You're organizing an event. How can creativity elevate the guest experience?

I believe that creating a unique theme can either elevate your event or downgrade it. Your theme needs to be creative and engaging and most importantly it needs to connect with the audience. For example, if you have a scavenger hunt as part of the event and theme but only a few people participate, it can distract from the event and be a waste of money. Read the crowd and spend time figuring out what theme will be embraced by the majority of the guests. If you get it right, the party will be etched in everyone’s memories for a long time.

Rather than starting with a "theme", start with your desired outcome and build your theme around that. I was advising on an event for a large company with multiple departments and remote employees. Even though workers in each department "knew" each other through email and Zoom calls, they hadn't met in person. Their employee event aimed to foster a sense of personal connection to each other and the company. Our limitation: the event was held at a generic conference hotel near the airport in a major city. Our solution? Rather than the standard dinner in the boring ballroom with tables and chairs; we turned it into a company picnic in a mock backyard. Picnic tables, corn hole, soda and beer in coolers, and an amazing playlist. Outcome!

Event goers are looking to be surprised and engaged! When creating an event, think creatively. What is something that hasn't been done before? A 5K or marathon is a terrible way to spend your time and money in my opinion - but people keep doing them! I keep hosting them! :-) I try to give the participants a unique experience through themes and efforts to engage that they don't experience at other events. One 5K had prizes and gift cards hideen. Another one was a cops and robbers theme that people found so entertaining. Think outside your box!

One thing I have found helpful in event decoration is working with themes. Themes shape the aesthetic and atmosphere of an event. A theme acts as a cohesive framework for all decorative elements, guiding choices in colors, designs, props, lighting, and even venue layout. This unified approach sets the tone and style, creating a harmonious look and feel that enhances the guest experience. Examples 1.Seasonal or Holiday themes 2.Milestones events like birthdays, anniversaries,or weddings. Kids parties can be transformed with playful themes like superheroes or fairy tales. 3. Corporate or Brand Identity to Reflect the company’s colors and values. All these bring the event to life, making it more engaging, memorable, and impactful for guests.

Never use a theme, just to have a theme. A theme should come forth out of the values that a company/organization has, and from the message it wants to spread through the event. Next it has to be relatable and fulfill the emotional needs of the audience and comply with the values that they are seeking and want to have in their lives. For example, if you are planning an event for a company or guests who want to promote " Health, Natural living, Ecological responsibility" you're not going to host an event that has a theme that includes, old cars, steam trains, air traffic etc. No, instead you might host an event where the guest can experience the values they care about. you could include workshops that teach about natural living.

Engaging activities with clients before an event is crucial. This is the part wherein you are asking your audience what do they need. Engagement nowadays is much easier than 2 or 3 decades ago where you have to go door to door to ask their views or reactions to a certain product or service.

One of the things I focus on when I host my bi-annual Purposeful Getaway Retreats is the journey my attendees experience from the moment they walk out the door or their normal routine. I offer a playlist to them that takes them on an auditory journey from upbeat (I'm happy to be getting away) to inspiring to relaxing. On the 2-hour drive to the venue I can woo them into the right state of mind to arrive at a chill, relaxed vibe where they are presented with a beverage and a snack and are ready to settle in, unstressed. It's very intentional.

“Actions speak louder than words.” That’s why we create mood boards to help some clients or audience that doesn’t have a knack for visualization and imagination. It’s not a bad thing but there’s just some who really can’t imagine or visualize.