Data is not only useful for measuring the success of your event, but also for creating a memorable and engaging theme that resonates with your audience. In this article, you will learn how to use data to design your event theme, from researching your attendees' preferences and interests, to analyzing the feedback and trends from previous events, to testing and refining your theme ideas.
The first step to using data to design your event theme is to understand who your attendees are and what they want from your event. You can use various sources of data, such as surveys, social media, registration forms, and CRM systems, to collect information about your attendees' demographics, behaviors, motivations, and expectations. This will help you to create a persona or profile of your ideal attendee, and to tailor your theme to their needs and interests.
This step is critical. It is so important to understand who your audience is for a myriad of reasons, but especially when designing the event theme. You wouldn't want to set the tone for a rowdy bunch of high schoolers when the conference is for empty-nesters. You can actually harm your event (and future ones) with the wrong theme.
While data-driven insights can certainly contribute to about 50% of the event design process, it's imperative to remember that your unique experience and insights are what truly make the difference. Engaging in meaningful conversations with seasoned event organizers and immersing yourself in the theme you wish to create can offer invaluable perspectives. Therefore, I would argue that while data is beneficial, it isn't the be-all and end-all for tailoring a successful event. After all, it's the human touch that brings an event to life, isn't it?
Designing an event theme heavily relies on researching attendees. Surveys and data analysis can reveal hobbies, preferences, and expectations, along with values and motivations. Feedback from past events, including social media engagement, can help identify topics of interest and allow event planners to tailor the event theme to align with the researched preferences and expectations of the attendees. It's also important to allocate resources based on data-driven insights into what elements are of greatest interest to attendees. By prioritizing in-depth research of attendees, event planners can craft themes that more precisely meet their expectations, fostering higher attendee satisfaction and engagement.
It is very important to choose your audience: know who you are trying to reach?? Then study how you will best serve them and then utilize that information to gain the sale or their following.
This is the first and most important step for moving toward with your event plan and can’t often be forgotten about, left to later or only focused on for s short time not giving you the right data. Get your potential attendees involved in the planning process and make them them feel like you are planning this with them and not for them.
The second step to using data to design your event theme is to look at the feedback and trends from your previous events, or similar events in your industry or niche. You can use tools like Google Analytics, event management software, or post-event surveys, to track and measure the performance and satisfaction of your past events. This will help you to identify what worked well and what didn't, what topics and formats were popular and relevant, and what gaps and opportunities exist for your next event.
Past events offer a treasure trove of data you can capture before, during and after. Use check in data to understand consumer demand, and post-event surveys to ask attendees what they would do differently if there was a next time. You will be suprised.
?? Understanding your audience is vital in event planning. Yet, relying solely on surveys from previous events may not always yield the best results. If the theme changes, so does the audience's expectations. ? Using a survey from a different themed event as a reference can lead to misguided decisions. After all, what worked for one event might not work for another. ? Additionally, a few days' worth of data is hardly enough to fully comprehend your audience's preferences. It's about quality, not quantity. ?? So, let's ditch the 'one-size-fits-all' approach and embrace a more tailored strategy. Understand each event is unique and deserves its own dedicated research and planning. That's how we ensure every event is better than the last!
The third step to using data to design your event theme is to test your theme ideas with your target audience and stakeholders. You can use methods like focus groups, interviews, polls, or A/B testing, to gather feedback and insights on your theme concepts, and to see how they resonate and appeal to your attendees. This will help you to validate and refine your theme ideas, and to ensure that they align with your event goals and objectives.
I disagree with mentioning A/B testing. That is a great strategy but not for choosing Event Themes, since it could only mislead or disappoint your event visitors. It's an AI mistake to mention it here.
Choosing themes that your members relate to and feel a sense of belonging to is the best way to engage them. You should begin broad and narrow down as you go to accomplish this. In my experience, this can be best achieved by hosting a brainstorming session with your event team (and/or your community's most active members) and narrowing it down further by polling your larger community on your top three choices. Remember, a successful brainstorming session is built on context and collaboration. Data and feedback from previous events can help inspire and guide the creative process.
?? In the quest for delivering value, I've realized that using generic contributions often misses the mark. Instead, I believe in the power of direct interaction and tailored feedback. ?? I'm choosing to invest time in assembling a focus group from my target audience. This way, I can listen, understand, and then create solutions that truly resonate with their needs. ?? This is not just about reinventing the wheel, but about creating a wheel that rolls smoother and faster, specifically for my audience. Stay tuned as I share insights from this journey. Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome!
The fourth step to using data to design your event theme is to refine your theme execution, based on the data and feedback you collected in the previous steps. You can use data to inform and enhance every aspect of your theme execution, such as the venue, the speakers, the content, the activities, the branding, the marketing, and the logistics. You can also use data to monitor and evaluate your theme execution, and to make adjustments and improvements as needed.
The fifth step to using data to design your event theme is to use data visualization to showcase and communicate your theme to your attendees. Data visualization is the process of presenting data in a visual and interactive way, such as charts, graphs, maps, or infographics. You can use data visualization to create a compelling and immersive theme experience for your attendees, by highlighting the key messages, stories, and insights from your data. You can also use data visualization to engage and involve your attendees, by inviting them to explore, interact, and share your data.
Let’s be honest, a sheet full of numbers isn’t the most inspiring and can often be a turn off for reading and understand the data. There are so many creative ways you can transform this data visually. Why not think about creating a downloadable report highlighting the best findings that is easily shareable.
The sixth and final step to using data to design your event theme is to learn from your data, and to use it to improve your future events. You can use data to measure the impact and outcomes of your event theme, such as the attendance, engagement, satisfaction, retention, and conversion of your attendees. You can also use data to collect and analyze the feedback and suggestions from your attendees, speakers, sponsors, and partners. This will help you to understand what worked well and what didn't, what challenges and opportunities emerged, and what lessons and best practices you can apply for your next event.
A great way to ensure you learn from your data is to schedule in a post-Morten call after the event to really dive into all of this so you can analyse the good, bad and the ugly. Invite all the team involved and you could even SWOT it out ready to plan a even better event next year.
Every data collection is a footprint ?? of change if it's well interpreted for action, there are no results without action points and so no impact should be expected on each step ?? of development. We need to localize the data ownership if we are to achieve the best at the end of it and ensure we have a well planned post-mortem roadmap for the best ahead beyond just the numbers ??
Numbers never lie. All the above mentioned points all lead to the same point, learning from data. What is the point of collecting and analysing data if you're not going to make decisions based on it?
Before you collect data, make sure you've determined which direction you'll take depending on the outcomes. Don't collect data without intention for action. When it comes to themes, first create an internal version of a theme called an organizing principle. This will be the intersection of your mission and what your community needs. If you know your mission well, data will help you better realize the deficit your community has in which you can fill. Don't guess - ask them! Poll, survey, focus group, and watch attendees' exhaust as they experience your event to see where their interests lie that only you can meet.