Tips for Events
What to prepare, check, and follow up on before, during, and after your event.
A practical guide for running events: what to prepare before, run during, and wrap up after your live personalization event.
Great live events feel effortless, but that is almost always the result of careful preparation. These tips apply whether your event is in person, virtual, or a mix of both. Use them as a starting point and add your own lessons as you run more events.
The golden rule
Never let the first time you produce an item be at the event. Make a real item from a real test order, on the real equipment, using the real blanks, before event day.
Samples and client sign-off
If you are running the event for a client or brand, get their approval on physical samples well before event day. It avoids last-minute surprises and keeps everyone aligned on what guests will receive.
- 1
Agree the brief
Confirm products, quantities, artwork, brand guidelines, guest flow, and any data the client wants to collect.
- 2
Build the event and place a test order
Set up the event with the final template and artwork, then submit a test design as a guest would.
- 3
Produce a sample on the real equipment
Print or make the item on the same machine and the same blank that guests will receive. Colors and placement can look different on screen than on a product.
- 4
Get written approval
Send photos or the physical sample to the client and get sign-off in writing — including colors, placement, and the editable area guests can use.
- 5
Lock the setup
Once approved, avoid changing the template, canvas size, or export settings, so what the client approved is exactly what guests get.
Keep a reference sample
Keep the approved sample at the production station. If something looks different during the event, staff can compare it against the approved version and decide quickly.
Before the event
Most problems on the day can be prevented in the weeks before. Work through these areas:
Plan the guest experience
Decide what guests will do and how long it should take.
Keep the flow short — Aim for a few minutes from landing page to submit. Remove steps and survey questions guests do not need.
Choose templates and styles deliberately — Offer a small set of strong templates rather than dozens. Use child events if you want different options for different audiences.
Set up the survey and data capture — Only ask for what the client really needs, and make sure you have the permission to collect it.
Brand and translate — Match colors, logo, and wording to the brand, and add translations if your guests speak other languages.
Build and test the event
Treat the event like a product launch — test it as a guest.
Match the canvas to the blank — Set the canvas size, editable area, and any round or custom mask to match the real item, so what guests see is what gets produced.
Check export quality — Confirm print resolution, and enable Vector Mode if your machine needs it, such as engraving or vinyl cutting.
Control AI usage — Set a per-event credit budget and a per-session limit so a busy event cannot run through your balance unexpectedly.
Run a full test as a guest — Open the event on each device type you will use, go through it end to end, and produce at least one test item.
Stock, logistics, and venue
Know what you are bringing and what the venue will give you.
Estimate throughput — Work out how long each item takes to produce and how many production lines you have. That tells you how many guests you can serve per hour.
Order more stock than you need — Bring extra blanks and consumables — a spare of every size and color, and additional ink, film, labels, or receipt paper.
Confirm the venue details — Check load-in times, table sizes, power points, Wi-Fi, parking, and any rules about equipment, fumes, or noise.
Plan the layout — Sketch where kiosks, production, waiting guests, and collection will go, so there is a clear queue and nothing blocks the walkway.
Devices and connectivity
Get every device ready at least a day before.
Install and sign in — Install the right app on each kiosk, sign in, and keep the screens awake and charged.
Download for offline use — While online, download every event you plan to use on every kiosk, so it can keep running if the network drops.
Connect printers and test the print server — Confirm that kiosks find the Print Server, that print settings are correct, and that a receipt prints if you use one.
Bring a backup connection — Do not rely on venue Wi-Fi alone. Have a hotspot or router as a fallback.
Optional: receipt printer
A Niimbot receipt printer is optional, but a little preparation means every guest leaves with a working claim ticket.
Decide if it suits your event — It adds a wow factor and helps with organization and collection, which pays off at busy or high-profile events. Skip it if you want the simplest possible setup.
Pair and test — Pair the printer with each kiosk over Bluetooth, then submit a test order to confirm the receipt prints.
Customize the receipt — Add your header and footer text, include the QR code, and check the size and layout in the live preview against the media you loaded.
Charge and stock up — Fully charge the printer and pack spare media rolls — running out mid-event means guests stop receiving receipts.
Staff and rehearsal
A confident team is the biggest factor in how the event feels.
Assign clear roles — For example: a greeter who explains the offer, a kiosk helper, a production operator, and someone who hands out finished items.
Train on the real setup — Everyone should practice a full guest journey and know how to reprint an order, find an order with the scanner, and swap a kiosk.
Prepare answers to common questions — Wait time, where to collect, whether they can change their design, and what happens to their email address.
Share a contact sheet — Give staff the contact details for the client, venue, and your own support person.
During the event
Once guests arrive, your job is to keep things moving and catch small problems early.
Open early and test first — Make a test item before doors open to confirm that everything — kiosks, network, print server, printer — works together.
Watch the queue — Keep an eye on order statuses and the time between submit and finished item. If it grows, open another station or ask guests to collect later.
Use the order display board — Show a "now printing" screen on a TV so guests can see their order progress and do not keep asking staff.
Collect with the scanner — Staff can scan the receipt QR code, or search by name, order number, or email, to find an order, mark it collected, or reprint it.
Explain the receipt — If you use a receipt printer, tell guests to keep it: the QR code shows their order details and status, so they can step away and come back when their item is ready.
Check output regularly — Compare a finished item against the approved sample every so often, especially after changing ink, film, or blanks.
Look after the kiosks — Wipe screens, check battery levels, and reset any kiosk where a guest left a design half-finished.
Take photos and notes — Capture photos of the setup and the guests, and jot down what you would change next time — the client will likely want both.
After the event
The event is not over when the last guest leaves. Wrap up properly so nothing gets lost, and learn from the day.
Sync everything — If kiosks were offline, go back online and use Sync All so every queued order and upload reaches the server before you wipe or switch off a device.
Check the orders — Review statuses, fix anything stuck as pending, and make sure every order was either collected, shipped, or has a plan.
Export and share results — Export the orders as a CSV and review analytics to see where guests dropped off. Share both with the client.
Follow up with guests — Use the email templates to send a thank-you, a download link, or shipping details.
Ship or send remaining items — For virtual events or uncollected items, pack and ship promptly and keep tracking numbers with the order.
Close or disable the event — Turn off the event when it is no longer needed. This frees up your plan allowance for the next event.
Review and improve — Note what worked, what slowed you down, and what you would bring or change — then update your checklists.
Tips by event format
Each format has its own priorities:
In-person events
Everything happens on the day, so the priority is smooth flow on site.
Prepare for queues — More stations, a clear queue, and a visible wait time keep guests happy.
Make the offer obvious — Signage and a strong landing page mean fewer staff explanations.
Have a fallback — Offline mode, a second connection, and spare equipment mean the event keeps running.
Offer a QR code for long queues — If in-person queues are long, consider setting up a QR code that guests can scan to design on their own device using the web version of the event.
Virtual and online events
Guests are on their own, so clarity and reliability matter most.
Make the link easy to find — Share it widely and use a custom domain so it looks trustworthy.
Set a clear deadline and delivery time — Tell guests when the event closes and when they will receive their item.
Test on phones — Most guests will design on a phone, so test the full flow on small screens first.
Hybrid events
You serve two audiences at once, so keep the experience consistent.
Use the same look and feel — Remote and on-site guests should recognize it is the same experience.
Separate the fulfillment — Decide which orders are collected on site and which are shipped, and track them separately.
Balance the workload — Remote orders can be produced before or after the busiest moments on site.
Day-before checklist
Run through this the day before, while you can still fix anything that is missing:
- 1
Event is enabled and tested
Open the event link on every device type and complete a test order.
- 2
Approved sample is packed
The client-approved sample is with the production kit.
- 3
Every kiosk is ready
Charged, signed in, and the event downloaded for offline use.
- 4
Printers and Print Server tested
A real test print has come out as expected, and receipt paper is loaded.
- 5
Receipt printer ready (if used)
Paired, charged, loaded with media, and a test receipt with a scannable QR code has printed.
- 6
Stock and consumables loaded
Blanks, spares, ink, film, labels, and packaging are in the van.
- 7
Staff briefed
Roles, timings, and contact details have been shared.
- 8
Backups packed
Spare device, cables, hotspot, and tools are with the kit.
Something went wrong?
Most common upload, printing, and payment issues have a quick fix. Keep this page handy for troubleshooting during the event. Open Troubleshooting & FAQ