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The impact of visualisation in events

If I say to you, “imagine a sitting with your feet in the sand, staring out at the ocean.”  I bet that the image in your mind versus the image in mine has similarities, but many differences too.  Creating a concept from words alone can lead you in a different direction, so it’s key to ensure you have clarity on what that picture looks like. 

For most of us, visual imagery is essential for memory, daydreaming and imagination. But visualisation is vital, it helps you (and others) conceptualise ideas.  They say a picture paints a thousand words, and in the events industry, we make use of a mood board or image of what the end experience will look like. In doing this, the concept is now a shared one and we can start talking through different components, from the same ‘hymn sheet’, as the saying goes. 

To create the mood board, we visualise the end product and then imagine walking through the event, experimenting with décor, furniture and lighting in the venue, considering how the audience might react, the emotions they might experience, how they can share moments on social media and the overall flow of the event. Once complete, we meet with the client to share this journey with them, to ensure there are no gaps, that expectations are met, that they buy-in to added enhancements, and that the experience is exactly what they are looking for. 

By investing the time in creating a custom visual you are demonstrating what the actual venue will look like with your proposed décor because you can create the lighting, mood and effects that cannot be envisioned or communicate with stock photos or a site visit. 

By having one vision, when you delegate tasks and give the team autonomy, everyone is working to the same goal and it’s a visual template for technicians, not just an equipment list. It’s inevitable that clients might want to make last-minute changes, they’re struck by a sudden idea, or they may want to make an adjustment once they see the event venue space. 

Unless those changes are minor, it’s important to resist them as much as possible. Make it clear that the best events rely on good planning and sticking to the original vision: last-minute changes often impact the flow and therefore the end result agreed on. 

In some cases, they may request a change that just isn’t possible. By saying ‘no’ and sharing the reason why, you may disappoint the client in the moment, but that’s better than compromising the success of their event.