If you find that attendees are scrolling through their social media feeds because it’s way more interesting than the business meeting they’re sitting in…chances are it’s time to revamp your approach as Corporate Event Planners.
So now you need to turn your event planning tips table to make your meetings more engaging and exciting so that attendees leave there feeling like they not only served the business goal they set out when attending this corporate event, but also had an unforgettable experience doing so.
In our changing times, Corporate Event Planners need to continue to enhance their creative approach with business meetings while keeping their event planning strategies solid and ensure that their execution leaves everyone at the meeting full of energy and enthusiasm. That’s why we felt it was crucial to create a list of corporate event planning tips that are sure to be remembered for a long time after the event.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has made it their mission to help their business clients with hosting events and meetings that are worth remembering — the type of get-togethers that encourage wellness and focus on healthy food, but in a way that unleashes excitement and engagement.
The Event Planner Expo team has gathered 10 foolproof event planning tips that you can reference from when hosting a memorable meeting.
Tip 1: Dress casual. When Corporate Event Planners invite guests to dress in a casual manner, they are sending a clear and bold message that says they’re committed to nurturing a relaxed atmosphere for the event. Attendees will become more attracted to the idea of a feel-good affair which will inspire them to attend. Promoting a comfortable event motivates people to participate, which in turn, will open up their desire to be creative and engaging.
Tip 2: Present differently. Alright, let’s face it: There’s not a lot of keynote speakers that do PowerPoint presentations very well. Plus, most people are over it. They don’t want to sit and see informational slides because eventually their attention drifts over to scrolling through their cell phones to look at social media news feeds to stay awake. So, if you want to ensure that attendees remain engaged, motivate your presenters to make decks that are full of inviting imagery and remind them to keep the verbiage short and sweet with a twist of humor.
Tip 3: Encourage participation. It’s pretty obvious that people will be more enticed to stay interested if you do you your best to encourage participation. The best event planning tips will instruct you to involve your guests in your presentations by simply asking questions, request feedback, and have them read materials out loud so that they feel included in the entire process.
Tip 4: Plan icebreakers. Although interactive presentations are an excellent way to convey information, presentations that encourage attendees to participate directly with each other is an even better approach. You can split the audience into breakout groups to tackle interactive icebreakers. By inspiring guests to bond with one another, you’ll design more of a collaborative impression of your event.
Tip 5: Break things up. Change things up a bit and instead of scheduling the typical conference day around a few drawn-out breaks, Corporate Event Planners should plan approximately four or five less lengthy breaks that will allow attendees to stretch their legs a bit. That will cause them to return later on feeling way more refreshed and eager to jump right back into the swing of things.
Tip 6: Offer a variety of seating. It’s imperative that you mix things up to avoid making anyone sit uncomfortably. No one is going to stay long if they’re not at ease with seating. Our event planning tips came from experience at previous events, and we’ve found that if you reserve part of the setup to include high tables that have bar stools or soft-cushioned seating, it is more appealing. Flexibility is the name of the game here and the more options you offer attendees, the more personalized it will feel because they will see that you thought about making sure they’re comfortable.
Tip 7: Move people around. Listen this is not the lunchroom in elementary school so if seats are assigned, at the very least make sure you reassign them after each break so that guests have the opportunity to meet new people. In other words, create a networking opportunity. This small gesture will inspire fresh perspectives and, in the end, you’ve designed more of a productive meeting.
Tip 8: Serve healthy beverages. Ahhh, so here it is! One of the event planning tips we’ve all been seeing in blog posts…promote good health! When organizing an event that includes promoting wellness, you must consider healthy beverages too. You want to think pressed juices, coconut water, smoothies, and herbal teas, that offer more of a natural pick-me-up than say sugary juices and sodas.
Tip 9: Embrace high-protein greens and foods. Go for the “brain foods” like veggies, eggs, and whole-grain salads instead of the high-carb sandwiches and a buffet of various chips so that you’re working toward energizing guests by giving them a long-lasting energy boost.
Tip 10: Promote munching on snacks throughout the day. Corporate Event Planners need to think of food as a tool at times. When you serve high-energy snacks throughout the day, instead of only offering them during breaks, you’re providing them with energy sources. Have them munch on some trail mix, veggies, hummus, and fresh fruit so that they have more stamina throughout the day.
Undeniably, the overarching tip is quite simple: Just have fun! Meetings that are interactive, lighthearted, and inspire thinking are the ones that produce the greatest results and your guests will remember most.
Corporate Event Planners who focus their efforts on creating memorable meetings and events are the type of eventprofs we like to hear from! If you’re a Corporate Event Planner who is interested in attending The Event Planner Expo to network with like-minded professionals, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know what aspect of the expo is of most interest to you, and feel free to send us a message to suggest the type of workshops you’d be most encouraged to participate in.
