So, you’re rocking along. Every event comes off like clockwork. The attendance is pretty stable. You’re even on schedule. This is heaven, right?

But, (there’s always a “but”) it’s all execution. As comfortable as it feels you are only going through the motions. There’s no juice, no real excitement. The audience doesn’t really have their expectations met – they just get what they expect from you. The last event was good but you need to design the next great event! How do you ignite enthusiasm and add value without starting over? What you need are baby steps.

Even The Most Successful Events Can Go Stale

It’s easy to measure the standard elements, attendance, audience surveys, etc. It’s hard to measure the experience and that’s the thing that matters the most. So we confuse execution with success. Everything operates properly so it must be great.

Audiences don’t really care about execution; they only care about what they experience and who they meet. Unless the mechanics get in the way, what we think of as “flawless execution” is actually “been there, done that.” There is no comfort in the predictable.

Where Things Go Wrong

Events and conferences are extremely difficult and getting one produced at all is a monumental effort. Doing one every year is brutal. So, if nothing goes wrong why is the audience so unenthusiastic? Here’s what happens with even the most successful events in the world.

The event is a victim of its own success

What was new and innovative on Year #1 is expected and ordinary on Year #2. By Year #3 it’s boring and old-fashioned.

The audience knows what you are going to say and do

All the big news has already been announced. You follow the same format and agenda every time. It’s like seeing how many different ways you can sing the “Happy Birthday” song. No matter how you change it, it’s still the same old song.

You are competing with yourself

Everything is compared to last year. When the audience expects “new, bigger and better” each year – you are chasing your tail. How do you follow a string of successes?

Design The Next Great Event

It’s easier to fix a disaster than a successful event. But, to keep being successful, you have to change. This is usually uncomfortable. Everyone avoids it and delays change for as long as possible. But that’s why you are there. Your job isn’t to plan and produce events. Your job is to deliver success in the eyes of the client and the audience.

“The only person who likes change is a wet baby.”

A Wise Man

The reality is, every event needs to evolve because the audience is changing. The good news is you don’t have to change everything at once. Let me outline a way to do it that’s achievable and not too painful.

Do What Babies Do

Any parent will tell you that a baby doesn’t just jump up and walk off. The first steps are a little uncertain. You have to hold on to something for some security. They may be wobbly and slow but each baby step helps build confidence and coordination. But, after a while Little Baby isn’t even aware of the process – she’s off and running!

All a grown up can do is provide a clear path, encourage every step and provide major, positive reinforcement. Well, that’s the basic idea behind the Baby Step Strategy.

The Baby Step Strategy

You should already be accessing your event to decide what’s working and what’s not working. This is so obvious that it’s not even a step. Now let’s change the event from the only perspective that matters – the audience’s.

If the audience doesn’t see it, hear it, feel it and experience it – nothing has changed.

The key thing to remember is the goal is to improve, enhance and evolve the event experience. You aren’t making sweeping changes you are taking baby steps that will add up to big changes.

Baby Step #1 – Identify what is working well and what the audience appreciates and values

Change towards what works – not away from what doesn’t. Look at what’s being done well. What makes it a hit with the audience? Why is it so valuable and enjoyable? This becomes your criteria for change.

Baby Step #2 – Determine the changes that will matter most to the audience

The event should evolve. What’s the goal? You need to decide three things:

– What will it take to make the changes?

– What are the short-term results?

– What are the long-term results?

Baby Step #3 – Prioritize

Pick what can be done right way. Choose the changes to the audience experience that will have an immediate, visible impact. Then go to work!

Baby Step #4 – Focus on small wins

Be patient and communicate well. Every baby step matters so celebrate the small wins. Let everyone know the event is growing and evolving. Share the vision of where you’re going and how the next generation of the event will be even more responsive to the needs of the attendees.

Baby Step #5 – Never go back

When a toddler stops moving forward she plops straight down on her bottom. Everything stops when she tries to back up. It’s the same way with your event. Remember you are moving towards a better, more relevant experience. It isn’t comfortable giving up the old security of the past. But you have to!

New, Now, Next

Don’t keep it a secret! Remember, if the audience doesn’t feel it and experience it – nothing has changed. I have a favorite trick for keeping your teams and your attendees informed and involved. I call it – New, Now, Next.

• As soon as you have completed a baby step let everyone know what’s New. “Here’s what’s new for the XXX Event!” It doesn’t matter if it’s an incremental change – you are evolving.

• Highlight what the change or innovation means Now. “Now you can do XXX. That means you will be able to YYY.”

• Explain what you are working on Next. “Next we are completely changing the registration process to make it faster and more convenient.”

Don’t Trip The Baby!

I hate to bring up a potential problem but this is the clincher. If the organization, clients and leadership aren’t willing to allow the changes to happen – they won’t. There’s security in the status quo, because there are no surprises.

More business has been lost and more events allowed to become mired in mediocrity because of the concept, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” What that really means is, “We are either afraid or too lazy to change.”

The Baby Step Strategy helps you make those hesitant leaders more comfortable with something new. Every step has a target result and a benefit. It’s not “all or nothing.” The organization and leadership gets credit and recognition along the way and not just at the end.

It Doesn’t Have To Be Broken To Be Fixed

You can design the Next Great Event. It doesn’t have to be broken to be fixed. Focus on how much the attendees will value, enjoy and remember the new experiences. Then deliver them in a series of baby steps.

• Target results that will have the greatest impact on attendees. Focus on the things that matter most right now.

• Make them as simple as possible to understand and accomplish.

• Provide a clear path, so that everyone knows where to walk.

• Get started and get them completed.

• Celebrate each change or result.

Have you ever noticed how thrilled babies are at their first steps? Suddenly their world changes. Everything is new, now, and next. From that moment on, all they see are possibilities. That’s your next event or conference. All you need to do is take Baby Steps.

Let’s spend 15 minutes talking about your next project or challenge. It’s a free consultation so we can get to know each other. Just click on CONTACT US or send an email to andy@ideagroupatlanta.com and get in touch.

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