All it means is that your event attendees will be so caught up in the world of your event that they focus all their attention on it. Now, let’s get started on making your event even more awesome!
Use decor
One of the easiest ways you can help your attendees feel as if they’ve fully stepped into the world of your event is to give them lots of visual clues — a.k.a. decor! You can do all sorts of things with your decor, from emphasizing your theme to telling a story to making your guests understand the feeling that you’re going for.
Impromptu talks or workshops are better than presentations
The very worst events are almost always the ones that are full of tedious speeches with awkward speakers. There’s really no reason that you have to schedule hours and hours of stuffy formal presentations like this. Really! Just because you have an expert speaking on a topic they know a lot about doesn’t mean it’s going to be a hit with your event attendees. Sometimes, a huge expert might end up being the most tedious speaker of the day.
Use a theme to unify the conference
Choosing a theme may sound like a daunting task, but there’s usually one very simple place to start. Who do you want to come to the event and what do you want them to take away from it? If you can figure out who your audience is, it’ll really help you narrow down your list of themes and pick ones that will work for them, rather than themes that sound cool in general. A theme is also a really good jumping-off point for choosing things like your decor and your selection of speeches and workshops.
Have one room for talks and another for networking
Nobody likes sitting through an entire event of talks, and there are probably few people who can stand that much networking, either. Keep guests’ attention engaged by letting them mix it up. When they get tired of one, they can switch to another. Or, you can just have them switch between the two spaces on a schedule so that they don’t get bored of being in the same spot all day long.
Pay attention to every detail
The difference between a pleasant but forgettable event and one that really stand outs sometimes does come down to the small details. Making sure the event runs seamlessly is key to getting your guests to stay actively interested in things for the duration. Don’t let small distractions or annoyances steal the spotlight from your carefully planned event!
Tell a story with your event
One of the hottest words right now in marketing is “storytelling”. While it does get bandied about a lot by people who are all style and no substance, there is real value to being able to tell a story with your event.
