Planning Financial Services Events: The Fundamentals

Speaker in suit on event stage with large LED screen showing financial data and charts

Financial services events require a different approach to planning, from understanding complex audiences and regulatory considerations to creating secure, high-quality experiences that support business objectives. Whether you’re organising an investor conference, financial services conference, executive meeting, webinar or hybrid event, effective planning is critical to delivering the right experience for attendees and stakeholders.

As a specialist financial services events agency, Broadsword has decades of experience delivering events for financial and professional services organisations.

In this guide, we explore the fundamentals of planning successful financial services events, including event strategy, technology, sustainability, venue selection, audience engagement, and measuring ROI.

Security is key in financial event planning

Within the finance industry as a whole, cyber security spending is high to keep client data secure and maintain trust. With sensitive data being exchanged at finance events, data security and GDPR compliance remains a top priority.

This is why event technology such as registration websites, content hubs or virtual event sites should be able to process and store event and attendee data securely as well as being securely integrated into existing business systems. Customer experience is vital to any event experience, but for corporate events in particular, clients expect a seamless and professional experience when it comes to digital touch points. A key consideration for event planners in the financial industry is looking for partners rather than suppliers.

Trust is key to building long term client relationships in financial marketing. Event design is important here as the right choice of messaging or a consistent event brand has the ability to resonate with and evoke trust in an audience. There’s a reason that 75% of credit brands use the colour blue in their logo in a bid to convey reliability

live on air sign with conference panel in the background

Using technology to enhance financial services events

As the world becomes increasingly digital, financial services firms have had to adapt the way they conduct business and there are exciting opportunities for planners to elevate their event marketing.

The shift towards digital and hybrid experiences has changed how financial services organisations use events as part of their wider marketing and communications programmes. Although the past few years has proved that face-to-face interaction cannot be replicated in the same manner online, many smaller in-person events have shifted to virtual solutions such as webinar series or interactive broadcasts as the audience reach and be significantly higher.

The digitisation of events means valuable data and insights can be captured to enhance attendee experience. Digital touch points, from networking apps to on demand video content, are now an expectation among attendees. But for firms, especially fintech businesses, to consolidate their positions as leaders in technology; experiences must be seamless.

For example, Broadsword won C&IT’s Media and Broadcast Event of The Year for its work with Moody’s on The Credit Trends series. As a go-to forum for interpreting market trends for over a decade, the series has been elevated to reach a global audience through a mix of broadcasts and live events across the world.

Building sustainability into your financial event agenda

For professional services companies, considerations of the external environment such as corporate governance are particularly important and with laws coming into place such as the UK’s anti greenwashing campaign and the Financial Conduct Authority’s dedicated anti-greenwashing rule for all regulated firms.

In PWC’s Global Investor Survey, investors also say they see sustainability as a priority for companies — and one that calls for greater transparency including the impact of company actions on the environment, and on society.

So how can this be translated to events? If you register for any finance event today, it’s likely there will be a speaker or discussion on sustainability. Try Building sustainability into the event design with reducing, repurposing, and recycling (in that order). Creating a positive legacy post event can also be achieved via engagement with local community charity projects, donating surplus event furniture or volunteering.

Panel of speakers across from recording set up including cameras and lights, in a skyscraper building

Choosing the right venue for a financial services event

Event destinations may differ based on the concentration of a firm’s employees or target audience, with a broadcast roadshow being streamed from financial hubs across the globe. One thing that remains common for finance events is exclusivity. Event venues should align with the professionalism of a finance event which is why private entrances and proximity to first class hotels for out-of-town guests are on the list for venue searches.

In-office activations have become increasingly popular for corporate events, and we regularly transform client’s office spaces into event, networking, or filming environments. The space can be built around your brand and can communicate your identity to an audience without the cost of hiring a venue.

Broadsword is based across two of the leading financial capitals of the world: London and Hong Kong. We provide bespoke venue finding services, drawing on international networks to find the right space for your event.

Setting objectives and measuring ROI

When planning any event, having a clear vision, messaging, and goals in place to guide planning and calculate ROI is integral. These range from attracting or retaining talent, launching new products, or shaping an identity as a thought leader in the industry and vary by the missions of the business as a whole.

Regarding event budgets, finance events often look to be professionally discrete but high end in contrast to consumer brands that look for maximum brand impact. For these events, goals such as integrity, factuality and transparency outweigh monetary goals.

Audience member holds hand up to ask a question in a conference setting

Creating engaging experiences for financial services audiences

We’ve learned that financial services audiences value relevance over volume as they are often time-poor and highly informed. Event programmes should prioritise relevance, quality of speakers and meaningful opportunities for discussion rather than simply increasing the number of sessions. This provides the perfect opportunity for the audience to shape the agenda and create an event programme that encourages open discussion and interactivity.

Room layout, breakout rooms, networking activities and agenda personalisation can all encourage more engaged conversations. It’s effective to have additional exhibition spaces and networking spaces for an audience to be able to explore topics further.

While corporate events usually require lots of info to be jam-packed into agenda, different formats can boost engagement. Attendees can get much more out of a three-day company-wide event and connect with colleagues better through group meeting spaces and online clubs. For M&G’s Annual Investment Forum, we created interactive spaces and engaging touch points which included a cafe networking area, branded vending machines, and sticker walls.

Having a successful event strategy means a holistic event programme that integrates into wider marketing activities. While in-person events will remain prominent for flagship dates, virtual and hybrid elements can continue to boost engagement and community between in-person events. Bite-sized, on demand content is particularly effective to build excitement for events.

Working with a financial services events agency: expertise leads to excellence

Ultimately if you are planning an event in the finance industry, you want to create a high end and seamless experience underscored by professionalism. Choosing an event partner for a financial services event involves more than finding an agency that can manage logistics. Financial organisations often require an event partner that understands complex audiences, sensitive information, senior stakeholders, regulatory considerations, and the importance of brand credibility. When evaluating a financial services events agency, consider:

Experience delivering events for financial and professional services organisations
Strategic event planning and audience insight
Conference and event production capabilities
Experience with hybrid and digital events
Data security and technology expertise
Sustainable event delivery
The ability to manage complex stakeholders and international programmes
Central HQs based in financial hubs and international connections.

Broadsword employs decades of experience in the sector and numerous awards won as a trusted partner to some of the biggest names in financial and professional services to develop and deliver large-scale financial conferences, global forums, investor events, exhibitions, broadcasts and other live and virtual corporate experiences. Start a conversation with our London or Hong Kong team here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a financial services event?

A financial services event is an event designed to bring together audiences from the finance services sector. These can include conferences, investment forums, client events, thought leadership programmes, networking events, roadshows, exhibitions and hybrid or virtual experiences. Successful financial services events combine clear business objectives with relevant content, high-quality production and an experience tailored to the needs of a knowledgeable professional audience.

What types of financial services events can Broadsword deliver?

Broadsword can support a wide range of event formats, including conferences, investor and client events, thought leadership forums, financial roadshows, product launches, networking events, exhibitions and hybrid experiences.

What should you consider when planning a financial services conference?

Planning a financial services conference starts with understanding the audience and defining what the event needs to achieve. From there, key considerations include the content and speakers, venue, delegate experience, technology, accessibility, security, sustainability, production requirements and how success will be measured. It is also important to create a programme that provides genuine value for a knowledgeable audience, rather than simply presenting information.

What should you look for in a financial services events agency?

When choosing a financial services events agency, consider its experience within the sector, understanding of financial audiences, strategic and creative capabilities, production expertise and ability to manage complex stakeholder requirements. It is also worth looking at relevant case studies and previous work to understand how the agency approaches different event formats, audiences and business objectives.

What can I expect when working with Broadsword?

When you work with Broadsword, you’ll have experienced teams in both London and Hong Kong managing every detail of your event. We work as an extension of your team, delivering creative ideas, seamless event management and measurable results. Our clients come back to us again and again as they can count on our thoughtful commitment, and high quality delivery on every project.

What makes Broadsword different from other events agencies?

Broadsword is a leading B Corp certified events agency, specialising in impactful event delivery. We’re trusted by top financial organisations in London and internationally, thanks to our commitment to doing the responsible thing for people and planet, connecting people, and delivering on business goals.