Here is a list of ways to make your next event as tedious and frustrating as possible for your delegates. Or do the reverse! Pay attention to these details and avoid them all to guarantee your delegates will have the best possible experience that will leave them raving about your event!
Bad climate control
Enter ‘tips for attending your first conference’ into Google, 90% of the articles tell you to layer up. Aim to keep the temperature at a moderate degrees so attendees sit comfortably for the duration of the event.
Not enough mic runners
Avoid those awkward silences and make sessions more efficient by sourcing enough mic runners for Q&A. These mic runners should be strategically positioned with easy aisle access and visibility of the audience.
Boring food
We have all been to that event with the dry quartered sandwiches and weak coffee. Don’t do it! Take the time to understand your delegates, be creative and take some risks. Offer healthy food that is mindful of dietary requirements and nutritious!
Uncomfortable chairs
Your audience shouldn’t let out a collective groan as they stand up for afternoon tea. If you overlook the delegates physical learning environment, your conference content won’t be as impactful.
Too many social media channels
Select your hashtag early on and decide which three social media channels you will use to promote your event. Too many platforms will divide attention and overwhelm attendees.
Too much printing and paper!
Faxing registration forms? Printing event programs? Downloading PDF files on your mobile? There’s no reason to act like it’s 1995. Seek out online solutions that are intuitive and cost-effective and make your event sustainable and reduce waste. Look into providing a conference app as a solution in lieu of a printed conference program. Sponsor logos can be shown on a loop on a plasma screen instead of displayed in a printed program
Onsite registration
Long lines, a lack of directional signage and an understaffed registration desk is a recipe for disgruntled delegates. There are plenty of registration systems and hardware suppliers which can streamline this process if used effectively. To see how we develop and manage onsite registration, click here to review our Blue Sky Investor Day 2017 case study.
Poor audio
Feel free to exhaust your attendees on the first day by providing poor quality AV support.
Eyes tend to tire at a much faster rate when looking at poorly focused projectors, and poor audio tends to cause attendees to quickly switch off from the content being shared, not to mention the frustration experienced from the speakers and presenters themselves.
No or slow internet
There’s nothing funny about being asked to connect to a live event app when the event Wi-Fi isn’t working. Studies show frustration increases 10% with every 10 seconds of unnecessary buffering delays*.
*Okay we may have made that stat up, but we have all felt it right?
Poor accessibility
Each attendee has the right experience the content in a way that is easiest for them, whether that be an interactive sense, an online forum, having special assistance, or just to sit and listen. Plan ahead, assume nothing, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification ahead of time.
Poor environmental choices
Stay away from disposable plastic, throwaway promotional items and single-sided handouts. Attendees are well aware of their environmental impact and are looking for ways to cut down consumption.
Poor access to content
As a courtesy, connect with speakers to centralise all slides and supporting documents in one central hub. This will save everyone time and countless repetitive follow up emails.
Lack of speaker diversity
Avoid a rotating cast of speakers who are carbon copies of each other. Seek out diverse speakers for your next event. People with different life and professional experiences can provide new insight and fresh perspectives.
Focus on speakers who are relevant to the topic and avoid those who are going to repeat information. It is important for the speakers to be engaging, entertaining and educational. Diverse speakers are easy to be sought after if you know where to look.
Poor website with no/irrelevant info
Keep your website simple but functional. Avoid promotions and clutter – make the website easy to navigate. Direct the visitors attention to where is most important with the assistance of site graphic and make online registration a simple but thorough process.
If you need assistance with your next conference or event, let us know how we can help. Please call the team at Nectar Creative Communications on 1300 878 815 or email info@nectarcc.com.au.
