Sonia Andresson-Nolasco

Event marketers are known for their ability to take an idea from concept to execution quickly. However, even they agree the turnaround times are getting tighter as program time frames continue to shrink. Are shaky budgets delaying sign-off on program costs? Is technology fueling the last-minute frenzy? Or, is it just the new speed of business?

Health care company Medco generally spends about $3,000 per person at its annual 800-attendee sales conference, which brings together three of its markets—employer accounts, key accounts and health plans—for training and networking opportunities. But in 2009, when the unsettling economy caused companies to tighten their belts and Medco’s customers to cut travel budgets, its remedy was a virtual conference, the 2009 Market Group Virtual World (Unisfair, Menlo Park, CA, handled). The cost: a mere $62.41 per person.

This year’s Cisco Live! event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas was a five-day paid conference featuring content-packed days and nightly networking opportunities.

Wouldn’t it be nice if your experiential program could pay for itself? Or at least, offset costs enough to save it from the chopping block when budgets get tight? Companies like Hasbro, Bounty and HP have created programs that despite not being entirely self-sufficient (yet), are offsetting costs by bringing in money to dump back into the program.

Secrets are irresistible. It’s no surprise then that brands are using them to lure consumers to events. There are secret locations, secret build outs, secret celebrity appearances—you name it. But making sure a mysterious event is interesting enough to hook consumers is an art form that requires building the right amount of anticipation. Here’s a peek at how it’s done:

SAMSUNG