5 Ways to Make Your Corporate Event Stand Out.
Q4 is a big “planning month” for us. While we do have end-of-year events and holiday gatherings we are on-site for, Q4 always marks a big planning month for the year ahead. No matter if it’s an internal employee/team event or an external stakeholder event - our clients often ask “how do we make our event stand out”?
Here are 5 tips we’ve recommended to our clients to help make their events special. And, even better, we’ve implemented these very tips - so we know they are a sure thing!
top 5 ways to make your event stand out
Networking that is NOT boring. One of the biggest points of feedback from after-action surveys is “not enough time to network”. You HAVE to build in networking time - for some, it’s the only reason they are attending. But, you want to make sure it’s conducive to your overall mission, and that it’s meaningful and impactful. Ditch the “happy hour networking opportunity” and give folks something to talk about, while they talk to each other.
Creative culinary. You should ALWAYS consider your culinary opportunities when creating your event. Themed foods, experiential meals, collaborative stations - these are just a few ways you can make your meals “work” for you. Leave guests feeling full, and fully engaged with something that sets your event above the rest.
SWAG that makes sense. The survey results are in, and SWAG is here to stay. But, make it make sense. Something that speaks to your mission, something impactful, something useable, something they can’t live without. Your brand can be incorporated, but doesn’t have to be splashed all over the side. Better yet, let your guests choose their own adventure and allow them the opportunity to select item(s) that they prefer - so you know it won’t be wasted.
An appropriate agenda. There is NOTHING worse than meeting for the sake of meeting. Am I right?! If you don’t have an agenda that fills a 9a-5p conference day - don’t force it! Let attendees take the rest of the day to explore the city you are in, mingle with each other, or co-work. Just because you fill the time, doesn’t mean your attendees are engaged. You’ll find that your sessions are more full when the schedule is sensible.
Time out for team building. We LOVE a good opportunity for team building - but let’s scrap the traditional “tell me 5 things about you no one knows”. Create team building opportunities that are truly unique and/or speak to your mission. You could also use this as an opportunity to get departments working with each other that wouldn’t normally connect. Team building takes time - make sure to block out enough time for meaningful conversations and connection. AFTER this activity, you need a buffer period or break to allow the introverts to recharge before diving back in to learning-mode.
Need help creating this special touch for your upcoming meeting, event, or conference? Give us a buzz, our team is ready to help make your event sizzle!