Imagine organising an event that not only meets expectations, but also gives visitors that little bit extra. A programme that stimulates the senses, gives new meaning to networking and is concluded with a bang.
With more than 105 years of expertise, the Royal Jaarbeurs team has a lot of experience in organising. They are happy to use this knowledge to think proactively with you and guide you towards the most successful event.
Anke Verstraten, account and event manager congresses at Jaarbeurs gives you 8 tips on the key to success of an unforgettable experience for your visitors.
A rock-solid kick-off to your event is half the battle. Start the day with a tantalising opening and you will immediately hold the visitor's attention. How to do that? Here are some of the possibilities:
● Inspiring keynote speaker
A classic way to open an event is to invite an inspiring keynote speaker. This speaker can motivate the audience, share fascinating insights and set the tone for the rest of the event.
● Interactive activity or icebreaker
Another fun way to open an event is by organising an interactive activity or icebreaker. This could be a short team-building exercise, a quiz or an interactive demonstration, for example.
The aim is to actively engage the audience and create a positive atmosphere. An interactive opening makes people feel immediately involved and helps to break the tension.
● Technological feats
Open the event with technological feats that amaze audiences. Think holographic projections, virtual reality experiences or interactive robots. This makes for a futuristic and exciting start to the event.
"Ask your venue account manager for tips if you can't figure it out yourself. Because we (help) organise hundreds of events of different formats and with a wide range of topics, target groups and objectives each year, we see an awful lot of great programme components, speakers and more coming up. So we can definitely help you get creative ideas and suppliers."
Interaction is key during an event. Think of games, competitions and polls where people can make their voices heard. With good execution, you will loosen tongues, keep the conversation going and create action. Some inspiring examples:
● Immersive experiences
Offer participants an immersive experience by using new technologies such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). Create virtual worlds, interactive 3D experiences or mix the physical and digital worlds in innovative ways. Immerse participants in another reality and let them actively participate in the content of your event.
● Live polling and Q&A
Use live polling and Q&A sessions to increase participant engagement. Give them the opportunity to respond to questions in real time, share opinions and ask questions of speakers. This can be done through a mobile app, an interactive screen or even using social media platforms. Make sure the answers or questions are visible to everyone, so that a dialogue is created.
● Surprise elements
Add surprise elements to your event to surprise participants and pique their curiosity. This could include an unexpected performance by a well-known artist or a secret speaker who suddenly appears on stage. These unexpected moments will enhance the atmosphere and get participants excited.
A sustainable event can be challenging. After all, you want visitors to be able to focus on the event and not on their carbon footprint. Then these are some tips for you as an organiser, to take care of everything behind the scenes:
● Green decorations
Make use of sustainable and eco-friendly decorations. Choose reusable banners and signs instead of disposable materials. Use plants and flowers as decorations.
Give those plants and flowers a new life after the event by giving them away to participants or planting them in a suitable location.
● Sustainable location
Preferably choose a venue with the Green Key Certificate. Make sure the event location is easily accessible by public transport or check for alternatives, such as sufficient charging stations for electric cars.
It is also important that the site itself has sustainability high on its agenda. This increases the likelihood that they work energy-efficiently and already take this into account in all processes. So by choosing a sustainable event location, you already easily make a (sustainable) profit.
● Sustainable waste management
This is a very important one: after all, an event quickly creates a lot of waste, provided you are alert to it. Your first thought is probably disposable crockery and cutlery. But there is more. Much more. By looking at this carefully, you will make a huge sustainable step. Avoid using paper (brochures, floor plans etc); go digital as much as possible. At Jaarbeurs, for example, we use the Jaarbeurs Live App to digitally navigate and communicate with visitors....
And what about all that packaging, badges, flowers, carpet, décor, etc.? Look at what you need and then ask yourself how much waste this generates. Can this be done differently? Is there a sustainable alternative?
Finding it difficult to come up with a sustainable approach for your event? At Jaarbeurs, we are happy to share our expertise on sustainability with you.
Catering is quickly becoming standard. And even though the shift in diversity of offerings has been happening for a while: with only vega(n) options, you no longer stand out above the rest.
So go local. A popular trend that is coming back more and more this year and is also extremely sustainable. Give a new lease of life to the Dutch potato and surprise with a bitterball in a new, responsible jacket.
"Here, too, your location can mean a lot to you. The chefs at Jaarbeurs are always happy to think along with you to make it a special and appropriate concept."
Another good way of taking catering to a higher level is to use a Too Good To Go concept. Snacks and juices that are not consumed during the event do not need to be thrown away. For example, give them a nice place in the goodie bag or serve them at the exit as a snack for the road.
Step into the shoes of the event visitor. What do you want to see, smell, taste, feel, hear? And how do you want your visitor to feel during the day and with what feeling should they step out the door? To give you a unique angle on this, we do have some ideas for each sense:
● See
Create a visually impressive environment with attractive decorations, colourful lighting and visual installations. Also use visual media, such as projections and videos, to display engaging content and images.
Think carefully about the feeling you want to convey. The theory behind colour psychology can help you with this.
● Hearing
Of course, good sound quality is incredibly important for speakers. But what is often forgotten are the in-between moments. Breaks, switching halls or leaving the venue. Precisely at moments like these, live music or a good DJ is a strong addition.
● Smell
Use scent marketing to enhance the atmosphere. For example, choose subtle scents that match the theme of the event, such as fresh flowers, herbs or fragrant oils.
● Taste
Create a culinary experience by working with caterers or choosing a venue with surprising catering. Go for innovative dishes that are not too complicated, ensure good presentation and serve it in a unique way.
● Feel
Create interactive experiences where participants can touch and feel objects. This can be done through hands-on workshops, tactile installations or demonstrations of new products, for example.
● Escape room networking
Add a twist by adding an escape room element. Participants are divided into teams and must work together to solve puzzles and escape from the room.
This not only promotes networking, but also team building and problem-solving skills. A venue with enough sub-rooms, is great for this.
● Speed networking
Speed dating for new connections on your LinkedIn. Sounds ideal right? Add specific topics or questions to the conversation, and you will get to know your new connection much better than during a short conversation during a break.
Live performance or entertainment
For a smashing end to an event, a live performance or other forms of entertainment is a great choice. This could include a well-known band, a dance group, a comedian or an acrobatic act.
Choose something that matches the atmosphere and theme of the event and is guaranteed to entertain the audience. A spectacular finale ensures that people remember the event positively and go home feeling good.
● Awards ceremony
Conclude the event with an awards ceremony recognising outstanding achievements within the industry. Give awards to individuals, companies or teams that have made remarkable contributions. This creates a positive and festive atmosphere at the closing.
● Audience interaction
End the event with an interactive session where the audience is actively involved. This could be a Q&A session with the speakers, a live poll where the audience can vote or an open discussion where people can share their experiences. This ensures an engaged and meaningful conclusion.
For you, is the event done as soon as the last visitor walks out the door and that one leftover confetti has been swept up? Then you are wrong. After all, follow-up after an event is another important step that is often forgotten. To put a unique twist on that, we have the following tips:
● Thank you email
Send a personal thank-you e-mail to all visitors to show your appreciation for their attendance. In this e-mail, you can also provide a summary of the event. For example, share how many visitors attended in total, how much CO2 was saved or fun facts such as where visitors came from. Of course, if you took photos or a video, this is also very nice to share.
● Follow-up content
Offer valuable follow-up content after the event, such as presentation slides, video recordings of the sessions, summaries of key points, additional resources or white papers.
This allows visitors to further explore the content of the event and delve into topics relevant to them. And for more followers on socials, of course, should you engage in a bit of self-promotion 😉
● Networking opportunities
Facilitate networking opportunities for visitors after the event. This can be done, for example, through an online platform where they can stay in touch, have discussions and set up collaborations.
By creating an active community, the connections and relationships built during the event will endure.
We have been voted Congress Venue of the Year by the public for the last two years. A wonderful recognition from our customers and visitors!
Wondering what we can do for your event? Contact us for the possibilities.
Anke Verstraten, Account and event manager conferences
jaarbeurs+31(0)30 295 58 81
