A new year (and new decade!) offer the opportunity to reflect and to refresh business plans. As an Event Maker, I have been researching what we can expect to see making an impact in 2020. If you are thinking about hosting a corporate gathering over the coming months, read on for the latest ideas for an event to remember:
Sustainability is still a priority
Listed in my blog on trends for 2019, sustainability continues to be a major consideration for all event planners. According to UK charity WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme), over one million tonnes of food is thrown away in the hospitality sector every year, and it is crucial we reduce our impact on the environment. An example of leading from the front is global conference host IMEX, who requested delegates bring a re-usable coffee cup to its annual 3-day event. Other ways to tackle your carbon footprint include using local suppliers for the catering, offering more plant-based foods, donating leftover produce to local charities and ditching single-use cutlery.
Effective Corporate Social Responsibility
As part of a wider focus on sustainability, the events industry is encouraging clients to seriously consider their company values within local communities as part of their CSR. Larger corporations are now thinking about their ‘legacy’ and the impact they can have when hosting conferences and other B2B events. And it makes sense. The events world is a huge platform for good as we are connected to every type of business and industry. From launching charity partnerships to campaigning for change, we work on bringing brilliant minds together from across all sectors so why not collaborate with real meaning to have an impact on the world?
Memorable and Unusual Locations
The corporate calendar is a busy one, and delegates attend several events a year – often in the same conference centres, ballrooms and function suites. Stand out from the crowd by choosing a unique venue. This provides an instant talking point and guarantees a strong presence for your brand on social media, with guests sharing their experience. Delivering an event is also more interesting with less conventional layouts and I relish getting inventive with a fresh space. Venues seeing a surge in popularity include art galleries, museums and gardens, but don’t just book a cool spot for the sake of it. A minimalist exhibition hall soon loses its wow factor if there is a shortage of power points, or it has a less-than usable Wi-Fi connection. Love Luxury Events has previously published a blog focussing on unusual venues, so click here: https://loveluxuryevents.co.uk/corporate-event-planner-articles/ for some inspiration.
Audience Engagement on the Agenda
People no longer want to just attend an event; they want to actively participate. Be it evaluating topics and solutions in a workshop, or engaging in peer to peer debate – passive lectures are out, and dynamic discussion is in. Ensure your event has plenty of space and opportunities for networking and impromptu meetings, and ask your speakers to not just share information, but promote conversations in the room. Digital technology is becoming integral to attendee engagement. Popular devices include live feed social media ‘walls’ and photo ‘mosaic’ screens which display content posted by your guests, using a specific hashtag. Everyone gets to share texts, images and tips from your event while enhancing your brand and profile to a wider audience.
*Download our free Five Top Tips to Corporate Event Planning Success. If you have an event you would like to discuss with us, please get in touch on the details below to find out how we can enhance your business in 2020.*
