Pest Management Professional, July 2016

photo istock com tanuha2001 Mobile pmp By Kelly Limpert Contributor 5 ideas for creating a social media engaging event I s your company planning an anniversary open house a ribbon cutting at a new office or a post charity event bash Whether youre gearing up for an invitation only soiree or the public party of the century you must consider the guest experience every step along the way It may seem obvious but its easy to get wrapped up in your own message goals and branding when you start to plan an event Event success isnt only measured in attendance but in overall engagement Taking your event to the next level isnt easy but these five ideas will help add spice and encourage participation 1 Let the best person win What better way to bring a little fun to your event than catering to your guests competitive side Heres how photo contest Either a best selfie or best photo of the event posted to Instagram wins with your special hashtag of course see No 2 scavenger hunt Text photos to the judge so he or she can see timestamps for when different teams have conquered the quests trivia hour No smartphones or tablets allowed twitter contest At the start of the event ask a question via Twitter that rewards the most creative answers Let the wacky responses roll in Event organizers judge the answers to decide the winner 2 create a hashtag Creating a contained public forum for your event will give your attendees the opportunity to voice their opinions Youll get feedback for future events and expand the reach of your event and company on social media It really is a winwin sometimeshashtagsbecomeaddictive 3 DeveLop an onLine presence specificaLLy for your event Create a group on Facebook LinkedIn or Google to help build up your event Here attendees can start their own discussions about the event and you can post previous footage pictures or teasers to generate some excitement Facebook has an excellent FAQ section about how to create and promote events at facebook com help 656156637816003 4 bring your content a game Dont forget to ask what your guests would like to learn or do Consider these suggestions for making guests feel appreciated Dont wait until post event surveys to learn your attendees expectations Ask a few questions during registration and then plan a few last minute activities and sessions around their answers Send relevant personalized emails about what attendees may get out of your event based on their responses 5 network Dont take networking for granted If youre hosting an event youre also attending This face time is essential for guests to have a positive experience Mingling socializing networking whatever you want to call it its a necessary part of any event Facilitating relationships will improve the overall experience and provide a time for guests to unwind and relax while also getting to know you and other attendees PMP LIMPERT is a digital content producer for Pest Management Professional s parent company North Coast Media She can be reached at klimpert@ northcoastmedia net 78 July 2016 Pest Management Professional mypmp net