Besides a goodie bag filled with exciting gifts and marketing collaterals, what a guest brings back with them is an invaluable experience, which holds the key to the success of an event. While experiences tend to be intangible and subjective to each individual based on their thoughts and feelings, it is not impossible to craft and facilitate a desired experience for your attendees. Read on for some important factors in designing the best event experience for your guests.
Think from your audience’s perspective
In order to design the perfect experience, it is best to put yourself in your guests’ shoes and experience the event from their perspective. Consider these:
- Who are the guests? What is their age group and professional sector? Are they tech-savvy or less receptive to new technology? What matters to them?
- What would they like to take away from the event? Are they here to network and gain new connections? Or are they here to learn more about a new topic or product offering?
- How would they best achieve that from the event? Activities that encourage guest participation? Or a seated presentation?
With an in-depth understanding of your guests and what they want, designing a satisfying experience for them will be a much easier task. For a personalized touch, you can even allow your attendees to vote for their preferred speaker or special guest appearances.
Think from your company/client’s perspective
Naturally, your company or client will have their own set of goals to achieve from the event that cannot be neglected. Consider these:
- What is the brand message and ethos of the company?
- What is the goal of the event? To promote and educate guests about a new product or service? To encourage collaboration and networking between vendors in the industry?
- How do you want your guests to feel after attending the event? Motivated? Well-informed? What is the call-to-action?
An event is an experiential conception of your brand, so it is important for the company’s message to be presented in a consistent and coherent manner. Integrating both the organizer and the attendees’ goals will help in creating an effective experience.
The little things matter
As mentioned earlier, an event is an experiential conception of the brand. This means that every detail, such as the theme, design of collaterals, goodie bag, venue, decor, catering, type of activities, the flow of activities pre, during, and post event, entertainment, and integration of multimedia and technology, all add up to reflect on what your brand means to the guests. These elements will also impact how your attendees feel about the event and what they will remember after leaving, so choose them carefully to facilitate a comprehensive experience.
Most event attendees seek to learn, gain inspiration, network, and experience a topic through interacting at the event. Concurrently, event organisers strive to motivate, distribute information, and create a call to action through the event. By keeping these goals in mind and accentuating your event message through the various aspects of the event, you are on your way to designing the best event experience for your guests and your company.
