Another Event
Another Event
By Kari Laudano
As a human, you attend a lot of events throughout your lifetime…A LOT of events. As we get older it seems the number of events we are invited to attend grow exponentially. Birthday parties, weddings, graduations, religious celebrations, anniversaries, holiday parties, funerals, inaugurations, ribbon cuttings, grand openings, black tie galas, sporting events, community events, fundraisers…you get the idea – we’re busy. And that is just outside of work. Add in work functions and we are celebrating nonstop.
With this influx in events we are expected to attend, and also host, it is understandable that the tried and true event planning tactics are no longer enough. Guests schedules are so oversaturated with events that you have to do something unique to make your event stand out and encourage them to attend. I can pretty much guarantee that there is at least one other event conflicting with yours, so how are you going to win the attendance fight?
In general (I’m not saying ALL people), humans tend to be self-motivated. They evaluate an event based on what’s in it for them or their relationship with the host. They want to know who else is attending, the purpose of the event, how much fun they are likely to have, and how significant them being there will be to the host. In many cases, the decision on which event to attend is rather clear for the guest based on the answer to those considerations. However, you have situations arise where someone is needing to decide between two very comparable sets of circumstances. For example, you may be invited to two weddings on the same day in two different cities. Both weddings are for co-workers – one current and one past and both weddings require the same cost (time and monetary) investment. How do you decide?
This is where the responsibility is then heavily placed on the host. What are you offering at your event that is different? Guests obviously are coming to support you first and foremost but how long they stay is dependent on how much fun they are having. Think of it like a football game – I bought the ticket, I’m supporting my team, but if the game is bad, I’m leaving in the 3rd.
You don’t want your guests leaving in the 3rd.
All events need to reflect the personality of the person, organization, or company being celebrated (assuming it is a good personality). Are you a foodie with exceptional attention to detail? Your guests are going to expect an emphasis on catering. Are you fashion-forward? Your guests are going to expect an impeccably decorated event with your attire being just as important as the decorations. Are you more introverted? Guests may expect a more intimate dinner party with intriguing conversation. Want to just have fun? There better be some loud music and room to dance.
It’s rarely addressed, but the host of the event is one of the biggest draws or deterrents of the event. It’s nothing personal, and in fact it is critical to the success of the event. You have to be passionate about the event you are hosting otherwise it will inevitably fail.
So how are you going to make your event stand out?