Go Small for Big Impact

In my previous job, everything was big – big company, big responsibilities and big budgets. To match, my role, which included motivating our very big sales force to sell more, involved planning and executing big conferences, schools and workshops.

We went to great lengths to wow our sales force with amazing venues, well-known outside speakers, and impressive entertainment. Often, you do big things to wow a large crowd because it feels like that’s the way to grab their attention.

However, I found in my years of planning these events that the wow factor wasn’t paying off. Hosting a lot of people in a large venue felt really impersonal. The emotional connection between people and products just wasn’t there. Big event, but small ROI.

These days, peers and friends are having more influence on purchasing decisions than experts. An influencer marketing survey conducted by Collective Bias involving 14,000 respondents in the U.S. reveals that 70% of millennial consumers are influenced by the recommendations of their peers in buying decisions. Just 3% of consumers are influenced by celebrity endorsements in their product purchase decisions. So, it’s vital that companies invest in experiences designed to make meaningful connections to increase sales and brand loyalty.

That’s why I’ve found that creating more intimate micro moments are what really makes the biggest impact. Micro moments make people feel valued and foster the emotional connection needed to inspire hearts, influence minds and ultimately move people to action.

My VIP Dinner Parties

My greatest success in creating these moments has involved treating event attendees like they were going to an intimate dinner party. One event I planned used to seat 25 people at long tables. The attendees spent the entire evening only talking to the people seated next to them. Once I changed the format to smaller round tables of six, real conversations were able to take place – conversations that I was told were the highlight of the event.

Intimate dinner parties also work well to increase brand awareness and deepen brand loyalty by leaving a meaningful and lasting impression on guests. Rather than planning a big event to “sell” your brand, think about creating an exclusive experience where your products and services make people feel comfortable and special. A private dinner party that fosters friendly and authentic conversation about your products and services is an impactful way to introduce your brand to key influencers or customers.

Instead of hosting these events at restaurants or typical event planning venues, I love hosting them at homes – often renting the perfect apartment or abode to fit the brand. A private dinner at a home makes everyone feel more welcome and at ease. I always keep these events on the small size and still swear by small round tables to create the best conversations.

Tips to Create Micro Moments at Events

Micro moments are all about making people feel special. Here’s how to do just that at your next event:

• Be intentional about doing the small things you can do to help attendees feel like VIP. Reach out to attendees before or even during the event to tell them personally how glad you are that they are coming or are there.
• Seat 6-8 per table at meals and use round tables whenever possible. This is great size for meaningful conversation; round tables put everyone on equal footing and helps everyone make eye contact.
• Specifically ask guests for feedback on what were the small things that left a big impression. This will help you learn how to improve for your next event.

The joy I’ve experienced and success I’ve seen from creating micro moments now has me curating many different experiences that cultivate the connections needed to drive people to action. Visit my website at The Brimful Life for more ideas on how to deepen relationships through experiences. Contact me to talk about how we can plan a customized curated event for your team or customers.