The events landscape is constantly evolving, and attendee engagement is a critical aspect of creating successful events. In the past, an engaged attendee was simply someone not on their phone or taking notes during the event. However, today, event engagement goes far beyond that, encompassing activities that occur before, during, and after the event.
Effective engagement strategies can significantly impact how attendees remember their experience. If you want to take your event to the next level, here are eleven tips to create a thoroughly engaging event experience:
1. Understand your audience
Engaging attendees begins with a deep understanding of your audience. It will help you figure out what content and messages people care about and to choose the best approach, the proper language and the right channels (physical or virtual) to fully engage them.
By knowing their demographics, geographic location, interests, and needs, you can tailor your event to provide the best possible experience. This knowledge will also enable you to convert your audience into long-term, paying attendees who become loyal advocates of your brand.
2. Market your event early and encourage social sharing
Utilise the appropriate communication channels, such as Twitter, Facebook, or other social media platforms, to promote your event well in advance. Create a custom hashtag and encourage attendees to use it in their social media posts. Incorporate the hashtag into your marketing materials, website, and event giveaways to foster engagement and facilitate interactions among attendees.
3. Organise giveaways and contests
Incentivise event engagement and connect with your audience by organising giveaways and contests. Offering free tickets or gadgets as prizes can generate attention and excitement while enhancing social media engagement and creating buzz around your event. Consider running a social media contest where participants can showcase their creativity through photos, captions, or videos.
4. Harness the power of email marketing
Despite the emergence of various digital marketing tools, email marketing remains one of the most powerful and cost-effective methods for engaging attendees. Avoid cold and boring emails, use a mail merge software, such as Mailchimp or QuickMail, to personalise your emails on an individual basis while reaching a large audience. Personalised emails create a stronger connection with your attendees and provide them with essential information, such as the event hashtag and the latest updates.
5. Initiate early conversations with attendees
Engagement with attendees shouldn't begin at the start of the event. After registration, start conversations with your attendees to kickstart the engagement process early on. Encourage them to participate in contests or share event-related content on social media. By engaging attendees from the beginning, you can build excitement and anticipation for the event.
6. Select the right guest speakers
Choosing the right guest speakers is vital to engaging attendees and creating an exceptional event experience. Identify the target audience, define the event's theme and goals, and then invite speakers who can effectively relate to your audience. The success of your virtual or hybrid event hinges on the quality of your speakers, so select them carefully.
7. Drive attendee engagement with sustainable rewards
Increase attendee excitement by partnering with sustainable swag providers to promote your brand and gift attendees with eco-friendly souvenirs. Consider items like reusable tote bags, water bottles made from recycled materials, or eco-friendly notebooks and backpacks. Thoughtfully chosen sustainable swag enhances your branding and resonates with environmentally conscious attendees.
Utilise audience engagement apps to encourage interactions, create conversations, and foster discussions among attendees. Whether your event is in-person or virtual/hybrid, tools like Mentimeter, MeetingPulse or Catchbox can enhance the attendee experience and make engagement more inclusive.
9. Create event survey questions
Collect feedback from attendees by implementing event survey questions. Send a survey via email or ask attendees to provide feedback before they leave the event. These surveys help you gauge attendee satisfaction, and identify areas for improvement.
10. Don’t forget to thank everyone
At the end of your event, show your appreciation for those who've attended as it's the perfect way to let them know how much you care and build relationships. A well-crafted thank-you email can increase engagement, build loyalty and encourage attendees to return to your future events. Keep the message short, concise and friendly, it will give it a personal touch we too often are all missing and it will help you to boost your brand popularity.
11. Opt for an environmentally conscious ticketing platform
In today's world, consumers, especially Millennials and Generation Zers, are increasingly drawn to companies and brands that prioritise sustainability. Engaging with eco-friendly products and services has become a significant consideration for many individuals. By choosing an environmentally driven ticketing platform like Tixtree, you can align your event with the mission of saving the planet.
We stand out as a ticketing platform that takes sustainability seriously. For each ticket sold we allocate 5 pence to fund tree-planting projects aiming to make our planet a better place to live in. By using Tixtree, you will be hosting your event and selling your tickets, while actively contributing to a greener future. Additionally, we also provide organisers with shareable assets that highlight the social impact of their events. This feature helps engage the audience and boost your brand by showcasing your commitment to environmental sustainability.