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What are your essential ingredients for a business event/one day conference

Discussion in 'Marketing mastery' started by Lucy Kippist, May 14, 2019.

  1. Lucy Kippist

    Lucy Kippist Active Member Staff Member

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    I attended an event in Sydney yesterday for a thought leader and business coach who works with lots of women, particularly in the real estate space. The venue was fancy and spacious and well set-up, with a great bounty of flowers and tables of women there to learn and support each other. Lunch was delicious! As Monday's go this one did not disappoint.

    In the last hour we were given feedback forms to fill out that prompted us to leave a comment for our host to consider next time. That got me thinking about what makes a successful event from an attendee perspective.

    Here are my 5 must-haves; what would you add?

    1. A nice venue: Spending a day somewhere you'd not normally go is a real incentive for me. It doesn't have to be a fancy address, but consideration of the ambience is a huge draw card.
    2. A great keynote/guest speaker - at yesterday's event this person was the star of the show, no question. I took so many notes and even today some of her points are still circulating around my head.
    2. Feeling " comfortable" - "good" hosts need to tread that very fine line between making people feel included but also not singling out those more introverted guests hanging out on the sidelines.
    3. Well-spaced breaks - you don't want to be getting up every five minutes but also, an hour-hour and a half seems like a long time to be sitting without getting up.
    5. A takeaway "something" - a pen, a gift bag, a magazine, a notebook, a key ring, a copy of your book. It makes you look generous and acts as a bit of reminder of the event days or even weeks later.
    Lucy Kippist, May 14, 2019
    #1
  2. Paul - FS Concierge

    Paul - FS Concierge Administrator Staff Member

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    If it has a networking event, having somebody "match" new attendees with people that will make them feel welcome.

    Otherwise, killer content all the way for me.
    Paul - FS Concierge, May 14, 2019
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  3. Lucy Kippist

    Lucy Kippist Active Member Staff Member

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    I agree with that Paul! If the content is lacking - well - it's just a (fancier) space to look at your phone :)
    Lucy Kippist, May 14, 2019
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  4. bb1

    bb1 Renowned Member

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    Coffee / Juice and good quality sandwhiches
    bb1, May 14, 2019
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  5. Lucy Kippist

    Lucy Kippist Active Member Staff Member

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    Nobody has time for bad sandwiches Bert, I completely agree!
    Lucy Kippist, May 14, 2019
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  6. RunicConvenience

    RunicConvenience Active Member

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    Excellent locations, trinkets don't do much for me. If your content is not valuable enough to hold your audiences attention than does it need to be an in-person conference or meeting.

    I have been to a few "events" in my time, and the speakers would have been better just generating an excellent website and sending out a newsletter. Because the "stage" presentation ended up just being a person passing slides and reading them to the audience and with today's busy schedules we don't have time for 15-minute meetings that only take our time but give nothing to the audience.

    Have the right message or content. Please have some decent coffee/tea supplies because there is nothing worse than having to queue up downstairs at the closest coffee shop than dealing with them slowly re-entering during the next "talk" after a break.

    If your doing a stall or marketing booth in a convention sure fill it up with "posters" about your business but consider if the message is telling the viewers what it is. I have seen some food booths at conventions trying to get their products on shelves waste so much time talking about the sourcing, the friendly "local" business and the quality of the ingredients that I have to go up and talk to the stall holder to even know the "product" they are selling.
    RunicConvenience, May 15, 2019
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  7. Lucy Kippist

    Lucy Kippist Active Member Staff Member

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    This is a terrific list, rumi. Especially like the point you make there about what to include on your stall. Thanks for weighing in.
    Lucy Kippist, May 15, 2019
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  8. MattH753

    MattH753 Member

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    Events how good were they?? :)
    For me, it's the quality of speakers and the chance to talk with other delegates.
    Food, natural light, non-temperamental aircon, strong coffee, good sponsors related to conference all add to the experience.
    MattH753, Dec 1, 2020
    #8

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