for example “By the end of the quarter”


In short, your objectives should be the compass guiding your event strategy. Once this step is clear, you can move on to the format and type of event to consider.

💬 “Choosing the right type of event is one thing. But what about the format? That's above all a question of attendee experience. Always ask yourself where your audience will best experience the message you want to convey. Remember: the right event format is above all a matter of context. It's your objectives, your audience and your available resources that should dictate the choice between in-person, digital or hybrid. For a product launch or an awareness campaign, nothing beats the power of in-person events. On the other hand, for expert content or an international audience, digital or hybrid naturally make more sense.”, Milla Breuil, Account Manager at Digitevent

For inspiration, you'll find the details of all the types of events you can run at the end of this article.

Which type of event for which business objective?

The event type to prioritize depends on your business objective:

  • Awareness : high-visibility events (trade show, conference, webinar, product launch)
  • Engagement : fun and educational events (community event, workshop, hackathon, user meetup)
  • Conversion : experience and product-testing events (B2B client event, roadshow, open house, demonstration)
  • Loyalty : customer experiences and community events (VIP client, feedback session, client dinner or gala)
  • Internal cohesion : events that strengthen company culture (seminar, team building, internal conference, incentive trip)

What other criteria should you consider to choose the right event format and type

You now understand the importance of linking your business objective to the type of event you organize. But be careful: this objective isn't the only thing to consider when choosing your format!

To organize a consistent and effective event, also rely on the following four pillars:

  • Your target audience. What do your potential attendees expect from an event like the one you're organizing? What specific topics would they like to see covered?
  • Your available budget. Your idea and your budget need to be aligned to get the maximum ROI.
  • Duration and attendee availability. There's no point organizing the best event if your guests can't attend!
  • Your event's logistical format. The idea is to choose between in-person, hybrid, or fully digital, depending on your target audience's habits and their availability on-site.


By keeping these different elements in mind, you ensure you meet both your company's needs and those of your target audience, for optimal event effectiveness.

Overview of the main types of professional events

Whether your main objective is to convey a specific message to your target audience, promote a product, or improve your brand image, you'll find here all the types of events you can run.

For external events

Conferences, webinars, and round tables

Events where professionals share their expertise on key topics, often hosted by speakers or experts.

Product launches

Key moments for showcasing something new to spark potential customers' interest, generate buzz, and drive early sales.

Press days

Professional events dedicated to communication and media relations. They're ideal for presenting a new product, strengthening company awareness, and building relationships with journalists and influencers in your industry.

Customer events

Premium gatherings designed to strengthen relationships with existing customers, reward their loyalty, and encourage positive word-of-mouth about your brand.

Exclusive events

Premium formats reserved for a select group of customers or strategic partners. The goal of these events: build a privileged business relationship with them and offer a memorable experience, for example, privatizing an exhibition or backstage access.

Roadshows

Series of traveling events held in several cities, allowing you to meet customers or prospects directly in the field.

Trade shows and fairs

Large industry gatherings where organizations showcase their products and services to increase their visibility and generate new contacts.

Festivals

Popular, festive, and cultural events that bring together a broad audience around a strong theme. This type of event strengthens brand awareness and creates an engaging collective experience, at the crossroads of business and celebration.

User communities

Regular meetups between users of a solution to share best practices and encourage mutual support among customers.

Field activations and street marketing

Event-based actions deployed directly in the field to meet the public where they are. It's a great way to promote a product, generate engagement, and embed your brand into your target audience's daily life.

Promotional days or private sales

Sales events focused on conversion and loyalty, allowing customers to discover, try, or buy products in a privileged, organized setting.

For internal events

Team-building events

Unifying, collaborative activities designed to strengthen cohesion, communication, and team spirit within a company. The goal: work better together by strengthening cohesion within the same team.

Internal seminars

Professional gatherings dedicated to strategic alignment, training, or employee motivation.

Parties or festive events

Convivial moments to celebrate a success, a company anniversary, or bring teams together in an informal setting.

Onboarding days

Key moments for welcoming new employees, building connections within the team, and fostering internal cohesion from their very first days. An essential step for boosting motivation and company spirit.

Company trips or retreats

True team-building experiences, these “incentive”-oriented formats combine relaxation, discovery, and group activities. They strengthen employee cohesion and motivation away from the usual workplace.

Internal general assemblies

Key moments of the professional year, these strategic meetings allow companies to share results, projects, and key directions, while involving employees in the collective vision.

Internal award ceremonies

Festive, rewarding events designed to celebrate successes, reward teams, and strengthen internal cohesion. An excellent format for motivating employees and creating a unique bond between them and the company culture.

Themed days

Fun, engaging event formats that foster team cohesion around a specific theme. Perfect for energizing internal life, strengthening bonds between employees, and creating a convivial shared moment.

Workshops and hackathons

Participatory formats that foster co-creation, collective thinking, and innovation around a given challenge.

For internal or external events

Networking events

Opportunities to expand your professional network, meet potential partners, or exchange ideas with peers in the same industry.

Training events

Educational sessions designed to develop employees' or customers' skills on a specific topic.

Participatory workshops

Collaborative experiences centered on exchange and co-creation. This type of professional event encourages active attendee participation and helps achieve a shared goal in a stimulating, interactive setting.

Charity or solidarity events

Moments of sharing and collective commitment that strengthen the sense of community and the company's values while supporting a human or environmental cause.

Need help with this? Book your Digitevent demo and get advice from our experts: they'll help you choose the event format suited to your situation.