- Let guests know you are there for them
- Be available 24/7
- Create a personal touch – anticipate guests requirements
You wouldn’t put on an event for the Queen without pulling out all the stops would you?
We know that your guests probably (?) don’t have the power, influence and high expectations of the world’s royals, but that’s no reason not to treat them as if they do!
We’ve put together a few tips to making your event truly memorable for your guests.
Be there for them
The first thing is to make sure that your guests know you are there for them, and that everything they could want or need is catered for.
Don’t have them worrying about paying for parking – arrange for private parking or arrange to pre-pay before the event. So when the event is over, they can just pop in their ticket and drive off.
Check the Wi-Fi too… if it isn’t included free of charge in public areas by default, then ensure that you have negotiated and arranged with the venue so your guests get seamless, instant access without having to reach for their credit card.
Or if you’re holding an event where guests will bring children, how about hiring in a nursery? Let trained staff look after the children while the parents enjoy the event, worry-free, and can happily do the networking and business they came for!
Create the wow moment
A breath-taking “wow” moment goes a long way to creating an event that your attendees will never forget, especially when it’s bigger than expected!
During the planning stages, it’s worth starting to build the ’buzz’ about your event’s finale. But don’t give too much away, just drop little clues here and there… suspense is the key here.
And when that ‘wow’ moment appears, they’ll already have a good idea what’s coming, so really pull out all the stops and surprise even the most imaginative of your guests!
You want jaws on the floor… you want gasps of “is that possible? can you do that?” Go for surprise and delight!
You’ll know your people… you’ll know what will get them excited. Deliver what you’ve hinted at, with knobs on, and you won’t go far wrong!
Be available 24/7
You’ve already made sure you’ve prepared your guests with all the right information beforehand. But make sure you – or your event team – are available on the day too.
Even when you think you’ve answered all the questions, they’re likely to ask, new ones will always crop up. Have a hospitality desk set up throughout your event, so that attendees can come to you at any point for help!
That personal touch
Creating that all-important personal touch is something that we seem to do very well in the online world.
Major organisations like IKEA are creating personalised recommendations based on customer’s preferences and recent purchases. So, why can’t this be carried through into the events world?
If you know that Mr Bloggs from X company prefers a quiet room and a late check out, then offer it to him before he asks you.We can assure you they will be impressed – and most importantly it shows that you listen and care about your delegates’ needs.
Personalisation at events doesn’t have to be complicated, it can sometimes be the little touches that ultimately add to the delegates’ event experience. Find out their preferences before they even arrive. Have that soy milk coffee waiting for them, organise that birthday cake in their room. Go on, surprise them.
Conclusion
Treat your event attendees with love and attention from the beginning and you’ll be sure to get the results you’re looking for.