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5 Things You Should Know about Your Event Attendees

Event attendees are essential to every event, and one of your fundamental goals as an organizer is to attract your target audience, and give them a positive experience. In order to do that, you’re going to have to put yourself in their shoes and see things from their perspective. Who is your target audience, what motivates them, what deters them and what is their goal from attending your event? Here are 5 facts you should know about event attendees:

Finding their way to the venue and looking for parking spaces are a hassle

Free parking signage for York Sport

Free parking signage for York Sport 

Even after purchasing their tickets and confirming their attendance, there are still many factors that may deter your guests from attending the event. Travelling is always a hassle, and inaccessible venues are a pain. Try to plan your event at a venue that is accessible from public transport and make it easier on your attendees by providing clear directions to your venue. Free parking spaces near your event are also ideal, so your guests don’t have to hover around the venue searching for a parking spot and be late for the event.

They need to be stimulated

Bored attendees at a talk

Bored attendees at a talk 

Remember the lectures in university that you dreaded going to? Nobody likes to sit around with stiff bones, listening to a droning voice overloading them with information. Engage your event attendees and give them a sense of involvement through activities that allow them to interact with the speaker or exchange inputs with one another. Also, it has been proven that people are only able to digest few new information before they are overwhelmed, so make sure your speaker sticks to 3-4 concise points that can inspire and motivate your attendees to action.

Most of them are here to network and make connections

Attendees in a networking session during an event

Attendees in a networking session during an event 

With a gathering of professionals in their field at the same place, your attendees are going to want to network and build relations. After all, networking is one of the main reasons that motivate attendance at events, aside from upgrading on skills and building knowledge. Rather than leaving this component to outside of your event, create networking opportunities for your attendees as one of the highlights of your event. Not only will you facilitate the process for your guests, you may even attract attendees whose primary goal is to network!

They want to be a part of something bigger

Guests at Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough Auction & Ball, a joint charity event between Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Breakthrough Breast Cancer

Guests at Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough Auction & Ball

Besides connecting your attendees with fellow professionals, build a relationship with them and allow them shape the event. A personalized touch is always appreciated to let your attendees feel involved. Give your attendees the choice to vote for their preferred catering, speakers, and activities. Also, if your event contributes to charities or causes, give your attendees a chance to be part of it. Let them know that by attending your event, they are contributing to a bigger cause for society.

They are tech-savvy and they expect you to be, too

Samsung unveiling the Galaxy S7 using Gear VR headsets

Samsung unveiling the Galaxy S7 using Gear VR headsets

All of your attendees are likely to own a smartphone, and are most probably very reliant and connected to it too. Your attendees will expect you to use some form of technology to facilitate the event, whether to manage the registration process, engage them during the event or offer supplementary functions. Consider an all-in-one mobile application that event attendees can use to register, navigate the event, and obtain information and even network. Social media is also going play a large part in your marketing efforts, so encourage your guests to share their experiences through a designated hash tag. Do connect with them by replying to their posts!

Are you planning your event in the interest of your event attendees? To achieve your desired event objectives, you need to understand your guests in order to encourage their attendance at your event and have them leave with a positive takeaway. Conducting an analysis of your target audience before the event will be very helpful during the planning phase! Do consider these 5 facts the next time you are planning your event, to create a satisfactory and straightforward experience for you and your attendees.

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