Magazine articles and websites are chock full of summer “must do” lists. From wearing the right sunscreen to checking bargain sites for inexpensive travel to the “it” shades in cosmetics, you could spend all this summer just reading about what you should do to make it perfect.

For all of the unquestionable benefits of digitization, there remain a number of areas where in the name of efficiency, we risk losing some humanity.  We may be more interconnected than ever before, but the plethora of devices — from desktops to phones, smartwatches and the ever-attentive Alexa — which have infiltrated our daily lives at an unprecedented rate, also mean that real human interactions can be filtered almost beyond recognition.

It’s a concern that a growing number of psychologists, business leaders, and almost every discerning parent will recognize and relate to.

According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, more than $24 billion is spent annually by U.S. exhibitors on trade show displays, yet 70 percent of these exhibitors set no specific objectives or goals for their exhibits. In 2019, event marketing teams should find ways to become goal-driven, and metrics are the place to start. 

As the universe of event technology continues to expand and event planners expand their use of technology at live gatherings, a number of trends are emerging for the coming year. But according to eight of the smartest women in event tech, one trend stands out.

Throughout 2019 this space is dedicated to strategically aligning yourself to your goals and creating a plan to achieve them. Your life goals and new growth can be attained the same way strategic events are achieved; by following my five-step strategic plan. And when you think about it, it makes perfect sense, because isn’t life the ultimate event?

Event planners wear a ton of hats. From juggling venues and caterers to managing staff members, selling sponsorships and negotiating with vendors, you have no shortage of responsibilities. If you don’t have an organizational strategy in place, that to-do list can become overpowering.

Everyone is talking about the sexy technology developments around VR event experiences, facial recognition, etc. Yet one critical area of advancement that must correspond with all of these technology enhancements is consumer data privacy and controls.

What if your organization exhibited at an event or trade show and nobody showed up to your booth?  That’s a real concern for many brands exhibiting at what can be costly events.  The old saying “If you build it, they will come” is not applicable when it comes to events.  Instead, you need to market your presence and offer a reason why people should visit you.  Consider the following ways in which you can maximize your impact with solid marketing strategies:

Content marketing and event marketing are too often thought of as different worlds. Content marketing is online and trendy. Live events are offline and old-school.

The two tactics are more accurately (and productively) viewed as tightly interlocking channels. According to the Content Marketing Institute, in-person events are one of the top four content marketing methods B2B marketers use to nurture their audiences.

Some call it a Social Feed, others an Event Pulse, or Idea Blog. But no matter what you call it, the Experience Wall can be the most important feature of your event app.

Why? Simple. Because it’s tied directly to the return on experience (ROE) of your event!

For marketers, ROE is everything — it’s how we measure success. The in-app Experience Wall not only helps show the big picture of attendees’ ROE, but is also a great tool to build community and promote both your meeting initiatives and your organization’s culture.