POWER TO THE MEETINGS: The methodology for creating memorable events

The secret and essence of events remain good stories. The best are simple, clear and sincere, and because they speak to the heart and soul, their basic story must grab the participants at first glance. Such stories are those that separate meetings logistics experts from meeting architects. The first are adherents of the beaten tracks, while the others are looking to create something new, passionate and exciting.

In this phase, we come up with the concept for the participants’ experience. Step by step, we guide participants through all the experiences that are written down in the form of a script. In it, we also include the user experience in the field of communication. Finally, we test the scenario on a group of test participants.

Branding is the tool for the construction of visibility of the event by using the name, image and symbols as a kind of fingerprint of the desired identity. It is a part of existence as it is understood or decoded by the participants, and it represents an important part of the event development. The result of a carefully planned branding is the reputation as a clear measurement for brand and image of the event.

With rhythm, we gather the different parts of the event and place them into a meaningful chronology. Instead of tones, we use programme segments with greater and lesser attention of participants. People react instinctively to rhythm, so thinking about the rhythm of the event, is one of the elementary duties of the organiser.

You need to support an appropriate environment to start the debate among participants. Speakers are mostly the motivators and provocateurs. Different venue setups like “open space”, “open fishbowl” or “word café” will all instantly improve the communication and set it on a higher level, compared to the traditional classroom set up. In collaboration with the architects, we visualize our experiences and prepare them for implementation.

As organisers, we have to make sure the speakers are informed and prepared. At the forefront is not only the transfer of knowledge and experiences but also the importance of speakers. This includes their interaction with participants. Depending on what we want to achieve, we advise the usage of different programme formats (Pecha Kucha, TEDx, elevator pitch,…). Having an appropriate moderator that will connect the programme segments, is equally crucial for the success of the event.

We learn the most when we do it ourselves. In our opinion, a precondition for the active involvement of the participants is to use the method of experiential learning. Before that, we have to explore and get to know the participants’ needs and wishes. This stage of the process requires careful planning, starting from the content that through different methods (workshops, hand zones) and technical devices, we bring closer to the participants (Sli.do).

‘Genuine’ is all that is authentic. We all love to hear and create unique experiences that are nothing but authentic and nicely spiced up nostalgic stories. Authentic cuisine, music, special historical sites and cultural history are at the core of every successful event, from incentives to big congresses. Participants like to return to nature, get to know the authentic way of life, feel real feelings, smell original smells and experience special venues.

Our agency is the author of recommendations for organising green meetings, which are used as standard-bearers by the Slovenian Convention Bureau. We urge clients to plan, execute and evaluate sustainable measures together. Sustainable measures are implemented in the venue decision, transport of participants, the culinary offer for participants, communication, materials and the technical execution of the event.

Participation in an event is under the microscope, marketing budgets are shrinking, and directors require maximum ROI. That which cannot be measured, cannot be managed. So how do we do it? We carry out targeted surveys among stakeholders to regularly check the satisfaction of key stakeholders. Having participants in mind, it all starts with clear goals and expectations. If there are no goals, it is easy to say everything went well. Setting goals is a must, as only this way can you truly measure what has been achieved. An important part of ensuring high profitability is also generating a feeling of quality.