Many professional events start and end kind of blandly. Make sure yours is a truly memorable experience by incorporating more event technology solutions into your space planning.
Saying your team will plan and deliver a conference, summit, or other corporate event is one thing. Actually mapping out (and delivering) a memorable experience is another. And while human creativity definitely plays a huge part in planning any event, you shouldn’t overlook the value of leveraging the latest technologies to wow your audience and stand out in the saturated event space.
This isn’t to suggest that you should just start incorporating all the technological bells and whistles you can find into your next event. You need to be judicious in choosing software and related tools that enhance every aspect of the registration experience for registrants. There’s nothing that lands flatter at an event than a cumbersome app or QR codes that don’t lead to useful content. Yes, they’re both technical options, but they’re not right for every occasion.
That said, you shouldn’t be wary of incorporating fresh technologies into your event planning process, even if you’re working on an event that’s been held for years.
Why Attendees Expect Event Technology
A recent survey from Freeman revealed that technology ranked among the top three desired event experiences. (Immersive experiences and a custom-made agenda were the other two.)
In other words, your participants want you to employ technology; they just want it to be relevant to them. One simple place to start is by using technology to transform the atmosphere, layout, and excitement of your event spaces.
From Tacky to Trendy: Using Event Tech to Transform Locations
Why focus first on giving your event spaces a technical facelift? Quite simply, your attendees will appreciate your efforts (after all, they likely see the event as an employee perk). Plus, they’ll notice the space right away. If it looks unimpressive, they’ll assume that the event will be likewise.
Remember: Your registrants are coming to your event excited, especially if they work on remote teams and have little contact in person, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t mentally distracted by all their outside responsibilities and commitments. A fast way to engage them is through their senses, and a compelling space gives them permission to shift their thoughts from ‘work mode’ to ‘event mode’.
Elevate First Impressions with AV and Digital Signage
For instance, incorporate audio-visual (AV) technologies in the areas your attendees will first see (e.g., the registration hall, entry, vendor areas). As an event technology leader, SmartSource offers a wide range of options to elevate your basic event AV with digital signage, interactive kiosks, interactive LED tiles, and other captivating technology solutions that set the tone for the event.
In addition to state-of-the-art AV considerations, you can hold your attendees’ attention by designing your event spaces to have an unimpeded walkthrough flow. It’s hard for participants to fully enjoy an event when they’re constantly bottlenecked. The answer to this issue may come from emerging crowd-control technologies.
For example, you can set up the entrances to all of your spaces to automatically read an RFID chip that’s embedded on each attendee’s wristband or name badge.
Another way to improve your event spaces with technology is through selectively use of VR headsets. When a participant wears a VR headset, the participant sees (and sometimes feels) whatever’s being projected. Accordingly, the real-world event space gives way to a digitized, boundaryless landscape.
Many venues rent VR headsets for use at corporate events. The only caveat is that you’ll need to invest in developing VR content that makes sense for your audience and isn’t merely meant to entertain. Still, VR is a compelling and clever way to leverage technology to make your space feel larger and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Closing
Every year, professionals choose which in-person events to attend. And they’re faced with tons of choices, which means your event could easily get lost in the mix. Yet if you use technology to your advantage, starting with transforming your event spaces, you can build your reputation for offering a second-to-none experience that attracts attention and attendance.
Photo by Matt Benson; Unsplash
