--- title: "Good Atmosphere: Setting the Right Tone" id: "15965" type: "post" slug: "good-atmosphere-setting-the-right-tone" published_at: "2013-02-20T19:01:59+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:41:50+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/20/good-atmosphere-setting-the-right-tone/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/20/good-atmosphere-setting-the-right-tone.md" excerpt: "A good atmosphere goes a long way at events—especially with the right first impression. Also: why your online community is valuable to association execs." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "atmosphere" - "event planning" - "guest experience" - "Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Good Atmosphere: Setting the Right Tone You have the right location, the right speakers, and the right strategy. But is the tone a match? That and more in today’s Lunchtime Links: **Work on your atmosphere:** A good feel goes a long way—and if you’re not taking steps to create that atmosphere, your attendees will notice. That’s why Alistair Robertson, a U.K.-based event pro who’s the operations director at Vision Events, [may be offering some must-needed advice (opens in a new tab)](http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-atmosphere?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EventManagementBlog+(Event+Manager+Blog) . Among the key tips? First impressions count for a lot: “Your hosts/hostesses should welcome every guest/delegate with a warm greeting and smile and be knowledgeable about the venue facilities, including disabled facilities,” he explains. “There must be enough hosts to facilitate registration and the handing out of event materials quickly and efficiently.” How do you work to ensure a good atmosphere of your own? > Overall it was important to me that the page be dynamic, that it feel very fresh, and that it be very intuitive, and that it really tries to embody beautiful design. **Why you’re worth their time:** Why should association executives spend time in your online community? According to AssociCom’s Bob MacKie, there are a bunch of reasons—including the opportunity to stay on top of the news happening in the community. “A well-designed community can strike a nice balance on the news-gossip-rumor continuum so that members feel safe enough to share the latest insider information without blasting out unsubstantiated and reckless rumors from behind some anonymous username,” [he points out in one example (opens in a new tab)](http://associcom.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/dont-bug-me-im-busy/) . **The path to reinvention:** On Wednesday, an internet giant that has fallen on tough times took another step toward renewed relevancy, after the Marissa Mayer-led Yahoo launched a fresh redesign. “We think it’s the right time to bring a more modern paradigm to Yahoo,” [Mayer told Bloomberg Businessweek (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-02-20/marissa-mayer-rolls-out-a-new-yahoo-dot-com) . “Overall it was important to me that the page be dynamic, that it feel very fresh, and that it be very intuitive, and that it really tries to embody beautiful design.” The endless-scrolling style of [the new site (opens in a new tab)](http://www.yahoo.com/) has much in common with recent redesigns from Mashable, *USA Today*, and Tumblr. If you’re struggling to spark energy around your organization, how far could a redesign take you? What’s been on your radar today? Tell us about it! Our comment thread is open. (Stockbyte/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. 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