When planning an event or meeting, every detail is important. From the beginning steps of determining the goals of your event all the way to post-event evaluation, anyone who’s ever planned an event knows how critical each step is. An often overlooked element, however, is pre-event engagement.
Pre-event engagement is exactly what it sounds like—the exchange you have with conference attendees before the event. This straightforward method of interaction is of high value to your company, the event itself, and, of course, your attendees.
The value lies in opportunity. When you engage with your audience before an event, it opens up chances for them to begin networking, brainstorming together, and forging a new community before the conference even begins.
Upon arrival, participants will already be more familiar with you, your company, your event’s goals, and with each other, which will maximize a feeling of connectivity that leads to interactive productivity.
The best part? When participants feel connected to your goal and to each other, they are much more likely to attend the event in question. Those that engage before the event arrive already invested and ready to participate, making the day of the event operate at a much smoother pace.
Creating high-quality content and sharing it on social media will enable your attendees to become familiar with your company and with each other, as the discuss, like, and share your posts among each other and in the comment sections. Posting on topics relevant to your conference is a fantastic idea—it helps build momentum and excitement while giving attendees time to digest the information so they’re ready to participate in the event.
Conducting surveys, asking questions, and gathering data are also key ways to maximize your event's value. This method not only helps gather supplemental information to be analyzed and presented during the conference but also provides relevant insights from your audience. Participants will likely be motivated to attend and discuss results, especially from surveys they’ve helped complete.
Posting speaker and event updates are even more ways to add value. This method promotes conversation and serves as a marketing and event promotion tool as well. Create buzz and keep it going with regular updates on speakers and event features via social media, your blog, and your website.
Utilizing new technology is our final and most dynamic way to boost pre-event engagement value. Introducing new tech before an event is a way to get attendees really excited for things to come. Tools like OptionPower are changing the way we interact with our audience. It’s a new and innovative method of acquiring information, storing data, and displaying interactive results. This inventive data-gathering tool can be used remotely via computers and smartphones in the pre-event stages, or in-house on event day by using special keypads and clickers.
So now that you know how to maximize the value of pre-event engagement, it’s time to take action. Want to learn more about OptionPower? Contact us. We’d be happy to discuss how to enhance your upcoming conference, ensuring that your attendees are getting the maximum value.