Don’t Sell An Event: Create An EXPERIENCE

Have you ever attended a conference or event where not only was the content helpful, but the people were amazing and inspiring?

Do you ever wonder how those events happen – what’s involved with creating something that’s not just “another event” but an experience?

Last week I attended Book Breakthrough in New York; an event designed by Janet Goldstein and Elizabeth Marshall. It’s a conference for authors and soon-to-be authors to help them find their focus, find their mission and get their books published.

I expected great content and to learn a few things and meet a few good people – and was pleasantly surprised…

The content was amazing – Janet & Elizabeth provided the audience with everything you need to navigate the publishing world; from how to get focused if you’re just starting to write a book to choosing the right kind of publishing model (self-publish or go with a traditional publisher or something in between?) to “been-there-done-that” advice from phenomenal authors sharing their experiences including Carol Roth, Todd Kashdan and Les McKeown. (Click here for a full list of presenters)

The people were all passionate about their projects, wanted to make a difference through their books and were eager to help each other. And I used that word intentionally: ALL. That’s anything but “normal” for a conference. Whether we were asking and answering questions, sharing about our books or talking amongst ourselves the environment was comfortable and the vibe of the room created opportunities to share and connect.

So just how does something like that happen?

Whether you’re creating your own event or just helping out a friend – you need to do MUCH more than just “get butts in seats” and sell tickets. Once the people are there you need to give them real value; they spent their money on the event and they’re investing their valuable time with you.

I spoke with Elizabeth Marshall and she wanted to share these tips with you for creating an amazing experience:

Get to know your attendees ahead of time: Have them fill out a questionnaire when they register & start the conversations BEFORE the event begins. This will give you the opportunity to tailor the event specifically for the people in the room.
Choose collaborators that care: Choose people for your team (audio/visual, emcees, assistants, etc) that are willing to go the extra mile for your attendees – they MUST view the event as more than a transaction.
Invest money wisely: Spend money on the “value-adds” not “nice-to-haves”. For example – Book Breakthrough partnered with the innovative company, Your Event Without Borders, to provided live simulcast for attendees that couldn’t make it and clearly written workbooks, resources and a top of the line audio system. The result was an amazing experience both for simulcast viewers as well as in-room attendees who said that the event felt “bigger and more impactful” as a result of the simulcast.
Pick purposeful speakers: Choose the speakers that can give the best advice, guidance and strategies to you audience and the niche information they need for success. Don’t just pick speakers because of name recognition or titles.
Create space for transformation – not just information: Give your attendees opportunities to actively learn and have “a-ha” moments. In between presentations set up mastermind groups, have people share with the person next to them and give them activities to engage in so their experience goes beyond just listening to presentations and crosses over into active learning.
Partner with your sponsors: Directly involve your sponsors in the event – don’t just put their logos on handouts and banners. The Book Breakthrough sponsors Vervante, BookBaby and Greenleaf Book Group all had the chance to interact with attendees, teach valuable information and continue their conversations AFTER Book Breakthrough ended.
Create an environment for connections: From breaks and lunches (give people time to talk; suggest groups to go to lunch together) to personally introducing your attendees at networking receptions (don’t assume they’ll magically collaborate or be able to meet the right people without some guidance) – control the environment and make it easy for people to meet.
Keep your bigger WHY in mind: Know the key outcome(s) you want your audience to walk away with AND the way you want them to feel at the event. At Book Breakthrough the audience received crucial information to getting published and felt welcomed, inspired and had a sense of community that will last long after the event.