Experiences Over Events

Your most recent event just wrapped. Let me guess… you are disappointed in the turnout and participation? You worked really to make sure it was a fit for your community and it still flopped.

Another guess, this isn’t the first time? You feel the pressure to put on these events in an effort to keep your community engaged and connected with each other but truth be told, it’s just not working.

As we enter the late stage of pandemic times, people have varying degrees of comfort but its a universal sentiment that we are all tired of zoom.

Some of your community members are vaccinated and fully comfortable heading out in groups.

Others are hesitant.

Some, completely resistant to seeing any one out of the bubble.

That’s okay, but to succeed here you are going to have to meet them where they are.

Let me reframe it for you. Not everyone is looking for an event but everyone is looking for an experience. A great experience at that.

Cast your event planning to the side for a second and think about the things that make you feel happy, welcomed, appreciated, valued, excited. Take that and turn it into an experience for your members.

In my opinion, the most impactful experiences are service based on those items outlined in Maslows pyramid. What can you provide to your members that will make them feel those feelings in that moment? Figure it out and do just that.

Can you host a drive by coffee and cookie pick up? Where the members that are comfortable being in the space can sit and chat with their goodies but the ones that are not, can pull up to a table and snag an individually wrapped cookie and to-go coffee? Lunch boxes work too!

What about using your event budget for the month to mail all of your members a small treat?

Have a mobile car wash or detail service come to your parking lot.

Turn to charity. Ask your members to submit charities they love and host a “donation box” monthly. Put it outside during the day and let your members drop things off. Send out a community update with photos and info letting them know what they contributed to at the end.

It doesn’t have to be monumental to make an impact and make your members feel valued and as if they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
* If you need more ideas, shoot us an email, we have lists upon lists.

Breaking the fourth wall here but we had this conversation a couple weeks back in clubhouse and the following is what came of it.

Lauren from Union Worx and Ann from Liberty Lake Coworking went the route of service. They picked up cards and flowers so that their members could have something to take home to their wives and mothers for mothers day… without adding an additional stop to their day. It cost each of them less than $200 to make mini bouquets and leave them out on a table for members to grab. The result was that their members felt loved and had a positive experience.

It wasn’t an event but that moment they felt taken care of and connected to the community.

I encourage you to shift your community building mindset away from events and to one more focused on experience and hospitality. Experiences can easily be tailored to span varying levels of comfort and can leave lasting impressions.