This week, we're diving into one of our favorite topics: event planning and more specifically, how we’re leveling up our annual sales rally. There’s a lot more to events than just packing the room; we’re talking gamification, increased connection, creative engagement, and lessons learned from years of experience. Whether you’re part of a massive organization or running smaller regional events, we have plenty of tangible ideas and honest reflections for you to take back to your own teams.

In this episode, we’re sharing real-world stories, practical event tips, and even a few event mishaps along the way. We believe in learning, laughing, and always leveling up, and this episode is packed with ways to make your next event more meaningful for everyone involved.

What we discuss:

Why it’s essential to build connection and momentum before the event even begins
The challenges of running engaging events for a geographically diverse team
How technology (like event apps and gamification tools) can support both attendees and sponsors
The art and science of event flow, and mistakes we've made (hello, slow-motion bingo!)
Simple tools to boost participation, like inclusive activities and even throwable microphones
Why downtime matters as much as structured time at high-energy sales events
The big-picture goal: creating culture, not just content

Key takeaways:

Gamification Drives Connection: By incorporating app-based games and contests, we’re encouraging attendees to interact meaningfully not only with each other but with sponsors as well. For example, loan officers earn points by visiting sponsor tables, leading to lively competition and new conversations (04:44).
Tech Makes Events More Inclusive: Using an event app (like EventMobi) allows us to share schedules, speaker bios, and connect participants in advance, especially important when our loan officers span 35 states (02:24; 02:48). This creates community before guests even arrive.
Intentional Event Flow Matters: We talk through the importance of agenda-setting being deliberate about who speaks when, balancing high-energy with quieter moments, and pacing the content so the energy stays high throughout the day (06:46; 07:04).
Embrace Lessons (and Mistakes): Not every idea is a home run, sometimes a game flops, sometimes there aren’t enough bingos, but every event is a chance to improve. We share a few of our learning moments and why it’s critical to plan for flexibility (10:11; 10:23).
Small Touches Boost Engagement: From throwable microphones (yes, you read that right!) to intentional downtime, we look for ways to break the ice, encourage laughter, and give attendees space to build relationships organically (12:03; 13:12).

Whether you’re a seasoned event planner or putting on your first conference, our hope is you’ll walk away inspired to try something new, avoid a few common pitfalls, and most importantly create deeper connections at every opportunity.

As always, drop your questions below or reach out if there’s anything you want us to dig into further. Until next time here’s to stronger events and even stronger communities!

Rach & Rin

Boosting Event Engagement with Apps and Gamification at Lending Leadership