Keeping your audience engaged is the secret to an amazing conference. In a world where on-demand experiences are at their fingertips, conference attendees have high expectations for a meeting that they are taking time out of their schedule to attend. They come to a conference for an experience that they would not be able to have on a typical day at home or in the office. The key to meeting success is to make it fun and interactive. The best conferences engage the senses of sight and sound and give participants a voice. Give them something memorable and unique to talk about!

Here are three ideas to keep your conference exciting:

1. Break up your presentations with unique entertainment. The days of listening to hours of boring lectures with PowerPoint presentations at the conference are long gone. Help your guests get to know each other on a personal and professional level by introducing some fun to the conference lineup.  Make breaks entertaining with giveaways, manicure stations, arcade games, photo booths, or caricature drawings. Give a taste of local flavor by serving customized snacks or a signature beverage that uses local ingredients.

2. Give them something fun to keep them occupied.Knowing your guests may get restless in their seat, you can strategically place something interesting in front of them to keep them occupied. It does not have to break the bank – something colorful like silly putty or pipe cleaners can be a playful touch that keeps their hands busy and brings a smile to their faces.

3. Choose an unforgettable venue. Going to a conference is a great excuse to travel to an exciting place you can explore. Consider the unique or memorable aspects of the setting you are choosing. Are there beautiful sights to see when attendees are not at the meeting? Are there great places to eat and activities to entertain your group in the evenings? Is there a sense of history or adventure to the place? Your guests will remember all these special touches and the exciting things they experienced (with their new friends and colleagues) as much as the actual content of the conference.

The Oxford Conference Center, situated in the historic city of Oxford, Mississippi, may be the right venue for your next conference. If you want to experience all the uniqueness that the City of Oxford offers, click here to get in touch with the team about booking your next meeting!