Event Experience

How to Create Exciting Event Experiences: Five Tips to Keep Attendees Hooked

Eventually Learning Team

08 February 2022

Read time 5 minutes

“I believe that when people experience an event as a community it can transcend and change people’s lives.” - Andy Serkis

The pandemic has changed everything for events - the experiences as well as expectations. But, do you know what attendees want the most? It's transformational experiences from events they attend! As an event marketer, your focus in 2022 should be on delivering the best user experience. The gamut of event engagement activities you can plan this year is going to be immense! So, hold on tight; it's time for event marketers to be witty, lively and entertaining. Scroll further to find out the five best strategies to provide attendees with the best event experience.

Aim for Top-Notch Production Quality

If you are planning a live event, it's necessary to coordinate colors, focus on set design and get the décor right! For example, if you have a tradeshow with an exciting exhibitor showcase lined up, you will have to focus on setting up booths, floors, breakrooms and more. In the case of a virtual event, you can think about getting a good backdrop, making interactive PowerPoint presentations, using digital whiteboards, getting a better mic and cameras. But, of course, you must pay heed to camera angles and illuminating lights!

Pro-tip: You can use reusable and eco-friendly items to make a statement and support the environment! Also, 'green events' is a rising trend!

Make Push Notifications Interesting to Read

According to statistics by Business of Apps, the average reaction rate for push notifications for Android is 4.6% and for IOS, it's 3.4%. For any kind of marketing, push notifications play a key role! As a result, you can make push notifications on your event app or platform humorous, informative or exciting! Some insights to make push notifications enjoyable are:

Remind the attendee to grab a snack
Remind them when the keynote address is taking place
Ask them to take a coffee break between sessions
Share interesting facts about your event, venue, speakers or industry

Events Can Be Full of Spirit Days

Many events run for more than a day. If your event is one of them, why not make it amusing for attendees? Just like you have 'fun days' at the workplace, you can also leverage that idea for events. Make an agenda of ‘spirit days’ at your event and post it on your event website and landing page. It would be best to share it across your social media channels, emails and event app to gather attention. Some ideas for spirit days can be:

Wear your favorite hat
Show/bring your pet to the event (Pet-friendly events are booming!)
Be a famous industry personality
Wear coordinated colors

There’s no limit to the fun! You can explore more ideas.

Pro-tip: Encourage your attendees to click pictures and share them across social media to make activities more entertaining. You can even plan a contest with a reward around the activity!

Quiz Attendees to Keep Them on Their Toes

The idea of quizzing attendees or organizing a survey, maybe even a quick test, works best for a learning or an educational event. This way, you can keep track of attendee progress! It does not matter if your sessions are in-person, virtual or on-demand; you can plan quizzes in downloadable formats too for attendees to attempt them later. You can also organize witty contests under trivia categories like entertainment, food, apparel and more.

Pro-tip: Don’t forget to share the test results with your attendees. You can even leave comments on their progress.

Don't Let Attendees Go Empty Handed or Empty Stomach

Remember, attendees love freebies! So you can keep some of your budgets aside to customize swag for attendees, which they can use during the event like bags, mugs, notepads, gadgets, water bottles, tote bags, stationery and more. Even if your event is virtual, don’t let attendees miss the fun of snacking and munching! You can gather attendee preferences before the event to plan customized meal packages and get them delivered at their doorstep. Your custom meal package can be:

Delicious Mexican meals like burritos and tacos
Scrumptious Italian delights like pasta or pizza
Asian meals like ramen, hotpot or sushi

Pro-tip: Platforms like Hoppier allow you to serenade your attendees with happy hour drinks, fresh morning coffee, meals and much more. Check it out!

Wrapping Up

In 2022, customize event experiences to suit modern attendee expectations. You don't have to worry about creating attendee engagement in virtual events; great tools and opportunities help you be creative. Don't strip down fun, catering or engagement from virtual events. Instead, deliver the best user experience to make your attendees come back to you!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you create a memorable event experience?

Six easy steps to follow to create a memorable experience for attendees:

Identify industry personas and visualize your key stakeholders
Determine your event objective and goals
Understand your budget and allocate it generously for all activities
Map all processes and coordinate with each team to be on the same page
Visualize the outcome you want and prepare content accordingly
Leverage event technology to execute maximum event processes

What makes an event unique?

In today’s economy, theming and branding your event will truly distinguish it from the competition. So bring your theme alive with all visual elements, marketing, invitations, sessions and more to let your attendees know what your event is all about.

What is the event attendee experience?

The event's memories and experiences an attendee makes and goes through are known as attendee experiences. An overall attendee experience starts the event before the event. Then, through event reviews, surveys and feedback, you can get to see the kind of experience your attendees had.