As much as any field, event planning is changing fast. Part of being successful as an event planner means staying up to date on the latest trends. From virtual reality to more mundane things like hotel amenities, here’s a quick update on event planning trends we’re seeing.
Consider Non-Traditional Event Venues
There are dozens of event venues that aren’t “traditional”, including some you may not have considered. Here’s a great guide to what you need to consider when planning an event at one.
While perhaps the main event is still hosted at a traditional venue, Karina Belyea, the events manager for Eventful Conferences says:
We definitely try to stick to nontraditional venues for receptions…After being inside a hotel all day, we try to plan fun, offsite receptions for people to enjoy. We have found ourselves in JP Morgan’s oldest bank vault in NYC, in House of Blues venues, and in rented out breweries.
READ MORE: 4 Ways To Take Advantage Of Non-Traditional Event Venues
Bringing Virtual Reality To Your Next Event
Everyone’s heard of virtual reality, but—all games aside—how do you integrate this exciting technology into your events? The editors at Event Manager Blog note that:
We’re beginning to see adoption in many different types of event and if the technology lives up to the hype, it will become as pervasive as mobile tech is today.
But it’s important to consider just how you will bring this technology to your event, as the authors caution. There are still a number of technical considerations, starting with the computer itself. The authors say:
For remote attendees, computing power is unlikely to be much of a problem but at the venue, it comes with some issues. Although you don’t technically need one computer per headset, each one will require a fair bit of graphics processing. If you’re supplying them yourself, the cost could run to around $2,000 per attendee. Of course, this cost will come down and there are cheaper options but cheaper means slower. Slower isn’t good because it only takes a few milliseconds of lag and the experience can be truly nauseating.
LEARN MORE: What Attendees Need to Experience Events in Virtual Reality
Photo: Brandi Gard / AgenC
Keeping Your Guests Engaged
Event planners know that keeping attendees busy and engaged is critical for a successful event. And not much is better than ‘hands on’ activities.
A recent event for fashion brand L’Oreal celebrated “Galentine’s Day” with activities centered on their target customers: ladies. And the author notes:
The beauty brand’s event was hosted by spokeswoman Blake Lively who played a hands-on role, helping to select the decor, music, and activities, which included making Valentine’s Day cards, having necklaces engraved, and decorating cookies. The actress was even on site the previous night, assisting in the set-up of the venue.
Cara Kleinhaut, founder and C.E.O. of Agenc, the company tasked with designing the event added:
She was the first to get there and the last to leave. It was fun to work with a celeb host who was interested in the design elements. She took ownership and we brought her vision to life.
LEARN MORE: How This Beauty Brand Kept Guests Engaged With DIY Ideas
Using LinkedIn To Promote Your Event
We all know LinkedIn, the B2B-focused social network. But are we using it to its fullest extent to promote our events? Here are some quick tips to making sure you’re getting everything out of LinkedIn event promotions.
Christy Huggins, Senior Social Media Manager at Eventbrite admits that: “LinkedIn can be an elusive and intimidating platform for event organizers. The ‘casually social’ platforms like Facebook and Snapchat make it easy to promote events with straightforward content.”
But she hastens to add that:
But on the premier social platform for professionals, LinkedIn’s more than 100 million active monthly users are specifically looking for content related to careers and the workplace. If your event has anything to do with business, education, or networking, it behooves you to master LinkedIn’s domain. But even if it doesn’t, you can still take advantage of this powerful social platform.
LEARN MORE: Promoting Events With LinkedIn
Which Hotel Amenities Do Your Guests Really Care About?
From the smallest mom-and-pop places to the largest of chains, hotels amenities really do matter to guests. So which 
ones really are important, and which fall into the category of “don’t care”?
The what the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University decided to explore in a recent research project, summarized in a report called, “How to Pick the Right Amenities for Your Property.” They tracked the return on investment of 50 hotel, room, and bathroom amenities offered by 33 U.S. midscale, upscale, and luxury properties operated by a global hotel corporation over a 12-month period.
(NOTE: The agreement with the hotel company limits Cornell to reporting publicly on just three of those amenities: bottled water, Wi-Fi, and fitness centers).
For WiFi, the report notes that:
Both business and leisure guests said the ability to get free in-room Wi-Fi ranked as the highest amenity factor in their choosing a hotel
However, that didn’t translate into repeat business, because the report found that: “Guests didn’t rank it as a significant factor in their decision to make a return visit, however. And, while 66 percent of guests said they expected they would use free Wi-Fi in their rooms, only 42 percent actually did use it.”
LEARN MORE: What Hotel Amenities Do Guests Really Care About?
Considering Your Next Event
We know that every event is unique: different attendees, different venues, different logistics. When it comes time to plan an event outdoors, or at a venue with limited capacity, we suggest that restrooms are a key consideration.
Our luxury restroom trailers add elegance to any event. We offer the largest selection and service area in the northwest and are here to serve as a resource in planning your next event. Give us a call today!