Planning events for meeting professionals is the best of times—and, in some ways, the most instructive. They notice all the details, the ones that worked and the ones that fell short. They have seen all the tricks for engaging and it takes something truly unique to impress them. But they also appreciate the work that goes into producing and event and genuinely want it to succeed—even if they can’t resist making suggestions for ways it could have been done better.
We asked Paul Tramonte, principal event designer at his self-named company, who has been producing customer events for Marriott’s Convention & Resort Network (CRN) since 2021, what he has learned from his event prof guests.
1. Iterate Constantly
We continually experiment and try different approaches. Some things don’t resonate with the attendees as much as we thought they might, and some things are even more successful than we thought they would be. We learn from those outcomes and adjust quickly from event to event.
2. Make it Personal
Read More: Lessons from Marriott’s Yes, And Event Leadership
Tramonte works to design large events that feel intimate. He collects information from attendees when they register for the event—dietary preferences, travel needs and what they want to hear about during the event. He uses this information as clues and opportunities to connect with them. He suggests paying special attention to F&B and dietary preferences, mobility issues, ways to be neuroinclusive regardless of how people engage and if an attendee travels with their family, taking extra special care of the entire party. Even the business panel discussion content is formed to directly answer attendees’ questions to ensure they walk away armed with the info they want.
3. Clear Communication
Tramonte is hypersensitive to proactively providing clear direction in the event agenda, “Know Before You Go” emails and the event app. They include information and tools attendees can use to make their experience even better.
Read More: Work Smart: The Art of Communication
4. Think Local
Tramonte positions supplier-partners for success and encourages them to pull through fresh ideas and experiences. By tapping into their local relationships, the team creates experiences that can’t simply be bought off the shelf. For example, because of the relationship local Orlando DMC partner had with Cirque du Soleil, he was able to create a first-ever behind-the-scenes look at how the show Drawn to Life is produced.
The suppliers’ special access, services and insight reflected why customers would want to work with the suppliers, how they are distinctly different from their competitors and what benefits working with these service providers could bring for the attendees’ programs.
5. We Are All Human
It is not lost on Tramonte that some meeting planners may have picked up habits they might have complained about in their own attendees—not reading emails, arriving late or leaving early. That is only natural. In recent years, the rules of engagement have changed quickly. Short clips on social media, text abbreviations and AI-crafted messages have transformed how we all—planners included—consume content and stay focused. And everyone is stretched thin.
That heightened understanding has caused him to adapt how he communicates with attendees and plans agendas to keep everyone engaged and ensure messages really land.
- Streamlined Communications: Focus on sharing only what’s essential with clear, concise copy. Know Before You Go info is embedded in emails—no attachments, just quick, scrollable updates with visuals, much like social media.
- Schedule Flexibility: Attendees need breaks (and may leave early if not offered) so he builds in free time and cushion between sessions for checking emails, resting and addressing personal matters.
- Shorten Sessions: General and educational sessions have been trimmed to highlight the one-of-a-kind experiences that only come with live, in-person participation. Instead of sharing content participants could easily read in an email or hear virtually, he and his team focus on delivering exclusive value face-to-face.
