Everything from meetings to team bonding activities requires audience engagement to be effective. While there is much to thank about the arrival of smartphones, they can also serve as outlets for a bored audience to chip away at the time. The good news is that you can keep them engaged by making the event interactive.
Here are some ideas:
Make sure the setting exudes comfort
The way a conference space is arranged can set the tone for the entire affair. One that is organized in a haphazard manner is not likely to win any positive points. Not doing so will require a ton of effort to win back the attention of what may already be a disengaged audience.
How can a particular meeting place exude comfort? For one, the venue is important. An impression needs to be made and that won’t come into fruition when choosing a space that is way too small to fit a certain number of people comfortably.
Choosing an event venue that impresses at first glance also helps. Be it the architecture or the surrounding landscape, having the right elements will likely work in your favor.
Involve social media
Many people spend time on social media these days so why not embrace it as well? Buildup to the event can be done through the different platforms available, be it Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Tracking engagement can be tricky, especially when there’s a huge response. But all that is made easier thanks to hashtags. Create one that is tailored specifically for the event that is coming and use it before, during, and maybe even after the event is done.
Hashtags or any other social media platform don’t always have to be relegated to the digital world. Attendees can be reminded of the event’s social presence by including the hashtag in any handout distributed around the event venue.
Provide an “as it happened” account of the event
Many distinguished papers ‘live blog’ certain events, be it related to news and current affairs or something along the realms of entertainment like a soccer match or an awards ceremony. The same concept can be applied to your events.
Have someone give commentary about what’s going on at the moment, including who is currently speaking and what’s being talked about. It also helps to provide pictures along with the commentary.
Live blogging the event is a way for those who participated to have a record of what happened during the event. In a way, it’s doing their note-taking for them.
Another alternative to live blogging is live tweeting with the use of hashtags. Doing this allows participants within the conference space to be more engaged by commenting, retweeting, or replying to a post during the event and even after.
Play some games
Games during meetings or conferences can be of the brainy or brawny variety. Giving people something to do will loosen them up and get them excited. It can be a simple trivia game where each table represents a team or a more physical activity like a scavenger hunt.
We here at Oakwood Resort offer just the right space for your company event, be it for team bonding activities or meetings. It doesn’t matter if you’re based in Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Goshen, South Bend, or Warsaw, you’ll find comfortable spaces here to hold your next company event.
