Event Trends to Watch Out for in 2019 – Part 1

Kaitlyn McGuirk, MA
Account Coordinator at Redstone Agency Inc.

It’s hard to believe that 2019 is upon us. I mean, didn’t it just turn 2018? Regardless of how fast time seems to be moving, as event professionals it’s our job to stay on top of the trends and matters that effect how we plan, manage, and execute events for our clients. In this two-part blog series, find out what event trends you should be keeping in your in 2019:

Technology Integration

Of course, technology is nothing new to events. Over the past several years we have witnessed new technologies pushing their way into every aspect of meetings and events. However, one thing attendees are getting increasingly critical of is the integration of technology in the events they attend and how they interact with it. Attendees expect technology to enhance their event experience at every step; from the ease of registration, to navigating the venue, to consuming content and sessions, all the way to the end of the event.

Facial recognition check-in systems, such as zenus, are the “hot” new way to run registration at events. With this technology now being used by airports and on the new Apple iPhone, people are becoming more comfortable with the idea of using this type of technology. Not only does it set a “wow” factor for your event, but it makes registration a breeze by eliminating the need for numerous on-site event staff to dig through registrations lists and locate a name badge among hundreds of others and allows your guests more time at your event, networking and talking with sponsors. Chatbots are also a great way to enhance your attendee’s experience, while also decreasing the amount of time that staff spend answering questions. Chatbots can be programmed to answer a variety of questions about every stage of the event, creating a seamless experience for your attendees.

Embracing new technologies is crucial to remaining competitive in such a saturated event industry and can help make your event run more efficiently.

Security Measures

With more and more security breaches and attacks happening almost on the daily, it is more important than ever for event organizers to make security measures a calculated part of their event plan rather than an after-thought. Security is more than just having security guards and the right insurance documents. Other things to consider for your next event are to:

• Implement increased cyber security measures to protect your attendees’ private information from being illegally hacked or distributed;
• Coordinate with local law enforcement to properly monitor and respond to any incidents that may happen;
• Have medical staff and supplies on-site or on call;
• Use technology such as remote security solutions that can provide a 360-degree view of events of all sizes, as well as real-time alerts of potential problems; and
• Develop a comprehensive risk and security plan that all event staff are briefed on to minimize risk.

With so many people in one place at your event, you can never be too careful. Minimize risk wherever and whenever possible at your event and have safety top-of-mind from the planning stage all the way to execution.

Stay tuned next week for the second part of this blog series!