For your current attendees, it's easy. Post the dates for next year's event everywhere and make sure your event is a huge success. Many attendees will naturally want to come back.
But what about your potential attendees for future events?
The best thing you can do is use this year’s attendees as influencers. Word of mouth referrals is a great way to gain new attendees for your next event. But when attendees, post and share your event through their social platforms, it's even more valuable. Once their colleagues see how incredible the conference is, they'll make sure to attend your next event, too.
So how do you get attendees to post about your event? One of Cincinnati's most photographed local exhibits is Cincinnati Art Museum’s No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man, so we took some tips from this exhibit that you can use for your next event.
Be Bigger Than Life
Many of the pieces that comprise No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man are gigantic. They leave you in awe of the size as well as the creativity. These powerful and interesting pieces compel you to instantly take photos and share of what you are seeing.
For your event, consider having photo stations with larger than life photo props, art pieces or sculptures. Create Instagrammable moments throughout your event that give your attendees more reasons to share.
Be Interactive
As the name of the exhibit suggests, part of what makes Burning Man special is that everyone participates. Attendees and guests become a part of the art installation. In this particular exhibit, there are many interactive pieces that ask for attendees to become a part of the art. With attendee participation, each piece is unique and gives every visitor a different experience.
For your event, think of what can be personalized for each attendee. Maybe it’s the food. You can have a food station where attendees can participate in cooking something for themselves that's unique and tasty. Maybe it’s a seminar. Can you create a seminar that's interactive and easily adapted to each attendees’ needs?
Take another look at each aspect of your conference and figure out how you can make it more interactive. Attendees will love the personalized touch enough to share with their colleagues.
Create Community
One of the best parts of Burning Man is the community it creates. Since everyone participates, many times guests will have to work together to create something incredible. And based on the pieces at the Cincinnati Art Museum, this exhibit definitely achieves that.
For your event, think of ways that you can create community within your conference. Maybe you have groups collectively create a piece of art or solve an industry problem. Or maybe they compete as a team together.
If you create these mini communities throughout your event, that will help attendees bond and develop relationships that last well beyond your conference or event. With new industry connections, attendees will be more compelled to attend future events and share with their collagues.
How are you getting attendees to share photos from your event?
