7 standout ideas for your events in 2024. (You’re welcome.)
Every year is unique, with new challenges, new trends and harder to delight audiences! And 2024 is no exception.
Given how much everyone has upped their game over the Covid years, we think now’s a good time to ask yourself how you will deliver that cut-through that makes it all worthwhile. What will you do that leaves a positive and lasting impression on your attendees?
Based on current trends (and loads of experience about what works and what doesn’t), here are our top 7 suggestions for standing out from the crowd this year:
1. Head-to-toe immersion.
We have the technology; we can do it! Create a seamless hybrid immersion experience by combining in-person and virtual elements. With today’s cutting-edge technologies, delivering immersive experiences (for example, massive wraparound LED screens) that engage both physical and online attendees has never been easier.
2. Go eco. You know you want to!
Showcase your commitment to sustainability at every touchpoint of the event, starting with choosing an eco-friendly venue with green certifications. Extend sustainability to catering by offering farm-to-table options, reducing meat consumption, and adopting zero-waste practices from donating leftover food to innovative disposal options (like a compost bin instead of a recycling bin). Promote a low event footprint by offering shared travel to the venue. Use environmentally friendly catering products like biodegradable plates and merchandising. And apply eco-friendly merchandising strategies to align with your green event goals.
3. I’m talking to you. Yes, you!
Impress the socks off your attendees by personalising their event experience! Leverage advanced technologies like AI to tailor every aspect of the event experience. You can further delight your audience with personalised agendas through to AI-driven recommendations and interactive content.
4. Hands-on, full-on, and far-out.
Design sessions and workshops that go beyond traditional formats. Consider creating interactive and immersive content incorporating AR/VR experiences, gamification, and interactive technologies to captivate your audience. And think outside the square when it comes to event formats. Consider dynamic event formats that adapt to your attendee preferences – from flexible seating arrangements to providing on-demand content access for a personalised and adaptable experience.
5. Transform networking.
Forget getting attendees to swap business cards over a sausage roll – networking has evolved! Networking is now dynamic with virtual lounges, local community meetups, and interactive collaboration tools that enable you to enhance connections among participants.
6. Swag bags to brag about.
Consider digital swag bags to make both virtual and in-person attendees happy! From subscriptions to game apps, digital badges to e-books, food delivery or shopping e-vouchers to promo codes for sponsor products – it’s a great opportunity to move away from the traditional branded collateral so often handed out. And you’ll get brownie points for sustainability, too!
7. Be kind. Be inclusive.
Celebrate the uniqueness of your region and people. Consider featuring local artists, showcasing traditional welcomes, or ensuring inclusivity by broadening your range of speakers. How about providing accessibility features and language localisation on both promotional items and collateral? Think about how you will focus on meeting the needs of and representing neurodiverse attendees and speakers and using technology to deliver alternative content formats (for visually and hearing-disabled) to create inclusive experiences – and provide live translation and transcription on screen.
Make 2024 eventful and meaningful.
Regardless of the industry you're in, the kind of event you are planning to run, and the message you want to share – remember that your attendees are increasingly selective about what they choose to invest their time in. In 2024, value (think practical training, motivational speakers, sharing exclusive industry knowledge) is the new black.
And, of course, you need a team who can bring your ideas to life with exceptional know-how, experience, facilities and the latest audio-visual-video and lighting technologies at their fingertips. (Yes, that’s us).