Remember when you were a kid and were planning a family vacation, or a week at summer camp? If you were like me, you couldn’t WAIT for that moment when you packed your sleeping bag and Star Wars backpack into the family station wagon, and headed out for your big adventure.
For me, the weeks leading up to the big day were almost as exciting as the trip itself. I remember making plans, daydreaming about all the fun I was going to have, and sending notes to my summer friends in anticipation of our upcoming fun.
You invest so much of your time and energy into planning your corporate events. You want your attendees to be excited as well.
But let’s be realistic, our annual events, conferences, or national sales meetings are more about business and productivity (well, usually) than fun and frivolity. While your corporate gatherings may not include water balloon fights or a game of Capture the Flag (how cool would it be if they DID, though!), there should be an element of fun and excitement about them as well.
What if there was a way to create just a fraction of that pre-event excitement and buzz for your event that you felt as a kid getting ready to head off to camp?
One way to create anticipation and excitement for your event BEFORE it even happens, is to develop a “drip campaign” – a series of regular updates showcasing what attendees can expect and experience at the event. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Create an Event Website or Facebook Group: There are lots of different cheap (or free) resources out there these days to create quick and easy websites (you can find out more about some of them here).
Capture the most simple, clear elements of the event – dates, locations, speakers – on a website or Facebook Group, and then send it out to attendees well in advance. Include previews of the keynote presentation content, lists of local hotspots, fun facts about the city where the event is, or anything else that could create a little excitement.
Need a quick video tutorial on creating a Facebook Group? We got you covered: Click here.
- Send Video Clips: Create fun, short video clips using your cell phone that highlight activities that attendees will experience at the corporate event. This could include local sites, restaurants, or nightlife. Don’t worry too much about the quality of the clips; we live in the YouTube age, and sometimes the more raw and unedited, the more “organic” or real these kinds of videos feel.
- Push Email updates: The month before the event, send out weekly emails with “teaser” content that will pique interest and create anticipation. Share some enthusiasm for the experience. It’s contagious!
- Arrival Instructions: A week before the event, send out instructions that give specific directions on where to park, register, and how to navigate the venue…and where to get a drink!
The Sky’s the Limit!
You may not offer a dodge ball tournament or a talent show at your next corporate event (again, but how cool would it be if you DID?), but a well-planned drip campaign will have your attendees excited and engaged before your event even gets started!
Here’s to “buzzing it up!”
PS: Need help creating exciting drip campaigns or events? Schedule a call and let’s discuss the possibilities.
Eliminate the stress, hassle, and budget challenges that come with creating effective corporate events, and let Transperia make it easy for you to “Have Your Best Event – EVER!”®
