Stay on top of event planning trends this year with these main takeaways from SocialTables’s recent article 5 Future Event Planning Industry Trends You Need to Know About. Above all, adding personal touches and planning the event from a guest’s point of view is key. Check out a few ways to make 2017 your best year for planning spectacular events.
- Utilize multifunction versatility
People want more purpose out of things, especially in our digital age with so many multifunction devices. According to SocialTable you can easily add multifunctional capabilities to your event, with just the right creativity; “From rich content to lasting connections to stimulating activities, consider how every aspect of the event, even seemingly insignificant elements, such as cool swag, can be enhanced to provide additional benefits, like for instance, printing an overview of the schedule on the back of name tags, to provide attendees with an easy and convenient way to check what’s coming up next.”
- Celebrate diversity
Spark creative thinking and progression by incorporating the thoughts of several different keynote speakers or presenters. Our world is embracing opposing viewpoints and new ways of functioning now more than ever. “…ensure attendees are being stimulated by bringing in speakers who challenge audiences to think bigger and broader,” says Sheryl Connelly, contributing SocialTables writer.
- Be aware of participant needs
Try not to jam-pack your event with speaker after speaker. Utilize breaks as much as possible to encourage participation and attention from attendees. Wonderful speeches and key points can easily be missed when an event becomes too monotonous and guests’ minds start to wander. Breaks are also a wonderful opportunity to allow everyone a minute to reflect or think about the information they just took in.
- Embrace personalization
A personal touch goes an incredibly long way in impressing guests. It shows you took the extra time to show them appreciation for attending and that their presence means something to you. To quote the article, “Consider, perhaps, offering attendees the opportunity to weigh in on some of the sessions or activities prior to the event—this will help you to ensure that you are providing what attendees want, while also helping them feel more invested in the event—a win-win.”
- Think sustainability
Sustainability and “going green” has been adopted as a core practice by a majority of major corporations, governments, and influential persons around the globe. Today, people are looking for new and innovative ways to push the boundaries in sustainability. What will the next great idea or practice be? To keep in mind for your next event, “As an event planner, a keen awareness of society’s heightened interest in reusing, repurposing and recycling can help you develop a thoughtful approach that demonstrates your event’s commitment to the environment. With an overwhelming majority of adults globally favoring products made from recyclable content (versus those that aren’t), attendees will notice and appreciate that certain items are biodegradable or made from recycled materials— whether it’s the name tags, registration bags, or food cartons.”
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