Veronica Kaulinis’ Post

Are you missing important opportunities to build community at your events? 🗝️ It used to be that people came for the content 🗝️ It used to be that the big-name speaker was the photo you showed people But those things are not what event attendees solely live for anymore. As event-goers, we want to feel like: ****Our time and investment is valued**** ****There is something meaningful to experience**** ****We belong and are part of a community of people we can relate to**** Now…put on your event organizer hat What do you think of your event? Like a moment in time or an opportunity to convene and strengthen your community? When it comes to harnessing the community-building aspect of an event - here are some mistakes I’ve seen along with some interesting wins: Mistakes: 🔕 Lack of intentional networking - leaving people to just bump into the halls 🔕Inadequate pre-event hyping and connecting people through online means 🔕Segmenting audiences and keeping them separate in tracks and socials Wins: 🔔 Community concierge pre-event - asking what would make your experience exceptional? Who would you like to meet? 🔔 Co-created shared experiences - leaving place in the conference agenda for attendees to build/create/solve together 🔔 Meaningful serendipity - using the registration process to identify meaningful things in your life - hobbies, locations, lifestyle-based ways to connect through spaces, and even badge identification It doesn't take a huge lift. It takes intention and thoughtfulness to use your event as a community builder/strengthener. Check out this post from friend and collaborator Nelia Nunes to see her take on missed opportunities on exhibit floors. https://lnkd.in/gi3di6sC #eventstrategy #events #experiencedesign #community

24 Days of Unforgettable Events 🎉 🗓️ Day 19: What if the post-event follow-up was as engaging as the event itself? The event doesn’t have to end when the doors close. By creating a memorable and interactive follow-up, you can keep the energy alive, deepen connections, and solidify the value of your event in attendees’ minds. Here’s how to make your follow-up unforgettable: ✨ Interactive highlights: Send personalized recap videos, photo galleries, or even a gamified quiz to relive the event moments. ✨ Community engagement: Create post-event challenges, discussions, or exclusive content to keep attendees engaged with each other and the event's themes. ✨ Future connections: Offer exclusive early access or discounts for your next event to show appreciation and keep the momentum going. When the follow-up feels like a natural continuation of the experience, attendees won’t just remember your event—they’ll stay part of your journey. #Events #EventPros #EventProfs

📣 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲'𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀? ➡️ Discover the 6C's that fuel successful corporate gatherings: 1️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Curate engaging experiences that resonate with your audience. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Foster meaningful relationships among attendees. 3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Show empathy and understanding to create a welcoming atmosphere. 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Partner with like-minded organizations to amplify your reach. 5️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Deliver on promises and build trust over time. 6️⃣ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Create memorable moments that leave a lasting impression. At Events Delight, we specialize in crafting community events that bring people together. Let's work together to make your next event a resounding success! #CommunityEvents #EventManagement #6Cs #EventsDelight 

When you see an event you want to attend, do you: A. Book it straight away B. Think, ‘I will book it nearer the time’ C. Leave it until the 11th hour when you realise it’s less than a week away As an event organiser, I love the A people. But as an event-goer, I’m more of a B person. I understand the thought process, but sometimes by waiting too long, I almost convince myself out of it: ‘Can I really justify taking a whole day out?’ I will have so much to catch up on the next day’ ‘I’m not going to meet any new community members’ This was me with the Community-led World Summit. And I think it’s the same for many agency owners considering the AGENCYNOMICS Big Event 2024: ‘If I’m in a room full of agency owners, where is the potential for new business?’ ‘I should be spending the day working on things in my agency’ ‘How can I justify a full day away from the team?’ The thing is, when we get stuck in this mindset, we miss out! We miss out on networking with people who 💯 get where we are at, what we are doing, and can listen, support, advise, and inspire. We miss out on taking a step back from everything, giving ourselves that essential space to think, learn, talk, and build relationships—relationships that often turn out to be key to both our growth and well-being. So tomorrow, I will be taking that time out. Turning up fully present, ready to engage, listen, make new connections (Give me a shout if you’re also attending!) and enhance current ones (looking at you especially, Nicola Earle 😊) And if you’re an agency owner, why don’t you commit to doing the same at the Agencynomics Big Event in September? Early bird tickets here: https://lnkd.in/guQ6serD Never underestimate the power of your peers! #ProfessionalDevelopment #AgencyLife #PersonalGrowth #IndustryEvents #BuildingCommunity

Why Moving to More Intimate Gatherings is the Best Trend of 2024! If you're in the event space, you know that the drop-off rate for open RSVP events can now exceed 70%. That's wild! 🤯 Combine that with the stress and anxiety of organizing large events, and it's no wonder I've started opting for smaller (100 person), more intimate invite-only dinners (20 people max), lunches, or happy hours. For organizers, it's much less stressful. After all, why put yourself through something if it’s going to be a headache? Smaller gatherings are where meaningful connections happen. They are more curated, bringing together people connected by a specific theme or industry. This shift isn't about exclusivity—it's about fostering genuine connections and building a community with care and calm. As an attendee or organizer, are you leaning towards big or small events in 2024? Also, who wants to host a meal with me? Let me know! 🤪 Shout out to this great lunch I attended during Vidcon hosted by Ben Relles where I got to catch up with old creator friends and meet new ones 🫶 Cherie Brooke Luo Joe Penna Bernie Su Rosie N. Paul Bakaus Jon Youshaei Brendan Gahan

💬 "Thank you so much for this awesome experience." 💬 "Probably one of the best events I've attended." 💬"Thank you for the great event - it helped me reframe the way I was feeling and my mindset for the weekend in a positive way." These are some of the comments I've received recently about our #culturefirst gatherings. There is something unique about the way we host these community-led events. I want to hear what you all think. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠? I think somethings that make us unique are: 1️⃣ We start with a clear purpose and principles at every gathering 2️⃣ We follow a framework (welcome / connection / work / action / close) and make plenty of time for intentional connection relating to topic - not just a half-assed ice breaker. 3️⃣ We ask people NOT to solicit and to genuinely connect as humans first. If that connection leads to doing business outside the gathering, cool! Hard core networking is not the purpose of the gatherings. Now I want to hear from you all. What do you think are the key elements of our Culture First events? ——— 👋Hi, have we met? I am the community manager for the Culture First chapters community. 💪 I help our volunteer chapter leads design inspiring experiences and events related to co-creating a better world of work. 💌Join the discussion by joining our community at chapters.culturefirst.com #experiencedesign #facilitation

🌟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲: 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 🌟 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲? 💕🎬 Love Actually weaves together multiple stories of connection and love. In event planning, creating an agenda where one topic connects to the next, space is built for networking, and connections can form naturally is essential. Whether through interactive sessions, thoughtful activities, or casual mixers, fostering a sense of community and belonging can make your event truly memorable. 🌟 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬! #EventPlanning #LoveActually #HeartfeltConnections #EventManagement #CommunityBuilding #MemorableEvents

24 Days of Unforgettable Events 🎉 🗓️ Day 16: What if people left with a sense of belonging, not just participation? Great events don’t just bring people together—they make them feel seen, valued, and connected to something bigger. When attendees feel like they belong, they’re more likely to return, engage, and talk about their experience. Here’s how to foster that sense of belonging: ✨Personalized connections: Facilitate introductions with networking tools pre-, during, and post-event, table hosts, or “event connectors” who help people find their place. ✨ Inclusive spaces: Design events with everyone in mind—quiet zones, accessible seating, or formats that encourage all voices to be heard. ✨ Community moments: Build in shared experiences, like group challenges, collaborative workshops, or crowd-led discussions that unite attendees around a common purpose. When you shift the focus from participation to belonging, your attendees won’t just attend—they’ll feel like they’re part of a community that continues way past the event day(s). And that’s the experience they’ll remember most. In what ways have you experienced a sense of belonging at an event? #Belonging #EventPros #EventProfs

Holy Bananas! Did you know the date you choose for your event can make or break its success? I recently had Greg Bray on Sell With Authority to dive into some reasons why scheduling events at the beginning vs. end of the month impacts signups — and other strategies to get more participation and engagement at your events. Greg shares the mistakes made, the lessons learned, and how they turned challenges into success. Plus — we dig into the importance of in-person engagement vs. virtual events. Nothing beats the face-to-face connection — both for attendees and sponsors. Those casual meetups during networking receptions are invaluable and irreplaceable for building relationships. I’m telling you, this episode is a game-changer for anyone looking to master the art of event planning. Now’s the time to double down on strategically planning your events. Check the first comment for a link to the full episode. Onward with gusto!

🎉 Event Hosts and Community Builders: Seeking Your Advice 🎉 What’s worked for you to reduce no-shows and get attendees to show up for free events? Here are a few things that have worked well for us: 🔑 Set a clear event capacity: Let attendees know there’s limited space to create urgency and commitment. 🔑 Offer meaningful incentives: Goodie bags filled with valuable items or exclusive swag can be a great motivator to attend. 🔑 Host an exciting giveaway: Plan a big prize draw at the end of the event to keep people engaged. 🔑 Send personalized reminders: Go beyond automated Eventbrite emails - send direct, thoughtful reminders and emphasize the event’s capacity and value. 🔑 Foster personal connections: Build relationships with your community and send individual invites. A personal touch makes people feel valued and more likely to show up. 🔑 Deliver real value: Ensure attendees walk away with valuable content and experiences that make showing up worthwhile. 🔑 Optimize logistics: Choose an accessible location and listen to feedback on the best times and days to host your event. 🔑 Anticipate No-Shows: Overbook slightly or create a waitlist to account for inevitable no-shows. What would you add to the list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!