You know you want to create an experience (on or off the show floor) that attendees will be talking about for years to come ... but how?
At this month's Open Mic event,
Wendy Porter
joined us to discuss ways to make it happen.
Thanks to
Rama Beerfas - CTSM, MAS
&
Andrew Childers
for joining Wendy & me onstage, plus those who were in the audience. While we aren't able to record LinkedIn audio events, here's a quick summary. And keep your eye out for more Open Mic events! (If you have a suggested topic, please share that in the comments.)
We talked about how memorable events need to incorporate your goals & objectives into details:
- Wendy shared the story of a Mardi Gras-themed event she coordinated in New Orleans that included a Second Line parade to the venue, then a number of traditional elements at the event. She even arranged for an artist to paint the scene, which ended up hanging in the corporate office. (See more details + photos on Wendy's website.)
- Rama said that she's helped clients turn sketches into magnets or other clever giveaways to send attendees after the event to keep the memory alive. Andrew asked whether it's better to hand them out in the booth or mail after, and we all agreed that there can be benefits both ways. Rama said it depends on what it is – you might want to do a separate follow-up piece, but it must be timely.
- Wendy also shared an example of a Wordle of Rosie the Riveter that included the name of the conference to be sent as a follow-up piece.
For more examples from Wendy, check out my podcast interview with her:
Next we dove into a case study of one event: NAMILand
- Wendy talked about a variety of experiential elements on the show floor at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Conference, including a coloring wall with icons for attendees to color at the entrance. There was a lounge area with NAMI swag, book signings, and an "ask the experts" area. And in addition to a familiar puppy area, there were also therapy horses. (Andrew loved that idea!) You can see photos of this event on Wendy's website.
- Other creative examples that popped up during our conversation included a punching bag with a leaderboard (shared by Andrew) which gave attendees a reason to come back and defend their score. We also talked about how to use candy to let attendees vote in a visual poll.
Then our discussion turned to the topic of pre-show promotions:
- Andrew asked for examples, and Rama shared some great advice. Instead of sending some kind of gift before the show (which no longer makes sense due to costs and delivery challenges), send a pre-show mailer offering a personalized gift if they pre-book a 10-minute appointment in your booth. They must use a specific link to book a slot in her calendar, plus answer a few questions in advance. (These must either be current clients or prospects booking a first-time meeting – no freebie-hunters!) You can check out a more detailed case study on her website.
- I shared the idea of doing a Scavenger Hunt (which I've used and so have my clients), which works to both educate and gamify the experience for attendees.
What kinds of unforgettable experiences have you incorporated in your events? Please share in the comments!
And if you'd like help coming up with specific ideas for your next trade show, please reach out to me. Whether you're a show organizer or exhibitor, we can set up a brainstorming session to discover engaging ideas that will ensure attendees remember your event.
