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Return on Experience (ROEx)

by with No Comment Attendee EngagementCorporate EventsEvent PlannersEvent Planning

At AEMA we collaborate with our clients to produce event experiences that not only address and meet their desired financial return on investment (ROI), but exceeds their return on experience (ROEx), ultimately driving business value. Since we know that the first rule of marketing is to tap into your audiences’ emotions— because emotions drive purchasing actions–we want to focus on making the attendee FEEL great around your brand. Every touch point (conversation, beverage or entertainer) is an opportunity for a sale and to develop a memory. From the lens of the planner, there are three stakeholders whose ROEx is wildly important for us to consider. Our client, the event vendors and most importantly the event attendees.

When consulting with our clients, even before we discuss the coveted “B” word—budget, we always make it a point to ask three main questions.  1. Tell us about this event you want to produce. 2. What is the purpose of this event? And 3. Who is this event experience truly for? We consistently remind our clients that a total brand experience is the goal…allow your invited guests to breathe, eat, drink and feel the essence of what your brand has to offer them.  This in turn builds brand loyalty, trust and most importantly provides them with a voice to be your biggest advocate in your market landscape.

AEMA’s tips for crafting an ideal ROEx

  • Personalization – guests LOVE things with their name on it. From personalized emails or itineraries to creatively designed keepsake items, you can never go wrong with addressing them by name.
  • Remember, ROEx is about relationships…. Not just how much of the budget was spent. Take this unique opportunity to put your best foot forward in front of your event guests. Build the factors of KLT (know, like and trust) with them.
  • Position your best company advocates to interact and engage in meaningful conversations with your guests so by the end of the event the KLT is established.
  • Provide an all-inclusive sensory experience. An experience triggers an emotion, an emotion ignites engagement but when these two superpowers combine it produces impactful brand exposure which drives business results.

 

5 Powerful Ways to engage your attendees

5 Powerful Ways to Engage Your Attendees

by with No Comment Attendee EngagementCorporate EventsEvent PlannersEvent PlanningUncategorized

As an innovative Event Execution Expert, I always look for the next best thing to increase attendee engagement and keep them coming back for more! Event and meeting retention is an important initiative for several organizations and in my experience retention directly correlates with attendee experience! People desire experiences that activate their senses. According to science and the great people at Factmonster.com, as human beings we are equipped with 5 sensory organs which when activated, instruct our brain on how to receive and act on the information it is provided, thus producing hormonal, emotional and physical responses.

Fact: As human beings we tie positive and negative memories to anything which stimulates two or more senses at a time. So why not employ some creativity and engage your attendees through their senses?

  1. Scintillate their sense of Sight

Strategically placed lighting and eye catching décor are two visual effects that you as the event planner can implement into your meeting space. In one of my blog posts 10 Reasons Corporate Meetings Suck, I mention how important lighting is to meetings because bright ambient light stimulates our brains yielding productivity. A beautifully lit stage with a brilliant stage wash allows attendees to see each speaker with ease no matter how dim the room may be or how far away they are seated. Think of creative ways you and your AV team can play with lighting to spark visual elation during your next meeting.

  1. Harmonize their sense of Hearing

It has been proven that background noise or music encourages brain activity. Have you ever heard of the Mozart Effect? Even though this has been found to improve intelligence in infants, music actually encourages the brain to organize itself; affording the opportunity for intelligent thought. For your next event, think about how you can implement music into your meeting environment.

  1. Tantalize their sense of Taste

There are over 700 food festivals which take place in the US on a yearly basis. With food truck franchises on the rise and a growing population of self-proclaimed “foodies” blogging all over the world- one can assume that carefully crafted food experiences attract even the pickiest eater. Do something different at your next event. Stimulate your attendee’s palate by curating conversations and activities around fun and memorable cuisine.

  1. Tame their sense of Touch

Pressure, texture, vibration and movement are all components of the sensation of touch. Think of items such as stress balls filled with soft sand and how that has a calming and therapeutic effect on those who are perceived to be stressed. Further, imagine how soothing it feels to relax your feet atop a heated bag of gel after a long day of being on your feet. If you envision touch as a language, then you can find creative ways to communicate your intended message and engage your attendees.

  1. Satiate their sense of Smell

Think about those Oxygen Bars you see in Las Vegas – Spectators pay to breathe in scented or flavored oxygen vapor which immediately causes the body to react. For some it provides mental alertness for others it soothes. Think about how you can lightly infuse the meeting environment to stimulate your attendee’s sense of smell.

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Written By: Chivonne Hyppolite

CMH Bio Pic

Chivonne Hyppolite is the Founder and Director of Possibilities at Abstract Elements Management Agency. With over a decade of experience, she has planned and executed various corporate meetings/conferences, galas, golf tournaments, concerts, community fundraisers and festivals for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, start-ups and nonprofits.

 

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10 Reasons why Corporate Meetings Suck

by with No Comment Corporate EventsEvent PlannersEvent PlanningUncategorized

As an innovative Event Execution Expert, I always look for the next best thing to increase attendee engagement and keep them coming back for more! Event and meeting retention is an important initiative for several organizations and in my experience retention directly correlates with attendee experience! People desire experiences that activate their senses. According to science and the great people at Factmonster.com, as human beings we are equipped with 5 sensory organs which when activated, instruct our brain on how to receive and act on the information it is provided, thus producing hormonal, emotional and physical responses.

Fact: As human beings we tie positive and negative memories to anything which stimulates two or more senses at a time. So why not employ some creativity and engage your attendees through their senses?

  1. Scintillate their sense of Sight

Strategically placed lighting and eye catching décor are two visual effects that you as the event planner can implement into your meeting space. In one of my blog posts 10 Reasons Corporate Meetings Suck, I mention how important lighting is to meetings because bright ambient light stimulates our brains yielding productivity. A beautifully lit stage with a brilliant stage wash allows attendees to see each speaker with ease no matter how dim the room may be or how far away they are seated. Think of creative ways you and your AV team can play with lighting to spark visual elation during your next meeting.

  1. Harmonize their sense of Hearing

It has been proven that background noise or music encourages brain activity. Have you ever heard of the Mozart Effect? Even though this has been found to improve intelligence in infants, music actually encourages the brain to organize itself; affording the opportunity for intelligent thought. For your next event, think about how you can implement music into your meeting environment.

  1. Tantalize their sense of Taste

There are over 700 food festivals which take place in the US on a yearly basis. With food truck franchises on the rise and a growing population of self-proclaimed “foodies” blogging all over the world- one can assume that carefully crafted food experiences attract even the pickiest eater. Do something different at your next event. Stimulate your attendee’s palate by curating conversations and activities around fun and memorable cuisine.

  1. Tame their sense of Touch

Pressure, texture, vibration and movement are all components of the sensation of touch. Think of items such as stress balls filled with soft sand and how that has a calming and therapeutic effect on those who are perceived to be stressed. Further, imagine how soothing it feels to relax your feet atop a heated bag of gel after a long day of being on your feet. If you envision touch as a language, then you can find creative ways to communicate your intended message and engage your attendees.

  1. Satiate their sense of Smell

Think about those Oxygen Bars you see in Las Vegas – Spectators pay to breathe in scented or flavored oxygen vapor which immediately causes the body to react. For some it provides mental alertness for others it soothes. Think about how you can lightly infuse the meeting environment to stimulate your attendee’s sense of smell.

Book your initial consultation