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No matter the industry you are in, an engaging conference can dramatically improve your business prospects. There is a reason why the global conferencing industry is now an $840 billion a year behemoth.
Conferences are a chance to engage a wider audience with your business, make valuable connections, and stand out from the competition. However, too many conference ideas fail to consider entertainment value.
A boring conference will put you at risk of alienating your audience, making the whole endeavor a waste of time. That’s why it pays to know how to make a conference fun. With that in mind, here are five simple, effective, and entertaining ways to spice up your next conference.
1. Try Interactive Conference Ideas
An interactive conference is one of the most effective ways to keep attendees engaged and bring them out of their shell. There are many interactive ideas for an event that you can try.
You could encourage participants to share their own stories and experiences. You could roll out a conference app with interactive features such as attendee polling. You could include quizzes after each session, with prizes thrown in for winners.
2. Get Creative with Name Tags
One of the most important conference tips to remember is that the networking element should be fun, rather than strictly business. One effective way to do this is with creative name tags.
Rather than simply labeling attendees by name and company, you could try something more interesting. Name tags could include hobbies, interesting facts, talents, and more. Use this link if you want to generate creative and interesting name tags for your next conference.
3. Tell a Compelling Story
The worst way to run a conference is to simply book your speakers, add a lunch break, organize a networking event at the end, then call it a day. From start to finish, your conference should tell a compelling story about who you are and what your industry stands for.
Organize the events in a way that tells a narrative and keeps attendees wanting more with every step.
4. Throw in Some Pure Entertainment
Knowing how to entertain an audience is a sure-fire way to run a successful conference. This often means breaking from tradition and throwing in some events that are truly just for fun. This could take many forms.
You could organize a pub quiz at the end of the day. You could have interesting product demonstrations. You could add a whacky photo booth to your conference that attendees can use to make some lasting memories with their colleagues. The list goes on.
5. Break the Ice
Finally, it is essential that all attendees feel comfortable with each other. That means you will want to roll out some entertaining ice breakers at the beginning of the proceedings.
There are countless ice breaker games that you could try. Perhaps the classic “two truths and a lie” game, or questionnaires about participants. The important thing is to allow attendees to relax.
Engage Your Industry Today
With these simple conference ideas, you are one step closer to engaging the audience that matters to you and your business.
However, a good conference alone will not do the trick. For all of the latest expert advice on standing out from the crowd, make sure to consult our Branding guides today.
