3 Ways to Create Memorable Wow Moments at Events

Event marketing continues to grow in influence and power in the events industry and beyond. As a matter of fact, the majority of marketers believe event marketing to be the most effective method of marketing today. In essence, events give marketers the ultimate face-to-face, hands-on engagement they’re looking for to get their message to stick with consumers in a four-dimensional way. Rather than simply communicating to consumers, event marketers have a unique opportunity to communicate in conversation with their consumers.

With that in mind, when it comes to the event marketing industry, the question is not whether or not to promote using an event, but rather, how to make your event a stand-out and memorable success. Check out these tips to create “wow” moments at events that your audience won’t forget.

Create Buzz Early On

Start off strong. The most successful events create an allure to their event way before it even begins. If you’re bringing back an annual event, invitations that hide the identity of a guest speaker or that leave a little mystery are great ways to build anticipation leading up to your events. If you’re running a first-time event, the novelty of the event will stir things up a bit, but be sure to send email reminders in the days leading up to the event to keep attendees talking. If you have any high-profile industry experts invited, encourage them to advertise the event within their network. Social media plays an impactful role in all stages of an event, but in terms of build-up, there’s nothing better than an interactive Instagram story poll or a Twitter countdown. Small-scale efforts can have large impact on setting your attendee’s event expectations.

Tackle New Technologies

Outside traditional events, VR and AR allow for enhanced experiential opportunities. These tools can provide attendees with the opportunity to transport themselves to new locations, and allow event planners to broaden their scope of interactive reach. Exciting and sense-heightening possibilities await attendees who find themselves at events with both in-person and technological engagement stations. Additionally, technologies with Bluetooth capabilities can provide personalized experiences for attendees by using session tracking and personalized notifications. Mobile apps allow attendees to give into their desire for distraction but in a more directed, productive way. From agendas to live polling, technologies can enhance your event ROI by an impressive amount.

The Element of Surprise

Pop-up brand activations have taken over as an interactive consumer trend. From A to B to C or Adidas to Beautycon to Chicago e.a.t.s all the way through the alphabet, brand activations have proved to be among the most successful stand-alone consumer events. These events take event marketing to the next level with crazy color wheels, intriguing Instagrammable spaces, interactive and attractive venues and high-profile celebrity spokespeople. The novelty of a pop-up brings out everyone’s FOMO (fear of missing out) and drives crowds to engage deeply with products. Not only that, but then they post about it. The more interesting and appealing your event is, the more of a connection you build with your consumers, and by the end of the day, their posts are doing the work for you! Whether you stick with a minimalist design, or coat your décor in color and branding, experiential activations are where it’s at.