Events are about emotions – we hear, read and see it again and again. But what exactly does that mean? Is it the high when everyone celebrates together, the goosebumps during the show act or the great joy at the raffle? If events are to be truly successful in the long term, it is much more than that.
Our approach: every event is always a change process too, because every person has to engage with it, let go of everyday life and go through a whole process of emotions until they have truly arrived. And that is the basis for the event staying in people’s memory for a long time. Emotions as a strategic approach to event planning – an exciting topic for event planning!
With really simple means and without a big budget, you can meet your guests’ emotions where they are – provided you do it right and, ideally, get professional support. A guest has to go through various basic emotions to unlock the full potential. And it starts with sadness. Because to truly arrive at the event and engage with the new situation, guests have to let go of everyday life – often a challenge, especially in uncertain times, since we are shaped by uncertainty. Leaving something behind in order to experience something new – that sounds obvious. And organizers or hosts can already help with a simple gesture: instead of asking about the journey – which was usually tiring – it is better to welcome your guests warmly with a simple: “How lovely that you’re here!”
Sadness is followed by amazement – at the new situation, a beautiful setting, a great venue. It is important to follow a few rules here and to consider this topic in advance during event planning. Amazement is followed – surprise! – by fear. Don’t worry, it’s not what you think. It is simply a completely normal human feeling. Where are the restrooms? Am I warm enough? Is there something to drink? Subconsciously, we all go through these thoughts when we engage with a new environment – in this case, the event. If everything is taken care of, organizers – or event planners – relieve guests of these fears from the outset. There are even more emotions that should be considered before the event, so that in the end only one remains: pure joy. For us, it is clear that every event must take all emotions into account. Otherwise, the event becomes interchangeable.
At KahnEvents, other factors are important too – sustainability, for example. For every event the team puts on, the carbon footprint is taken into account and reduced wherever possible: traveling by train instead of flying, an event in Slovenia instead of New York. For one group of participants, for example, we organized a trip to Slovenia – including a visit to a sustainable fish farm that is committed to restoring the seabed. It went down so well that, in the end, the guests voluntarily collected donations to support the farm. The participants took so much away from this incentive trip – not only for the environment, but also for themselves.