FIVE WAYS TO PUT YOUR EVENT ATTENDEES IN THE DRIVING SEAT

(and why you should)

Why would you do it?When you invite your attendees to events do you have the idea that you’re in the driving seat and they are along for the ride? Well not in 2017.

We are an events agency well known for our forward thinking ideas we’ve created an amazing buzzing community of other innovative marketing professionals. We want to share our big-picture predictions for 2017 and how you can harness these ideas for your events program.

In this report we examine five ways you can benefit from audience-led event activity and creating true connections.

• It might be unpredictable but it gets results!• The rewards you will reap for opening up your

program to interactivity are both measurable and conceptual. You can measure participation in certain events but you also can’t put a price on the enjoyment and relationship development that comes as a result.

• You can involve your audience in Q&A, polling, photos and user generated content.

• There is no better way to engage your audience than to trust them with their contributions to the event. Stripping back the barriers and being transparent with them can drastically improve trust and build relationships.

• You may also be surprised with the rich content you get as a result. A #nofilter approach to taking Q&As for example can be incredibly useful to crafting the next event topic or valuable follow up information.

• In events of all different scales and sizes there’s no one-size fits all approach. We do advise testing your interactive approach and engaging some keen attendees ahead of time. Sometimes you need an ‘early adopter’ to start the participation so they other attendees feel more comfortable joining in.

• We love creating a bespoke event for our audience as they use their preferences to create their own experience. Gin blending masterclasses are an example of this.

• Connecting with your audience is what marketing is all about. We are now witnessing a backlash to the digital era of networking online and businesses are turning to their tried and trusted offline event activities to generate press, good will, and sales.

• With so much clutter in the inbox your attendees need events to cut through the spam and interact with your business. This might be physically handing over a business card or talking through a product demonstration. We are going to encourage you to take these interactions to the next level but involving your audience in your events.

• Using technology at events isn’t a gimmick, it’s a hugely convenient and effective tool to engage your audience.

• We are always pushing the boundaries with our use of technology and are so excited about all the amazing options out there. We’ve seen a huge increase in audiences wanting to get involved with these interactive technologies this year, from smart watches that act as contactless tickets to large scale interactive digital displays.

For event industry insights, tips + hints join us!@eventemporium

www.eventemporium.com.au/blog