You’re good at what you do.
But sometimes even the best meeting planners get stumped.
Choosing a theme can be tricky.
After all, you want the event to be meaningful, memorable and motivating.
Here are some tips to help you pinpoint an event theme so that you provide an amazing experience for your team.
1. Keep the main thing the main thing
Spend some time thinking about the message you want to convey and what you want the audience to walk away with.
A narrow focus leaves little room for straying from the topic. A bit broader event theme gives speakers and breakout session leaders some room to get creative.
Once you land on a concept, apply the theme to every element of the event, including speaker topics, breakout sessions, and receptions.
2. Keep it current
It’s always a good idea to reference trends in current culture.
Think movies, TV, sports and music and combine them with timeless themes like “success” or “winning,” for example.
3. Keep your branding front and center
The best conference themes stay true to your organization’s corporate branding and image.
Your company has already invested a lot of time and effort creating the exact message to portray, so don’t stray from what’s already working.
4. Keep the call-to-action clear
What do you want the audience to do as a result of this event?
Your call-to-action should reinforce this message and leave attendees with a lasting impression and clear course to take.
What’s the point if you haven’t inspired action?
5. Keep speakers in the loop from the get-go
When your conference speakers are involved in the process early, they’re better able to reinforce your message and incorporate your theme.
The power of repetition is well-documented. When your speaker is on board with your subject matter, she’ll be able to work it into the subconscious minds of the audience and encourage action.
Example themes
Here are some samples to get your creative juices flowing:
- Creating Customer Connections
- Back to the Future
- Dedicated to Your Success
- Do Great Things
- Anything is Possible
- Beyond All Limits
- Gaining the Edge
- It Starts With Us!
- Navigating the Future
- Share the Vision
- Today’s Vision: Tomorrow’s Reality
- Waves of Change: Oceans of Opportunity
Quick-start guide to integrating a theme
These tips will help you integrate the killer theme for your event.
- Decide on a color scheme.
- Create a logo and PowerPoint template for your speaker to follow.
- Clarify the event’s key messages and what the theme means for each presenter.
- Record key messages from the opening and closing speaker to reinforce the theme.
- Send out teaser invitations with audio and video clips.
- Tie everything – even meals – back to the theme.
- Give out theme-related gifts to attendees, like t-shirts, bags, hats, pens, flash drives, etc. For an added touch, place them in their hotel rooms. It’ll be a nice surprise AND an extra way to reinforce your message.
- Have your staff wear shirts with the themed logo so they’re easy to spot.
- Create a follow-up program with a survey so you can evaluate the effectiveness of your message.
Kick your meeting-planner skills into high gear
You may feel like you’re running out of great ideas when you have to come up with an event theme, year after year.
Sometimes, you may feel a little stuck, but choosing a theme for your event doesn’t have to be difficult.
Use these tips, tricks and ideas to plan an event that will have other meeting planners begging for your secrets – and impress your higher-ups.
Have you implemented any of these tips to totally ROCK your event’s theme?
Are you a meeting planner and want to take your event from good to GREAT? Click here to get access to my video course now.