Great Experiences Will Make Your Event Pop

Any successful corporate event will have a wide range of goals and objectives to attain.  Whether it’s the successful launch of a product, successfully passing a new skill to your employees or simply rewarding excellence and inspiring your staff to greater heights, it’s important to set your objectives beforehand.

One objective should always be to provide a great experience to everyone who attends.   No matter how poorly other objectives come off, if your attendees remember your event fondly, then you’ve achieved something.  A significant chunk of that experience is, of course, the content – the speakers, the venue, the entertainment.  But there are other things you may be overlooking that add to an event’s success.  Here are a few things to keep in mind in order to make your event pop.

Experience Begins Before the Event

Think about it – if you’re going somewhere, are you likely to be in a better mood if you arrive easily, or if you’re stuck in traffic?  If the registration process is easy, or if you have to spend time on the phone straightening out technical snafus?  If your questions and concerns are answered, or if you have to show up with plenty of unknowns?  Make sure your webpage is user-friendly, your communications are clear and your logistics are as smooth as possible – anything to get people to your event happy and engaged.

Pick the Right Venue

This doesn’t mean “pick the most expensive venue” – you want to find the right setting for your event; one that matches the atmosphere you’re trying to create.  Maybe this means selecting a unique location, rather than a generic conference room or ballroom.  A temporary, or “pop-up” venue, can allow you to host your event somewhere out of the ordinary.

Engage All the Senses

Play with your setting in order to get people more engaged in your content.  Darker rooms and dimmer lighting help enhance auditory experiences, whether it’s a concert or a big speech.  The proper musical experience can increase the energy of a group, or calm things down later.  Food is always a great way to keep people interested in what’s going on.  The more creative you get with your presentation, the longer people will be talking about it.

Get People Pumped for Next Year

Your event doesn’t end with the closing speaker!  If you’re running an annual event, make sure you keep people at least somewhat invested throughout the year – make it something they look forward to.  Your website or social media can be a hub for people to stay connected — and give you a list of emails and accounts to aid retention next year.  Social media is another great way to extend the buzz – share highlights and memorable moments gradually after the event.  Reach out to your attendees and remind them what a great time they had – they’ll look forward to coming back.