If you are anything like me, you probably don’t read articles about how to plan successful events. Why waste your time, when there are much better ways to become an outstanding event professional?
In this industry, we all strive to:
- Be a good event manager.
- Plan high-quality events.
- Add value to our clients and attendees.
What better way to accomplish this than by gaining lots of practical experience, instead of just reading about what others did?
Until recently, these were my thoughts. But not anymore.
What changed, you may ask?
Between the 24th and 26th of October, I attended the annual event Les 28e journées d’étude FCE, organized in Cannes, by France Congrès et événements, an association that brings together the main stakeholders of the event industry.
This event was specifically designed for event managers and it tackled topics such as innovation and technology, territorial attractiveness and marketing, competitiveness factors, etc.
The event was quite an eye-opening experience for me, not only for its valuable content, but also for the strategies the organizers applied to improve the experiences of the attendees.
The one thing that surprised me the most was how simple, yet empowering this annual meeting appeared to be. It was during this event that I realized an essential truth that will definitely skyrocket my career as a planner.
You see, if you want to really grow and thrive in this industry, apart from planning lots of events, you have to look around, explore what other event managers do, and analyze their success formula. You can’t be the best if you don’t know what makes others be the best.
Let me show you what I mean.
Elements that made the Les 28e journées d’étude FCE event to be a sound success
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Focus on how the attendees feel
To generate more positive emotions, the planners from France Congrès et événements decided to invite the attendees to experience a special program one day before the event. They took their audience on a boat trip to the Ile Saint Honorat, where they had organized a guided tour. Then, the attendees had the chance to assist the “A la recherche de la nouvelle star” meeting, and finally finish their day with a welcome cocktail.
#EventProf Tip:
Make your attendees feel good and you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Think of some activities that could generate excitement and enthusiasm.
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Make the event easy to access and attend
With our help, the planners from France Congrès et événements were able to build powerful landing pages, register their attendees, receive registration payments, and generate personalized badges for the attendees without a hitch. Also, by using the Eventtia event platform, the organizers escaped stress and headaches, because they were able to segment the information and send customized messages to different types of participants.
#EventProf Tip:
A key element that impacts the quality of an event is the user friendliness of its webpage, the online registration process, and the payment procedure. So be sure to use the right event management software.
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Create empowering spaces for collaboration
The Les 28e journées d’étude FCE event planners organized special workshops and spaces (such as Innov&Tech) where the attendees could work with the industry startup representatives. This way, they were able to identify industry challenges and decide on new collaboration directions.
#EventProf Tip:
Use your events as powerful tools to enhance the further collaboration between the attendees.
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Provide access to high-quality knowledge
The France Congrès et événements invited the best speakers and tackled current topics. For example, the sessions focused on how the digital economy impacts the event industry and how the technology can help planners solve problems and obtain competitive advantages.
#EventProf Tip:
Your event is a success only when it adds value to the attendees. To achieve that, take great care of the event’s content.
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Generate positive outcomes after the event
The organizers of the Les 28e journées d’étude FCE invited important personalities from the innovation ecosystem and the French entrepreneurship. This way, they managed to sensitize the industry on these issues and to change the way planners perceive the future of the event management.
#EventProf Tip:
These type of meetings are persuasive environments, and you have the power to influence the positive outcomes even after the event ends.
Wrap up
What makes an event successful? The answers are multiple, yet to find them and enrich our planning experience, we have to stop and pay attention to what other event managers do. Be the best by learning from the best!
