Whether organizing a corporate party, conference or an end-of-year gala, you’ll want your guests to feel comfortable, interact with one another and get the most out of the event. So how do you do it?
Audience engagement is one of those aspects which determines whether your event was a success or not. During the event planning stage, it’s important to figure out creative ways you can employ to boost event engagement.
If your guests aren’t engaged, then they will probably not want to attend other corporate events you organize and even leave early.
You could also end up with negative reviews on social media and through word of mouth. People tend to share negative experiences with their friends more than positive ones.
The key to boosting audience interaction at corporate events is paying extra attention to how you shape your event experience. Here are a few practical ideas that will help you with that.
1. Plan a Contest
Testing their luck is something people love to do, and a contest will satisfy this desire. The most important thing you need to keep in mind when planning a contest is to offer a relevant prize that will incentivize your audience to join and increase Audience Engagement at corporate events.
One of the easiest ways for the guests to submit their contest entry would be on social media – whether it’s on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Now only this is going to help you create a ton of buzz on social media about your event, but the social proof is essential for securing sponsors and partners for future corporate events.
A contest idea you can use is one where your guests will showcase in a social media post their favorite part of your event. In this case, the winner would be selected at random.
2. Leverage Social Media
Using social media is an excellent way to connect during events, particularly during large ones, such as conferences that involve lots of people. Consider creating dedicated hashtags for your event and ask attendees to join a particular online group where they can chat prior and after the event.
This way, you can build an online community around your event and give the attendees an opportunity to be heard. Plus, by using different hashtags, it will be much easier for guests to connect over common topics and interests during the event.
3. Create an Event Hashtag to drive Audience Engagement at Corporate Events
To ensure the attendees and everyone invited will know the event’s hashtag, make sure to promote it before the event takes place and also on materials, during presentations, and of course, on social media.
The use of a hashtag goes hand in hand with the contest you can organize, but you can also encourage the participants to post their favorite part about your event.
4. Book a Speaker for Your Corporate Events
A high-quality, charismatic keynote speaker will be able to engage actively and interact with the audience, thus making them feel more involved in the event.
A professional speaker will most likely be willing to collaborate with you and come up with ideas for activities they can include in their presentation to make it more engaging.
One such example is adding a Q&A section at the end of the presentation where guests can share their opinions and ask questions. Another tactic you can suggest is to have your speaker respond to a few questions asked via Twitter by your guests.
This way, attendees who may not feel comfortable getting up in front of a room full of people to ask their questions can still feel heard and involved.
If you want to book a top keynote speaker for your next event, make sure to browse our extensive portfolio featuring a wide array of best-in-class corporate speakers.
5. Book Quality Entertainment/Speakers
A speaker or an entertainer who does not spark any emotion will not leave a pleasant impression on your guests.
The talent you hire needs to enhance the overall experience for the participants, so be sure you go for someone who knows how to engage an audience through an original presentation or performance properly.
6. Do Live Polls/Q&As
Another effective way to boost audience engagement at corporate events is by involving the participants in an activity, such as doing a live poll or a Q&A, either with company leaders or other experts you’ve invited.
By employing these two methods, you will make the audience feel like their opinion matters because they get to contribute to the event.
7. Have a Mobile App
Nowadays, event mobile apps have become the norm in the industry. Major and small events use apps to keep their audiences engaged effectively.
Aside from this, a mobile app can help you plan a better experience during the event. The attendees will be able to check the schedule anytime they want, find answers to common questions they might have and even specific updates or announcements you make before or during the event.
8. Create Memories Your Audience Will Not Forget
Everyone likes to feel like their opinion and input matter, so why not make the most of this to boost engagement at your corporate events?
Have someone with a professional camera record on-site, capturing comments and reactions from the audience. Lay down a set of questions to interview attendees on topics relevant to the event.
Ask them to share their stories, advice and their top tips.
Then, you can edit the material into short segments like, for instance, “5 Reasons Great Customer Service Matters” you can share during the event. It will sure get people talking.
You can then post the footage on YouTube to further raise awareness of the event. You also can copy the testimonials given by guests in newsletters, eBooks and blog posts to ensure people will be talking about the event long after it’s ended.
Don’t Fall For Common Misconceptions About Corporate Events
Are you having trouble deciding whether or not organizing corporate events is worth all that time and effort? While it is true that not all of your employees would like to attend them, the majority of them probably wouldn’t mind. However, if you really want to get everyone to attend, then you need to cater to all their needs in an equal manner.
This doesn’t only mean providing them with a lot of alcohol and good food, but with quality entertainment as well. Don’t forget that some people might easily get offended, while others easily get bored. Hiring good entertainment will surely keep both of those types of people interested in and wanting more.
But first, you still need to decide if corporate events are the way to go when it comes to team building. Check out these common misconceptions and make sure you also share them with your employees:
1. Corporate events are all about a structured schedule and rules.
This is one of the things that makes most employees not want to attend a corporate event. It’s understandable that most of them would think the strict schedule and rules of their work lives will be enforced at such an event, but it does not make it true.
This is where you need to step in and assure them that they won’t have to worry about getting in trouble if they do their own thing for the duration of the event or if some of them don’t show up at all. For those that are interested in attending, all you need to do is make sure they understand that the only mandatory thing is the arrival time.
This is because the beginning of corporate events is generally when food is served and when people get to know each other. Just make it clear that afterward, it’s up to them how they want to have fun, as long as it’s nothing too rowdy.
2. These events are not generally cost-efficient.
While you may have to invest some money upfront, the long-term benefits will definitely be worth it. Keep in mind that, nowadays, people easily get stressed when overworked, so if you want your employees to be productive you need to also let them unwind every once in a while.
Reward them with an entertaining and relaxing corporate event every once in a while. It shows them that you care and will definitely restore morale. Plus, you won’t have to worry about them quitting because your company is all about “all work and no play”.
3. Corporate events are dull and boring.
Well, they don’t have to be. This is why hiring quality entertainment is a must. It will keep your guests laughing and amazed throughout the event. Soon enough, they might start asking when you will organize another one.
For instance, Anthony Griffith will surely make your corporate event a huge success. His witty, friendly humor will cater to everybody’s needs and ensure nobody gets too bored or too offended.
It Doesn’t Stop Here
We’ve got a myriad of entertainers you can choose from when it comes to finding the right type of entertainment for your event. From America’s Got Talent contestants to comedians with decades of experience under their belt, you’ll definitely find someone who can meet all your needs.
Your Corporate Events Deserve the Best
We hope you enjoyed the ideas we’ve included in this article and you’ll give them a try to boost audience interaction at corporate events.
Your audience is an essential asset for your event’s success – if they don’t have a good time, then all your efforts will be in vain.
That’s why you need to make sure you employ the tips we presented in this article. We’re confident you can fit at least one idea in the planning process.
In case you need help with entertainment or choosing a speaker to increase Audience Engagement at corporate events, don’t hesitate to call us at (615) 283-0039 and we’ll help you make a perfect choice.
For more inspiration, we encourage you to check out some of the other articles posted on our site to take your event planning skills to the next level. We are continually adding new posts, so don’t be a stranger.
