Experience Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Memorable

Experience Design:

A Complete Guide to Creating Memorable Events

2Experience Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Memorable Events

Copyright© All rights reserved.

No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

any means whatsoever (including presentations, short summaries, blog posts,

printed magazines, use of images in social media posts) without express written

permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations (50 words

maximum and for a maximum of 2 quotations) embodied in critical articles and

reviews, and with clear reference to the original source, including a link to the

original source at:

https://get.eventmobi.com/Experience-Design-A-Complete-Guide-To-

Creating-Memorable-Events.html

Please refer all pertinent questions to the publisher.

https://get.eventmobi.com/Experience-Design-A-Complete-Guide-To-Creating-Memorable-Events.html

https://www.eventmobi.com/

http://www.eventmanagerblog.com

Experience Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Memorable Events 3

Contents2 Copyright

4 Introduction by Julius Solaris

6 StrategiesBehindCreatingMemorableExperiences by Tahira Endean

7 Getting Started with Experience Design

7 Designing a Cohesive Experience to Meet Objectives

8 DefineResultsforYourStakeholders

10 GreatStrategyRequiresPrioritization

11 EventROIMeasurement

11 Designing Purposeful Events Matters

12 TheEventExperienceFramework:6StepstoSuccess by Becki Cross

12 1:IdentifyingandVisualizingYourKeyStakeholders

13 2: Determining the Primary Event Objectives for Different Stakeholders

13 3:UnderstandingtheEventBudgetandSpendingintheRightPlaces

14 4: Process Mapping the Experience Mix

14 5:VisualizingtheEventOutcomesforSharedPrioritiesandAlignment

15 6:AccurateReportingtoMeasureROIandtheSuccessoftheEvent

16 UsingTechnologytoElevatetheEventExperience by Becki Cross

16 EventWebsiteandOnlineRegistration

18 The Event Entrance and Flow

19 Networking

20 SponsorVisibility

21 Add the Wow Factor to Entertainment

22 Exhibitors

23 Business Deals

24 Education and Learning

25 KeepingAttendeesLoyal

26 Team Building and Bonding

27 ReflectionandFollow-up

27 MeasureEventROI

28 InConclusion

30 AdditionalExperienceDesignResources

31 AbouttheAuthors

32 References

34 Contributers34 EventMB

34 EventMobi

35 CMPCredits

35 Acknowledgements35 Credits and Thanks

35 Disclaimer




IntroductionEverybody seems to agree. 2018 is the year of experiences. Countless talks, articles, videos, presentations, and reports say that attendees want experiences vs events. We hear the word, we think we understand it but little has been done to explain what it actually is and, more importantly, how to design a memorable one. This report aims to clarify, once and for all, the strategic importance of elevating events

into experiences, and designing experiences that stick with our attendees.

Why?Becausewealreadyknowwhattoexpect.Inmostcases,we’veseenandliveditall.

Business events have been the same for the past 60 years, and in some cases 100+ years.

Same format, same dynamics, same speakers.

Of course, there can be some good in tradition. There is a comfort in knowing that you will get

certainthingswhenyouattendanevent.Knowingthattherewillbenetworking,education,

andentertainmentisgreat.Ithelpstojustifythebillwithyourbossoryourbusiness.

At the same time, we need to face up to FAAs (Frequently Asked Annoyances) that we shy

awayfromchangingjustbecausethisishowit’salwaysbeendone.Isthereareasonwhy

attendeeshavetowaitinlinebeforegettingin?Isthereareasonwhywehavetowitness

presentationsthatarenottailoredfortheaudience?Isthereareasonwhypanelshave

tobeboringormadeupofallwhitemales?Isthereareasonwhyentertainmentinmost

casesmeansalcoholinexcess?Isthereareasonwhymostmeetingroomsaredesignedlike

classrooms (the most uninspiring memory we all share)?

ThesearesomeoftheFAAsthatexperiencesaddressandsimpleeventsdon’t.Askilled

experience designer asks at every step of the way if they are adding value for different

stakeholders. They check if they are delivering on the objectives of each participant, whether

they are sponsors, attendees, performers, or staff.

Some elements of experiences have been discussed within the industry over the past few

years. The practice of meeting design has fueled a quantum leap in the evolution of planning

andexecutingevents.Thisisgreatnews.Inthisreport,weareaddinganewelementtothe

by Julius Solaris




mix. We will focus on the role of technology, which is often overlooked, but key to delivering a

unique experience at events.

Let’sbehonest.Thevenuecanalwaysbebetterbutweusuallygetitright.Afterall,selecting

venues is at the core of our role.

What about F&B? We try to stay on trend and spend time researching options. Fair enough,

it’sfoodanddrinks,it’simportant!

Same goes with performer selection. We want to impress attendees and we do our research

to make the best possible choices.

However,whenitcomestotechnologywelowerourstandards.Allofasudden,itisOKtooffera

room with poor WiFi, a cumbersome registration process, or an event app that does not work.

A true experience designer does not discard or overlook any aspect of the event process. While events are and always will be about face-to-face first, technology can be a splendid enabler to making the experience spotless. The Experience Mix is a new term referring to all the elements that go into creating

memorable experiences. Memorable. Great adjective. Why pay so much attention to the

abilitytoremembersomething?Theverydefinitionofeventsliesintheabilitytocreatea

changeinbehavior.Trueexperiencesgobeyondastunttocreatealong-lastingmemoryfor

thosethatattended.A‘greatexperience’intermsofanassociationmeetingorconferenceis

one where the education sticks with attendees at least until the next meeting.

It’seasytothinkthatanimpromptustunt,amotivationalkeynote,oraloudshowwillcreatea

memorableexperience.Theywillsurelygetyoualotof‘likes’,abigwowintheroom,orsome

chit-chatduringthenextbreakbutwhataboutsixmonthsfromnow?Longlastingmemories

are often associated with events that nailed the experience.

Sometimes, creating those types of memories has to do with the ability to unplan. To let

serendipity happen. To connect attendees, give them space, comfort or responsibility, and let

thingsunfold.Toomuchplanningcankillcreativityandopportunitiesforbetterattendee-to-

attendee connection, the latter being by far the most important factor participants consider

when they evaluate events.




Strategies Behind Creating Memorable Experiencesby Tahira Endean

Memoriesarefickle,andallparticipantsriskfallingintotheforgettingcurve,theplace

where most of our memories go as they fade away. When designing events our foremost

consideration should be how to activate the participants and cement memorable moments

that will ultimately meet their overall objectives.

Todothis,wecreateexperiencesbydesigningaflowthroughthetimeandspaceofthe

event to engage all the senses. We use the elements we can control such as venue, timing,

presentation formats, food and beverage choices, sound, music, and lighting. To add depth,

we layer this on the foundation of technology we have available to us as designers, and now in

the hands of every participant. We create experiences which can also be socialized and shared.

Itistimetorethinkeveryelementand,indoingso,getbeyondtheoh-too-familiarFAAs!

Organizations host and participate in events to fulfill business needs, including building brand presence and loyalty, strengthening relationships, and increasing sales. Success in achieving a variety of objectives becomes possible when we design experiences to trigger conversations, and allow time and space for these to flourish, for a unique group of participants. The key reason to invest in events and their design is that, more than anything, shared experiences build trust, which is a key foundation of personal and professional success. A strategically designed event will include intentional elements, such as spaces to

learn,connect,network,reflect,collaborateordiscuss,andsociallyinteractwithin

safe environments. These spaces may include arrival and entrance zones, transition

areas, places to meet socially, food and beverage areas, rooms for sharing information,

knowledge, and ideas, immersive environments and trade show spaces. How these are

woven together is where experience designers come in.

Approachingdesign-firstrequiresunderstandingoftheobjectivesofthehostsand

stakeholders,includingtheparticipants.It’sneverassimpleasitmayfirstappear.

Meetings become memorable through connections, which are emotional, visceral, and

stimulating,withenoughtimeandspaceforreflectionandcontextualizingtheelements

to create a memory that is relevant.

With smart design, our attendees will want to interact and engage with the experiences



Knowledgeofhumannature

Business-mindedstrategy

Creative logistics


available.Intoday’ssocialanddigitalenvironment,weneedtodesignspacesthatour

participantswanttophotographandsharewiththeirpersonalnetworks.Iftheyconnectwith

people and have memorable, shareable moments to prove it, they are more likely to return

again next time.

Getting Started with Experience DesignThereisagrowingneedinsocietyforhuman-to-humancontact,wheretrustis

built one interaction at a time. We can be comfortable in knowing our basic human

needs (including food, shelter, and safety) will be met, and that our greater needs for

socializationandself-actualizationcanbesatisfied.

To deliver measurable results, today’s event designer will use a blend of:

Today’seventteammembersarelikelytocrossboundariesandbringtogetheravaried

skill set including learning and performance design, an understanding of production,

available technology, and meeting design to support both learning and connections.

Othersmaybringskillsincreatingspace,flow,andtheparticularenvironmentsthat

offerthebestsettingsforwhatneedstohappen,fromthefirstentrancetothefinal

departure. This may focus on the stage for compelling keynotes or other presentations,

toareasforworkinggroupsorrelaxedconnections.Theflowthroughthevenueshould

give context to each environment and help participants to make sense of, and create,

their own experience, allowing serendipity to happen.

Designing a Cohesive Experience

to Meet ObjectivesWhen we deliver to objectives, this means acknowledging the objectives for a wide

varietyofstakeholders,fromthehostsandthosefinanciallyinvestedinthemeeting,

including organizations, sponsors and exhibitors, and the participants. We will examine

these different needs below, and provide ideas for creating memorable, repeatable

experiences that they will want to be part of again.

Itismoreimportantthaneverinthisageoftransparencythatwebuildanorganization’s

cultureauthenticallyandorganically.Fromtheofficetointernalmeetingstoexternal

events, there must be alignment across every element. This brand appeal is what

creates ambassadors, and allows an organization to attract and retain the right talent

and ultimately, the ideal clients.

Alignmentisoneofourmostcriticalfuture-facingfunctionsanditrequires

organizations and their event partners to have a high degree of communication and

awareness.Eachmustunderstanddeeplywhatthebrand‘is’,andeventdesigners

must understand the potential successes and pitfalls when bringing a brand to life with

consistency and in temporary environments.

Your events must fit the brand. Everyelementmustalignwiththeorganization’svalues,andmakesensesoitis

appealing to the audience and creates the desired response, for example, conversation,

trust, or sales. Consider the initial behavior of the stakeholders.

What do they expect to hear, see, feel while attending the meeting? What is the outcome, or exiting behavior, desired by the stakeholders who have invested in the event? Youmaywanttouseoneofthemanyvisualtoolsavailabletoshowthemwhattheir

event will look like and the feeling it will leave with the participants.

When the participants arrive, there must be a sense of place. This will be brought to life using elements consistent with the expectations of the brand

to create a sense of anticipation and, ultimately, immersion with the brand. For a time,

we are one and we understand we are better together. This includes:

• Overarching destination selections

• Venuechoice(s)

• Invitation/registration/anticipationbuilding



Theboardof executives

Donorsandfunders

Sponsors

Participants

Exhibitors


• Technology enabled and integrated

• Environment including colors selected, style of furniture and overall décor

• Lighting and production elements

• Seating formats, often varied by function type

• Food and beverage, opportunities to showcase local and fresh produce

Content is critical. Today’seventdesignersmustunderstandtheexpectationsoftheorganizationand

discover the content that is most important to deliver. Then comes empathy with the

audience to determine if this is also the content that will be the most meaningful and to

decide the delivery format that will have the most impact.

As you develop content, ask yourselves:

• What do you need the audience to do with the content?

• Do you want them to be inspired and emotionally connected to the organization?

• Should they be motivated to buy, invest in, or do more work with your organization?

• Are you looking to sell more of an existing product or service? Or a new offering?

Or improve service levels?

• Istherelearningtoimpartthatmustbecontextualizedandappliedfollowingthe

event to achieve this?

Understandthatthereisnotaone-size-fits-allanswerandbepreparedtodothework

with clients or management to move beyond their status quo. To do this, you must not be

afraidtoasktoughquestions;thosethatdon’thaveaneasyanswerbuthelpyoudelveinto

thelayersthatarebeyondtheobvioustoreachthereal‘why’.Youmustsetasidethedesign

super-wordssuchas“Beautiful!Spectacular!Amazing!”andforeachelementyou

consider, ask how it will help you get to a positive impact and a measurable outcome.

Define Results for Your StakeholdersStart by stating the business challenges you want to overcome by hosting or participating

in an event. Then have as many conversations as you need in order to guide the design, as

this will ultimately lead you to the desired result. To create results requires clear, direct,

transparentcommunicationbetweenhosts,whetherthat’sanagencyorendclient,andevent

designers as they seek to meet the needs of stakeholders. These stakeholders will vary

with each event and may include any of the following as a start:




Lead with empathy, putting yourself in the shoes of your key stakeholders. Design, keeping them top of mind, and vet your thinking with your team, clients/management, and potentially even a focus group involving key stakeholders. What do your stakeholders want? While it varies, the following are generally desired:

All Stakeholders seek:• Accesstoconnectionstheycannotmakebystayingintheirownoffice

or environment

• Time and space for the development of deeper connections

• Ideastheycanimplementforprofessionalorpersonalimprovement

that address their personalized needs or interests

Sponsors and Exhibitors seek:• Warmleadsforkeydecisionmakerstointeractandfollow-upwith

• Access to potential new clients or untapped sectors

• Face-timewithexecutivesorofficialswhoareoftendifficulttoaccess

due to gatekeepers

• Opportunitytoelevatetheirbrand,whetherthat’sthrough

sponsorship,exhibitspaceorthoughtleadership/speaking

Board and Executives seek:• Opportunity to share a message and either optimize retention or attract

new supporters (members, sponsors, talent)

• Maximizeprofitability

Participants seek:• Informationtheycanactupontoimprovetheirbusiness;emotional

connection through storytelling or engagement with a speaker or peer

group (vs. online or digital information)

• The opportunity to contextualize or validate with their peer network in

aface-to-faceenvironment

• The chance via social channels to show they are actively engaged in an

eventandbuildprofile

• Tobeentertained/haveaccesstohighprofile,VIPlevelperformances–

music, sport, niche areas of interest

• To share their access to this information or entertainment within their

virtualsocialnetworkstobuildinfluence




The next challenge is to show value to each type of stakeholder based on their needs,

validating with the data you have available, gathered across multiple channels which are

readily available today. This may be:

• In-personconversationsinformalorinformalsettings

• Datagatheredthroughmobileordigitalmeanspre,on-siteandpost-event

• Post-eventsurveysorfocusgroups

• Social listening on multiple channels of engagement

As you begin to have clear, usable, and consistent data, you will reveal more about the

peoplewhoparticipateandwhattheirneedsare.Youcanthenbegintobothmarketand

design in more meaningful ways.

Great Strategy Requires PrioritizationYoucan’tdoitall,thisisasimpletruthyoumustadhereto.Thereisneveraninfinite

budget, and choices always need to be made. Designing an event is always part art and

part science, using the framework you have available based on the size and type of

meeting, the location and venue, and ultimately the objectives as your guideposts to

prioritization.

Event design is about creating spaces that are safe and comfortable, that create a

sense of anticipation and build energy within the participants as they move through it.

The environment should align and support the brand through relevant messaging and

content. Today, technology at a level appropriate to your organization and participants

should be enabled with an ease of access to available information.

As you strategize your outcomes, you may consider any or all of these in your design:

• An entrance that sets the tone for the event and creates a sense of beginning;

aligned with the brand

• Aflowthatissafeandwelcomingthroughallspaces;withgreatwayfinding

• Efficientuseofthespacesoitdoesn’tfeeltoovastortooclosedin

• Space for hallway meetings and intersections to happen; formal or informal

discussion points

• Visibilityforyourkeysponsorsandpartners

• Goodflow,includingtoareasthatmayseem“lessdesirable”,byusingtoolssuchas

gamificationorcleverfoodandbeverageplacement

• Presenters and presentations aligned to overall desired outcomes with content and

delivery primed for maximum impact

• Learningspacesdesignedforspecificusesandalignedtotargets.Thismayincludea

combinationofformatsi.e.onetomany,peer-grouplearning,workshops,etc

• Opportunityforreflection,quiettimeorspaceforthosewhostillneedtogetwork

done or require a few moments of privacy

• Charging and recharging for both participants and their devices; consider food as

fuel for the day

• Digitaltoolswhichmayincludepartnerrecognition,wayfinding,accessto

informationviamobile,socialsharingandtwo-waycommunicationwithorganizers

and presenters, and that can even be used in the event of an emergency to share

criticalreal-timeinformation

• Positivesurprises,frompop-upfoodstandstoperformancesthatengageor

entertain,thisisuptoyourimagination!

Elements that engage the participant will create more memories and enhance their

overall experience1. When the mind is opened by experiences, neurochemicals that

promotelearningareactivated,andtheoverallresults-moreconnections,more

context,morerelevance-arepositivelyimpacted.



Thebuyerswanttobuy

Theorganizationrecognizesthevalueinhostingthe

event

Thesellers/sponsors/exhibitors,havedevelopedordeepenedrelationships,notingthatnoteveryeventhasimmediatesales

Theparticipantsleavericherfromtheexperience,withactionable,implementable

ideas and a desire to return again


Event ROI MeasurementTheidealReturnonInvestment(ROI)iswheneachparticipant,stakeholderandall

those who invested their resources into the event feels richer for the experience.

Intoday’spersonalized,digital,mobileagewecanuseavarietyoftoolsfromimmediate

sentimentanalysis,tomid-eventsurveysandreal-timeresponsesthatallowfor

consistent, current, data which provide immediate results showing if you are indeed

getting the desired engagement.

Use Data and Measure Event SuccessThere is certainly a range of measurements, especially from organizations that are

deeply invested in Strategic Meeting Management Programs (SMMP) and reliant on

data to drive buying decisions for travel, meetings, and events, with strong processes to

track spending and return.

With a current shift towards more personalized, immersive and experiential events in

highly branded environments with multiple touchpoints, we have the opportunity to

embedtechnologyandmeasurementateveryturn,butoftenstillleantowardthe“that

wascool”measurement.Whenwehaveadeeplevelofeventdesignwithembedded

platforms, there is also often a greater expense and therefore we should be using both

quantitativeandqualitativemeasurementstoprovethevalueofa“softer”eventtoyour

financialstakeholderswhoareseekingsolid,quantifiableresults.

Intherecent,pre-mobilegenerationofevents(pre-2007arguably)ourreturnon

investmentwasmeasuredbysalesdirectlytiedtoonesource–atradeshoworevent.In

ourdigitalenvironment,theeventmaybethelive,often“turning”touchpointinaseriesof

marketing and sales messaging ranging from email to social media, traditional advertising

to inbound leads and ubiquitous cookies leading consumers back to us over and over.

Whilesomeeventshavea“checkyourmobileatthedoor”policynow,thisisnotthenorm.

Overall,eventsofferusdata-richenvironmentswecanmeasure.Everymobiledeviceis

full of sensors, from Bluetooth to location beacons, allowing us to collect data (and push

information),withandwithoutaspecificeventapp.Whenwecombinethiswithgeolocators,

facial recognition, sentiment analysis, smart buildings, including convention centers,

stadiums, and hotels, the reality is, the data is already available if we want to take advantage

of it. We need to move past any residual fear and explore options to enhance and evaluate

ourparticipantexperiencesandusethedatatoenhanceoureventdesignsyear-over-year.

Designing Purposeful Events MattersEvents must be seen as worthwhile, and to varying extents, transformative, with

a measurable change in behavior, attitude or knowledge for participants and

stakeholders. As event designers, we set the stage for the ideas to be shared and

the environments for interactions to happen, but it is the active participation and

engagement,whetherenabledbytechnology,agreatmeal,anawe-inspiringmomentor

a presenter incited discussion… any reason that leads to listening, sharing, discussion,

reflection,play,andconnectioncreatesthosememorablemomentsthataddtoand

create the events people want to return to.




How do you create more than an event?To create a transformative experience and put into practice all of the things discussed in

this report, experience designers need to start from a solid framework and a strategic

approach and event planning process.

Wehopethatyouarefiredupbytheinspirationandideasalreadyprovided.Hereis

asummaryofthesix-stepstrategyframeworkeveryeventdesignershouldfollowto

elevate their event to an experience.

Step 1: Identifying and Visualizing Your Key

Stakeholders Wecoveredhowthefirststepistodeterminewhoexactlyyourstakeholdersare.

For most events, there will be more than one and each key group will be looking for

different things.

Determine the people that matter:• Create a long list of all the different people that matter to your event,

which could include participants, sponsors, speakers, exhibitors,

influencers,press,staff,theboard,donors,funders,andsuppliers

• Determine the most critical stakeholders and prioritize them in terms

of importance. This will determine whose experience expectations you

addressfirst

• Develop personas for your primary stakeholders to identify their key

characteristics, preferences, and messaging that will resonate with

them the most

The Event Experience Framework:

6 Steps to Successby Becki Cross




Step 2: Determining The Primary Event

Objectives for Different StakeholdersExperience design requires a clear understanding of the various objectives. Analyzing

precisely what each stakeholder is looking for can help to focus on delivering exactly

what they need.

Dig deep and identify what success will look like:

• Identify your stakeholders and the business challenge(s) they each want to overcome. Rankinorderofprioritythetopthreeorfivewishesthatwouldmake

the event a success from the perspective of each target group

• Quantify exactly what success would look like. For instance, exhibitors might be looking for 20 brand new leads but

theboardmightbelookingformakingaprofitof$50kfromtheevent

• Create realistic milestones to track progress towards different goals. This might be selling half of all of the event tickets at least 10 weeks

beforetheeventand75%sixweeksbefore

Step 3: Understanding the Event Budget

and Spending in the Right PlacesVirtuallyalleventbudgetsarelimitedandneedtobecarefullyplannedtoensurethat

money is spent where it matters most and think creatively to get the most from the

funds available.

Be number-focused to stay on track:

• Create an event budget with estimated figures to help to calculate the required budget, income targets, and break-even point

• Record actual figures, in place of the estimated figures, as soon as budget items are confirmed and committed to

• Have a contingency figure, a percentage of the overall budget, to deal with any shortfalls for essential or wishlist items




Step 4: Process Mapping the Experience MixAnexperienceiscreatedthroughamixofdifferentfactorsandelements-the

ExperienceMix.Howitflowsandiswoventogetherneedscarefulplanning.

Identify the opportunities to make a difference:

• Use a wall or whiteboard to list the major touchpoints throughout the event process for each of the key stakeholder groups. The journey for an attendee will be different from a speaker or

sponsor.Theflowneedstobewellthoughtoutfromeachdifferent

perspective and span before, during and after the event

• Use sticky notes to list the opportunities and ideas at each touchpoint. • This can be little touches through to big elements

• • Takeintoaccountdifferentspaceswithintheeventfloorplan

• Specifically, consider brand alignment and messaging throughout the different touchpoints. • This is more than a logo presence, these should be tangible ways to

communicate the brand and bring to life the organization culture

and ethos

• • For example, design meaningful interactions in the marketplace,

thoughtleadershipsessions,hands-onparticipationopportunities,

and social media reach

• Technology can enhance the attendee journey at many different touchpoints, before, during and after the event. This is covered in detail in the next section.

•

Step 5: Visualizing the Event Outcomes for

Shared Priorities and AlignmentVisualtoolscanbeusedtoshowwhattheeventwilllooklike,bothintermsofthe

physical design, layout, and production, and also determining what success will look like

for the different stakeholders.

Envisage what success will look like:

• Floor plans, dressing, decor, furniture, and AV production can be brought to life using 3D imaging and mock-ups for the different rooms and spaces. This is particularly useful for staff, vendors and management to

understandthevisionandtorefinetheplansintheleaduptotheevent

• Consider the feeling you are aiming to leave the stakeholders with at each touchpoint and the behavior of the stakeholders What do you expect them to hear, see, feel at each point in the journey?

• What is the outcome (exiting behavior) from the stakeholders who have invested in the event? What are the longer-term behavior changes and impacts you expect to have after the event, at specific time intervals?



STEP 1 Identifying

andVisualizingYour Key

Stakeholders

STEP 4 Process

MappingtheExperienceMix

STEP 3 Understanding theEvent

Budget and Spending in the RightPlaces

STEP 6 Accurate ReportingtoMeasureROI

and the Success oftheEvent

STEP 2 DeterminingthePrimaryEventObjectivesforDifferentStakeholders

STEP 5 VisualizingtheEventOutcomesforSharedPrioritiesandAlignment

Now you have the

strategy and reasons

to strive for an event

experience. Next, let’s

look at the tactics and

technology that can

make this happen.


Step 6: Accurate Reporting to Measure ROI

and the Success of the EventThefinalstepintheexperiencedesignplanningframeworkistothinkscientifically

intermsofthetoolsthatcanhelpyouextractthedatayouneed.Youarelookingto

measureresultsagainsttheobjectivesidentifiedatthebeginningoftheexperience

design process (Step Two).

EventplannersneedtomeasureeventROItoprovethevaluespecifictoeachgroup

ofstakeholders.Eventdesignisoftenfocusedonlong-termbehaviorchangeandalso

ensuringcontinuousimprovementsyear-on-year.Experimentaleventdesignmustbe

data-driventoprovevalueandkeepgettingresults.

Prove the success of your event:

• Take each objective identified against the different stakeholders in Step Two and define how it will be measured and tracked • Think about the data that can be accessed through different tools

and the combination of information which will prove the objective

has been achieved

•

•

• • To use the earlier examples to illustrate further:

•

•

•

•

•

• Use a mix of quantitative and qualitative data to give a rounded picture

Statsandfiguresareimportantbutsurveydataandfeedbackfrom

stakeholders can also be valuable

• The hits and misses can be used to identify what was done well, and most importantly what improvements need to be made

• • Use this as an opportunity to brainstorm and set targets for

improvements and changes at the next event

• • This should be done immediately after the event ends whilst the

smallestdetailsarestillfreshineveryone’sminds

Offer lead retrieval software so exhibitors can track

the leads they collect at the event and you have a

universal view of all activity recorded

Use event management software to track registration

revenue in real time and enable all event income and

expenditure to be recorded and analyzed against

targetsandestimatedfigures

6 Steps to Developing The Event Experience




The strategy section has already touched on some inspiration and ideas on how to

enhance the event experience. This section will consider how and when technology has

the power to support your meeting design and enhance the event experience in more

meaningful ways.

Below, we have listed some common event touchpoints and goals, and detailed

actionable tactics for how technology can help achieve the desired outcomes. From

thefirstvisittotheeventwebsitetothefollowupaftertheevent,amixtureofthese

elementscanhelptocreateandrefinetheexperiencemixforyourattendeesandother

stakeholders.

Event Website and Online RegistrationAttendees worldwide are also now more likely to access your online content via mobile

devices (smartphones and tablets) than on a PC2 so it must look and navigate well, even

fromsmallscreens.Googlegivespreferenceinsearchresultstomobile-optimizedsites

with the fastest loading speeds.

Using Technology to Elevate the Event Experienceby Becki Cross

0.05s 53% 12%

The time it takes a user to know if they like your site

or not, and whether to stay or go3

Of visits are abandoned if a mobile site takes longer

than three seconds to load

Foreveryone-seconddelay in site load time,

conversions fall by a further12%4

Don’tgiveanyreasonforpotentialattendeestoclickaway,makesureyoursiteiseasy

tofind,simpletonavigate,pleasingtotheeyeandfasttoload.Continuallytestand

improve your online user experience.




Make a good impression right from the start:

• Your website should reflect your brand and event, making the key event information readily available and easy to find • Itneedstopresentaunifiedandcoherentpresenceintermsof

branding, fonts, colors, style, and content

• • IncludevisualsandastrongCTA(CallToAction)buttoninbold

colors so that attendees are clear about what they need to do

• • Use tools such as Google Analytics to make informed decisions

about design and improve the navigation and dwell time across the site

• • Collaborate with the marketing team to continually improve the

landing page experience

• The registration process must be fast and painless • Limit the process to only the essential questions

• • Have a single page registration or include a progress bar at the top

• • Bonus points if you can enable social login, which takes some or all

of the registration data required from a social media platform for the

attendee to check and make any amends before submitting

• Use personalized retargeting to tempt back any potential attendee that started the registration process but didn’t complete

• Forinstance,ifanabandonedbookingvisitedtheline-upandartists

page, use retargeting ads to promote to them the newest acts added

to the program

• Use tagged URLs and bespoke landing pages to serve up targeted content based on the hook that has attracted the visitor • Youwantapotentialsponsortohitapagewiththebenefitsof

sponsoring the event and important stats, whereas an attendee will

be more interested in special booking rates and what happened at the

event last year

• If you are working with ambassadors and influencers and using affiliate links to boost event registrations, keep your network informed about how many bookings they have generated and what this means in terms of their reward (this can be an incentive if they are close to reaching their next goal target)




The Event Entrance and FlowFirst impressions matter and a high value is placed in the first face-to-face interaction

that a customer has with a brand. A poor start can negatively impact what happens

next. The persistence of the first impression will color the rest of the experience and so

it is essential to get it right5. The same retail principles apply to events.

53%of retail shoppers base their initial

perception of the shop and their

decision to buy on the appearance

of the store exterior6.

Deliver a fast and seamless entrance to the event to put attendees in the right frame of mind:

• Ensure there are no queues by enabling automatic check-in via the event app as a participant enters the space

• Forsuperspeedycheck-in,usefacialrecognitiontechnology

• Use a check-in tool or guest list app to prompt the team member to share additional personalized information when relevant for the guest • ThismightbeinstructionsforVIPstobegivenspecialswagora

requestforaspeakertogoimmediatelytoaspecificplaceforabriefing

• AV and production can start from outside the venue by using lighting projections onto the building • Inside,cleverlightingcancreatedifferenteffectstotransform

rooms and spaces

• • Consider creating a tunnel or hidden entrance to enter the event

and make an impact when the next space is revealed

• Digital signage and live display can be an efficient and appealing way to welcome and direct attendees • Make it clear which entrance to use, the location of the registration

desksandtheflowintoandaroundtheevent

• • Most importantly, if any rooms or locations change during the event

updates can be shared quickly to keep attendees informed

• • Try to anticipate your guests every thought and identify where they

may need more help navigating your event

• Incorporate a cashless payment system and attendees will appreciate not having to queue at service points • This can increase sales volumes and teach you a lot about attendee

preferences and patterns too

• • This can improve the event in real time (for example adding more

staff to work in the busiest areas) and inform changes for future events

(such as changes to the site plan in terms of F&B location and footprint)




Networking

If networking is one of the outcomes your attendees are craving, your

event design needs to give time and priority to quality networking

opportunities. According to research, informal professional networks

and communities can contribute more to entrepreneurial success

than other business support mechanisms available7. And of course, if

you can capitalize on powerful networking interactions at your event,

attendees are going to remember the experience in a favorable light.

82%

of event planners, networking is

the top priority for those attending

corporate and business events8

Promote better connections:

• Use a matchmaking tool to identify those that have shared interests and can help each other

• Some apps prioritize or give a percentage score for the matches that

are expected to be most fruitful

• • Attendees have limited time at events so their time should be well

spentwiththemostlucrativeandbeneficialopportunities

• Instead of leaving it to chance, use smart badge technology to introduce matches to each other • Smart badges light up or vibrate when a suggested target is close by

• • Thiscanalsoactasawelcomeice-breakertoavoidawkwardnessfor

thoselessconfidentinmeetingnewpeople

• Ask qualifying questions on the registration form to analyze the different job roles attending in relation to your core personas • Ifyouidentifythatthereisashortageofregistrationsfroma

particulartargetgroupthisgivestheopportunitytofindoutwhat

the barriers are for them, adjust messaging and actively approach

more potential participants that meet that criteria




Sponsor Visibility

Revenue from sponsors can be vital to delivering an experience that

matches the event planner’s vision. Sponsorship revenues can pay for

elements that would not otherwise be possible.

Savvy event sponsors are keen to work with event planners

and know that they need to contribute to the overall consumer

experience with impressive on-site brand activations. Traditional

approaches of the past and pressured sales pitches are not the

best way to capture imaginations and engage closely with modern

attendees. The live-event presence should be part of a wider

and coherent sponsor communication strategy in terms of event

marketing and digital content.

54%

17%

89%of live music attendees favor the

brands that sponsor the experience,

compared to non-attendees11

of event planners are struggling to

secure sponsors for their event9

of event planners say that sponsorship

retention is falling for their events10

Attract and keep event sponsors more effectively by incorporating the clever use of technology and accurate reporting:

• Create co-branded invitations, landing pages, and social media images to encourage sponsors to invite their network to attend the event

• This can open up your event to a whole new audience you may not

otherwise have reached

• Forget about logo placement and banner stands, a well-matched sponsor can work in partnership with the event planner to create something that really adds to the event • Pick event sponsors wisely and design a participative or immersive

experience that attendees want to get involved in

• • Activities that take people outside of their comfort zone or offer

something exciting and shareable across social media are good moves

• • Virtualswagbagsandsponsoredloungeareasarebranded

sponsorship items that can deliver value and align in a more

meaningful and measurable way

• New technology is always a winner to attract attention towards event sponsors, especially if it enables attendees to try out the next big thing they want to experience and share it with their networks • ConsideraniPadmagician,asilentdiscooragreen-screen

photobooth where specially customized backdrops can be chosen




• Encourage sponsors to avoid pressurized sales pitches and create a space where attendees want to be • Createachill-outarea,withfastWiFiandre-chargingpoints

• • Ask users of a product to be at the exhibition booth to give honest

advice, insights and product demos

• Ask sponsors to give away knowledge without a catch • Share free reports and research on social media and the number

of shares and digital downloads is likely to skyrocket and give positive

brand association

• • Attendees can thank the sponsor with a Tweet or Like or Share if

they wish

• Track interest in terms of email open rates, social media interactions and visits/clicks to the sponsor’s website. • Cookiescanbeusedtoidentifythevisitorsreferredtothesponsor’s

website and even to track any sales made during that or subsequent

visits.Ifthesponsor’smotivationisincreasingexposuretoanew

audience then tracking the sales made as a result of these

introductions gives powerful data to keep sponsors coming back

and investing in your event and striving to offer bigger and better

activations each time

Add the Wow Factor to EntertainmentEntertainment can go a long way in terms of offering something out of the ordinary

andsomethingattendeeswanttobragabout!Fjord,theinteractivedigitaldesignand

innovationarmofAccenture,createdthe‘LoveIndex’whichfocusesonfiveprimary

marketing attributes and outcomes which create an overall experience; fun, relevant,

engaging, social, helpful12. Designed as a guide for digital interactions, they are also

useful benchmarks for live events.

‘Surpriseanddelight’isproventobeawinningstrategytokeepintereststrongandgain

loyalty and recognition through more emotional connections13. Surprise is arguably the

most powerful marketing tool14 that you need to build your event experience.

Shake up your event experience mix and use tech to offer something awe-inspiring:

• Withonly8%oftheUKpopulationhavingexperiencedVirtualReality(VR)15 and

33%intheUS16 it is still a novelty and something to capture the attention of event

attendees.UsingVRgogglesorsimulatorsisasure-firewaytoattractattentionand

interest

• Do something out of the ordinary that requires group participation or a shared

experience. This might be dining 150 ft in the sky, using pulsating, glowing

wristbands in a concert setting or transporting guests to another time and making

them part of the action through actors, costumes, and stage sets

• For social media sharing and FOMO moments, use a confetti or giant balloon drop

that everyone will want to snap and share with their network

• Have a hologram present to the conference delegation from the other side of the

world.

• Use robots to interact with attendees during the refreshment break or hand out

samples from an exhibition stand

• Usedronestocapture360-degreeaccessallareafootageofperformersatthe

event

• Createanimmersiveenvironmentwithclevertheming,AV,productionand

imagination

• Have iPad artists sketching a caricature for every guest to print and take home as a

memento

• Offeradigitalgraffitistationwhereattendeescancreateandprintouttheirown

event merchandise




Exhibitors

Similar to sponsorships, exhibitors can help to provide a valued

part of an event, as well as precious event income which gives

event designers the freedom to add more to the Experience Mix.

Eventprofs don’t want any element of their events to be standard

so by training and supporting your exhibitors you can shake up the

exhibition floor to ensure they get more from their investment and

add to the overall appeal of the event. Exhibitions can also be a

hotbed to launch new products and this exclusivity can cement your

event in terms of innovation and making your event unmissable.

In return, exhibitors are more likely to get the interactions and

qualified leads they crave so that they will keep coming back and

investing more into the event.

Design a more interactive and appealing show floor and

educate and inspire exhibitors about the possibilities of taking a

different approach.

If the show floor is an exciting part of the event, attendees are going

to spend longer exploring and be encouraged to connect more

closely with the exhibitors that most appeal to them.

Make sure your exhibition rocks:• Exhibitionstandshavecomealongwayfromboringtable-topdisplays

and the grey walls of shell scheme. Support your exhibitors to be more

creativeandtech-savvyintheirapproach,usingtouchscreens,gaming,

evenAR(AugmentedReality)tostandout.ARcanenableexhibitors

toshareproductsthatwouldnototherwisehavemadetheevent-for

instancebulky,large,delicateordifficulttotransportitems.

• Trainexhibitorsonthedosanddon’tsofexhibitinganditwillpayoffin

terms of the number of conversations they will have. Use lead retrieval

technology to make it easy for them to accurately record leads ready

forfollow-upaftertheevent.Thistechshouldincludetheopportunity

to specify what additional information the attendee wants to receive,

which staff member spoke to them, identify high priority leads and

addspecificnotestoenableamorepersonalizedapproach.Oneof

thebiggestopportunitieslostisthat62%ofexhibitorsdon’tever

follow-upafterashow18. Sending out general group mailings instead of

personalized contact is another common mistake

• A virtual goody bag is a good way to give exposure in the lead up to the

event. Exhibitors can offer a giveaway to people that sign up for their

mailing list, which can be unlocked when attendees visit their booth at

theevent.Everyonelikesahigh-qualityfreebieorperk!

• Usepushnotificationstoenticemorevisitorstokeyboothswith

specialofferstriggeredbypassingbeaconsinspecificareas.Thiscan

raise excitement levels if the deals are worthwhile

63% of attendees say the

top deal breaker is

when a vendor is selling,

not educating17




Business Deals

Face-to-face interactions are important in business dealings. Research

has proven that handshakes increase cooperative behaviors, which

have a positive effect on negotiation and deal-making19.

93% 90%

88%

say meetings improve their

ability to close deals20

say meetings help with

networking21

say they meetings help them

grow professionally22

Networkingcanbeawayindividualsbuildtheirpersonalandorganizationinfluenceand

cement their social standing against their peers. Attendees are sure to remember and

appreciate business wins which came about as a direct result of your event.

Maximize the deals done face-to-face:• Use matchmaking software to bring together or mix up guests in a

seating plan to create interesting opportunities to meet new people,

socialize or participate in group work

• Use tech to identify business opportunities and bring the right people

together. For instance, if an attendee is seeking a particular product or

servicetheywillappreciatefindingitatyourevent

• Develop online communities and conversations to create relationships

beforetheeventtocreatefamiliarityandface-to-facenetworking

opportunities.Interactionscanalsobenurturedonlineaftertheevent

• ChoosearegistrationsystemthatsyncswithyourpreferredCRMfor

up to date information and history about each of your customers. Use

this data to entice them to sign up for events they have attended in the

past or send them a special discount code on their birthday




Education and LearningLearning is the second most important motivation to attend events.

Education, through programming, content, speakers, and exhibits,

is a key event consideration and an important part of the event

experience. An event needs to keep interest levels high and should

spark ideas and energy in participants.

Maximize the learning opportunities at your event through tech and give participants

what they crave:

• Make learning more interactive and fun throughout your event by using

audience response systems for live Q&A, quick polls, and feedback

which the speaker can use to adapt and direct the content of their

presentation in real time to ensure it is relevant and customized to

what the audience needs most

• Use collaborative documents to invite participants to answer

questions, such as asking medical students to identify anomalies in

anx-ray.Thetrainercanthenrevealaheatmapshowingthegroup

responses or highlight and discuss individual answers in an engaging

and informative way. Learning in this way is much more memorable and

attendees will stay more focused and attentive as a result

• At business events, group activities and shared problem solving

between colleagues and peers can be one of the most powerful

elements of the event. Tech can be used for partner work to record

pledges or introduce a completely different approach, such as a

hackathon event format, where small groups collaborate to solve a

problem and create a solution within a set timeframe

• Tracklong-termlearningandretentionbyrepeatingaproficiency

test at an agreed date after the event to see if the scores improved on

resultsfrombeforeorduringtheevent.Significantimprovementswill

prove the value of your event to the attendee and stakeholders

71%

91%

Of attendees to corporate

events, say learning learning is

important23.

Of respondents feel that keeping

up with their profession and

industry is a top reason to attend

an event24.




Nurture new attendees and keep all participants loyal and returning to your event:• Identifyfromtheregistrationformanyfirst-timeattendeesand

send them a targeted welcome email to invite them to a closed event

community/threadwheretheycanaskquestions,andbuddyupandget

to know each other before the event

• ViatheCRM,offeraloyaltyschemetorewardloyalattendeeswitha

free event ticket after they have attended 10 consecutive events

• Surprise your biggest and most active fans on social media by

offering some free merchandise when they check into the event as an

unexpected thank you.

Keeping Attendees LoyalItiseasiestandmostcost-effectivetokeepcustomerscomingbackthantofindnew

ones each time. Longevity of your event requires developing and nurturing a tribe of

event ambassadors that can help your event to grow. Loyal customers demonstrate

higher rates of satisfaction, which can have a positive multiplier effect around the event,

before, during and after it takes place25.




Team Building and Bonding

Team building and bonding are most effective through face-to-face

events and, whether this is the focus of the event or a secondary

benefit, the majority agree that team engagement, collaboration,

professional development and productivity are improved by

participation in in-person meetings, conferences, and events. Events

meet our inbuilt desire to build tribes and find other people that share

our primary interests and thoughts26.

Bring out team spirit and better performance through the clever use of technology:• Use technology to mix up attendees and break up cliques or introduce

new team members to their colleagues to encourage faster team

bonding. Attendees will appreciate the opportunity to get to know new

colleaguesoutsidetheirusualofficeenvironment

• Chooseaneventappwithgamificationfeatures,includingateam

leaderboard, and brings out the competitive nature of your attendees.

Event sponsors can offer enticing prize incentives for the overall

leaderboard winners

• Create a virtual treasure hunt with team challenges via the event app,

useBluetoothtounlocklocationsorsetupcluesusingAR.Encourage

movement and desired behaviors around the event site including to

lessvisitedareasofthefloorplanandinteractionswithkeysponsors

and exhibitors

94% 91%

say that in-person

meetings, conferences

and events improves team

engagement27

say that in-person meetings,

conferences and events

improves collaboration28

88% 84%



improves professional

development29



improves productivity30




Reflection and Follow-upJustbecausetheeventisoverdoesn’tmeanitshouldbeforgotten-farfromit.

Attendeeswillonlyretaininformationinthelonger-termifitresonateswiththemand

isdeliveredinawaythatsticks.Ifsomethingnovelgrabsyourattention,itstimulates

specificreactionsandchemicalsinthebrainwhichgiveamemoryboost31.

Keep your event fresh in the minds of attendees:• Usetechtodemandamorehands-onandinteractiveapproach

to learning. Consider throwable mics, event apps, collaborative

documents or audience response solutions, such as live polling and Q&A

• Schedule an automated and personalized email to check in with

attendeesandseeiftheyhavekeptupwithaspecificactionthey

pledged to undertake as a result of the event

• Ensure your event technology stack integrates and communicates

with different products so that data is added to the right place. For

example, the event sessions attended and feedback submitted should

automaticallybeaddedtotheCRMrecordoftherelevantattendee.

Thisallowsamorecompleteandpersonalizedfollow-upaftertheevent

and provides more background information which will help you to

segment your audience more effectively

• Use the event app, communication tools such as Slack or the event

community social channels to encourage participants to share their

learnings and takeaways from the event. Create a thread for attendees

to share their personal aims following the event so that others can

hold them accountable and support them. To keep giving value

andstrengtheningyour‘eventtribe’workhardtomaintainactivity

throughout the year, not just around your event date

Measure Event ROIYourattendeesandotherstakeholderswillhaveagoodideawhetheryoureventhas

mettheirexpectationsandtargets.Thiswillbereflectedintheirsatisfactionlevels

immediately after the event and also proven up to six months afterward when they have

hadtimetoreflectfurtherandfollow-uponactionsandleads.

Tools and techniques can help you measure and report event ROI and deliver an event that continually improves:• Monitor movement around the event. Heat maps and other tracking

methods can identify the areas with the highest footfall and this data

can be used to improve the event layout, sell the most prominent

locationsanddesignpurpose-builtinterventionstoencouragemore

traffictolessvisitedareas.Addcoolinteractions,tech,giveaways,

photo opportunities and F&B stations

• Social listening and sentiment analysis can be used, particularly to

assess the feedback from evaluation forms and social media, and

addressanyissuesthatarerevealed.Youalsoneedtoshowthatyou

care and respond back to any concerns raised

• Calculate the cost per conversion for sponsors and exhibitors by

dividing the cost of their involvement in the event by the number

of leads achieved via the lead retrieval tool and the sales revenue

achieved (as tracked through cookies on their website)

• Use facial recognition technology to identify the reaction of your

audience to your event32.




Here are the top 10 items discussed in this report to take away with you:

• Event planners need to be experience designers. Focusing on the logistics and execution is no longer enough, modern

eventplannersneedtothinkstrategicallytoelevatelong-term

outcomes and impact.

• Experience design is based on a solid strategic plan. Approachingexperiencedesignrequiresunderstandingofthespecific

objectives of the hosts and stakeholders, including the participants.

Start by stating the business challenges your stakeholders want to

overcome by hosting or participating in an event.

• Include unstructured and unplanned elements. Purposefully plan to give enough time and space during the event for

gueststoreflectandcontextualizetheelementsandcreateamemory

that is relevant. Allow serendipity to happen.

• Design brand alignment and values across every element.

To bring a brand to life with consistency, and in temporary

environments, needs deep understanding and awareness of brand values.

Everyelementmustalignwiththeorganization’svalues,andmakesense

so it is appealing to the audience and creates the desired response.

• Rethink every element and move beyond the obvious. Don’tdothingsaccordingtohistoryortradition.Askdifficultquestions

anddelveintothelayersthatgobeyondtheobvioustofindthe“why”

andcreateapurpose-designedeventexperience.

• Tech can elevate to the event experience. Eventtechnology,AV,andproductioncanplayanessentialroleinthe

event experience mix. For each element you consider, ask how it will

help you get to a positive impact and a measurable outcome.

In ConclusionThe age of running events and focusing only on

logistics planning is over. Event professionals

are looking to create and design experiences

that impact the memory of attendees forever.




• Create a sense of place. Use elements consistent with the

expectations of the event and brand to

create a sense of anticipation and, ultimately,

immersionwiththebrand.Createspace,flow,

and the particular environments that offer the

best settings for what needs to happen, from

thefirstentrancetothefinaldeparture,to

make sense and deliver on the objectives.

• Content is king. Experience designers need empathy with the

audience to determine the content that will be

the most meaningful and meet (and exceed)

their needs. This includes determining the

delivery methods and formats that will have

the most impact.

• Creating experiences often results in shareable FOMO moments. By designing spaces and experiences that

deliver a wow factor we often encourage

shareable content and ‘fear of missing

out’.Intoday’ssocial,digitalenvironment

participants are building their social stature

via images and content and welcome the

opportunity to share with personal networks.

• Events must demonstrate clear results and ROI. The experience mix must be seen as

worthwhile and to varying extents,

transformative, with a measurable change

in behavior, attitude or knowledge for

participants and stakeholders.



1 CECREDIT

1 CECREDIT

1 CECREDIT


Additional Experience Design ResourcesEach Webinar will earn you 1 CMP credit

WebinarOn-Demand

Event Gamification: Maximize Attendee Motivation, Learning & Networking

Gamificationwasmentionedasausefultoolthroughout

thisebook.Inthiswebinar,you’lllearncreativegame

ideas based on successful case studies that will help you

achieve your event goals.

WebinarOn-Demand

5 Things Every Sponsor Wishes Event Professionals Knew!

Sponsors are a key stakeholder you constantly need to

attract and retain to ensure maximium event revenue.

Learn the top 5 things that will keep them coming back

year after year.

WebinarOn-Demand

How to Use Social Media & Event Tech to Grow Your Event Community

Social media and event tech are extremely powerful

toolsforcreatingyear-roundeventcommunities.In

thiswebinar,you’lllearnbestpracticesforgrowingand

maintaining engagement.

Watch Now Watch Now Watch Now

https://bit.ly/2vOrYFA

https://bit.ly/2Mk6v1u

https://bit.ly/2Mje60j




About the Authors

Julius SolarisJuliusSolarisistheeditorofEventManagerBlog.Startedin2007,EventMBisthenumberoneblogworldwideforeventprofessionals.

HeisthefounderoftheEventInnovationLab,animmersivetrainingprogramforFortune500companiesandhigh-growtheventteams.

Hehasbeennamedoneofthe25mostinfluentialindividualsintheMeetingIndustry.

He is the author of over 10 books on event technology and innovation (The Eventtech Bible, The Good Event Management Software Guide,

TheEventAppBible,MeetingDesign,TheFutureofEventMarketing,TheArtofVenueNegotiation,theannualEventTrendsReport,Social

MediaforEvents,EngagingEventsandTheVenueoftheFuture).

Tahira Endean, CMP, CEDTahiraEndeanisaserialeventproducer,continuallycuriousabouthowwecandesigneventsthatbettermeettheneedsoftoday’sparticipant

andthestakeholders.TheauthorofIntentionalEventDesign,OurProfessionalOpportunity,Tahiraspeaksfrequentlyacrosstheindustryand

instructsSustainableEventOperationsatBCIT(BritishColumbiaInstituteofTechnology).

Tahira has been named a MeetingsNet Changemaker and a Meetings Trendsetter: Agents of Change by MeetingsToday (2018)

andisamemberofMeetingsandIncentivesCanadaHallofFame,

Tahira loves being part of a team that brings ideas alive and is excited for her next adventure. @tahiracreates.

Becki CrossBeckiCrosssetuptheUKbasedeventmanagementcompanyandSME,EventsNorthernLtd,in2004.Beckihasorganizedeventsranging

from conferences to exhibitions, festivals to awards ceremonies, fashion shows to golf tournaments and everything in between. Organizing

conferencesandcorporateeventsareBecki’spassionandshebelievesthatconferencesshouldneverbeboring!

BeckiistheDeputyEditorofEventMB,whichshedescribesasherdreamjobalongsideeventplanning!FollowBeckionTwitter:@beckitrain.




1. Endean,T.IntentionalEventDesign,OurProfessionalOpportunity.Intention3Designing

the Optimal Brain Experience.

2. StatCounter (June 2018) Desktop vs Mobile vs Tablet Market Share Worldwide Accessed

July2018from:http://gs.statcounter.com/platform-market-share/desktop-mobile-tablet/

worldwide

3. CXL(August2017)FirstImpressionsMatter:TheImportanceofGreatVisualDesign

AccessedJuly2018from:https://conversionxl.com/blog/first-impressions-matter-the-

importance-of-great-visual-design/

4. Gevelber,L(August2017)Micro-MomentsNow:Whyexpectationsfor‘rightnow’areon

theriseAccessedJuly2018from:https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/

consumer-immediate-need-mobile-experiences/

5. NauertPhD,R.(2015).BrainResponsetoFirstImpressions.PsychCentral.Accessed

July2018from:https://psychcentral.com/news/2009/03/09/brain-response-to-first-

impressions/4612.html

6. BrittBeemer,CandShook,RobertL,PredatoryMarketing:WhatEveryoneinBusiness

NeedstoKnowtoWinToday’sAmericanConsumer.

7. EconomistIntelligenceUnit.(2016).InformalInnovation:EntrepreneurshipandInformal

Communities.AccessedJuly2018from:http://informalinnovation.economist.com/

8. EventMB.(2018).AdvancedCorporateEventPlanningGuide(2018edition):100Ideas,

ChecklistsandTipstoPlanSuccessfulEvents.AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.

eventmanagerblog.com/corporate-event-planning

9. EventMB.(2018).EventSponsorship:117IdeasandTrendsToGetMoreSponsorsin2018.

AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-sponsorship

10. EventMB.(2018).EventSponsorship:117IdeasandTrendsToGetMoreSponsorsin2018.

AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-sponsorship

11. McIntyre,H(2015)Study:SponsoringALiveMusicEventMakesMillennialsTrust

AndRecommendYourBrandAccessedJuly2018from:https://www.forbes.com/sites/

hughmcintyre/2015/08/09/study-sponsoring-a-live-music-events-makes-millennials-trust-

and-recommend-your-brand/#7ee753702011

12. Greengard,S(2016)TheShockingTruthAboutSurprise-And-DelightStrategy.Accessed

July18from:https://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2016/3/23/the-shocking-truth-about-

surpriseanddelight-strategy.html#gs.XrvnIsI

13. Tze,D(2015)HowSurpriseandDelightAmplifiesLoyaltyMarketingStrategies.Accessed

July18from:https://media.dmnews.com/documents/112/surprise_whitepaper_020415_

onl_27880.pdf

14. Redick,S(2013)SurpriseIsStilltheMostPowerfulMarketingTool.AccessedJuly18from:

https://hbr.org/2013/05/surprise-is-still-the-most-powerful

15. IpsosMORI(2017)VirtualReality(VR):What’stheReality?AccessedJuly2018from:

https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/virtual-reality-vr-whats-reality

16. Metry,M(2017)21StateYouShouldKnowaboutVirtualReality(VR)in2017.Accessed

July2018from:http://www.vudream.com/21-stats-graphs-facts-you-should-know-virtual-

reality-vr-in-2017/

17. Johnson,E(2018)NewResearchHelpsExhibitorsSeeintotheMindsofITPros.Accessed

July2018from:http://createyournextcustomer.com/2018/01/17/new-research-helps-

exhibitors-see-minds-pros/

18. StudioStand(May2017)ExhibitorsDon’tFollowUp”AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.

studiostand.org/single-post/2017/05/06/Exhibitors-dont-follow-up

19. Schroeder,JulianaandRisen,JaneandGino,FrancescaandNorton,MichaelI.,Handshaking

PromotesCooperativeDealmaking(May29,2014).AvailableatSSRN:https://ssrn.com/

abstract=2443551orhttp://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2443551

20. APCO(2015)MeetingsMeanBusiness,BusinessLeadersSurveyKeyFindingsAccessed

July2018from:http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/sites/default/files/MMB%20

Business%20Leaders%20Survey%20Key%20Findings.pdf







References

http://gs.statcounter.com/platform-market-share/desktop-mobile-tablet/worldwide

https://conversionxl.com/blog/first-impressions-matter-the-importance-of-great-visual-design/

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-immediate-need-mobile-experiences/

https://psychcentral.com/news/2009/03/09/brain-response-to-first-impressions/4612.html

http://informalinnovation.economist.com/

https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/corporate-event-planning

https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-sponsorship

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2015/08/09/study-sponsoring-a-live-music-events-makes-millennials-trust-and-recommend-your-brand/#7ee753702011

http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/sites/default/files/MMB%20Business%20Leaders%20Survey%20Key%20Findings.pdf

https://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2016/3/23/the-shocking-truth-about-surpriseanddelight-strategy.html#gs.XrvnIsI

https://media.dmnews.com/documents/112/surprise_whitepaper_020415_onl_27880.pdf

https://hbr.org/2013/05/surprise-is-still-the-most-powerful

https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/virtual-reality-vr-whats-reality

http://www.vudream.com/21-stats-graphs-facts-you-should-know-virtual-reality-vr-in-2017/

http://createyournextcustomer.com/2018/01/17/new-research-helps-exhibitors-see-minds-pros/

https://www.studiostand.org/single-post/2017/05/06/Exhibitors-dont-follow-up

https://ssrn.com/abstract=2443551 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2443551




23. EventMB.(2018).AdvancedCorporateEventPlanningGuide(2018edition):100Ideas,

ChecklistsandTipstoPlanSuccessfulEvents.AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.

eventmanagerblog.com/corporate-event-planning

24. IAEE(2017)DecisiontoAttendStudy-PhaseTwo.AccessedJuly2018from:https://www.

iaee.com/resources/decision-to-attend-study/

25. Li,X,andTan,XS,ASpecialEventLoyaltyModel:ComparingFirstTimeandRepeat

Attendees(2015).TourismTravelandResearchAssociation:AdvancingTourismResearch

Globally.24.AccessedJuly2018from:http://scholarworks.umass.edu/ttra/ttra2015/

Academic_Papers_Oral/24

26. Lee,M(2017)WhatAreTribes?(AndWhyMarketersShouldCareAboutThem)Accessd

July2018from:https://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/what-are-marketing-tribes













31. Hicklin,T(2016)HowNoveltyBoostsMemoryRetention.AccessedJuly2018from:https://

www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-novelty-boosts-memory-retention

32. Mashable,Disneyisusingfacialrecognitiontopredicthowyou’llreacttomovies,

accessedviahttps://mashable.com/2017/07/27/disney-facial-recognition-prediction-

movies/?europe=true#KZrE5VzW2mqaon19July2018.

https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/corporate-event-planning

https://www.iaee.com/resources/decision-to-attend-study/

http://scholarworks.umass.edu/ttra/ttra2015/Academic_Papers_Oral/24

https://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/what-are-marketing-tribes

http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/sites/default/files/MMB%20Business%20Leaders%20Survey%20Key%20Findings.pdf

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-novelty-boosts-memory-retention

https://mashable.com/2017/07/27/disney-facial-recognition-prediction-movies/?europe=true#KZrE5VzW2mqa




About EventMBEventManagerBlogisthemostinfluentialwebsiteinthemeetingandeventindustry.It

offers education, innovation, and inspiration through regular articles and industry reports.

Foundedin2007,EventMBhasbeenwidelyreferencedasthego-toresourcefor

innovative event professionals wanting to learn more about trends in the event

planning industry.

EventMB releases industry reports and intelligence about event technology, social

media, and engagement at events.

Thousands of event professionals have downloaded EventMB free reports at:


About EventMobiEventMobi provides technology that empowers event marketers and planners to create

incredible event experiences. Founded in 2010, EventMobi has been the trusted event

technologyplatformofover10,000clientsin72countries.

One of the fastest growing tech companies in North America, EventMobi has received

worldwide praise for our people and our platform.

From planning to marketing, management to measurement —at every stage of the event

lifecycle—we’retherewhenyouneedus.

Event technology is a critical component of your overall event design.

EventMobi’sExperienceManagerhelpsyoumanageyoureventapp,registration,

notifications,polls,surveysandgamesallfromacentralizedeventmanagement

platform.

Contributers

Learn More Try It For Free View a Demo


https://bit.ly/2MMxn6x

https://bit.ly/2vKhqra






1 CECREDIT


CMP Credits

EventMBisaCMPPreferredProvideraccreditedbytheEventsIndustryCounciland

provides Continuing Education credits for learning activities.

Thisreportisworth1CECredit!To acquire CE credits through this or other reports, webinars and reading material from

EventMB, please refer to http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/cmp

For more information about the CMP credential or Preferred Provider Program,

please visit: http://www.eventscouncil.org/

Acknowledgements

Credits and ThanksThis guide would not have been possible without the help of an incredible team of people.

Thank you to:

EventMobi-forsponsoringthisreport.

CarmenBoscolo-formakingtheprojectareality.

TahiraEndean-forcontributingherexpertiseinexperiencedesigntothestrategy

section of the report.

BeckiCross,MDofEventsNorthernLtdandDeputyEditorofEventMB-forco-writing

and editing.

CamilleWagner-forprojectmanagementandsupport.

DisclaimerWhile this report has been sponsored the analysis is completely unbiased.

Publishing date: August 22, 2018.

http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/cmp

http://www.eventscouncil.org/



Documents

Experience Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Memorable