Event success: The three C’s
Event success: The three C’s
There’s no shortage of ideas, information, advice or opinions about how to plan an event. The sheer number of formats, styles, examples and inspiration boards out there can be enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned of teams. But when it comes down to what makes a successful event, of any type, it’s important to consider the basics. If you keep these three elements in mind, they will guide EVERY decision you make and act as your north star - or shall we say, your Orion’s Belt. To ensure your event is a success and honors your goals, always be thinking of : (1) the event consumer, (2) the content and (3) the connection.
✤ Consumer - Think of this as the consumer of your event (not necessarily your ‘buyer’). That can be anything from students, customers, clients, prospects or even a wedding guest. This is where you focus on the experience for those attending your event. This process begins well before the event through planning and clear and concise communication prior to the event.
Comfort: Whether your event is corporate, brand or socially driven, it’s very likely it will be attended by human beings. When you’re designing your event be sure to remember that the small details have a huge impact on the attendees’ feelings about the event and about your organization. When you’re considering your attendees’ comfort level, ask yourself these questions during the planning process:
Are their basic needs taken care of? (This should include: water, restroom facilities, sunlight, parking, and special accommodations for guests who require it. This can include: food, coffee, internet, seating and private break areas depending on the nature of your event.)
Could my attendees spend all day at my event, comfortably? Even if your event isn’t all day, determine whether or not the setup would be comfortable for your guests if it was. This includes the comfort of seats, temperature of the room, the volume of the sound system and access to breaks, meals, outdoor space.
Communication:
Do my attendees know where to be and what to do? Confusion doesn’t bode well in events, especially when someone has taken time out of their life and donated it to you! The frustration of wandering is real at events, help your attendees help themselves.
Can they easily access that information prior to or during the event if they forget? Event apps, event websites, emails, QR codes - the options are endless. Things like event maps, agendas, parking & transportation, emergency contacts, etc should all be accessible at any time for reference.
Curation:
Do elements of the event feel tailored to your audience? Does the schedule, layout, food, music and all other elements match the type of attendee you're targeting?
Do my attendees feel like more than just a number? Can you provide personalized elements to make your audience feel special and seen? Things like customizable agendas, swag ‘stores’, dining & snack options and other detailed elements that provide uniqueness and adaptability for each guest.
Curiosity:
Does the event’s vibe, content, activities, food, entertainment and setup get the people talking? Are there memorable elements that create unique moments and get folks talking? Are you avoiding the idea that the “content” will sell itself? What makes your event special?
Will your audience remember your event? Is there enough going on to not only engage the audience, but have them thinking (and talking) about it after the event is over?
✤ Content: Content is king - this isn’t news, it will likely continue to be the leading reason people attend events. The content should reflect your goals and drive home the message or action you want your attendees to take away. Your content can be educational, sales-prompting, inspirational, news-breaking, but should always map to your goals. Even at social events, having “content” - like the actual wedding ceremony, a speech at dinner, hands-on-activities, etc - provides structure and a reason for attendees to come away with something that is memorable and shapes your event with intention. Things to remember when brainstorming the content of your event:
Calculated: The most important thing is that you are planning your content for your audience. It’s not about the logos or brand names, or the endless agenda - if your content doesn’t resonate with your audience, you could risk not reaching your goals and wasting budget on inconsequential outcomes. When forming the agenda, ask yourself these questions:
Does this content speak to my audience? If your content does connect with your audience, then what’s it all for?
Will my attendees leave my event with takeaways - be it, memorable, tactical or inspirational? Most attendees want to come away from an event with something they can build on. Maybe it’s a core memory. Maybe it’s inspiration for their job, life or business, often it’s tactical ways to improve their life or professional role. They want to come away with a list of ideas, best practices or tools to put into action when they get back to work.
Are my speakers engaging and truly experts in their field? Are they trustworthy and relatable to my audience? Just because someone works at the mega tech company, doesn’t mean they will resonate with your audience. Your audience should connect with the speaker and their message. Oh and they should be great speakers - even the most fascinating topics and can be diluted when delivered poorly.
Does the content align with the overall theme and goals of my event? If the goals are to educate and your content is all pitches, it’s probably not in alignment. Make sure each slot on your agenda ties back to your goals.
Will the content map to the reasons why someone would attend my event? For this one, shift from your goals, to the reasoning someone would attend your event (they should overlap, obviously). Does the content provide an output that would match the reason someone would attend your event?
Competition: Your event is competing with other events of course, but in our content-saturated world, you’re competing with virtual events, youtube, webinars and the countless other distractions that exist in the human-attention-grab era we’re in. Things to consider:
What content can someone get from my event that they can’t get anywhere else? This means, working with speakers to guide & adapt their content and also not scheduling serial speakers that run the conference circuit. Think outside the box on who you can bring in to provide content you can’t get anywhere else!
Can my attendees watch all of my content online? Are you rinsing and repeating content that already exists on YouTube or any array of online forums. Are you automatically posting the content online? (That’s a topic for another day!)
✤ Connection: One of the reasons events has not diminished in the way society once predicted it might is that we have an inherent need for human connection. Not just in personal connections, but in our professional lives as well. The events industry was one of the worst hit sectors of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that difficult stretch showed that no technology/AI/software will ever replace the need for humans to convene and connect - with a huge emphasis on the ‘in-person” version of connection. So many elements of events can theoretically be replaced by technology, but the human connection - in-person or virtual - is nearly impossible to replicate. This is the reason that events will never go away. These elements are arguably the most important to think about when shaping your events:
Community: Connection means community. All people want to feel they are a part of something - and events are where that desire shines. Don’t forget to emphasize your community in your event strategy. Not only will this create a successful event, but if done right, it can set the groundwork for future events and opportunities. Consider these questions:
Do all my attendees feel included and are they given ample opportunity to build relationships with other attendees? Consider the room setup, agenda and meals when you are designing for your community. If they don’t have the time or space to connect, then building a community will be challenging.
Is it easy for my attendees to have a say and be heard - can they engage? Whether it’s a live poll/voting, ample time for questions, an app to connect with other attendees or input into next year’s event, the best way to build the community is to make sure people can be actively involved in it!
Contact: This seems like it should be really easy, but making contact can be a lot harder than people think - not mentioning keeping contact post-event. The connection only happens when people actually make contact (duh, but really!). If you’re at a 12 person roundtable that’s easy, if you’re at the 15,000 person conference, that’s hard. Make it easy for people to connect and to make contact with those they can build meaningful relationships with. Remember the connection is something that’s much harder to do outside of an event - and it’s likely one of the biggest selling points of attending any event. LEAN IN! Ask yourself these questions:
Can my attendees find each other? This is something as little as name tags (that people can read) or can expand to an event app where everyone is listed and attendees can plan one-to-one meetings. If they can’t find each other, they can’t connect.
Is there time to build relationships once contact is made? If your agenda is ten, 45-minute sessions in a day, there’s probably little time for people to actually find their people, and get into it. Make sure your event - ANY EVENT - provides guests/attendees/students with time to socialize.
Can my attendees continue to build relationships after the events? Think about continuing to boost those connections. You’e made contact - but how can they build on those relationships? Maybe, the app provides LinkedIn connections, maybe you provide “buddy cards” so people can exchange contact information, maybe you tag people in the event's photos afterwards. So many options, but don’t let it stop at the event!
With so many details, events can seem stressful and overwhelming, but (most of the time) we are humans attending events with other humans. When you pull back and think of it that way, you can help align your focus on the things that matter: your (event) consumer and the way it feels to attend your event, the content and meat of information or entertainment being distilled and the connection with other human beings. These basics are what will keep your people engaged, informed and coming back. In the face of fancy flowers, visionary videos and au courant AI, make sure not to lose sight of the basics that will truly leave an impression on your attendees.
