4 Tips to Supercharge your Annual Event
If you’re tasked with producing an annual event or a series of similar or related events, you
may find yourself thinking – “How will I keep it fresh and exciting, and how will I make each
one memorable and special?”
Past events success doesn’t automatically guarantee future success and it’s now easier than
ever to lose people’s attention. You want to host an event that people anticipate and can’t
wait to attend every year/ time, so you can’t let it get repetitive and stale. You need each
event to be EXCEPTIONAL – but how?
Here are 4 ways to make your next regular event the best one yet!
1. Set a clear purpose and theme:
Event attendees are looking for something useful and meaningful to be a part of, not
just another dinner or talk from the CEO. Your event needs a purpose – think big
picture – an overarching goal that people can get behind or support. Ask yourself
‘why’ are you holding the event and what measurable outcomes will it produce?
For example, will it help create social change, raise money to build something,
provide a voice for those who have been silenced, or pave the way for progress and
improve the way things are done?
One your purpose is clear, your chosen theme and decor can be chosen and created
in support and alignment with this bigger purpose. The theme will provide a stylish
look to the venue and inspire the food, drinks, entertainment – and maybe even guest
costumes or outfits!
2. Change up the location:
While there is comfort and safety in consistency and sticking to the same old formula,
change can bring a sense of excitement and new opportunities.
Moving from city to city for nation-wide events has many benefits. It provides
interstate attendees the chance to travel and explore a new place, while those who
live nearby get the convenience of being close to home. Think of it like an AFL or
NRL game, everyone gets the advantage of and a turn to play on their home-ground!
Each venue has its own unique appeal and range of facilities, which can instantly
bring something novel and distinct to a repeat event. Some venues are considered
bucket-list destinations and can therefore be a powerful drawcard in themselves.
Think about taking your event to regional locations too – cities are great, but there
are lots of spectacular event venues all over Australia. Remember your event not
only supports the businesses, suppliers you hire to deliver it, it also brings economic
benefits to the area in which it’s held.
If a new venue is not an option, change up the layout and schedule and consider
running your welcome drinks, a dinner or other social activities elsewhere.
3. Pay attention to attendee feedback:
The best and only way to know what your guests and client really enjoyed and want
to experience more of is to ask them and listen to them!
Post event feedback surveys and debriefing meetings are an essential and important
tool to understand what you can do to improve and refresh your event, as well as
things to avoid or remove. Make sure you include survey questions that will help you
clearly identify what worked and what didn’t, and remember to review and implement
those recommendations, changes and additions when planning for the next event.
Also pay attention to comments and reviews on social media. Word of Mouth is still
one of the most powerful marketing tools for any event, product or service and social
media is the go-to place people go to share their opinions and read other people’s
reviews.
Positive feedback is lovely to receive. You can even ask for permission to turn these
into testimonials and use them to help promote future events. But it’s the negative
feedback that is the most valuable. Don’t take it personally and contact the attendee
if it’s something you can respond to and fix simply e.g., to provide a refund or missing
item from their goodie bag. They may quickly become your biggest fan!
4. Celebrity and VIP Guests:
A quick way to bring some excitement to your annual or any repeat event is to invite
a new VIP guest, speaker or performer to attend! While this can sometimes be a
costly exercise, the return on investment is usually worthwhile.
Choose your guest list with your event purpose and business goals in mind – it’s not
about inviting any random celebrity, but one who authentically aligns with and appeals
to your audience. This will ensure you get the benefit of their star-power while also
creating a rich and engaging experience for them and all attendees.
Announcing an influential and popular keynote speaker is a great way to promote your
event and will help persuade people to buy tickets or register. Securing a well-known
headline musical act always gets lots of attention. And a celebrity MC, or comedian is
always lots of fun and can help lighten up a more serious event or session.
Annual events are crucial in re-connecting your members, employees and community, for
communicating your vision, celebrating achievements, and breathing life, creativity and
motivation back into the day-to-day activities of your organisation or industry.
You only have one chance to get it right. Incorporate these tips into your next annual event
to create an event worth remembering and returning to or give us a call to book an Event
Design Session with our team.
