#4 of The 5 Universal Desires of an Event Attendee “What I Want” – Reward My Investment
01.23.2019
By Jimmy Verrett, Senior Creative Strategist, InVision Communications
#4 of The 5 Universal Desires of an Event Attendee “What I Want” – Reward My Investment
We’ve been exploring the five basic desires or “care-abouts” that all attendees share—across industries, roles and types of events. In our previous article, “Optimize My Time,” we revealed the value of efficiency, and how being considerate of attendees’ time translates into more successful events. In this article, we’ll examine a closely related, yet totally unique, desire: personal ROI.
Previously, we considered the various opportunity costs associated with attendance at an event. Now, on top of all that, let’s factor in travel costs, lodging, meals and registration fees. For most people, this adds up to a significant expenditure, and naturally, they have a desire to obtain something of demonstrable value in return.
Clearly value can (and should!) be delivered in a variety of ways at a corporate event. Through content, learning activities, networking opportunities, and entertainment absolutely, but there are other ways to reward attendees with value, giving them the satisfaction of greater personal ROI.
To deliver on this promise, think beyond the basics of your event and ask:
• What can we do to make attendees feel as though they’re getting an above-and-beyond experience?
• How can we surprise and delight attendees, or offer unique opportunities for them to recharge? How might we make the food and beverage components more special, more creative?
• How can we transform standard breakout sessions into truly memorable, truly engaging activities?
• How do we make registration a positive—versus pedestrian—process?
• What opportunities exist around programming the “white space” between keynote and breakout rooms?
• How do we integrate and pull the theme through an array of experiences?
• How can we consistently articulate our brand expression to attendees, reaffirming and elevating our brand’s status?
These are the types of questions that lead to delivering true value for attendees. The types of questions we at InVision love to answer.
By examining how value can be provided at every touchpoint—beyond the keynote and big-name entertainment—we elevate the impact of the experience and deepen your brand’s connection with attendee stakeholders. Delivering personal ROI ensures attendees enjoy a more meaningful engagement with your brand, which ultimately drives ROI for your business downstream. It’s a win-win for everyone.
In the final installment of our series, we’ll hit upon the fifth attendee desire, “Don’t Be Boring!” Anyone who has ever put together a lengthy PowerPoint presentation will definitely want to check it out. In the meantime, to learn more about InVision, please contact us at info@iv.com.