Why the right activity can make or break your business event: how to choose

You’ve already spent weeks preparing for your next event: the venue is confirmed, the catering is arranged and the plenary sessions are planned down to the minute. Then comes the question you’ve been putting off for a while: what activity are we actually going to do?

For many event managers, this feels like the least urgent decision on the list. After all, you’ve already organised so much and put together an engaging, informative programme. But at precisely that moment, when time pressure leads you to choose an activity that looks ‘good enough’, you miss the chance to organise something truly memorable.

I’m Marianne, and I’ve worked at InnStyle for over twelve years. I currently coordinate sales for our activity offering. I’ve experienced hundreds of business events first-hand and see time and again how a well-considered choice of activity makes the difference between a day people forget and one they’re still talking about months later.

After reading this article, you’ll know why your event’s objective should guide your choice of activity and which factors shape that decision. We’ll also take you through the most common mistake and explain why it pays to seek advice from someone who knows the activity offering inside out.

Is an activity at a business event about more than filling a time slot?

Imagine you’re organising a day focused entirely on connection and collaboration. The morning is packed with plenary sessions on team dynamics, there’s an inspiring speaker and the room layouts are designed to get people talking to one another. Then, in the afternoon, there’s a block of activities where everyone largely works on their own.

I’ve experienced this myself during a venue visit. The event manager had put together a programme with activities that were perfectly good in themselves, but didn’t align with the day’s objective. I felt it was also our responsibility to offer honest advice and ask the client: do you want to maintain this team spirit throughout the day? Because if so, the activity currently doesn’t support that.

The event manager adjusted the programme, and the feedback afterwards was excellent. Guests specifically mentioned how the activity matched the tone of the day and strengthened the connections they had already built in the morning.

''That’s what a well-chosen activity can do: reinforce your event’s message rather than disrupt it.''

What determines whether an activity works at a business event?

There’s no fixed link between an objective and an activity: there’s no hard-and-fast rule that pairs target audience A with activity B. Every group is different, and so is every event. What does always come into play is the set of three factors that determine which direction you can take:

• The objective of your business event: what do you want guests to feel or achieve by the end of the day?
• The make-up of your group: who are the participants, do they know each other, and what have they done before?
• The context: what about the venue, timing and atmosphere of the day?

Factor 1: the objective of your business event

How do you want your guests to feel at the end of the day? More connected to one another? Inspired by the brand? Energised and motivated to get started?

An activity is a way to reinforce that feeling, adding a dimension that only doing something together can bring. How rewarding is it when you can carry the morning's objective through the whole day?

A practical example: a client wanted to combine an intensive training programme with team building. We worked with an external training provider to weave together activities and moments of reflection. Participants completed an activity, discussed what they had observed and considered how they would approach it differently the second time, before doing it again. The results were clear: more collaboration during the activity itself, and talking points that carried through into the discussions that followed.

Factor 2: the make-up of your group

Who are your guests? Do they already know each other well, or are there people who barely know one another? Are there participants with physical limitations? And what has the group done in the past?

That last question may well be the most overlooked. An activity that the group has already done elsewhere last year loses its impact. You want to offer something that stays with them, a new experience.

At the same time, the make-up of the group plays a role in what you suggest, but always start with the objective and people's wishes, not assumptions. I hear plenty of clients say: I know my audience is less open to this, but we still want to include an activity that encourages calm and reflection. Then you look at how to shape it so that it works for everyone.

Factor 3: the context - venue, timing and atmosphere

An hour-long activity halfway through a content-focused day calls for something different from an activity that rounds off a two-day meeting. The space available, the timing, the equipment available and the weather are all factors that influence what is feasible and appropriate.

That also means you sometimes need to be creative. We normally only offered a particular activity during the day, but a client wanted to do it in the evening too. That called for adjustments: different lighting, different facilitation, a different structure. But it was possible: you simply look at how to make something work while meeting the event manager's wishes. That sometimes asks a little more of us, but that is exactly what energises us.

What is the most common mistake when choosing activities for a business event?

The biggest mistake event managers make when choosing activities for a business event is not gathering enough information before making a choice.

In practice, it often goes like this: you have seen something at another company, or you have found an activity online that looks appealing. You call, you book, and only as the day approaches do you start to wonder whether it is actually right for the group, the venue and the objective.

My advice is always the same: gather as much information as possible before making a choice. The questions I always ask event managers are:

• Who are the guests, and do they already know each other?
• What is the objective of the event?
• What have the participants done before?
• What do they definitely not want?
• Are there any physical limitations or other requirements?

Only once you know all that can you give truly tailored advice.

Something else that helps: people often have a clearer idea of what they do not want than what they do want. If you suggest a few options and ask how they feel about them, you quickly get to the heart of the matter. They can tell you quite clearly whether something fits what they are looking for or not. And sometimes they do not know themselves until you suggest something specific.

Why is a fresh perspective valuable when choosing activities?

Some event managers know exactly what they want. They have seen something, have an idea and want to put it into practice. That is absolutely fine, of course. If the practical requirements are met and it aligns with the objective, there is little reason to change course.

But there are also situations where it pays to slow down for a moment. Rather than immediately saying, ''Yes, we can arrange that,'' ask: why this? How do you want it to make your guests feel?

I had a client who initially was not at all open to a particular activity. They had a completely different impression of it. That only changed after they saw some images and footage. They eventually chose it, and the feedback was among the best of the season. Afterwards, guests said they had thought it would be a flop, but it turned out to be fantastic.

''That is the impact of an activity that goes beyond what you expect at first glance.''

A fresh perspective from someone who knows the full range inside out can help you look beyond the obvious choice and make the most of your ideas. For inspiration, explore some of InnStyle's range of activities to see what is possible. With a total of 60 activities on offer, we would love to talk to you to find the perfect match.

Why does a good advice session make all the difference?

What I do is not a sales pitch: it is a consultation aimed at building a programme together that fits what you want to achieve, rather than quickly booking a straightforward activity.

At InnStyle, we need to know every activity inside out, including all the finer details. For example, one activity might only have capacity for 50 people, another for 100, while another only has a certain number of boats available... You simply need to know these things if you want to give tailored advice.

That calls for openness on both sides. An event manager who knows what they want to achieve and is willing to share it, and someone to talk it through with who is honest, even if that means the first idea is not the best idea.

That combination creates the events people talk about afterwards. About the moment when everyone suddenly burst out laughing, or worked together in a way they had not expected. About the energy they took home and the activity that brought the day to life.

The right activity starts with the right conversation

As an event manager, you are already under enough pressure. The content, the catering, the logistics, your managers’ expectations: it is a lot. And that is precisely why it is a shame to treat choosing activities for a business event as something you squeeze in at the last minute.

The activity is not an afterthought in your programme: it is one of the most powerful tools you have to achieve your objective, but only if you ask the right questions before making a choice.

At InnStyle, we have been working alongside event managers who know this very challenge for 30 years. We know what works and what does not, drawing on hands-on experience with hundreds of events and just as many different groups.

Would you like to know which activity suits your business event and objective? Send us an enquiry and arrange a conversation. We would be happy to explore the options with you, so you can organise a day your guests will be talking about for a long time to come.

Are you looking for a venue for team building? We previously wrote about choosing the right place to bring teams together.