How to create amazing events

The Super Bowl is an amazing event, as people with no vested interest can’t wait to see the final game of the NFL season.  In the 99% of the rest of our lives, each one of us has positioned a great deal of our TV viewing to miss the majority of commercials by recording shows and zipping through the spots.  Not this past Sunday.  After decades of building a unique audience for the stops in the action, fans now have two reasons to stay glued to the screen.  How is it that we have been trained to watch the very things we despise every other 60 seconds of our lives?  The Super Bowl weekend is a grand American event.  One steeped in several things we love: football, competition, food, and comercials?  Over decades, we have been positioned to love the enitre event, from start to finish, and everything in between.

How can you develop events that grow over time and build continued interest and fans each year?  How can you and your club create a yearly event that resonates all year long?  Here are my 5 thoughts:

1. With any program, develop a three year strategy.  Nothing succeeds overnight.  It takes time, word of mouth, tweaks, and consistency to create the fan base, and although you want an event that stretches for decades, start with a three year plan
2. Be extraordinary.  Any promotion, event, or celebration at the club must be larger than your standard large.  You must create noise far in advance, and keep the noise going right until the event begins
3. Create celebrations that can involve the entire family. TopGolf is “training” all family members to love this sport, with exposure, fun, friendly competition, food and drink.  Kind of like last Sunday, without the play stoppages
4. Create memories.  People today have a very different view of life.  They invest in memories with family and friends.  When you start something, plan on celebrating year 25 with the same people.  Change it up each year but keep the core consistent but larger
5. Have winners!  Grab as many sponsors as you can.  Give away small things, but also have a few big winners who will talk about their experience for the next year.  Experiences with free stuff, fun, winners, and family memories can excite people for your club all year long.

Although you probably cannot create another Super Bowl like event, you can over time create an experience that can brand your club a place of value for 364 days a year.  Think celebration, fun, energy, new, with something for everyone in the family.  It is OK to go outside to get ideas.  Remember to position your event on the calendar where it works for you, your members, guests, and does not compete for attention with other events in town, because you will want to save that date, every year.  The Super Bowl is an amazing event.  How can you create something that will build your business for the next 52 years?

Jack Dillon writes the highfives.  Jack is a golf expert, a Toastmaster, speaker, writer.  You can reach Jack at 407-973-6136.  Jack lives in Orlando, and is a lifelong Eagles fan!  Thank you.