irst as a staffing agency, then diving into event planning in 2014 — Gomez and her team have put together large and intimate events for companies including Sephora, Sol de Janeiro,  Microsoft and many more.  “There are a few things that make an activation successful,” Gomez told Inside Retail.  “One of those would be making sure that there’s brand alignment and ensuring that whatever is being executed embodies the brand’s identity and values, as well as speaks to their target audience. We always try to make sure that we’re incorporating interactive elements to it as well.” This can be seen in the activation that The Concierge Club designed for the launch of Sol de Janeiro’s latest product, Delícia Drench Body Butter.  Instead of just having the product on display for the attendees to try and test out, The Concierge Club created an interactive locker activation. Invitees could select a random key, open a locker and find a surprise gift waiting inside for them.  Another way that brands can create a unique and memorable impression is by customizing products. For instance, for a holiday activation, The Concierge Club created a highly tailored experience where attendees could create custom wrapping paper, covered with images of their faces.  Not only are these experiences highly engaging, but they also provide the attendees with a unique memento to take home and enjoy long after the event is over. Tips to keep in mind while planning out an event Aside from the overarching concept for an event, Gomez said brands need to think about the “smaller” details. For example, if a brand is planning to give attendees large or bulky items at an event, they may want to provide a storage place or offer a way to deliver them later. It is also important to account for the time it takes to plan an event. While Gomez revealed that her firm often receives requests to plan events in four to six weeks, the ideal amount of time to plan an event is eight weeks or longer. At the end of the day, Gomez’ biggest piece of advice for creating the perfect experiential event is to “just slow down and do the research.” This includes researching the ideal guests — for instance, macro versus micro-influencers — the right gifts and the best scale for the event.  “Sometimes biggest isn’t always better,” the event planner cautioned. “Sometimes you can make a more impactful activation and spend a fraction of what some other people are spending” by throwing a smaller event. “It’s really just about understanding your audience and how the experience is going to resonate with them,” Gomez concluded.