Live events, at their core, are about making people think and act differently. Whether it’s convincing employees to buy into new initiatives and strategies, inspiring benefactors to donate to your cause, or simply trying to turn potential customers into real, repeat customers, the purpose of live events is changes in thought processes, attitudes, and behaviors.
It sounds simple enough – but it doesn’t answer the big question. How?
Flashy technology and fun experiences are part of creating a memorable event. But if all you’re focused on is creating a “wow” worthy moment, you’re missing big opportunities to connect with your audience – and even bigger opportunities to effectively impart your messaging.
So what does bring events to the next level and help them cut through the noise? Effective storytelling.
Storytelling is a key element in sharing messaging, but effective storytelling has the ability to create experiences and feelings that linger long after the sessions wrap. Keep reading to learn more about how you can effectively utilize video storytelling at your next event.
Videos with a Purpose.
There are many different ways you can use videos during an event, but in order to ensure your storytelling is effective, you need to make sure each video has a unique and distinctive purpose that supports the overall event objectives and messaging.
Opening videos with fast visuals and hype music may be light on messaging, but they’re a powerful tool for setting tone and putting attendees in the right mindset for an event. On the opposite end of the spectrum, emotional storytelling videos, like a family overcoming heartbreaking circumstances with the help of a specific product or service, will show the deeply important role the organization has.
Teasers for upcoming events or product launches raise excitement. Videos featuring leadership teams, from inspiring stories that show how they overcame a challenge or a funny commercial style video, humanizes leaders that feel more like moguls.
Inspiring stories, like the commercial where a childhood Rory McIlroy watches Tiger Woods as he learns to golf and eventually tees off next to his hero, tug at the heart strings. Videos that celebrate the successes of peers get others thinking about how they can utilize the same strategies or, even better, make them want to perform at a higher level so they can be featured at the next meeting.
Regardless of what you’re trying to use your videos of, outlining a distinct purpose for each one is the key to making them impactful. Do you want to inspire low-performing sales team members to do better? A sizzle reel from a top achiever experience will give them FOMO and make them want to earn their spot next year. Are you looking to show a research development team how important their work is? Share an emotional story of somebody who benefitted from or was positively impacted by it.
Don’t make content just for content’s sake. Instead, consider what you want your audience members to feel – and then create content that will get them there.
Striking the Right Balance.
If you went to a store to look at clothes and all they did was show you pictures, you’d wonder why you bothered coming in. The same thought process applies to live events. Strategic use of videos is great, but if all you do is show pre-recorded content, attendees will wonder why they couldn’t have done this from their couch.
The role of videos is to set the tone for the event, to share stories that can’t be told as effectively or emotionally in the live environment, and to enhance presentations – not replace them.
Make sure the bulk of your messaging, experiences, and time spent during an event takes place live. The videos should only be used to enhance and provide proof points for your live experiences and messages.
Immersive Storytelling: Combining Live Elements with Video Storytelling.
What if, during a video featuring a car crash, the lights in the room flicker, highlighting the confusion of the crash, before imitating an ambulance?
What if, during a hype up video, when the music swells and the beat drops, professional dancers move through the aisles in a surprise live performance?
Though the two situations are different, both utilize live elements and video storytelling to create an experience that resonates even deeper. Oftentimes, we think of different components of events being either live OR prerecorded, rather than marrying the best aspects of each to create a truly unique, engaging, and memorable moment that sticks with attendees.
Great live events are about more than using exciting technology to wow attendees (although, we love doing that). A truly impactful event experience is about using exciting technology to emotionally connect with your attendees to tell powerful stories that make your goals and your messaging stick.