Like most of you reading this, I spend a lot of time with many people who plan and facilitate events, concerts, festivals, and parties full-time. Last week, I was given a new perspective. I had the pleasure of spending some time with an old friend who was in town for a healthcare technology conference. Instead of greeting me with a nice to see you or an it’s been a long time, he threw up his hands and screamed, “Thank you for saving me!” as he jumped into the car.

It turns out that after spending three straight days with his boss and 500 other engineers, he was bored out of his mind. My friend didn’t elect to be at this conference, and he made it clear he didn’t care for the lack of available activities outside of his work obligations. Throughout our entire conversation, I couldn’t help but put myself in the shoes of the event planner for the conference. It sounded like the planner spent a great deal of time and energy gathering distinguished speakers, arranging flights, and compiling the latest information on technology and industry news for the meetings and presentations. So what went wrong?

After all the work that goes into an event, one would hope one’s guests would leave with a sense of camaraderie and pride in their industries’ achievements, instead of regret for attending and having a miserable time. It doesn’t matter how much great content you provide for your audience if they’re too bored to soak it in. 

Of course, we all understand the importance of making sure your event is educational and informative. But I believe you can have your cake and eat it, too. Integrating some fun into your events is integral to keeping the group engaged and excited.

Naturally, I was intrigued by my friend’s experience, and I picked his brain while driving away in the “getaway car” to find refuge in a giant bowl of chips and salsa. And thus, the Ten Commandments of Entertainment were born.

1. Thou Shalt Not Overwhelm Thy Guests.
Give your attendees time to process and gather notes. There’s nothing worse than information overload. Offer options to review information post-conference, either online or via emailed summaries.

2. Thou Shalt Foster Group Interaction.
When I was 16 years old, my boss at a retail job told me that if you don’t have anything in common with a customer, talk about the weather. It’s something everyone has in common. You can start with the weather and lead into another topic of mutual interest that applies to your event. Using a “secret” handshake, a silly saying, a T-shirt or swag giveaway, or a charitable component to your event are great ways to unite a group.

3. Thou Shalt Have a Sense of Humor.
Allow your guests to have a laugh on you. All industries have common jokes or annoyances that you can poke fun at. Even the driest subjects have a softer side - calculus jokes, anyone?

4. Thou Shalt Involve Thy Senses.
Involving senses other than sight and sound, you will encourage all types of learners. Ask yourself and your staff members how you can incorporate taste, touch, and smell into the experience.

5. Thou Shalt Hire a Performer.
Give the people what they want. Include a band, an industry icon as a keynote speaker, a comedian, or another type of performance. It’ll give them a much-welcomed break from “talking shop” the whole time.

6. Thou Shalt Get Up and Get Moving.
In classroom settings, students don’t typically spend more than two hours sitting at once. Don’t make your meetings worse than high school. Please.

7. Thou Shalt Provide Something for Everybody.
Not everyone learns the same way. Incorporating video presentations or live demonstrations with speakers is a great way to get your audience to really connect with your content.

8. Thou Shalt Honor Thy Budget.
Everything you do, you do it well. Make the most of your budget, but don’t spread it too thin. Talent buyers and event producers can help you secure top-notch performers while staying within your event’s budget.

9. Thou Shalt Entice Thy Guests.
Don’t tell your guests everything about how you plan to blow their socks off. Use the element of surprise, build excitement - then blow their socks off!

10. Thou Shalt Gather Feedback.
Find out what worked and what didn’t, so you can build on this event for the next time!

Now that you know the Ten Commandments of Entertainment, please, for the sake of your guests, inject some fun into your meetings. Happy guests will absorb more of what you want them to - and want to return! Allow your guests to leave with the satisfaction that they learned a lot and enjoyed their time.

Deanna Tassoni is the marketing and social media coordinator for entertainmentBuy™, a full-service event production company dedicated to providing meeting and event planners with entertainment services. As a source for booking big-name talent for corporate and private events, entertainmentBuy™ negotiates, contracts, and handles all aspects of live entertainment. Deanna integrates her passion for music with her love of marketing. Creating social media strategy and implementation processes, she ensures that entertainmentBuy, along with its clients, stay on the forefront of social media and inbound marketing opportunities. Learn more at www.entertainmentbuy.com.