Does your business plan and host events? Do you want people to talk about your events on social media? The key to generating a social media buzz is identifying the influential members in your sphere of influence and giving them something to get excited about. Do you want to get people talking about your event? Stop thinking about that event and start thinking about an adventure.
What do you think of when you hear the word event? To many people, this word conjures up a familiar image of boring speakers, sponsor’s booths and awkward networking with strangers. Most people are not in a hurry to post about boring events on social media. Events can be impactful, but they are not the best way to generate excitement. Take your attendees to some unexpected place and you can turn them into virtual content ambassadors, eager to represent your business on social media.
Planning an Adventure
Spontaneity and unpredictability are major ingredients of many adventures. Planning to be spontaneous may seem like an oxymoron, but what you are actually doing is giving your guests the opportunity to do the unexpected. Here are some suggestions:
- Get Out of Town
If you want social media attention, you need to get people excited. Most people have difficulty finding excitement inside of a conference center. You need to put people into a more dynamic environment. The outdoors is dynamic by nature, but this is not your only option. No matter where you go, physical activity is important. Keep people moving to keep them excited and keep them talking. Just make sure they have a good Internet connection.
- Throw Down the Gauntlet
At some business events, the biggest challenge is simply staying awake through all of the speeches. Give your guests a challenge to overcome. If you can get them working together and making friendships, you will give them even more to talk about and potentially increase your social media reach.
- Run with a Theme
Whatever theme you choose, go all the way. If your theme is the Old West for instance, bring out some horses and tumbleweeds. Serve warm beer. If your theme is the golden age of Hollywood, you could decorate your venue to look like an old movie theater, complete with popcorn, hot dogs, ushers and classic movies. The theme is only limited by your imagination. Give your guests the most immersive experience possible.
- Go Big!
In some cases, bigger really is better; this is especially true if you want to generate excitement. If a 20-foot video screen will do, a 40-foot video screen will work better. The more memorable the venue, the more people will want to talk about it.
Getting people excited takes work. It takes planning and even a bit of luck. When you plan your next event, go beyond the ordinary and plan a memorable adventure. It may take a bit more effort to plan and host a something worth talking about, but the rewards of continued engagement are well worth the effort.