Cheery outlook: travelling to an exciting event. Photo Credit: Adobe stock/ dusanpetkovic1
Creating hype for your event can make it more appealing and relevant
to attendees and it also sets the stage for a more impactful and
memorable event experience.
In APAC in particular, there is a desire for novelty, with event
attendees thriving on FOMO-inducing and unique experiences, said Ilma
Afzal, strategy director at Jack Morton Asia.
“Brands and agencies must play a key role in creating high-quality
content that keep consumers hooked, all whilst creating an active role
for them to play in each experience, creating event authenticity and
leaving an impact,” she added.
At Jack Morton Asia, this authentic hype is achieved with a ‘seed,
action and amplify’ process. As Afzal explained, this involves
identifying the audience, taking users on a localised storytelling
journey and ramping up levels of engagement, culminating in the ‘action’
stage.
“We laser in on event highlights through personalised wrap-ups and
digital keepsakes,” said Afzal. “To continue the momentum and hype,
we’re constantly showing our brand community that their purpose and
mission throughout the campaign now brings about impactful change
through their meaningful participation”.
Get the balance right
Pre-event hype is about creating a level of excitement without overwhelming attendees – do not present too many ‘action items’.
“Ensure the right level of communication at the right time, such as a
teaser - at least eight to 12 weeks out (before the event), ‘save the
date’ and actual invite,” said Xinling Yap, regional account director,
APAC at BCD Meetings & Events.
“This blocks the attendee’s calendar, ensures a smooth registration
to confirm attendance, and gives enough information to keep them
interested. When we flood attendees with too much information to read,
or when this gets too difficult to understand within a minute or two, it
becomes overkill.”
For Anna O’Young, senior PR and marketing manager, APAC at Invnt
Group, sometimes less is more. When you bring all your cards to the
table, any element of mystery can be reduced. “We want audiences to want
to see what the hype is about. To promote your event, yet entice out
that element of mystery, invite a special guest (to be revealed at the
event), showcase teasers and sneak peeks, and ensure you engage with
attendees on socials to acknowledge their excitement and to strengthen
the community that is supporting your event.”
Up close and personal
By acknowledging and incorporating personalised experiences over
generic content, you can significantly enhance audience engagement and
anticipation.
“By making promotional efforts more relevant and personal, you're not
only building excitement but also establishing a foundation for better
satisfaction and loyalty,” said Lorela Chia, founder and MD of Gr8t
Dreams. “Engage your audience with interactive content that allows for
personal input, such as polls to vote on session topics, or Q&A
sessions with speakers, and offer tailored sneak peeks of the event
based on audience interests.”
This not only builds anticipation but also gives attendees a sense of
ownership over their event experience, making it more likely they will
engage deeply with the event itself. Delivering on the hype is where the
promises made during the build-up to your event are tested against the
reality of the experience you provide.
“Curate your content to align with the interests and needs of your
audience,” added Chia. “This could be securing dynamic speakers, thought
leaders and industry innovators to provide fresh insights, inspire
discussion and stimulate thinking. Incorporate immersive elements that
transform passive attendance into active participation, such as hands-on
workshops, VR experiences, interactive demos or live entertainment
segments that complement the core content.”
Post-event
Maintaining the hype and momentum post-event is essential for
fostering a lasting relationship with your audience, reinforcing the
value of the experience they have just had and setting the stage for
future engagement. Post-event is where most of the actual business
happens, where sales leads turn into actual sales and projects are
developed.
“If there’s an opportunity to create a community where attendees can
continue networking / supporting each other in areas of interest, that
will help generate more business as well,” says BCD’s Yap. “This can
also help with building the event’s brand and reputation for the
following year if this is something that repeats on a regular basis.”
It is important to focus on the data captured, so that you can use
this to further strengthen the community and begin to plan for the next
event.
“In your promotional strategies, ensure you are finding ways to build
on your email database so that you can continue to seed out relevant
content to your audiences,” said Invnt’s O’Young. “Sending out surveys
to measure the Net Promoter Score of your event is a great way to
solicit feedback and cater to the unique needs of each
community/audience, to keep the hype going until you reach the next
event.”