The trend of 'festivalization' is a potential trap. Instead of trying to become a festival like Coachella, successful business events maintain their core purpose of commerce and networking while layering in festival-like elements of fun, community, and inspiration.
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Marketers should create temporary, high-energy events rather than long-term, low-engagement communities. A time-bound "24-hour vault unlock" or a 30-day pop-up group generates urgency and a fear of missing out, driving significant participation that permanent online spaces often fail to sustain, even in "boring" industries.
The most valued parts of the event were not the keynotes, but breakout groups and off-site excursions like pickleball. These activities create a "third space"—separate from work and home—where attendees can form genuine human connections, which is often the ultimate, unstated goal of attending.
The most valuable networking often happens spontaneously, outside the official schedule. By moving their next event to an all-in-one resort where everyone stays on-site, the team is intentionally engineering more opportunities for valuable, unplanned interactions at the pool, coffee shop, or lobby.
The 'experience' component of an event, such as high-end production or parties, is not a foundational objective for attendees. It serves as an 'amplifying factor.' Planners should first deliver on learning, networking, and commerce, then use experiences to enhance those core goals.
MicroConf replaced an afternoon of talks with excursions like boat trips. This intentionally unstructured time outside the formal venue helps founders build genuine connections and better process event learnings, moving beyond surface-level networking.
Attendees often value spontaneous conversations more than structured entertainment. To facilitate this, event planners should deliberately create an environment for connection. This means lowering music volume, adding comfortable seating, and avoiding a packed schedule, especially during welcome parties.
Instead of focusing on immediate ROI, structure events to foster genuine connections and goodwill ("karma"). This builds a stronger, more resilient brand over time, even if it means creating opportunities for competitors by inviting them.
Research from Freeman reveals a major disconnect: planners prioritize expensive 'wow' factors like galas and keynotes, while attendees define a great experience as one that helps them learn, network, and do business more effectively.
The most valuable, long-term relationships at conferences are not made during official sessions but in informal settings like dinners or excursions. Actively inviting people to these outside activities is key to building deeper connections that last for years.
Attendees have an "experiencing self" and a "remembering self." The latter only retains a few key moments. Effective event design focuses on creating 3-5 powerful, memorable touchpoints that will stick with attendees and drive business outcomes long after the event ends.
