How to design events people actually remember — and get more from any event

Executive overview

Most events are forgettable not because the content is bad, but because the details between the content — the mortar — haven't been thought through. Phil Mershon, Director of Experience at Social Media Examiner, argues that an event is a stack of individual moments, and the cumulative effect of those moments determines whether attendees leave changed or just entertained.

The framework covers two perspectives: what organizers must do to design unforgettable experiences, and what attendees can do to extract maximum value even from a poorly designed event.

The difference between a mediocre event and an unforgettable one lives entirely in the details.

When an event should be an event

• In-person gathering is only justified when you need human experiences that can't be replicated online: deep conversation, connection, belonging.
• If the goal is information transfer, async or online delivery is often better and cheaper.
• The pandemic forced a useful re-evaluation: ask "why does this need to be in person?" before defaulting to it.
• Hallway conversations, meals, and unscheduled moments are where the real value of in-person compounds — don't leave those to chance.

Knowing your audience

• Start with a clear picture of who is attending: how they learn, what they compete or collaborate over, what they care about beyond the content.
• Audience profile dictates everything: soundtrack, colours, energy level, session format, networking style.
• Some audiences want to be wowed; others want ideas elevated and space given for discussion.
• Visualise one specific attendee as your avatar and design toward that person.

Designing the journey

• Think like a video game designer: attendees are making choices at every intersection — limit options so they aren't stymied.
• Early wins matter: if someone makes a new connection or achieves a stated goal in the first hour, they lean in for the rest of the event.
• Identify peak moments in advance (the Disney model) — those highs will outweigh unavoidable lows as long as the opening isn't a low.
• A bad first impression is very hard to recover from; the moment right after badge pickup is one of the most critical in any event.
• Build community before the event starts: pre-event connection reduces fear, eliminates "who do I sit with?" anxiety, and creates ready-made friendships on day one.

The mortar between the bricks

• Speakers and sessions are the bricks — visible, memorable, important.
• Mortar is everything connecting them: the MC, wayfinding, wifi, coffee on breaks, transition time, ambient sound and temperature.
• A missing or broken mortar detail (e.g. confusing room numbering, a post-lunch colour palette that induces sleep) silently undermines otherwise strong content.
• Walk the attendee journey yourself, moment to moment, and ask: what are they thinking here? What might cause them to disengage or leave?

Managing distractions

• Distractions are one of the biggest threats to event ROI — for both organiser and attendee.
• Build structured release valves into the agenda: a defined block where attendees can clear email, make calls, do whatever's nagging at them, so they return fully present.
• Pete Vargas technique: open by asking attendees to text someone who made it possible for them to be there. Creates appreciation and raises personal stakes for being present.
• Directly acknowledge repeat attendees who might coast — invite them to stay open rather than let them check out quietly.
• Environment factors (room temperature, lighting colour, sound level) are within the organiser's control and directly affect focus.

Sensory design

• Every sense is a lever: sound, temperature, lighting, smell, taste.
• Smell is the most direct path to memory — single-scent, chemical-free fragrances work best when the goal is a lasting association.
• Networking parties that are too loud destroy the primary value of networking; provide quieter alternatives or zones.
• Post-lunch sessions need higher-energy cues (warmer colours, more movement) — cool blues that work in the morning work against you after a meal.
• Neurodivergent attendees and those with sensory sensitivities need alternative pathways; build these in deliberately.

What attendees can do

• Go in with a written plan: three things to learn, three people to meet, two conversations to have. Alert your brain to what it's looking for.
• Research attendees and speakers before arriving; make plans (meals, meetups) before you get there so you're never adrift.
• Build a tiered "hit list": speakers you know and can approach, speakers you don't know but might, and fellow attendees you want to find.
• When a key insight lands during the event, start working on it immediately — add context, ask questions, build momentum while you're still in the environment that generated it.
• Give yourself permission to skip sessions to go deeper on something that's already clicked.
• Build buffer time after the event ends — a half day or full day before returning to normal work — to consolidate what you learned.
• Use multi-sensory rehearsal to move learning from the 90% that's forgotten into the 10% that sticks: draw it, write it as a story, tell it to three people.
• Adopt Chris Penn's mindset: it's always your job to learn, regardless of how well the organiser has done their job.