Crickets are the last thing you want to hear when you’re attempting to engage your guests at an event. But for any number of reasons — shyness, boredom, discomfort — event attendees can sometimes hold back from fully participating. Of course, total and enthusiastic guest involvement is any planner’s goal in order to make an event successful, while offering attendees an experience they’ll value. Michelle Larscheid, co-owner of All the Rage, has more than a few creative and inspired ideas for crushing those crickets and making a connection that gets guests engaged.
Q. Tell me about your business and what you do there?
A. All the Rage is a theme décor rental business that specializes in theme props for special events, as well as rustic and vintage rentals for events and weddings. Our tagline is, "If you can dream it, All the Rage can theme it." Our creative design ideas coupled with the use of our extensive inventory of theme and vintage rentals helps us set the tone for our customers’ events. Last year, All the Rage won the People's Choice Award for Outstanding Event Décor by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine.
Q. What is the biggest hurdle to getting guests engaged and participating in an event?
A. The key to audience engagement is making the paradigm shift away from traditional or ordinary events to the unexpected or extraordinary. Don't be afraid to think outside the box in all areas. Serve ice cream for breakfast, add a DJ in between sessions, add a VIP red carpet with step and repeat banner for social media photo ops. Present guests with giveaways such as a pedometer at the beginning of the event, then watch how guests interact with each other discussing their mileage at the meeting. You can also create a theme and then insert that theme throughout the event, from the food, to the music, to the décor.
Q. What methods have you found improved or increased guest engagement? Certain foods? A particular theme?
A. No matter how old they are, people love to have fun and be entertained. In our experience, anytime a theme is involved, the opportunity for guest engagement increases. The most popular themes we are seeing right now are the Great Gatsby/Roaring 20s and Old Hollywood Glamour. You can do a lot with these themes such as offer a whiskey bar, a photo booth with prohibition signs, or have a Charleston or costume contest. Interactive food stations set up around the room are a sure way to get your guests involved. Food stations such as a popcorn buffet with various types of flavors, S'mores stations, and hot cocoa bars are all the rage.
Q. What methods have not worked and should be avoided? Certain activities that seem to fall flat?
A. If something fails to get guests engaged, it’s less about the method and more about lack of knowledge of the participants. A planner should know their audience. What worked for one group will not necessarily work for another. When engaging guests, it’s important not to go overboard or get so carried away with the details that you forget about the mission of the event. You also need to strike a balance between entertainment and just plain noise.
Q. Any other tips or suggestions?
A. Always keep the age span of your audience in mind. What appeals to one demographic, may not appeal to another. This should be a consideration when selecting venues, speakers, team building exercises, and food. Appealing to all ages will allow you to get the most interaction from all attendees.
Michelle Larscheid is the co-owner of All the Rage, a theme décor rental business located in the Twin Cities and a freelance event planner. She has over 20 years of event planning and marketing experience in the hospitality, publishing and service industries. She lives in Prior Lake, MN with her husband and three kids.
Your Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Colorado Event Venues and Services Directory, Meeting Management Tool and Conference Planning Resource.
Now meetingpages.com™ makes event planning, meeting planning, and conference planning easier than ever before.
Copyright © Mighty Dog Media 2024
meetingpages
Mighty Dog Media LLC
Savage MN 55378
P 952 233 1195
F 952 233 1117
E info@meetingpages.com
