Many business professionals attend countless corporate events over the years. When asked about truly memorable experiences, however, they’ll cite only a few. The difference between events that fade into the background and those that people remember months after the fact lies in strategic planning and implementation.
A company need not have the biggest budget to create a successful event; they merely need to understand the elements that support a memorable experience and weave them strategically throughout the entire occasion. Companies who focus on this process cultivate events that have people talking long after they’re finished.
The Strategic Foundation Distinguishing Events from One Another
The most memorable events have a definitive purpose and intentional use. So many corporate gatherings feel identical and forgettable that it’s obvious there’s no major reason for convening beyond “We need to have our annual event.”
The best event planners determine goals of action first and foremost before any other consideration. From deepening client relations to product launches to commemorating milestones, the most successful events exist for a reason.
This reason then informs speaker selection, venue acquisitions, and follow-up notes. When organizations understand what they need to accomplish, they set themselves up for success rather than following formulaic standards with no personal application.
At this stage, comprehensive planning tools become essential. An event planning checklist helps ensure that overarching strategic objectives transform into tactical items of execution. Without a systematic approach to planning, even the best intentions can lead to disappointment.
Content That Actually Speaks to Real Business Concerns
The most memorable business events center on presentations of broad topics that sound relevant but fail to address any one issue facing the attendees. The most forgettable events tackle non-challenging issues that professionals would face anyway; memorable ones present solutions, however, to problems with which people could actually grapple.
How does one gain this information? By doing their research about their audience ahead of time and understanding what keeps them awake at night. What industry trends are impacting their businesses? What skills development fosters growth in their career paths? An event that answers these questions provides true value that resonates in memory.
Additionally, how content is presented matters considerably as well. Panel discussions with experts offering different opinions are far more memorable than one-person presentations with predetermined conclusions. Workshops where attendees wrestle through issues together resonate more than listening.
The more presenters that can tell specific stories about what worked for them and why, versus getting on a soapbox talking about what they think will work best, the better.
Valuable Networking Opportunities
Most business events include networking opportunities, but memorable ones create networking opportunities that help people connect with resources worth their while. The difference lies in optional networking versus planned, useful networking.
Networking without direction tends to be forced and results in exchanged business cards forgotten upon attendees’ returns. Networking with a structure provides people impetus on which to engage.
This might come in the form of roundtable discussions focused on timely content, speed networking opportunities segmented by the industries in which people work or collaborative exercises for problem solving. The goal is making it easier for people to demonstrate their expertise and learn from others in a comfortable fashion.
Even follow up becomes facilitated in memorable settings. Instead of relinquishing a great opportunity for connection to chance, organizers of great events bridge gaps between people who want to reconnect through online forums, follow-up meetups, or virtual introductions.
The Execution Pieces that Exemplify Professionalism
Finally, while content and networking shape the guts of a memorable experience, execution is the determining factor as to whether the attendee leaves with positive or negative impressions. Small issues can derail effective programming.
The more basics work well – the registration experience, understandable signage throughout the venue, reliable technology – the more professionalism exudes from an event.
Catering quality holds more weight than organizers realize. People remember exceptional catering for positive reasons and horrible catering for negative reasons – sometimes more than they remember keynote speakers or breakout sessions.
Timing also signals whether an event will be memorable or not. If events start on time, run according to schedule and end when they should, attendees recognize their time is respected as a valued effort. If it runs long or begins late, stress pervades positivity.
Post-Event Engagement That Continues the Value
Memorable events do not end when people leave the venue; they represent part of a sustained value chain that may include continued communication or connections established throughout the gathering.
From sharing materials presented on site to connecting those who expressed mutual interest through non-verbal clues, successful organizers take a leap beyond their competitors by setting up follow-up gatherings that continue the conversation.
This means sending out emails after the fact, requesting feedback so future endeavors can improve while conveying to organizational efforts that their contributions mattered. However, these should not be generic satisfaction ratings but instead ask specific questions about value.
Staying connected through social media can extend conversations from the event as long as it’s transparent and not just for organizational purposes. If a person said something smart or a connection was made, talking about it reinforces memory versus leaving it as is.
Ultimately, the most memorable business events are those which come from active participation as opposed to passive consumption. Companies that infuse strategic planning into mindful programming efforts always garner bigger relationships down the line than those who settle for generic gatherings faded from memory after moments.
