Top Tips to Boost Engagement at your Conference
Business conferences, training days and other similar events can be a useful way to help train staff, build relationships and learn new ways of working to get more out of your business. But there is a fine line between getting value from such an event through engagement and imparted knowledge, and wasting time and money on an event that ultimately achieves nothing. So how do you ensure you don’t fall into the latter camp? Read on for my top tips to boost engagement at conferences and collaborative events.
Consider Your Environment
First up, I think it’s always worth going off site, to remove yourself from the workplace surrounds you’re used to. Staff will automatically feel the event has more significance and importance if it’s taking place outside of your office, and it helps lend an air of credibility to what you’re trying to achieve. If people think you’ve made an extra effort in organising your event, they’re more likely to have some respect for it.
But it won’t always be enough just being out of the familiar environment and picking a drab and uninspiring conference room in a cheap roadside hotel is unlikely to convey authority in the manner you may like. That’s not to say such venues should be avoided, after all they exist in such great numbers for a reason! I would simply suggest making a little effort with the space you’ve been given. Just because it’s a tired looking hall in a motorway service station, you don’t have to make it look like a tired looking hall in a motorway service station. Take a little time to dress the place up so it looks warm, comfortable and inviting. You don’t need to spend lots of money on décor, just try to do a little more with the space where you can. A few vases of fresh flowers, perhaps some subtle drapes and even company branded teardrop flags can really make the difference between dreary and delightful.
Encourage Interaction
Of course you’re going to want to address your audience en masse and that inevitably means a stand up lecture, but it doesn’t have to be as boring as it sounds. People don’t like being lectured, they like being engaged. By encouraging some participation and thought from your audience you avoid having them lose interest and switching off. A great way to embrace two way communication in this respect is by utilising a conference voting system, which allows your audience to get directly involved in your presentation. Instant feedback and live polling results helps to keep everyone on the same wavelength and focused on the task in hand.
Would You Benefit From a Guest Speaker?
You might think you’re great in front of a crowd, and you’re obviously best placed to know what it is you want to convey from your event, but it still doesn’t mean you’re going to be the best person to drive home the intended message. Sometimes audiences respond better to new faces, or those who simply have an obvious stage “presence” about them.
If it’s appropriate, try and find somebody relevant to your industry, authoritative in their field and charismatic addressing a crowd, to speak at your event. Not only can it help to keep your audience interested, with some fresh blood, but it gives you a chance to learn from somebody else whilst you’re on the side-lines.
Mix Things Up
The last thing you want is a dry and starchy day of mind numbing repetition. You need to keep people informed but also entertained, and that’s why being sat in a crowd and lectured to is only really effective up to a point. You’ve gotten out of the office, you’ve moved away from the standard daily routine to offer something different, but you’re not making the most of this if all you’re doing is have everyone sit still in a room all day.
Break your day down into sessions and try to offer separate seminars and workshops if it’s appropriate. Allow people opportunities to mingle, network and just keep up with their colleagues and peers so as to avoid the monotony of one big lecture. Remember that often times people will work better in small groups, rather than in a larger crowd where it is harder for everyone to be heard.
Listen and Learn
Last but not least it is imperative that you encourage feedback wherever possible, and particularly anonymous feedback, so there is no fear of recrimination for making comments that aren’t entirely favourable. Take on board any sensible comments to try and help you plan better for the next time. The best way to learn and to grow is by recognising and analysing where you could have done better. Accept that there’ll be room for improvement, and then look to improve!
