Create the Experience and They Will Come

By Kinza Christenson
Professional Member

When people attend a conference, they come to learn new information — and hopefully gain some inspiration along the way. With the high levels of stress and overload that employees are experiencing today, creating the total experience is fast becoming a necessary ingredient in creating employee loyalty and maximum content retention. When conference attendees receive the full package—appealing to all of their senses—they experience an emotional connection that stimulates the ability to learn and retain information.

Now some corporate training meeting planners are shaking their heads, saying: “But we need to fill our time with intensive training and with heavy duty content, like we’ve always done.” Hence, another body-draining “brain-fry” day of sessions is planned. After all, how can one justify doing anything else? Consider this:

1. With the rising costs of health care, it is imperative that organizations include a wellness perspective in their organizational culture. Training meetings and conferences offer an ideal opportunity for this. Studies have shown that over 84% of all hospitalizations are due, either directly or indirectly, to stress. Over 60% of the women in the workforce say how to cope with their stress is their #1 problem. To subject meeting attendees to hard content for 6 continuous hours with no relief, is, in essence, sabotaging one’s own organizational best interests.

2. We know that feelings affect performance. When people feel good, they are more productive. They are more optimistic, more open to retain new information, and more inclined to act on information learned. When one applies some of the lessons that studies of emotional intelligence has taught us; we know that making emotional connections—such as thoughtfulness, laughter, happiness, sadness—are the vehicles by which we are motivated and determine the degree to which we connect and learn.

3. Generationally speaking, bringing in “brain fry” relief is not a choice, it’s a necessity. From the currently dominate Boomers who are stressed with the additional challenges of their aging circumstance; to the Gen-Xers who have gone from slackers to overload strivers; to the Generation-Y’s who are expecting their learning in bite-size and entertaining venues; attendees today require new conference models. Technology has changed the way we want to receive information and increased our need for an emotional counterbalance.

According to Jennifer Christenson, Director of Catering at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, MN, the trend is to have fewer but more extravagant conferences. “More thought is going into creating the branding experience and it doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money.” When deciding on how to achieve “the experience” in your conference setting, Christenson recommends to first tell the site representative what it is you want to do and ask for their input on how to do it. They should be able to give you some great ideas. Remember to appeal to all five senses.”

Attendees who’s spirits are nurtured are more likely to absorb and act on the content received and clear their calendar to attend the Conference the next time around.

When adding the “experience” to your next Conference:

1. Use a theme that lends itself to the branding that you want to create; i.e. a color scheme, type of food, table decorations, or other room enhancers to create the desired mood. Carry the theme over to the trade show, your vendors will love it and their creativeness will add extra spark.

2. Include a humorist or other “branding” person to convey your branding objectives and energize your attendees. This person can not only deliver a welcomed diversion, they can re-enforce conference objectives and weave your event into a memorable success.

3. Use colored lighting to create excitement, using gobos or large screens on which to project logos. Try multiple lighting effects to give spark and life to the room.

4. When budget is a concern, rather than the expense of hiring a design team, work with your on-site representative. Ask her/him specifically what they could recommend. They should be able to give you some creative ideas that would work perfect for your group and may be accomplished at minimum expense.

5. Get creative for your break out sessions. Lori Fuhrmann of the Four-Point Sheraton Milwaukee Airport, WI, says she is seeing the trend with break out sessions going away from having lecture-type speakers to sessions being much more interactive. Some of the most successful conferences carry over their themes to the breakout sessions, having speakers bringing the theme into their presentation. She cited one conference she had worked with used the Mash theme and even had their break-out speakers dressed in fatigues.

6. Don’t forget the music! Music can inspire the spirit and be invaluable to creating a total experience.