Our lives are filled with scripts. You probably have scripts of your own and are blind to them. Consider this. You always do your grocery shopping on Tuesdays. You always shop at the same grocery store. You shop the same pattern up and down the aisles. You generally grab the same items unless you’re having company over. You do this every week. And, have been doing this for so many years, you know the name of some of the cashiers and ask about their kids, dogs, and vacations. See?
What about our expectations at Starbucks or Dunkin’? We expect that when we order a Venti Iced Caramel Macchiato, it will be exactly the same anywhere we go. Illinois, Oregon, or California. We are actually offended if we take that first sip and something is off. Not enough caramel. The coffee’s too strong. This is not non-fat milk. Did I get someone else’s drink?
Think about your annual multi-day event. Check-in starts at 8am. Opening general session starts at 9am. Then breakout sessions, a networking lunch, a trip to the trade show floor, more breakout sessions, and another general session to end the day. There may or may not be evening activities, but it’s pretty much rinse and repeat the next day. Oftentimes, we as planners, get into the rut of repeating last year’s event with a few tweaks to theme, decor, or location.
To have our events stand out from the rest, we need to break the script. Now, the “year that shall not be named” not only broke the script, it shattered it. It grabbed it by the spine, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, then lit it on fire. That’s NOT the kind of breaking of the script I’m talking about. That type of shake-up happens once in a millennia. However, it was a type of life-altering event that made a lot of organizations stop (not that they had a choice) and evaluate their events to see if they were still keeping the main thing the main thing.
What I am talking about is a more controlled breaking of the script. In the words of Chip and Dan Heath, it’s called “strategic surprise.”1 If you hand out swag or a conference t-shirt every year, attendees begin to expect it. After a few years, if you don’t hand these out, some attendees get bent out of shape. They paid the same amount or more this year and got bupkis. What if, instead of swag, a “super fan” interrupted the opening general session by rushing the stage, excited to meet the emcee, and welcomed the attendees? This character actor could be hired to portray a fan of the event, dressed over-the-top in the event’s t-shirt, theme, or colors, carrying tote bags from the exhibit hall, and making random appearances throughout the event. That would be something different.
Or, if you always set the general session room in theater style with a center aisle, shake things up and set a center section with side aisles or in half-moon rounds. As part of a sponsorship package option, sell the opportunity to have marketing materials set on attendee chairs before each general session and surprise them with something new every time they enter the room. Hold a breakout session outside. Have a picnic lunch. Do a movie screening.
It’s been six years since the world came to a stop and organizations were forced to make changes to their events. My guess is many of them have been doing things the same way again these last few years. Perhaps it’s time to break the script again?
Do you have a “break the script” moment? Share it here or send me an email!
Be sure to like, comment, and share this blog with your friends, coworkers, and neighbors!
Traveling much? If you haven’t visited in a while, stop by my Traveler’s Tidbits page for helpful tips for those unseasoned travelers….trust me!
1.Heath, Chip and Dan. The Power of Moments. New York: Simon & Shuster. 2017.
Discover more from Tracy's Tidbits
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
[https://outlook-1.cdn.office.net/assets/reaction/heart.png] Loretta Yingling, CMP reacted to your message:
Let’s get nerdy and connect on LinkedIn!https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorettayinglingcmp/
Loretta Yingling, CMP National Sales Manager (she / her / hers) [cid:loretta@0.75x_a9d7f081-3aba-4306-bbf2-0c1fee94baa7.png]
Direct 919.645.2667 Mobile 919.830.2850
GREATER RALEIGH CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 434 Fayetteville St., Ste. 2600 Raleigh, NC 27601-1789 919.834.5900 | 800.849.8499 http://www.visitRaleigh.comhttp://www.visitraleigh.com/ | @visitRaleigh
[data:image/png;base64,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]
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau official.
I like this alot. We get into ruts so easily!