LESS IS MORE.

There is one crucial mistake all business owners have felt pressure to make: Believing that “more means more”. So many times, when we try to create an impactful experience, we get distracted by all of the ways we could provide impact to our clients. We hyper-focus on this single way of thinking, being that we have to do everything, be everything, and impress everyone. 

Pause for a moment. If you’re thinking, “I already know this. I’ve read all the marketing books. I know to niche down, to only speak to my ideal client, blah blah blah.” - You may know those things, but do you really know them? You know where those concepts land in your overall business strategies, but when it comes to events, business owners tend to lose sight of the lessons you took to heart in your early days of starting a business. 

Practically, what does this mean?

You want your event to create a lasting impression, attract clients that last, cultivate your relationship with that client, which ultimately converts to sales. Too often, we treat events like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. We want your event to be more “three pieces of ravioli for $$$$” instead of “buffet for $”. You can’t accomplish everything at an event, but you can accomplish a lot.

When you try to do the most, you lose you. The biggest mistake you can make a small- to mid-sized business is to operate out of the belief that “more is more”. More is absolutely not more. And until you are on the playing field as really huge brands- don’t pretend that you have the resources to create an over-the-top experience. My mission is to help you do more by doing less. There’s a balance between immersing your guest into this branded experience, and slapping them upside the head with a confusing 1.5 hours of their life that they will never get back. 

5 Event Planning NO’s

1. DON’T overload your schedule

   • The last thing you want to do is burn out your guests. Too many activities or speakers can become distasteful and distracting, and doesn’t have the lasting impact you intended.

2. DON’T overdo it with branding

   • Short and sweet, my friends. Move from logos and flyers to feeling, vibes, and overall tone of the event. They don’t want to hear your company’s name every sentence. They want to feel your company’s values and voice.

3. DON’T neglect the flow

   • Want to know the quickest way to kill engagement? By ignoring your transitions and breaks. Guests need guidance and time to ease in and out of segments.

4. DON’T fill space

   • If you don’t absolutely need it, cut it. You dilute your core message the moment you try to build a pedestal to put it on.

5. DON’T forget to ask for feedback

   • You don’t want your event to suck, and neither do I. Guests want to be heard, and you have a unique opportunity to hear their perspective while they’re still willing to share it. Don’t skip the post-event surveys, even if they’re scary.

Why does it work?

I used to work in a well-known jewelry store, and once a year the company threw a “sapphire soirée”. We reached out to our biggest clients who were interested in colored gemstones, and invited them to come to the showroom after hours for drinks, appetizers, and a showroom doused in blue lights. We could have thrown a party that reflected our slogan, which was centered around diamonds, but it wouldn’t have had the same lasting impact as the soirée we threw instead. 

We used this opportunity to tell the story of a foundational aspect of the brand- Our founder used to go out and hand pick diamonds and sapphires, and for decades he was the primary buyer for the brand. His business was built on relationships, and we share this story to talk about the 1:1 conversations that happen while admiring the same gemstone. By building this mental image, we were inviting our clients to be part of a story. To be part of an experience that so similarly matched the foundation of what the business was built on. Our clients went from hearing an ad on the radio (one that they’d memorized in childhood from hearing the same voice for so long), to being able to relate to the business on an emotional and personal level. 

They weren’t trying to hook the diamond-centric clients. They weren’t focused on new couples shopping for engagement rings. They were specific about our intended audience, simplified our message, and provided clarity around the goal of our event. Had they tried to do it all, it would not have worked because more is not more. 

5 Event Planning YES’s

1. Focus on Key Elements Spend

   • Spend time and energy on the things that align with your event’s goals. Streamline your event to highlight these key components.

2. Create a Clear Agenda

   • All of your event’s information should be straightforward and easy to articulate. Unnecessary distractions (and even overdone downtime) are quick vibes killers and will turn off your guests faster than a bad sales pitch.

3. Go Minimal

   • I’m so serious. Minimize your color scheme. Minimize your design elements. Maximize the theme without overwhelming the space or creating more work for yourself. You’ll make a stronger impression if you cut the clutter.

4. Send Concise Information

   • Every piece of marketing material, even down to the initial save-the-date, should be focused on essential information only. Clarity helps guests feel valued and informed.

5. Incorporate Interaction

   • Pick a few things that clearly align with your event’s purpose and resonate with the intention of your business. (Specific speakers, sensory-focused wine tastings, breakout sessions, lawn games during cocktail hour, etc.) Even your cocktail hour itself can fit into this goal, as long as it’s done with clarity and structured in a way that allows guests to go with the natural flow.

If you’re a subtitle fan (which, yeah…solidarity, my friend), you’ll know how this feels. Hang in there, I’m getting to the point…

During your favorite show, especially if it’s a drama or competition, or rom-com, when the celebs start talking over each other and it becomes too much for the subtitle-peeps to subtitle, they simply say, “crosstalk”. 

This is exactly what happens when you try to do too much. 

It’s a big deal. When there is too much hypothetical crosstalk during an event, your clients will check out. Whether you are taking your handmade art to a pop up market, or you’re a mid-sized organization expressing a more emotional side of your business, the key is simplifying so you can maximize impact.