15 Creative Conference Ideas to Increase Attendance

Conferences have long been lauded because they enable people to meet like-minded peers and advance their industry knowledge. The first international conference on the web was hosted in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1994. Already then the conference reinvention started. Now more than ever, due to the world’s “new normal,” conference organizers are seeking new ways to revitalize the industry and push the envelope when it comes to the expectations of attendees.

We’ve compiled a handy list of 10 creative conference ideas, as well as some valuable tips to help you pull off your next event like a pro.

Why are Conference Themes Important?

Conference themes are crucial as they set the tone, unify content, and engage attendees. They offer a focal point for discussions, making complex subjects more approachable. Themes also guide speaker selection, ensuring diverse perspectives. Furthermore, they enhance branding and marketing, making events memorable. A well-chosen theme can ignite enthusiasm, boost participation, and transform a conference into a cohesive, immersive experience.

Go Beyond a Traditional Conference

Do horrible Powerpoint slides accompanied by monotone lectures sound familiar when you think of attending a conference? With innovative techniques,  technology and creative event ideas there’s almost no excuse for a conference to bore attendees to sleep anymore. Over the past 20 years, experiential marketing has grown, as has our preoccupation with being online.  Attending a conference can be costly, and nowadays, people pay for the experience, not for a talk they can Google.

If your conference is innovative and wows audiences, it’s guaranteed that they’ll be more likely to attend your next one. Covid-19 has marked a more significant shift to online conferences with limited physical attendance. However, this should be regarded as an exciting time to innovate and develop more interactive conference ideas.

From how to make conferences more interactive by utilizing new formats to planning tips, here are some fantastic conference ideas to propel your event to greater heights. 

15 Creative Conference Ideas

Explore a world of innovative conference ideas, designed to infuse excitement and engagement into your next event. From interactive conference session ideas to fun conference activities and inspiring conference workshop ideas, we’ve curated a list of 15 creative concepts to elevate your conferences and transform them into unforgettable experiences. These ideas will breathe new life into your conferences, making them not just informative but also enjoyable and memorable for all attendees.

 1. Panel Discussions

Panels immediately eradicate the problem of boring lecture-style presentations. With some strategic planning, you can assemble between three to five experts to speak on a moderated panel. Questions are presented to the panel, and each member has a short time to offer their insights.

If your panel is effectively organized, you can offer guests dynamic and nuanced perspectives on any given topic. To boost interactivity, arrange a Q&A with the audience in the last 10-15 minutes of the discussion.

2. Structured Networking Sessions

A conference session set aside exclusively for networking offers attendees a welcome break. Networking is one of the primary reasons people attend conferences. And let’s be honest, the “mix and mingle” approach doesn’t always work effectively when people are left to their own devices.

Employing structured networking sessions makes it feel more like an experience than a chore. If you’re pushed for time, you could also accelerate the process with speed networking, applying the concept of speed dating to a business context.

3. Games and Giveaways

The easiest way to ramp up audience participation throughout your conference is to incorporate contests and prizes such as raffles, goodie bags and augmented reality scavenger hunts (AR).

With the help of AR, you can build an interactive scavenger hunt experience in and around your venue without having to place physical clues throughout the space. Scavenger hunts are one of the most interactive conference ideas because they offer a great mix of play and competition. You can even divide guests into teams for increased interactivity during this type of conference session.

4. Lightning Talks

If you’re looking for informative conference session ideas that are easier to digest, consider lightning talks.  These talks are no more than 10 minutes and are the perfect solution to maintain your audience’s attention span.

Each speaker is given 10 minutes to briefly discuss their ideas, allowing up to 12 speakers to be heard in one session. These talks can be themed around industry trends, and the format ensures presentations are succinct and to the point.

5. Live Polling

Polling is one of those great conference ideas with a variety of applications for the host and their guests. It allows presenters to pose questions to the audience and immediately see the results on-screen. Conference planners consider it a knowledge goldmine because it highlights learning objectives, gauges pervasive attitudes, and compares viewpoints, which can be useful for industry leaders and attendees.

6. Solution Rooms

If you’re arranging a large conference with hundreds of attendees and wondering how to make a session interactive, you could add solution rooms to your conference’s itinerary.  Designed to provide peer-supported advice to an individual or industry, they can address more pressing business problems.

These sessions range from 90-120 minutes, whereby each group member has a turn to present their challenges before everyone brainstorms together to come up with solutions. Solution rooms are most suited to conferences aimed at consolidating research or finding solutions to common industry issues.

7. Social Media Walls

No conference is complete without a personalized hashtag and social media marketing strategy. Social media walls are one of the more fun things to do at a conference and are highly interactive. A media wall screen functions as a newsfeed, and displays photos, videos, and other digital content related to the event. It’s a great way to encourage people to post about the conference and provides you with free marketing.

8. Brain Dates

Keynote speakers can’t impart all their wisdom in a single session.  Even with a dedicated Q&A, there may be instances where you can’t get through everything. Brain dates allow each participant to book a 30-minute one-on-one conversation with speakers via an app, offering a personalized experience. This usually works well for smaller conferences. If you have an extensive list of attendees, you can consider breaking them into smaller groups.

9. Oxford-Style Debate

Invigorate traditional keynote addresses with an expert debate. While not all topics warrant polarizing perspectives, debate does tend to pique audience interest. During the debate, you can collect audience questions for your facilitator to weave into the Q & Q&A. Live polling can also be incorporated to gauge audience opinion and determine a debate winner.

10. Reverse Pitching

One of the newer conference ideas is to focus on investors, especially when developing business conference activities. More often, conferences tend to highlight trends and address industry-specific challenges. Inviting investors gives attendees insight into the industry’s financial aspects and provides an opportunity to assess how they could address common issues together. It promotes greater transparency and a holistic way of working. To ramp up the fun, you could let attendees vote for the best pitch. 

11. Live Art Creating

Live art creation at ideas conferences is a unique and captivating addition to the event landscape. As artists bring their creative visions to life during presentations, discussions, and workshops, attendees witness the birth of visually stimulating works. This dynamic visual element not only adds an aesthetic dimension but also inspires conversations and creative thinking. It creates a synergy between the art and the conference theme, fostering a deeper connection with the content. Attendees can observe the artistic process, ask questions, and even participate, making conferences more immersive and interactive. Live art infuses energy, sparks dialogue, and transforms conferences into visually enriched, multi-sensory experiences.

12. Crowdsource Brainstorming

Encourage participants to share their ideas and solutions to industry challenges through digital platforms. The collective brainstorming process can lead to innovative solutions.

13. Open Space Technology

Open Space Technology (OST) is a participant-driven approach that breathes life into conferences and gatherings. In this collaborative framework, attendees self-organize into discussion groups, selecting topics that resonate with them. This flexibility and participant-driven nature foster dynamic, in-depth conversations on the most pressing issues and ideas. OST encourages diverse perspectives, sparks creativity, and empowers participants to take ownership of their learning experience. With no pre-set agenda, OST is a catalyst for meaningful discussions, spontaneous collaborations, and knowledge sharing. It’s a potent tool for unlocking the collective intelligence of a group and making conferences more engaging, productive, and relevant to all participants.

14. Improv Workshops

Incorporating improv comedy workshops into conferences fosters creativity, teamwork, and adaptability. These sessions encourage participants to think on their feet, promoting spontaneity and boosting problem-solving skills. Led by experienced instructors, improv workshops create a safe space for attendees to step out of their comfort zones. Through various exercises and games, participants learn active listening, quick decision-making, and effective teamwork. This not only adds an enjoyable element to the conference but also equips attendees with practical tools they can apply in their professional lives. Improv workshops are about laughter, building confidence, and fostering a positive, open-minded atmosphere, enhancing the overall conference experience.

15. Hands-On Tech Demos

Hands-On Tech Demos are a dynamic and immersive tool and therefore cannot be missed in our list of fun conference ideas. By dedicating specific areas for these demonstrations, event organizers offer participants the opportunity to get up close and personal with cutting-edge technology and gadgets. This hands-on approach transforms passive spectators into active explorers, allowing them to touch, test, and experience innovative products and solutions.

The benefits are twofold. Firstly, it provides attendees with a tactile understanding of how technology works, making complex concepts more accessible. Secondly, it fosters in-depth discussions about the practical applications and potential innovations that these technologies bring to the table. It’s an environment where questions are encouraged, and curiosity is celebrated.

From virtual reality experiences to the latest in wearable tech, Hands-On Tech Demos turn conferences into interactive hubs of discovery. Participants leave with not only a theoretical understanding of technology but also a genuine feel for its capabilities, enhancing their learning experience and sparking creative ideas for the future.

Tips for Planning a Successful Conference

1. Scheduling

A good conference schedule is dynamic and peppered with talks and sessions of varying lengths throughout the day. If you have important keynote speakers, you probably won’t schedule them to speak all on the same day. Scheduling a keynote speaker at the start of the day can set the theme for workshops and interactive sessions later on. If you have more than one keynote speaker per day, you should schedule one at the start and another at the end to maintain audience participation. 

2. How to Attract Attendees

Attracting attendees comes down to innovative conference ideas, the quality of your speakers and itinerary, as well as your marketing strategy. Market research and polling to find out what kinds of topics your conference should cover are hugely beneficial. If your conference addresses common industry pain points, you’re more likely to attract attendees. Your venue’s accessibility and marketing strategy also play a massive role in securing attendees. 

3. Collect Useful Feedback

Conferences occur for people to attend, so gathering feedback from your guests, speakers, and team is vital to improving your next event. Always be specific about the kind of feedback you’re looking for. For example, an attendee who says that overall the conference was “great” doesn’t provide much constructive feedback on a specific conference session.

You can use conference management software like EventX or Whova to create specific surveys, which attendees can fill in on their devices. Competitions and giveaway incentives also improve the chances of guests completing your surveys.

4. Choose Your Suppliers Carefully

Shop around before settling on the first vendors and suppliers you find on Google. Venues often have relationships with independent suppliers and can forward you a list of recommendations. It’s also important to hire people who have specific experience in running the type of event that you’re planning, as well as other events of the same scale.  Be sure to brief them on your challenges and objectives so they can work together with you to find solutions.

How to Make Conferences More Interactive

There are loads of creative conference ideas that organizers are using to invigorate their events. Audience participation and inclusion is the key to making conferences more interactive. Developing conference-specific apps will personalize your attendees’ experiences. You design a specific application for your event where attendees can log in, upload profiles, complete surveys, plan their day, and connect with others.

Steering away from a string of boring lecture-style addresses and incorporating smaller participatory sessions can also help. Taking a break from keynote talks and unpacking content in smaller groups creates a participatory, inclusive, and stimulating experience.

Plan Your Next Event with SmartWorks

At SmartWorks, we have over a decade of conference event planning experience. We have wowed clients and audiences from all over the world with our unique conference ideas.  We can make your interactive conference planning easier by handling all your logistics, as well as leveraging our expert team of audio-visual specialists and design artists to create a top-notch experience. Start planning your event with us today!

FAQ: Conference Entertainment

What are some Good Entertainment Ideas for Conferences?

How do you plan Entertainment for Large Corporate Events?

In a recent Condé Nast survey, 90% of respondents said that even once live events are back, they would still be interested in virtual event options. Virtual events gained popularity in the late-2000s due to their economical and practical advantages and have skyrocketed since the outbreak of Covid-19.

The ability to work remotely has kept many companies afloat during these unprecedented times.  Virtual networking events, which are crucial for business success, continue to remain popular. A study by Forbes suggests that for 78% of businesses, networking is vital to gain visibility, deepen knowledge, and gain new leads.

If you’re unfamiliar with online networking or need inspiration, look no further; we’ve put together some innovative virtual networking ideas.

The Importance of Networking

The cliché “no man is an island” applies to man and business. A company’s ecosystem is fueled by human connectedness, whether through employees, clients, or customers. When done with intent, business networking can yield profitable results. Virtual networking events provide a superb opportunity for sharing business acumen and industry knowledge. You might discover alternative approaches to widespread problems or come across another business with whom you can develop a symbiotic partnership.

Business networking events can also elevate your profile and bring in new leads. Virtually meeting “face-to-face”  provides substantial exposure, and potential clients are more likely to work with businesses whose owners or employees they recognize or have “met.” In general, clients favor human-centric approaches. You never know when you might meet someone who could refer you to prospective clients or make use of your products and/or services themselves.

Networking also builds business confidence and reveals competitive insights. Many business owners dread networking.  However, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. At virtual networking events, you’ll soon get to know what your competitors are offering, and you can use these insights to improve your competitive advantage.  This will help you learn how to differentiate yourself from your competition.

A good reputation is an invaluable and intangible asset to any business. Increased networking secures a reputation of reliability.  Through participation in events, you can establish a fantastic rapport with potential clients, showcasing your knowledge and positioning you as a leading expert in your field.

7 Virtual Networking Ideas for your Next Event

While virtual networking doesn’t elicit the same kinds of organic conversations you might have during a conference lunch break on a trade room floor, there are still many creative networking event ideas that foster new connections and meet-ups. The difference is that people tend to be more concise online than in person. Here are our top ideas to create a memorable experience for your virtual networking event:

1. Speed Networking

Speed networking is one of the best virtual networking ideas for those who favor efficiency and targeted meet-and-greets. Ordinarily, the event is divided into rounds of 5-10 minutes, where each attendee is paired with another to introduce themselves and the types of services/products they offer.

It derives inspiration from speed dating and allows business owners to expand their network and initiate longer networking sessions with those they’re interested in after the event ends. In addition, it will enable introverted owners to meet others without increased pressure since everyone attending has a clear networking agenda.

2. Roundtables

This type of event requires more planning than speed networking as you’ll have to know in advance who to group with each other. Unlike speed networking, you can plan roundtables around specific themes related to your industry. Roundtables are a great networking idea if you have a large group of people, and you can divide attendees into break-out rooms, where they interact, collaborate, and ideate.

To streamline this type of event, you could use an application like Zoom that already has breakout room functionality. Roundtables are effective if you want to meet more people at the same time, as they reduce the time required when repeatedly sharing the same information on a one-on-one basis. The only additional element needed is a moderator who can preside over sessions and stimulate conversation.

3. Interactive Cocktail Hour

One of the most popular networking mixer ideas is the revamped happy hour. Instead of going to a physical bar, firms are hosting virtual networking events with professional mixologists. You can send a cocktail kit with ice-breakers and business cards to each attendee beforehand, so they’re prepared for the session. After the lesson, you can facilitate open-format discussions or even switch to speed networking.

4. Trivia Games

Trivia events can be held during lunch hours or evenings for fun or fundraising. Some businesses hire companies to run their trivia games, while others manage the event themselves.  You can generate remote teams and create questions that relate to your specific industry or event.

Trivia games force teams to communicate, and the sense of friendly competition forges relationships that may not occur naturally.  For example, if you’re in the automotive industry, your questions might relate to current challenges and trends and speak to different members’ expertise. You can also strategically group different attendees to foster new connections.

5. Fireside Chats

Fireside chats are informal but structured interviews between guests and moderators. They provide a relaxed opportunity to get to know the speaker/s on a professional level and are a great tool to add to your list of conference networking ideas.

Inviting a high-profile speaker provides an opportune situation to connect with them on a personal level. You can strategically invite a speaker with whom you’ve wanted to communicate with but might not have had a chance. Paired with networking, this type of event provides immense value for attendees from a knowledge-sharing and business connection perspective.

6. Pecha Kucha

Pecha Kucha is the Japanese word for ‘chit-chat. It’s a unique storytelling formula where a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds of commentary each, totaling 6 minutes and 40 seconds. At traditional Pecha Kucha nights, individuals gather to share personal presentations about their work. Even though it was originally executed in person, Pecha Kucha can easily be transformed into a digital format.

It’s considered more of a direct hard sell but is a great pitching platform to get real-time feedback about your services and/or products. While it won’t appeal to everyone, it can benefit business owners keen to get straight to networking without the small talk.

7. Virtual Trade Show

This type of virtual networking event requires more planning and commitment but helps facilitate direct interactions between businesses and potential clients or customers. Unlike Pecha Kucha events, virtual trade shows remain open for a few hours at a time, and individuals can interact freely and come and go as they please. This type of event offers the incomparable advantage of meeting people from all over the world, as it’s not limited to a physical space.

Tips for a Successful Virtual Event

Ensuring your virtual networking ideas come to fruition can be quite a challenge. It’s not just about pulling off a seamless event; you also need to think about how to get the most from each experience.

Build a Personal Network Directory

Be sure to gather the relevant contact details of your attendees at each event. To save time, you can automate this process when they register. The salient point of networking is to increase your contact list. Even if you don’t require each other’s services immediately, you’ll start to build up a valuable resource of industry contacts.

Have Networking Goals

Virtual networking events can be overwhelming for first-timers, so it’s important to have clear goals for what you’re anticipating to get out of the session. How many people do you want to meet? Can you hone in on the primary connections you’re hoping to make?

Most individuals experience screen fatigue when they’re online for too long, so you want to be sure you’re making the most of each moment. And remember, networking doesn’t have to end when the event is over. Follow-up with your new connections by reaching out to them on online platforms such as Linkedin or Slack. Schedule time to check in with them every so often to maintain your connection.

Plan Everything in Advance

There’s nothing worse than Murphy’s law providing technical difficulties on the day of your event. If you’re hosting, make sure you have a contingency plan in case of audio breaks, lagging internet connection, and faulty software. Be sure to conduct a preliminary technical test beforehand to iron out any kinks.

You might also want to run through the order of events, i.e., introductions or interview questions beforehand, as well as familiarize yourself with any software you’re using to ensure everything goes well. Naturally, hiring star talent to host and specialists to take care of the technical aspects of your virtual networking event will always be the best fool-proof solution.

Plan Your Next Event with SmartWorks

At Smartworks, we turn your networking event ideas into impactful virtual experiences. If you’re looking for premium HD and 4K live streaming solutions to elevate your event from average to excellent, out virtual event company can help.  Our robust AV capabilities and TV production studio create engaging experiences to help you leverage the most from your virtual networking events. Contact our destination management company today to learn more.

Much has been made of the changes to the workplace imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The same goes for the meeting and event industry. As a result, decision-makers must factor in current trends in event planning resulting from the pandemic.

Before planning a function, presentation, or meeting, businesses must be aware of event planning trends. Let’s examine the most significant changes we are witnessing throughout the industry. 

Event planning industry trends are shaking up the way events are organized, and the experience attendees will get to enjoy. While some of these trends in event planning will vanish as quickly as they have come, others are set to remain for years to come.

Here are the big event trends that will dominate in-person and virtual gatherings in 2021.

1. COVID-19 Protocols

Even though it is not a popular subject, 2021 will see events following COVID-19 protocols. Depending on where an event is held, these could be stricter or more lenient as the year goes on because every nation is dealing with the pandemic differently.

Here are some of the protocols events may have to impose in 2021:

• Limitations on attendance
• Handwashing stations
• Social distancing
• Masks

Wearable technology will also have to play a part in ensuring in-person attendees feel safe as they roam conference halls and meet new people. These may also be a requirement to ensure events can meet local and national regulations in some countries.

Thankfully, most experts expect many of these protocols to be discontinued as the virus subsides.

2. Hybrid Conferences

A blend between virtual and in-person content at events is seen as the way forward. Not everyone is ready to return to the real world at the same pace. Some may still feel more comfortable attending virtually. This is especially the case for people who live and work remotely.

Businesses are expected to adapt to this demand for hybrid conferences by offering a blended experience. Expect this to continue long after the end of the pandemic.

Approximately 97% of professionals widely expect the hybrid model to be the future.

3. Education Will Be a Top Priority

Education is valuable and will continue to be a major focus of many events.

Offering skills-based workshops and the opportunity for certifications can be a big draw for any event. Corporate event trends are fast moving towards creating small, highly targeted events to help attendees meet their goals.

No matter the industry, ensuring attendees learn a new skill or technology is always a surefire way for an event to succeed. Attendees want some to take away from their conference experience, and this is an opportunity to do just that! 

4. New, Healthy Food

There is nothing like a global pandemic to make people reflect on their health. People are starting to think about their overall well-being, and this extends to the food they consume.

Industry experts have spotted important food trends in event planning. Menus are increasingly seeing the presence of plant-based superfoods.

A simple burger and fries are no longer sufficient for attendees. Invest in better quality food to enable people to boost their health and well-being

5. The Push for Sustainability

Sustainability is a spotlight issue. 2021 could prove to be a watershed year for organizations pushing towards sustainability. Event planners will move towards ensuring nearly all event materials can be repurposed or recycled in some way.

92% of event professionals say it is vital to have a sustainability plan. The event sector is well-known for being incredibly wasteful, and it is looking to change that, but only 12% of organizations currently have an advanced sustainability plan.

It has become obvious that organizations must work on their green credentials. As one of the current trends in event planning, going green could influence not only how an event is received but whether people attend at all.

6. Pricing Models will Change

Hotels and convention centers suffered financially during the pandemic. For international conference organizers, destination management companies, in particular, were left out of pocket.

Those who survived have realized they need to learn some important lessons about the pandemic. It is a certainty that one of the major event industry trends will involve altering traditional pricing structures.

Pricing models are expected to change, but it is impossible to predict in which direction these companies will move in.

In the short term, many experts think venues will offer steep discounts as companies look to coax people back outside again.

7. Broadcast Quality Production

As the world shifts towards hybrid events, organizations need to raise the bar for their virtual events. As far as corporate event trends go, many events flop due to the fact the quality of the production is subpar.

Modern virtual audiences will not accept a basic camera set up at the back of the house. Attendees expect a better production value. As technology advances, there is no longer an excuse for not having a higher broadcast quality.

Professional broadcasting will become one of the significant event trends in 2021. Whether it involves using better technology, LED walls, green screens, or multiple speakers tuning in from all over the globe, event organizers need to do better with a virtual event company.

8. Upskilling for Event Professionals

Event professionals understand that event planning trends are constantly evolving. As people become used to virtual and hybrid events, event planners need the skills to create an occasion that matches modern high expectations.

For this reason, post-pandemic planners are increasingly protecting their futures by obtaining formal certifications to demonstrate their expertise.

Many organizations offer training, including the Event Leadership Institute and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).

Upskilling will almost certainly be here to stay, and the industry’s barriers to entry are only going to get higher.

9. Virtual Must Become Interactive

Immersion is an integral part of any event. In the absence of in-person meetings, the worry for organizers is achieving that same level of immersion across thousands of miles.

While the coming of the pandemic meant planners were simply happy to have any sort of event at all, event managers must think about how they can provide a more interactive virtual event experience.

2021 is seeing more of an emphasis on interactivity within events. Whether it includes games, hands-on classes, or simply incorporating comments in the chat into the on-stage experience, organizers need to get creative to avoid people tuning out.

10. The Rise of Virtual Networking

One of the benefits of attending any sort of function is the opportunity to network. Countless business deals have resulted from two people who happened to bump into each other at a conference.

Unfortunately, for all the benefits of virtual events, networking continues to be a challenge. The Evolution of Events report revealed that 68.8% of event marketers believe networking virtually remains a challenge.

Expect to see technology and solutions that actively encourage and make networking easy online.

This is one of the trends in event planning that will see software evolve. It may even include integration with business networking platforms like LinkedIn.

Of course, virtual networking will never beat out in-person networking, but as hybrid events grow in prominence, networking solutions will define the likelihood of an online event succeeding.

11. Boosting Cybersecurity

Cybercrime exploded by 300% during the pandemic, according to the FBI. As more businesses move their events online, criminals are expected to increasingly target these functions. There is now a massive need for better cybersecurity to stave off this threat.

Modern event technology solutions must provide a more substantial layer of online protection, not only for the organizers themselves but also for the people attending them.

Security and compliance procedures are expected to become more stringent to defend private information within. With attendees providing personal and financial information to access events, event technology providers must offer a higher level of due diligence.

It may even lead to an increase in security outsourcing, rather than organizers managing their own security efforts in an attempt to guarantee standards and keep costs down.

12. Incentive Trips Will Be Closer to Home

In-person incentive trips have always been a popular way of enabling corporations to motivate and reward their employees. Two-thirds of event planners say that these will continue to be held in 2021.

However, where traditional incentive trips involved international travel and group events, 2021 incentive trips will be closer to home and involve fewer participants.

Expect scaled-down incentive trips for the foreseeable future, with domestic destinations becoming the norm.

Whether this trend holds in the long term is anyone’s guess, but until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared a historical footnote, incentive trips are set to change.

Conclusion

Specific metrics have always defined successful events. In 2021, event planning trends will measure the success of an event differently. What matters to participants has pivoted towards safety and security while continuing to prioritize educational content and networking.

As one of the leading event management companies in Europe, SmartWorks has the expertise to take meetings, conferences, and events to the next level. We excel at AV production and can even host live event streaming for companies. 

Contact us today to start planning!

A successful presentation can inform, inspire, and make a lasting impact. Unfortunately, the vast majority of public speakers are instantly forgotten because their audience never felt any kind of connection with them. Without that connection, audience members don’t just forget you, they forget your message as well.

What’s the point of speaking in public if no one will remember you or anything you said? To connect with audience members, speakers need to approach a talk or presentation in a certain way. It’s not enough to stand up and read from a piece of paper. Let’s examine how to connect with an audience and some of the tricks the masters use to leave lasting impressions on their audiences.

Why is it Important to Connect with Your Audience?

The average person has never been busier. Studies have shown that the average young person possesses the attention span of a goldfish.

Modern audiences lack patience, and it doesn’t take long for people to tune out or lose interest. Although they may be polite enough not to fall asleep or leave, a presentation can’t achieve what the speaker wants without an authentic audience connection.

Learning the tricks of the trade-in speaking to an audience will ultimately lead to better outcomes when speaking publicly and a more memorable experience for your audience.

6 Surefire Ways to Boost Audience Connection

Figuring out how to interact with audiences in presentation settings will not only make you a better public speaker but better at generating a successful outcome.

Whether you’re looking to improve morale in the office or generate leads at the next big sales conference, there are several proven strategies for connecting with your audience.

1. Read the Room

Knowing how to read the room is crucial if you want to connect with audience members. Nervous public speakers tend to focus exclusively on themselves and their slides. Self-focus can be good, but you need to read the room.

Are people dozing off? Do they disagree with what you’re saying? Barreling on without so much as acknowledging your audience means losing your audience connection completely.

This doesn’t mean you need to change your presentation. A simple statement like, “I see some people disagree with that…” can encourage the audience to focus and make them feel seen.

2. Make Eye Contact

When speaking to an audience, many public speakers like to pick a spot at the back of the room to stare at. While this can steady frazzled nerves, it doesn’t help you connect with your audience.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul, so make eye contact with audience members every so often. Not only does it project confidence, but it also fosters a temporary connection between you and the person you make eye contact with. This makes your audience feel connected to you without much effort on your part.

3. Learn from the Masters

Sometimes the only way to become a better public speaker is to look to those who came before you. While some guides may suggest looking up historical figures and studying their techniques, audiences have changed.

What worked for Teddy Roosevelt will not necessarily work for your audience today because times (and people) have changed.

Instead, consider looking up recent TED talks. Search for the most popular ones and watch the speakers. How do they connect with audience members?

4. Make Your Content Relevant to the Real World

Figuring out how to connect with an audience may involve examining your own presentation. Sometimes, even the most exciting speaker in the world can lose their audience connection because the content of their presentation simply isn’t attention grabbing enough.

A simple tip is to make your presentation relevant to people’s lives. Avoid too much dry theory and talk about real-world impacts.

Here are some bonus tips for making your content more engaging:

• Use personal anecdotes
• Insert the occasional joke
• Ask questions of your audience
• Understand the general pain points of the room
• Be personal

Overall, people are looking to connect with you, not the presentation itself. Get closer to your audience by refining the content of your talk and making it relevant to real people.

5. Stick to Simple Language

The language you use to connect with your audience will determine whether your audience responds.

While complex language may make you sound intelligent and build your authority, the average person doesn’t respond to that. If attendees need to think about the meaning of a word, they’re already disengaged.

Speak in a conversational tone. Be direct with language and avoid vague references.

6. Avoid Relying on the Slides

Slides are useful supplements for any presentation, but inexperienced speakers tend to use them as a crutch. The bulk of a public talk should not consist of reading words from a slide. This is boring, and, quite frankly, why would the audience need you when they can read the slides themselves?

Use slides sparingly and only when you need to illustrate an important point or image. A well-placed graph or chart can further enhance that audience connection, but be sure not to overdo it.

Conclusion

Learning to connect with audience members isn’t a skill that can be learned overnight. It takes time, effort, and experience.

The power of a good presentation cannot be underestimated. Having engaging, compelling content that listeners can learn from is vital. 

As one of the top-rated destination management companies, SmartWorks excels at creating a one-of-a-kind experience for event attendees. Contact us today to learn how we can take your event to the next level.