10 Ways to Create Events for Introverts

From clear communication to built-in breaks to low-pressure conversation starters, here are some ways to accommodate different personality types at your next gathering.

“The misconception is that we're shy. That's not a given," explains Natasha Miller, the founder of San Francisco-based event management company Entire Productions and a self-proclaimed introvert. "I'm very confident, have a strong personality, and am quite outgoing—because I carve out that energy specifically when I need to be with people. I just can't keep it going for long periods of time, and then need a lot of recovery time alone."

Miller is discussing the importance of understanding your audience and anticipating different personality types and styles of learning—along with acknowledging that even so the so-called "introverts" can't be looped into just one category. Event professionals have long understood the importance of putting themselves in their attendees' shoes, but it can certainly be a challenge when you're dealing with so many different types of footwear.

"Now more than ever there’s a heightened need to create an environment that’s comfortable for introverts—considering most of us are still adapting to social interactions again following the height of the pandemic,” adds Chelsea Sullivan, the vice president of employee experience at Power Home Remodeling, whose team organizes more than 250 annual events.

So, how exactly do you make attendees with more introverted personalities comfortable and engaged? We gathered some expert tips.

1. Think through different personality types from the very beginning.

“When we plan an event, we talk with the client about who will be there," explains Miller. "Not just obvious details like, 'Women in their 50s'—but digging as far down to their ideal guest avatar, including whether they're right- or left-brained, programmers, creatives, shy, partiers, etc. We know that the experience for any event will need to be tailored to two or three main traits that the guests have in common. You can't please everyone, but you can try to make everyone comfortable."

2. Give attendees an idea of what to expect in advance.

Jacqueline Elizabeth, the owner of Minnesota-based event planning company Ascendance Productions, likes to accommodate the more introverted personalities well before the event begins. “We are very intentional about the order in which information is rolled out to attendees," she explains. "First, we time invites to be sent out about 30-45 days prior for smaller events, and about three months in advance for events of larger size. This is extremely strategic as to not give too much time to ponder on the decision to attend and create some urgency/excitement, but also to provide ample time to accommodate for other obligations."

She also likes to send a brief and concise outline of exactly how the event will run. "We let them know if there is any portion of the event that is considered open networking, if there will be food and beverage, if there are any preparatory items required of them, any prize giveaways, group activities, and so on. This allows the attendee to have a very clear notion of what they can expect—leaving little room for surprises that might set them on edge or incidentally exclude them in any way," she notes, adding that if an event is focused on networking, she also ensures that attendees have been provided the general topic or theme of the gathering. "We have found that an open-ended or unclear purpose can be daunting and feel disorganized for guests and hosts."

3. Start the conversations before the event even begins.

Depending on the type of event, it may also be appropriate to start the introductions and networking before the venue doors even open. "Start a virtual chat room or Slack channel for attendees, and provide questions and prompts for them to start dialogue before the event kicks off," suggests Sullivan. "Before every major Power event, we bring attendees together by creating a personalized digital app that houses all of the information they need before an event, and create a chat room with weekly questions to build hype and excitement. This can also encourage more introverted types to get involved and contribute to the conversation.”

4. Put your team to work.

Thoughtful event staffers can do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to engaging introverts. “Assigning some of your event staff to be 'engagers' or 'greeters,' where their responsibility is to work the crowd and greet attendees through every touchpoint, is a tactic we use to make everyone feel welcome," says Sullivan. "These engagers look out for individuals who might not know a lot of people, and will introduce them to others and get them involved in conversations.”

And be sure to train your breakout moderators to adapt to different personality types too, Sullivan adds. “I’d recommend being very selective about who’s hosting or leading the breakout sessions. At Power, we select leaders within the business to host our breakouts and those who have experience leading them in the past. We also train our breakout moderators on how to lead an effective session and how to encourage more introverted people to join in."

Meanwhile, Elizabeth likes to designate a point person for each event—a dedicated staff member who guests can approach with questions, needs, etc. "If guests feel that, at any point, they are left to their own devices, it can create a subtle uneasiness," she notes. And Seattle-based event marketing expert Mindy Bomonti adds that doing your best to ensure everyone is physically comfortable—"from the chairs that they’ll be sitting in to the room temperature to giving them the chance to self-manage dietary concerns—allows them to be self-sufficient and avoid the spotlight/embarrassment of asking for what they need."

5. Get creative with icebreakers and other conversation-starters.

Icebreakers can get a bad rap—but creating thoughtful conversation-starters can be a great way to get guests, including introverts, out of their comfort zones. "But think outside the box of traditional ones," advises Sullivan. For example, "If you’re hosting a larger conference, organize attendees into smaller groups to do a volunteer activity, a group hike, or a puzzle challenge. Integrating these types of team-building activities can help people get to know one another in a less formal way, foster deeper connections, and make introverts feel more comfortable before going into a networking session.”

Lean into interactive activities, art installations, and photo ops that attendees can interact with, she adds, and consider using name tags as conversation-starters. "For example, at Power’s annual Veterans Summit, we print everyone’s badge with either their military branch, 'military spouse,' or 'civilian,' and at our Cultural Diversity & Inclusion Summit, everyone had their pronouns displayed," remembers Sullivan. "It not only instills a sense of pride, but we’ve found that they are a helpful tool to spark conversation."

But be sure that guests aren't forced to have the spotlight on them if they're truly uncomfortable. "Encourage speakers/presenters to engage but to read the room—avoid calling on people who haven’t indicated a willingness to participate," notes Bomonti. Maybe instead of a traditional Q&A, attendees are able to submit questions via app, she suggests.

6. Let guests choose their own experiences.

For Lee Doud, the vice president and head of events for Los Angeles-based experiential agency JJLA, it's all about "creating a world and environment that’s safe for everybody."

It's something the team kept in mind every step of the way when planning the "Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration" fan experience. "The show was designed for audience participation and immersion into the Yule Ball, a holiday celebration filled with dancing, mingling, and food and beverage. But we always said the experience had something for everyone—if someone wanted to dress up and dance, they were welcomed with open arms. For those who wanted to wander and discover on their own, there were areas where they might be able to retreat, but still be in the company of other like-minded fans."

The team also built in plenty of breaks, and designed the show as a "free roam" experience, complete with a trivia and scavenger hunt game that could be played on mobile devices. "The guests who didn’t want to participate in the dance component could wander the space and find hidden QR codes to answer trivia questions for an opportunity to win a prize," he says. "Additionally, we included soft seating in the balcony for those who wanted to just observe the show, rather than participate."

7. Create opportunities for intimate conversations.

“If you’re hosting a larger-scale event, consider breaking off from the ballroom or main setting and create smaller, more intimate breakout sessions or group discussions," suggests Sullivan. "It can be intimidating for introverted personality types to speak up in front of a big audience, so by creating a space that feels more like a conversation between friends and less like a presentation in front of strangers, it can help introverts feel more at ease.”

Miller agrees, noting that smaller, more intimate rooms can be a great way to engage introverts who are more soft-spoken and shy. "Especially quiet rooms where a conversation can be held without raising your voice over loud music or talking," she says.

8. Be intentional with seating.

At her events, Sullivan likes to help attendees bond by sharing a meal—and she carefully thinks through how the seating will help foster engagement. "We’re intentional about making our dining spaces very communal, whether it’s long mess hall-style tables for a relaxed feel, or round tables to foster more conversation with one another," she says, adding: "Assigned seating is a great way to pair more introverted people with extroverts who can make them feel more inclined to speak up. At Power, we make sure every table has a diverse mix of people from different offices across the country, departments, titles, seniority levels, and backgrounds. This helps more quiet or introverted individuals have an opportunity to be seen and heard—especially with leadership, where they might not have had the opportunity otherwise.”

For presentations, meanwhile, Bomonti encourages planners to "consider seating options other than theater-style. Crescent rounds make it much easier to break people into small group discussions/activities to allow for more ideas to be shared and discussed."

9. Give people natural ways to show their personalities.

Bomonti also suggests thinking outside the box with ancillary activities like meals and parties. "Break guests into teams that each prepare a course of the meal; have a guided painting class; build bicycles or put together back-to-school backpacks for a charity, etc.—[things] that allow attendees to show their expertise in a non-professional/work way. Suddenly the soft-spoken receptionist is teaching the CEO how to make a perfect pasta sauce because she is actually a master chef!" she says. "Give people a chance to be out of the 'norm' in experience, location, activity, etc., and show hidden talents."

10. Allow time and space for downtime.

Don't forget to build in breaks, particularly for multi-day events—something your attendees of all personality types will appreciate. “Introverts need some time to decompress, so if there's a long meeting or round of introductions, they might make their way to a restroom or the bar to find some 'alone time,'" notes Miller. "Creating spaces for them to relax in between sessions and not feel like they're an outcast is a good method for keeping them engaged. Power and charging stations are a big help in giving any attendee the ability to sit by themselves for a bit and refocus."

Sullivan agrees, noting that building in longer breaks will allow attendees to take a walk or even go back to their rooms for some quiet time. "If you’re planning a multi-day event, consider having a free half-day or evening where attendees can do what they want to do—whether that’s with a smaller group or alone to explore the city they’re in, go to a quiet dinner off-site, or unwind in their hotel room," she adds.

Source: Bizbash.com