Open Mic Recap: How Can We Help Attendees Feel Energized Instead of Exhausted?

You know the feeling ... an over-stuffed agenda, not eating right, & staying up late in a different time zone. It's a wonder attendees even survive our events!

So at this month's Open Mic event, we discussed ways we can support attendee wellness by incorporating strategic elements into our trade shows & events.

Thanks to David T. Stevens?, PMED , Sean R. Schuette, CMP & Stephanie Infantino for joining me onstage, as well as those in the audience. While we aren't able to record LinkedIn audio events, here's a quick summary for you. And keep your eye out for more Open Mic events! (If you have a suggested topic, please share that in the comments.)

We started by addressing what wellness means (or doesn't):

• Typically "wellness" at events has meant morning yoga or a fun run. That just isn't what attendees want, and that's reflected in the recent surveys conducted by Freeman, where less than 5% of exhibitors or attendees indicated "wellness" was a priority. (Here's where you can download the Freeman Trend Reports for Attendees and Exhibitors.)
• Instead, David Stevens said wellness is actually attendee care?– helping them feel good, get good sleep, and access healthy food options. Now that's something attendees & exhibitors can get on board with!

For more on this, check out my recent podcast episode with David:

Then we turned our attention to ways event organizers can create a more healthy & productive environment for attendees:

• Have limited hours for the exhibits – creating a scarcity mindset means better show floor traffic overall, and exhibitors don't end up totally burned out.
• Give attendees time for meaningful interaction and to process what they've learned. Social Media Marketing World had 30-minute breaks between sessions, with the emcee opening up a few minutes before each session and inviting people to share with those seated next to them what they learned in a previous session. (Great for networking + shared learning!)
• Stephanie Infantino shared an example where the conference structure included about 35% or more communal wellness-focused activities (healthy eating, morning walk, breaks for processing information), and ending each day at a reasonable time. There was plenty of time for fresh air and sunshine, plus attendees could take a breather for whatever purpose was needed.
• "Movement doesn't have to mean boot camp," David said. Simply give attendees opportunities to move around, use varied seating options, and leave plenty of white space in the schedule. Sean said he's a big fan of white space – walking sessions, evening "Wine Circles" (like roundtable discussions), giant games, ping pong, coloring, and other creative activities. (You could even host a pickleball court on the show floor, like Liz Lathan, CMP recently shared in a post.)
• Offer fun ways for people to connect and share ideas, like the "Dinner with Strangers" tradition at EXHIBITORLive. Attendees sign up for dinner at a local restaurant, then dine with 10-12 others who chose that same location. (I've personally met some great friends that way over the years!)
• David said that shorter sessions are better (30 minutes max), and if a topic requires more than that, break it up and do cliffhangers at the end of each session.

The key is instead of exhausting attendees, make them feel like they've been on a retreat or incentive trip so they'll go home energized and ready to take action on all they learned at your event.

How do you provide energizing elements for attendees? Please share in the comments!