How do I attract big names to my event?

by Victor Georgescu, M.I.C.E. Division Manager

Following the events we organize together with our clients, the participants repeatedly demonstrate to us that they remember two or three key moments from the event (not always the same, for everyone). These memorable moments are represented either by a new experience, to which the participants are exposed (whether we are talking about an activity or a new setup of the event), or by the interaction with a valuable personality, whom they did not have the opportunity to meet live

Because until now, we have debated several times the ways to create an experience for the participants, and not just an event created according to the mold, now we are also focusing on the way in which we can attract outstanding personalities within the events, dispelling the myths on which we have heard so far:

“I don’t want a personality, because they are too expensive!” It is normal for famous speakers to be more expensive than those no one has heard of. Also, it is normal for foreign speakers to be more expensive, because they usually come to the Romanian market, having higher references from other European markets.

More important, however, is the fact that most of the really important (and valuable) local personalities, in particular, are less mercantile than they think. We know, every day, outstanding personalities who are rather interested in how their moment (be it a speech or a short artistic moment) integrates with the rest of the event. They are more interested in the message they are sending and what potential effect it has among the participants, than in the budget. The motivation is quite simple: to become someone truly respected, you must have an impact on the people who listen to you!

“I can’t risk him leaving during the event, after he finishes his time…” And this is a legitimate fear on the part of the event organizer, but this too can be remedied with better planning of the event and a integration in the agenda and in the central concept of each moment in the agenda. Personalities are also participants in the event, and in the experience prepared for the participants, they must also be integrated. Thus, by including them, organically, in the event, but also by exposing them to new experiences, we ensure their commitment throughout the duration of the event.

Exclusivity attracts exclusive personalities! Although it sounds like a tautology, this principle is very important in thinking about an event. From the importance of choosing the location, to defining the agenda and how the communication materials of the event look, they are all indications of how exclusive an event is. Attention to details attracts!

Ensure the real confirmation of the presence of the personalities. Especially if the personalities are invited to be participants in the event, and not speakers, then it is imperative to obtain both the official confirmation, in writing, and and the verbal confirmation of each concerned person. In this direction, using a team of event ambassadors can represent an important advantage for organizers.

In conclusion, among the most important lessons we have learned is that each of us (more or less known) wants to show off his strengths in public, being more reluctant to share weak points. For this reason, both the choice of big names and their integration into the event is a big challenge, which must be treated with great care.