"Why get involved with conferences?" Part Three

Over the last few days, I've been talking about creating in-person shared experiences at trade conferences. Here are parts one and two.

Today, I wanted to touch on doing a group activity with your current and future customers at a trade conference.

Group activities are an excellent way for people to have fun and meet each other while creating memories that last a lifetime.

Over the years, I've invited customers and prospects to enjoy front-row seats at a Brittney Spears concert, drive exotic cars, and ride hot air balloons.

Hosting a dinner is another excellent example of a group activity. If the restaurant is exclusive or has an unusual cuisine, it is even more of a heightened experience.

The best group activities are those your current and future customers would secretly love to do but rarely get the chance to. And if you choose the right group activity, getting people to join you is frictionless.

So the key is to know your customer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do group activities at trade conferences create such lasting impact?

Because they give people a chance to have fun and connect with each other while creating memories that last far longer than a typical booth interaction or sales conversation.

What are some examples of memorable group activities used to build these experiences?

Front-row seats at a Britney Spears concert, driving exotic cars, riding hot air balloons, and hosting dinners at exclusive or unusual restaurants, all designed to feel like genuine experiences rather than standard networking events.

Why does an exclusive or unusual restaurant elevate a group dinner into something more memorable?

Because the exclusivity or novelty heightens the experience beyond a typical meal, making the shared dinner itself feel special and worth remembering rather than just another business dinner.

What makes a group activity actually frictionless to get people to join?

Choosing something current and future customers would secretly love to do but rarely get the chance to, when the activity is genuinely desirable, getting people to say yes becomes easy rather than requiring persuasion.

Why does knowing your customer matter so much for choosing the right group activity?

Because the best activities are specific to what a particular audience would genuinely enjoy. Without real understanding of the customer, it's easy to choose an activity that falls flat rather than one that truly resonates.