An important aspect of an event planners job is make sure that the attendees of his/her event are thoroughly engaged with the proceedings of event and interact with the experience being presented. Hence finding unique and interactive ways to make the attendees interact at your event is a must.
An increased level of attendee interaction not only adds life to the overall ambience of the event but at the same makes the job of an event planner a lot easier. This time at EE we list down 5 cool ways to increase attendee interaction at events.
1-Create Anxiety
Creating anxiety among your attendees is a first step towards attendee engagement and interaction. Keeping your guests anxious about things to come sustains the interest of the attendees and leaves them wanting a little more of the event. To create anxiety and sustain it throughout the event it is very important to not give away the entire run-through of event to your attendees.
Always have surprising elements to your events and design new elements of the basis of the audience demand at the event itself. Also designing networking activities and fun games at smaller events always works wonder at events. When you take the audience by surprise it gives them a moment worth cherishing for.
2-Integrate Social Media
Social media is indispensable during events today. Organizers can use hashtags, handles, and even event specific apps to build an online community around your event.
This also provides a chance to participate from anywhere in the world, which is particularly nice for guests who can’t physically attend. During your event you can provide your events Twitter handles, create event specific hashtags, and promote the sponsors, vendors or charities through social media. Another important highlight of integrating social media is that it helps you generate the required buzz about the event even before it has started.
3-Build Networking Groups
No event can ever be successful if the attendees do not connect and network with each other. While most people hesitate to participate in large groups at events a smart event organizer can take way the hesitation by creating small or medium size networking groups and allow the attendees to proceed with the interaction.
Through group based and team building activities at such events not does the awkwardness among unfamiliar guests wears off but also it provides them with a reason to happy about the event.
4-Host a Happy Hour
Happy Hour does not necessarily mean to have free drinks at the alcohol section of your event but to give the audiences an hour from the total event run time wherein they can reduce the formality and celebrate the fun of being at a vivacious event. Happy Hour can always include fun filled activities such a very simple photo booth with props, or a doodle making competition or an integrated element of technology. Through Happy Hours the audience gets the much needed opportunity to unwind itself and network better in the absence of a formal environment.
5-Desiging Networking Friendly Ambience
It is often seen at events that the entire venue has a monotonous seating arrangement with the same décor everywhere. Changing this routine element can be a goldmine for event organizers. Having contrasting elements at the events decoration and most importantly having a designated seating space for only networking activities can truly lead to establishment of life long relations from an event. Other ways of creating networking friendly ambience are a no photography zone, separate coffee booth seating, a corporate work station and others.
