With the 2016 games kicking off in Rio, everyone is paying close attention to the Olympians representing their country. People the world over have got Olympic fever! There’s the spectacle, the feel good factor, competitive spirit – plus amazing tales of courage and determination. As events go it takes some beating.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could recreate some of that Olympic magic at your next event? Well maybe you can. Here’s how:
The Spectacle
The opening and closing nights of any games can rival the actual events for most-talked-about feature. The opening night at Rio was no exception. Inventive use of digital visuals, light displays and some edgy performance art guaranteed the games hours of media coverage around the globe.
Entertainment can be a huge drawcard for many attendees at any event. An eye-popping experience will generate a huge trend-worthy buzz about the event.
Think creatively about how you want to engage your attendees. Getting the right mix of performers for your audience is critical. Misjudge your attendees and the word-of-mouth can be damaging.
Great entertainment doesn’t need to be expensive. There are plenty of innovative ways to entertain your attendees that won’t take up most of your budget. Look at local acts who are creating an early buzz or find unusual acts that will surprise your audience (iPad magician anyone?).
The Feel Goods
Who doesn’t love the feel good vibe of the Olympics? Stories like Brazil’s Rafaela Silva who won gold in Judo, are heart-warming and inspiring.
It’s easy to generate a great community spirit and plenty of feel goods at your event. Fundraising events allows attendees to use their time to support worthy causes. Whether it’s a silent auction, donation buttons on your event app or an event raffle, giving attendees an opportunity to give back is a sure fire way to make them feel that their time has been both productive and helpful to others.
Competitive Spirit
Olympic competition can be thrilling. Nail biting finishes in the pool or on the track have us on the edge of seats.
While you may not want to put your attendees through quite the same level of anxiety, it’s great to fire up their competitive side. Gamifying your event app allows event organisers to inject a serious dose of fun and competition into their event.
Use your event app to set a series of challenges or tasks to get attendees engaged and excited. You can hit your event objectives at the same time! Please sponsors by allocating points for visiting sponsors’ stands. Or boost networking by setting a series of questions where the answers can only be found by scrolling through fellow attendee’s profiles.
Game players get a kick out of seeing their name on leader boards broadcast on a big screen live display. Event planners give themselves high fives for making the event experience awesome for attendees and sponsors alike. Gamification engages attendees whilst strengthening the bond between your event and event app.
Tales of Courage and Determination
There’s a good chance we can each recall an Olympic story that has stuck with us. Whether it’s Eddie the Eagle’s unlikely turn at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Or Steven Bradbury’s shock gold in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Or Usain Bolt’s record smashing ‘double-double’ in Beijing in 2008.
Your speakers need to be able to enthral and inspire in the same way. Their stories and experiences should stay with the audience long after the event has closed.
Even if the speaker’s subject isn’t of interest to everyone, the speaker should always be an engaging presence. It’s not easy finding speakers of the right calibre, particularly for busy event schedules.
Great speakers are in demand so make sure you book early. Remember that what appeals to one audience, might not appeal to another. If a speaker has an excellent reputation, make sure you research who they’ve presented to in the past.
If budgets are tight, don’t be afraid to book up-and-coming speakers. There is always new talent looking for opportunities to prove themselves. Just choose the right time slot and maybe see if they have video demos where you can see them in action.
And of course, make sure you check out the availability of Olympians and Paralympians on your speaking circuit. Because an Olympic standard event surely deserves Olympic standard speakers!
