5 Tips To Get Your Attendees to Unplug and Enjoy the Event

Here’s a riddle for you.

What’s small, jam-packed with information, fits in your pocket, is sometimes silent, but can be super noisy and distracting?

The answer is, of course, a cell phone.

With the coming of the smartphone, cell phones have become an indispensable part of our work lives. They are used for everything from looking up useful information, researching consumer statistics, and staying in touch with your boss and colleagues on-the-go.

According to the latest statistics, there are over 230 million smartphone users in the United States. That’s more than half the population of the country!

Needless to say, it’s almost impossible to escape smartphones. However, as helpful as they are, smartphones can often be a disruptive nuisance during business meetings and corporate events.

Some event planners and hosts even go as far as banning mobile devices from such events. While that’s one way to go, many attendees need their smartphones in case of family emergencies or other obligations.

So here are some better ways to help you engage your audience and encourage them to put away their devices at your next corporate event:

Announce the Event Is Unplugged In Advance

Letting your attendees know beforehand that the event is going to be unplugged is a good way to ensure less disruption.

They will be better prepared this way and won’t be offended or surprised when you ask them to put away their phones. Be clear about the rules of the event by either sending a pleasant reminder or mentioning it on the invite.

Don’t Waste The Attendees Time

If you expect attendees to unplug for a few hours, they expect you to provide something of value that will make it worthwhile.

Don’t waste their time by having large breaks during the event’s entertainment or presentation where they’ll be tempted to check their email or go through Instagram.

Make the Event Fun and Engaging

The content of the event should be fun and engaging to keep the audience hooked. You don’t want someone to be so bored that they’d prefer doodling or texting on their phone to entertain themselves.

Carefully go over the entertainment of the event and the material you’ll cover and make sure it is age-appropriate and enjoyable.

Turn the Distraction into Interaction

Another great way to ensure attendee engagement is to turn smartphones from disruptive devices into a mode of interaction. Include activities like live polls and results, enable gaming among the attendees as they compete for high scores, or organize scavenger hunts that require solving riddles and locating items with the help of smartphones.

Avoid Total Device Blackout

A total mobile device blackout might backfire, with many attendees choosing not to come to an event where they aren’t allowed their smartphones. Instead, either have phone-free zones at the event or encourage them to deposit their devices at the entrance. If there is an urgent call, the attendees can be informed, and they can step outside of the phone-free zone to take the call.

Plan the Perfect Corporate Event with the Great Event

The Great Event has become one of the leading corporate event planning companies in the Bay Area.

We help our clients plan all types of corporate parties and events with the help of our professional party planners.

We provide customizable event packages with various themes, eye-catching décor, interactive games, engaging team-building activities, memorable entertainment, and delicious food!

Check out our gallery for previous corporate events we organized or call us today for more information!