Event Planning in 2022: 6 Characteristics Your Event Must Have

What makes a great event truly memorable? It’s an event that creates an emotional connection with the attendees and brings value to the experience. People walk away feeling emotionally invested and connected to the host organization. To achieve this, it’s critical to include an experienced Audio Visual partner in your event planning.

At AVentPro we want to make sure you feel confident in your event, so we’re sharing some of our industry secrets. Here are six characteristics of a great event in 2022. You have a vision, let’s bring it to life.

1. Communal 

Togetherness is the foundation of a successful event. Whether you’re gathering in-person, virtually, or a little bit of both, every guest should feel they are part of the festivities. When deciding whether to attend an event, people prioritize a sense of connectivity. This rings even more true today as people are physically distanced.

As the Thrive Global Leadership Institute puts it: “Your local community is much more than where your home resides. It’s a local network where you can connect and build relationships with others.” The latest hybrid and virtual event planning tools are bringing the world a little closer together while growing our global community. 

Siloam Mission Creates a Sense of Community

A great example of creating a communal experience is Siloam Mission’s annual fundraiser.

The Siloam Mission Food Fight is a highlight of what can be achieved when an event is planned as an experience. Top chefs from around Winnipeg come together for a master chef-style cook-off. Chefs were limited to using the same five base ingredients commonly found in Siloam’s kitchen to create delicious dishes for event attendees to experience.

To enhance Siloam Mission’s food fight theme, AVentPro transformed the stage into a boxing ring and positioned it in the centre of the room. “Spit buckets” were set up at each of the chef tables to serve as voting boxes. Upon entry, each guest received a themed token to add to the chef of their choosing’s bucket. At the end of the night, a weigh-in of each ”Spit Bucket” was performed to see which chef took home the championship belt!

The clients messaging was reinforced visually on four 13’ wide screens that were used to create a score clock look and feel above the ring – which guaranteed VIP seating from anywhere in the room. This entire night was a memorable experience, something we strive for with every event we facilitate. The synergy of technology and creativity allowed everyone to not just attend the event, but experience it.

2. Intentional

Your guests should drive your event planning. Consider taking an attendee-focused approach by understanding their needs. Utilize your design tools to engage with them and structure your event in a way that maximizes connection. 

Intentional event design involves making decisions based on knowledge about your participants and their needs. Account for key demographic data, such as the average age of participants, location (local, provincial, global), professional niche, and what attendees hope to gain from this event. For example, if the goal is networking, select a platform or a venue that fosters one-on-one or small group interactions. 

Virtual and hybrid events incorporate the use of live chats and breakout rooms to facilitate the same opportunities as a traditional conference room floor. Be sure your technology is outfitted to support guest needs. 

Time is valuable. If a guest feels like there wasn’t value to an event, they may be reluctant to return. Respecting attendees’ time shows you value their attendance and participation. Ensure your guests walk away from your event with a feeling of connection and a heightened sense of value.

3. Emotional 

The best events have a lot of heart. As organizers, we strive to leave an emotional impact on our guests, whether we’re sharing the stories of amazing keynote speakers from around the world or live streaming a wedding reception for friends and family, every event should connect with its audience. 

Corporate events are one of the most common gatherings we host, yet many businesses fail to consider that even a simple training session must make an emotional connection with the audience. In fact, bringing an emotional connection to corporate functions is more important than ever when it comes to onboarding, talent retention, and establishing a positive work culture. 

Engagement Starts With Event Planning

Consider how your event will connect and effectively engage with attendees. The more involved participants feel in an event, the more likely they are to be invested.

Speakers need to connect with their audience on a human level. We understand this takes practice! That’s why AVentPro plans a comprehensive prep session including technology check, camera, angle, and lighting review prior to any speaking event. This gives speakers a chance to practice engaging with their audience and ensures the human connection isn’t lost through technology. 

The ability to make eye contact with attendees is what makes your event personal. Allow the listener to feel you are speaking directly to them. This brings us to your microphone. Did you know 81 percent of virtual meeting attendees regard flawless audio as a key requirement? If it’s difficult for your audience to hear you, people are more likely to zone out or develop listener fatigue. Implementing flawless audio is a key requirement to creating a connection.

4. Seamless 

An event requires cohesion, organization, and flow. Our team ensures a seamless event powered by robust technology. This connectivity supports every other characteristic of a great event by ensuring everyone feels included.

Health Sciences Centre Foundation (HSCF) is a non-profit that knows the importance of creating a positive guest experience to ensure no one is lost. With the help of our planning experts, HSCF created seamless connections through totally virtual live auctions. Attendees enjoyed the thrill of bidding with live updates and near-zero latency. Real-time event technology allows guests to access bids and donations, driving fundraising goals for HSCF. The attendees benefit from feeling engaged and appreciated, which resulted in donations coming in from all across North America.

HSCF reached a broader demographic of attendees with virtual events catered to busy schedules that may not allow for in-person gatherings, and kept everything running smoothly – no latency, no audio loss, just good vibes and great people. Don’t forget the bio break.

5. Unique 

What sets your event apart from the crowd? Hosting or participating in events is a key way for companies to establish and grow their brand. Sixty-four percent of event marketers reported that the primary reason for hosting events is brand awareness for their company or products. That means taking advantage of creativity and distinction. 

When attendees join an event, they should instantly feel a sense of brand identity. The use of high-quality, big impact audiovisuals is the distinction between a casual event and an exciting experience that leaves a lasting message.

As hybrid events gain traction, one key aspect of branding is ensuring consistency across platforms. The same aesthetic should flow from in-person meeting spaces to virtual break-out rooms with flawless quality and creativity. In fact, virtual spaces offer even more opportunities to establish uniqueness with backgrounds and virtual integration for team games and activities. This includes the ability to cross-share on social media platforms to keep your brand front and centre.

6. Budget-Friendly

Budget may be the one topic no one loves to talk about. But establishing financial goals is key to successful event planning. Begin with three main questions:

An event budget must match the desired outcome. For example, if the purpose of an event is to spark interest in a new project or program that will be a long-term source of revenue, it’s safe to assume the anticipated ROI is high. Thus, the event is an investment in your future and should be regarded with like value. The level of interaction needed will also impact your bottom line. Aspects such as platform feature requirements, audience size and strength of interconnection.

What about voting polls and networking for your group?

The best way to tackle these considerations is to set aside some time to chat with an event planning expert who will help define and narrow your goals, align your budget, and ensure your event is a huge success.

Ready to host an event that checks all the boxes for a memorable occasion? Reach out to our team today!