The Grandaddy of All Audience Engagement Secrets

Are you looking for ways to keep people engaged at your event? Would you be happy to keep them "at" your event?

In previous posts, I've mentioned that meaning and relevance are the two critical pillars of "audience engagement." (I'm happy to share those if you haven't seen them - just ask).

The absolute powerhouse, however, is momentum. Momentum is the granddaddy of all event principles.

Tommy Wonder compared an event's momentum to a train. At first, it's stopped or moving very slowly, so it's easy for people to get on and off. It starts moving faster and faster, so eventually, it's almost impossible to get off.

I use this principle at every event. Initially, I perform on the edges of the event, engaging small groups of people with magic that gets them laughing and screaming. That attracts other people and a crowd forms. The action gets faster and more intense until I come to the final effect for that group. Each group progressively gets a little bigger and a little more intense throughout the event.

As a large cocktail event, I might have crowds of 20 to 60 people watching me perform. One client said, "They're so engaged in the experience they don't want to leave."

Of course, the opposite can happen as well.

If we interrupt the event or stop the momentum, it’s easy to get off the train.

A few months ago, a client did a prize drawing every 20 minutes.

Each time we stopped for the drawing, at least 5 to 7 people left the party. The drawing provided a convenient "stopping point" for people to get off, so they took it.

The people who stay have trouble getting their conversations back into flow. Time management experts say people need about 20 minutes to fully engage in their work after an interruption.

It's hard to develop trust and rapport or lay the foundation for a future conversation that way. It's impossible when the people you were talking to have left (or worse, they've gone to a competitor's event and started a conversation there).

All of this may be worth a conversation as you plan your next event. There’s lots of ways we can leverage momentum, meaning, and relevance ot help you accomplish your goals and objectives.

You're welcome to call (561) 596 3877 or visit magicmeansbusiness.com/contact to schedule an appointment.