Bums on seats

It's the day of the event, registration is about to open and you are nervous. Will they turn up? How many will turn up? With all the sophistication around data analytics the one measure of success stays true in events: Bums on seats!

Getting those Bums!

Maybe not the most flattering way to refer to our audience, but how do you increase the chances of having a full house? Marketing is the obvious answer. The question then is what exactly are you marketing? You have your own reasons for wanting people there, you have your business objectives, but achieving your objectives is hardly a motivation for your audience to turn up. So how do you make sure you appeal to them. One event producer we asked has an interesting process we thought was worth sharing.

Motivation to Engage

In the process of putting the event content together she said they continually review the audience motivation to engage and to do this she has a handy checklist.

Value:  What value will the audience get from attendance. This could be work or personal. Work could be some insight they can share back at the office boosting their credibility. Personal could be the chance to network, build their personal connections. There is also the not often talked about element that is 'the day out'. Time your event well and the audience could combine attendance with a bit of shopping or an afternoon to themselves. You wont find that in any event planning manuals but we all know its a consideration.

New: People love new but the new doesn't have to be your content. The new could be a new venue, or even new food and drink. You could consider partnering with another company to provide the new.

Kudos: What can your audience brag about post the event, what stories will they want to tell on the teams meeting. This is where the paid speaker often comes into play, but access to senior execs can work plus a feeling of exclusivity around the event.

Surprise: The promise of surprise can tip the balance between should I go or not. Surprise announcements, surprise attendance, anything that will arouse curiosity.

Emotional Arousal: Inspiration, laughter, motivation: If people know they will come out of the event feeling better than when they came in that is a strong motivation to attend.

Confrontation: A bit left field and not often used but if there is an issue that needs to be dealt with, and you make it clear you are going to deal with that issue people will come.

Delivering on expectation

Once you have enticed the audience to attend, and the bums are on seats, you need to deliver, which means you need to shape and adapt the experience to serve both your interests and the interests of the audience.

Your thoughts

Do you have a your own checklist or formula that you would like to share?