"A successful event is not just about meeting the objectives, but also about creating a lasting impression on the attendees."

Let us say you achieved your revenue target because of the event you created. However, the attendees have a bad experience. Do you think that your event will have a repeat because of this?

We all know the answer to this question. 

It is important that more than meeting your event objectives like sales, revenues, and brand awareness, you also give importance to the impressions that your attendees will have because of what they experienced from your event.

A lasting impression can be because of how the attendees were treated during the event. If you let them feel they are VIPs, they will conclude that you really care about their needs.

A lasting impression can also be the proactive and creative networking space you provided to your attendees. People attend events to belong and expand their network. If you are able to serve as their bridge to other people they will appreciate your event.

A positive experience by attendees will provide emotional goodwill to your event. They will spread the word about how great your event is because of the feelings they generated from being part of it.

In summary, beyond the profit-centered key performance indicators, focus also on the emotional ROI that your attendees will gain from your event.   

Creativity

"Success in event management is all about attention to detail and the ability to adapt to any situation that arises."

Attention to Detail

Attention to Detail is easier said than done. In the world of event management, you prepare for a long checklist, orient your people to their specific tasks, and make rounds to check if they are doing their work.

Attention to detail is your ability to spot minute aspects of the event you are running from pre-event, the actual event, and post-event. 

In fact, our ability to have very focused attention to detail is what our clients are paying for.  This ability is what makes us deliver a successful event. The ability to not leave any stone unturned in order to deliver the experience the participants of the event are expecting.

Adaptability 

One of the challenges in event management is creating an atmosphere where delegates will feel welcome. It is a challenge to make them feel they belong and not an isolated island in the midst of faceless and nameless attendees.

Here are some tips to create a welcoming atmosphere:

1. Be a Great Host

The first time they step into your event venue, be ready to smile and greet them. This will warm their hearts. Nobody can’t resist a smiling person approaching and greeting you while ready to assist you in helping you have your seat at the event.

Also, find time to explore the room and talk to your attendees. Just imagine the venue is your house and your attendees are your guests. Striking a conversation or small talk removes the uneasy feeling of attendees. Eventually, they will be comfortable and show their bubbly self or step away from being shy to being friendly.

2. Create a Speed Networking 

Most Filipinos are shy by nature. Even if they are professionals, only a few people have the ability to start a conversation. Therefore, when you place speed networking in your program, attendees are forced to break the ice and approach other people because they were given permission.

Your attendees will surely love this. They may even believe this is the best part of your event.

3. Prepare for Group Workshops

Group Workshops allow attendees to work together. In the process of the workshop, they are avail to get to know each other while benefiting from an output-based conversation.

Group Workshop creates a dynamic bond for all attendees. Best of all, it is a great way to learn more things.

There are other great ways to create a welcoming atmosphere for your attendees. The key here is always to make this one of your priorities.

“Event Management is not just about logistics and planning; it’s about creating an emotional connection with your audience”.

"Events are like a canvas: you start with a blank slate and through careful planning and execution, you create a masterpiece." - Unknown

This is the main reason why event management is an art. You have a blank canvas you have the freedom to do whatever you want.

There is only one consideration while you are creating your art - client satisfaction.

It is with this consideration that you draw something wonderful to delight and awe your client. You try to create a different experience never been done before. You push the boundary of what is possible.

Alas, at the end of the event you and your client are left in awe of the masterpiece that you painstakingly created.

"Your net productivity is the balance of the productive and unproductive forces in your life.

A great deal of time and energy is spent thinking about how to increase effort, but there is a lot to be gained by reducing friction.

A car will travel faster not only if you press the accelerator, but also if you remove the speed bumps." 

This is coming from James Clear, author of the best-selling book Atomic Habits.

As an event manager, you are swamped by a lot of event concerns. There are so many details that you have to cover and coordinate.

In the end, you are paralyzed or overlooking what matters most.

If you will heed the call of James Clear, he mentioned the productive and unproductive forces battling for your attention. And the way to deal with unproductive forces is to manipulate them. By making its presence away from your attention.

Create a space where you will not encounter these unproductive forces, and remove the friction and speed bumps.

Better yet, allot time for these unproductive forces. Most of the time these unproductive forces are your me time to relax and rejuvenate. Use being productive and finishing a task as your signal to reward yourself and be unproductive.

Our success as event managers is hinged on what we do and what we do not do. They are inseparable.

We still have an average of 2,000 plus Covid Cases weekly. The traffic in Metro Manila is back to its terrible state.

Recently, in one of the events I attended, four of the participants caught Covid 19 after the event.

My point we need to maximize Hybrid Event - it is a better alternative for a full physical event. Second, we need to maximize online communications at our events.

We are harping about sustainability, and yet, we wanted to go back to our old ways.

We have a chance to reduce our carbon footprint and be more efficient in event management in the Philippines. 

Let us champion this cause and convince our clients.

What's your upcoming event?

A question asked a lot of times to an event professional.  There is nothing bad about this question but it is just scratching the surface of the event professionals' totality.

If we can ask, "what lessons have you gained from your last event? I think we can dive deeper into the mind of the event professional.

It is a wonderful mind full of organized chaos.

"In sports, one of the primary sources of advantage is choosing how to play the game. In life, one of the primary sources of advantage is choosing which game to play."  - James Clear

In the Philippine event management industry, you have to choose the type of events you want your company to be known.

After establishing your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, it is time to select the group of customers you want to serve.

Never get all the events that appear on your table. Most importantly, never serve all clients that appear on your table.

If you do, you will perish in this industry.

Choose your battle. Always play to win.