Get your people talking.
The Social Kickoff is a high-energy welcome session that sparks connection for your cohort, conference, class, or event.
But unlike other networking sessions, your attendees won’t be bored, intimidated, or embarrassed. They’ll meet each other in fun and organic ways, embrace the spirit of your event, and leave with lifelong connections — all because of you.
“Here’s a coffee. Go be extroverted!”
That's how most events encourage attendees to meet each other.
Not yours.
Yours starts with a Social Kickoff.
A series of games and exercises that will:
Set an engaging, interactive tone for your event
Instill your attendees with the values of your event (bond with others, connect with strangers, collaborate in a unique way)
Foster attendee-with-attendee engagement in a fun and playful way
Encourage your attendees to meet each other regardless of title, industry, or status
Leave a legacy of your event as somewhere to make friends and build community, not just passively listen to speakers
Other events spend so much time on speaker-at-attendee "engagement", they forget to focus on attendee-with-attendee engagement.
Attendees need and want help meeting each other. Other events push them through registration into an expo hall without so much as an introduction.
But not yours…
The beginning of your event is crucial.
It's when you get to set the expectations of your event. You set:
How you want your attendees to engage with each other
How you want them to show up each day
How you want your attendees to experience what you've spent months (years?) planning for them
That's where the Social Kickoff comes in: it sets the tone for your event.
Imagine if your attendees began their journey at your event playfully meeting each other, making friends and connections from the start, and being friends for years to come. All because of your event!
They gush about it for the rest of their lives because you took the care to run a Social Kickoff.
(Not to mention lifetime value of each attendee gets a nice little bump...)
Okay, so what exactly is a Social Kickoff?
It's not a keynote. It's not networking. And it’s definitely not trust falls and fun facts.
The Social Kickoff is a series of exercises and games designed to turn strangers into friends.
Blending the worlds of comedy, communication, and collaboration, the Social Kickoff is a playful yet practical session for your attendees to connect quickly and make bonds that will last far beyond the end of your event.
What does it look like?
Here's an example of a one-hour Social Kickoff:
8:00. Attendees are welcomed to the group by the Social Kickofficer who puts anti-networking sentiments at ease, and sets expectations of fun, play, and connection.
8:05. Attendees do a quick stretch, a deep breath, and play The Name Game.
8:15. Attendees learn how unlocking their "You+" persona will turn strangers into friends regardless of industry, job title, or status.
8:20. Attendees practice their "You+" persona by performing group comedy exercises, collaborative communication techniques, and games designed for heightening confidence. (No one is expected to be funny, quick on their feet, or to perform solo. All exercises and games are done in groups and not "performed" for the other attendees.)
8:50. Attendees participate in a Roses / Buds session where they share their Rose (a highlight of the Social Kickoff) and a Bud (something they will take with them throughout the rest of your event).
9:00. Social Kickoff complete!