Every event begins with a good question

These days, companies rarely “buy an event.” They buy a solution to a challenge they’re currently facing. If that isn’t made clear, even the most beautifully staged event quickly comes across as nothing more than a useless backdrop.

That’s why, in our initial consultations, we specifically ask about that certain “feeling” rather than focusing first on details like the venue or the program. Exploring the goal does take some time before we arrive together at the actual purpose of the event. Because what many present as a clear goal is usually just a date on the calendar: “We need a Christmas party” or “We’re celebrating 25 years of company history” describes an occasion, not a goal. A goal is the change that the event is intended to bring about.

We’re flipping the planning approach. Instead of starting with the process, we start with the desired outcome and work backward from there to determine the format.

Specifically, this means:

• First, we clarify the goal - what should the event achieve?
• Then we define the desired impact - how should people feel as a result?
• Only then do we develop the appropriate format - what framework will get us there?

So for us, the sequence of events is never the starting point. It’s the tool that ultimately leads to the impact we defined together at the start of the project.

Event planning organizes what’s already been decided: location, time, schedule, and budget. Event conceptualization clarifies in advance why all of this is needed in the first place. The two go hand in hand, but it only works in this order. If you start planning before the goal is clear, you’ll end up with an event that runs smoothly but still achieves nothing. I’ve seen events like this often enough: perfectly organized, celebrated in a big way, and yet forgotten by the next workday.

To ensure that exactly that doesn’t happen, we like to start conversations with specific questions. Only once we’ve answered them together with the client do we begin the actual conceptual work.

1. Why are we doing this in the first place? The real reason, beyond the obvious one.
2. Who do we want to reach? Not just who’s invited, but who should ultimately feel truly engaged.
3. What should remain important for people? The message that continues to resonate even weeks later.
4. How should this make people feel? The emotion that should define the experience.
5. What happens next? The impact the event should have beyond the day itself.
6. How do we measure success? So that in the end, it’s not just applause that counts, but a real result.

We notice something every time: Question five is the one to which we rarely get an immediate answer. Most people have thought about the goal, target audience, and message at some point. But almost no one thinks about what should happen after the event.

A good example of this is the 30th anniversary of OTT-JAKOB Spanntechnik, which we had the pleasure of helping to organize in 2023.

The answers to two simple questions shaped the entire concept:
“Who do we want to reach with this event?” and “How should this day feel for the people attending?”

It quickly became clear: Several generations - from long-time employees to their children and grandchildren - should experience a special day together. And this day should not feel like a tightly scheduled, mandatory program, but rather like an experience that everyone could enjoy in their own way. A day that brings people together, rather than merely entertaining them. We did not create a traditional stage program with a fixed schedule. Instead, we developed an open event concept with more than 20 optional activities - ranging from sports and action to games and relaxed socializing. This allowed each guest to tailor their afternoon to their own preferences after the group kickoff at the Nordic Center. It wasn’t until the evening that everyone came together again - in the festival tent, with live music and good food.

What happened at the anniversary event I mentioned is something I experience in almost every project - just never in the same guise. At its core, it always comes down to the same distinction: Does the event merely mark the occasion, or does it actually make an impact? How this question is phrased, however, depends on what the event truly stands for:

• Recruiting: Do you want to fill positions, or tell a story that makes people want to work there?
• Change processes: Do you want to announce what’s changing, or explain why it makes sense?
• Product communication: Do you want to showcase features or spark desire?
• Location opening: Do you want to open a building or create a place with meaning?

The answer determines a different format each time - a recruiting event is no longer just a job fair, but a glimpse into the company’s lived culture. A change event isn’t a top-down announcement, but a dialogue in which people can participate. A product launch no longer just lists features, but sparks desire. A location opening isn’t just a groundbreaking ceremony, but the birth of a place with meaning.

Whether it’s an anniversary, a recruiting event, or a product launch—ultimately, a similar principle lies behind each example. Technology, venue, catering, schedule - all of these are important, no question. However, these are means, not ends. If you focus on the execution first, you risk an event that works but doesn’t move anyone. If you focus on the impact first, you structure the execution so that it leads exactly there.

We don’t build stages; we build communication architecture within a space - messages that are crafted so that people understand them, feel them, and ultimately embrace them. Because information is everywhere. Attention is not.

At this point, I often notice hesitation during consulting sessions. The concern: Doesn’t this take time that should actually be spent on the organization? My experience is the opposite. A clearly answered “why” saves more time later than it costs at the beginning - because suddenly every decision, from the venue to follow-up communications, has a clear benchmark.

Great events provide answers - because they start with the right questions. That’s exactly what we at KAD mean by strategic event planning: not as an extra step before the actual work, but as a shared foundation.

For your next project, are you looking for an event - or are you looking for impact?
Let’s start by asking the right questions together.