Last Friday I spent a beautiful day with my daughter. We visited the V&A museum in London to get a glimpse of Taylor Swift's Era outfits.
We weren't the only ones -(it's surprisingly easy to spot a Switfie).
Signs were placed to herd the Swifties through the museum
But there were 3 missed opportunities that most event organizers forget
Let's break it down.
The Primacy/Recency Effect is how people remember and process information. The beginning (Primacy) and end (Recency) are more often recalled, while words in the middle are more frequently forgotten. These become essential touchpoints on your customer's journey to make an impression.
The Beginning: Capturing Essential Data -
The entrance to the V&A is crowded while it's easy enough to spot the signage they are missing the opportunity to collect vital data about their visitors.
The Science Museum down the road uses QR codes to capture emails making it easier for them to send promotional and targeted messages to those who may be interested in future events.
Don't miss this vital first interaction. Collecting Customer Data now allows you to create tailored content they are more likely to want to receive.
When your audience is ready to take the next step whether it's downloading a whitepaper, checklist, or booking a call ask them a simple question such as What Help Do You Need? provide them with an easy checkbox - this will help segment them and confirm to them that they are in the right place.
2. The Middle: Creating a STAR moment
The Songbook Trail makes good use of the museum weaving Swifties through each section of the museum from Silverware to Photography.
But once we reached each checkpoint people would take photos and quickly move on without considering their surroundings.
While those Swifites happily continued to the end taking their pictures and reading the short information (though most of them knew exactly when the dress was worn) - most events often lag in the middle and lose their attendees' interest.
Drop breadcrumbs that lead to a STAR moment (Something They'll Always Remember). You can ask them questions, surprise them with unknown facts, and tease their interest for the next event.
Make those selfies count: Hold a competition draw and gamify the experience to encourage them to tag you on their social media and promote your event to a wider audience.
Whether you're asking them to share on their social or invite a friend your audience will need a nudge to know what to do next.
The V&A ask visitors for donations and membership. Collection bins are dotted around the entrance and exit foyer.
A better place for your CTA is at the peak of your exhibit and the end when your audience is at their most delighted they'll more likely to be in a generous mood.
Use wording that references how they feel, such as "If you enjoyed your visit" or ask a question, "Did you enjoy your visit?"
Include a reason for why you need them to take action- "We rely on donations to help us keep our museum free for everyone." or "We are extremely grateful to Taylor for the loan of her outfits - to help us keep our museum free for everyone please consider donating."
And give them an anchor in price that others have donated.
BOTTOM LINE
Too many companies miss the opportunity in their events, to tap into their customers and use their influence to promote their business.
When you have an engaged, warm audience - it's important to use these key moments at the beginning, middle and end.
Think about your customer's journey and consider how you can interact with them at each point.
Did you find this issue helpful? can I ask you to share it with your friend, colleague, or team who wants to ditch the boring and blah?
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