The impact of brand standards in delivering exceptional attendee journeys

If brand standards aren’t the first thing you think of when planning an event, you’re not alone! But hear us out—the same guidelines that specify elements like fonts, colors and key messaging points can also add polish and impact to your next meeting or event. Let’s dig deeper.

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Why brand standards matter to your event

Conferences, trade shows and annual meetings are extensions of your brand, so they’re a good opportunity for attendees to experience what your company stands for. That’s why your brand standards should play a key role in event planning, guiding everything from the big picture strategy to tactical details like communications and decor. Your event should feel like your brand.

To help define how this translates to an experience, ask yourself: What does your brand look like, sound like and stand for? What’s your mission or your goal? What’s the purpose that gets you and your colleagues out of bed each morning?

Keep your brand standards close by as you start planning. When you’re considering key questions like what you want attendees to take away from the experience, cross-reference those ideas with your standards. Do they align? Does your event support and strengthen your brand identity? That sort of thoughtful strategic planning exponentially increases your likelihood of producing a successful event, both for attendance and lasting impact.

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How brand standards affect the attendee experience

Think of it this way: it’s hard to gather people in one place and capture their attention. You want to make the most of that opportunity during your meeting or event. And by immersing attendees in your company’s identity, they’ll leave with an understanding of what your company is trying to accomplish — and, more importantly, how they can play a part.

Brand standards are integral to delivering a memorable attendee experience because they guide both the big picture and the details. Decor, gifts, ambiance, communications — these should all reflect and support your brand standards. Even the smallest details, like the specific tabletop decorations, can leave an impression. And by ensuring that elements are coordinated with your brand standards, that impression will be positive.

There’s also the big picture to consider. You’re gathering attendees for a unifying purpose or call to action. Deciding what you want them to take away from the event can help ensure that each facet of the event experience encourages and enables those takeaways.

Here’s an example: Let’s say that collaboration is one of your branding pillars, and your brand standards detail how you prioritize collaboration (and why it’s important to your company). Extend that emphasis to your event with a format like an unconference where static presentations are minimized in favor of workshop-type gatherings that foster discussion and sharing.

As a result, you’ve given attendees an experience that feels like your brand and also gives them information (and action items) to take away from the event. You’ve helped ensure collaboration will continue even after the event concludes—and when your next event arrives, you can capitalize on that collaborative energy to keep the conversation and discovery going.

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Lesson learned? On the road map of event planning, embrace your brand standards as part of the directions that will guide you to your destination: a successful event experience.