Creative Thinking For Your Next Event or Program
by Terry Matthews-Lombardo, CMP
by Terry Matthews-Lombardo, CMP
- Put a focus group together composed of enthusiastic past attendees and get them to brainstorm with you about all sorts of great ideas and possibilities.
- Pick a theme color and run ‘all over’ with it including food, lighting, gifts, printing, design art and other conference elements that otherwise would be dull and drab.
- Work the meeting backwards, meaning think of desired outcomes and figure out how to achieve them. Remember to include all shareholders such as exhibitors, sponsors, attendees, staff and invited guests as each group has different objectives and needs.
- During your conference, hold at least one meeting session outdoors or standing up or while walking and talking. Get creative with the venue’s environment and your attendees’ energy!
- Print only first names on all name tags and do it IN LARGE PRINT.
- Have a ‘thinking-outside-the-box’ suggestion box at your next event and make sure to have fun pen and paper handy for people to provide ideas the old fashioned way.
Terry is both a veteran meeting planner and a freelance writer, focusing on issues related to the travel, meetings, and leisure markets. A CMP since 1987 with a resume that covers both international planning and incentive work as well as positions on the supplier side, she advises industry newcomers that want to learn fast how to succeed in this business “make sure and sweat the small stuff!”
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