With all those wonderful summer events in front of us, our May Event Planning Roundup focuses on some of the “little” things that will make your event a hit with attendees and your boss as well. In this post, we’ll share some technology that’s making inroads into events, great ideas for putting a personal touch to your gala, and some new thoughts on the all-important SWAG.
Adding A “Personal Touch” to Your Event
Many of the attendees at your next event probably attend several a year. So just how do you make your event stand out for them and make them want to return? Author Deborah Pannell, writing in Techsytalk, suggests adding some personal 
touches—like personal introductions—saying:
The more your attendees connect with one another, the better. Here’s how you can help ensure that the right people meet one another…
When people arrive, be prepared to introduce them to folks who may be of interest to them. Not only will this be a great icebreaker for people who might not otherwise speak to one another, but you’ll be stimulating conversations that have more of a potential to lead to actual relationships.
Ms. Pannell also says you should carefully consider dietary issues and make sure restrooms are stocked with hospitality supplies. But we can assure you that when you rent a luxury restroom trailer from us, that’s already taken care of.
Just one less thing for you to worry about.
These Personal Touches Can Take Your Networking Event Over the Top
Promote Your Event With Facebook Official Events
Everyone knows Facebook is one of the most popular and fastest growing social media networks, and most event planning professionals already make good use of it to promote their events. But did you know there’s a feature called Facebook Official Events that get your message even further out there?
Although not straightforward at all, this feature might just be worth the effort says Eventbrite columnist Keiko Tokuda, noting that:
Facebook Official Events can only be created through a custom Facebook integration…
Tokuda says that “…information like event date, time, venue, and a link to buy tickets, [can be] sent directly from the ticketing partner to Facebook.” And, as a result,
…Facebook Official Events may be more likely to show up on search and News Feed recommendations where people are spending most of their time. This means your event can get in front of more people, and help you boost your event registration.
Plus, using Facebook’s analytics, you can easily see how the event page is performing.
Reach More People in Less Time with Facebook Official Events
Avoid These 11 Common Speaker Failures
A great speaker can make the event; a failure in that area can spell event planning disaster—plain and simple. For sure, every planner who’s been in the business long has a few horror stories.
Writing for Event Manager Blog, Christina Green notes that “…demands on speakers are greater than ever…”, adding that:
The requirements have switched from a one-way content presenter to a much more dynamic role of thought leader and discussion instigator. If you aren’t connecting with your audience, you’re failing them.
Ms. Green presents eleven of the most common problems with speakers and makes great suggestions on what you can do to avoid them.
11 Speaker Fails and How to Avoid Them
6 Great Ideas for Swag To Keep Them Coming Back
Every professional in event planning knows that swag is much more important than anyone wants to admit it is. And some say good swag can make the difference between attending and deciding to skip next year’s event.
Writing for the MeetingsNet blog, guest columnist Neen James, notes that since she gets to “…have the privilege of speaking at some of the coolest events around the globe”, she gets to see the lengths some planners go to in order to please their guests.
Something as simple as “the meeting planner handed us a $1 bill as we stepped out of the taxi to give to our bellman. They had thought of every little detail!”, goes a long way. James notes that, among other things, you need to:
Satisfy the senses… …Fresh flowers and candles appeal to the olfactory learner (those who remember through smell, but be sure to also provide scent-free zones for the allergic); flowers and colored linens appeal to the visual guests; linens and touchable fixtures appeal to the kinesthetic (those who are tactile and enjoy a sense of touch).
Have a look at all of her suggestions at: 6 Ideas for Interesting Extras that Appeal
Consider Using Snapchat for Your Next Event
With the video sharing platform Snapchat growing by leaps and bounds, it’s finally becoming something to consider for event planning. And if you look at its user demographics, should your event cater to the 35-and-under crowd, you should seriously think about it.
Although author Sue Pelletier admits that “I haven’t felt compelled to play around much with image messaging app Snapchat as a social channel for meetings and events…”, she’s found six reasons why it just might work for your event.
Noting that:
more than 60 percent of 13–34-year-old smartphone users use Snapchat
And that:
with 10B snaps a day… …it’s now overtaking Facebook in the video wars…
Pelletier also thinks that the Snapchat Live Stories feature is great because it lets event planners create a community around an event that attendees can easily contribute to.
6 Reasons Why You Should Use Snapchat to Power up Your Event
Summer is a busy time for event planning, especially for corporate events. Our takeaway from these stories is that the little things can help make your event a huge success and make your attendees want to come back next year.
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