Heroic Event Productions Blog

Staying top-of-mind after an event is important for businesses. And what's the best way to do that? Provide free swag to event attendees. After all, who doesn’t love free stuff? But beware, there’s stuff, and then there are really great swag ideas. A bag full of “who cares?” won’t do anything to identify your business as innovative or memorialize your brand.

So, what can you give away that will really impress your guests and keep them thinking about you long after the music stops? Two critical factors to keep in mind:

• Relevance (to your audience and/or your event content)
• Long-term value (the point is to keep your name in front of people)

Creating an engaging experience that attendees can share on social media platforms is crucial to the success of your event and future attendance. And what better way to invite your attendees to engage with the event than by installing an Instagram museum, where they can snap selfies and post to social media!

It's every event planners goal to make things go as smoothly as possible at your event. So it's easy to follow a tried-and-true formula of branded colors, logos, and speeches from the CEO — no surprises there! But, think about it from your audience’s point of view. No one wants to attend the same event over and over again. So, if you're focusing on efficiency instead of your attendees, it's time for a change!

Here are six ways you can get out of your event design rut, freshen it up, and reignite excitement.

You want to attract the largest possible audience to your event. After all, you plan to deliver some truly impressive event experiences. But not everyone can attend. So, how can you take those experiences to non-attendees? Through social media, of course! By creating shareable moments throughout your event, you can reach a larger crowd than is physically possible and inspire even greater participation next time.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is one of the strongest motivators ever. A socially shareable event plays on that worrisome FOMO, by building pre-function anticipation. Your event is all the buzz — clearly, it is a must-attend. Sharing also eases FOMO by enabling non-attendees to benefit vicariously.

A socially shareable event allows you to take the experience to those who cannot attend, and to bring them in as participants. And if you’re thinking social sharing is only for millennials, think again. No matter your type of content or target audience, you can bet your people are using social media.

No one wants to attend an event that feels like it should have been called “Been There, Done That.” Yawn. Who cares about the same old stuff? If you expect to wow your guests in 2019, you need to connect with the future, not the past. Technology, styles, and entertainment are constantly changing, so let’s take a look at event trends you might want to exploit to wow your guests in 2019.

Sustainable living keeps getting more and more popular with many people, whether that’s opting for reusable shopping bags, organic cotton clothes, LED light bulbs, or composting food scraps. So, it's no surprise that making events eco-friendly is becoming more and more popular, too. Doing your part to conserve our natural resources can boost your event’s appeal and give attendees more ways to engage while they’re there.

If you’re not yet an old hand at the Three R’s – reuse, reduce, recycle – don’t worry. There are lots of easy ways to started, and every step you take makes a difference.

Thanks to evolving technology, you can host an event that attracts audience members who aren’t even onsite. Virtual events and hybrids that serve both in-person and remote attendees are a hot commodity these days, and growing fast in popularity. Why not? Everybody’s a winner. If you do it right.

Hybrid and virtual events allow you and your sponsors to deliver your messages to more people — perhaps worldwide — and generate more revenue, if that’s one of your goals.

Today, you can live stream just about anything — from a fundraiser, birthday party, or vacation to a cooking lesson, wedding proposal, or corporate event. It's a great way for those who cannot attend in person to experience the event in real-time. For companies hosting corporate events and concerts, it's a great marketing tool, as well. That is, if you do it right. And do it well.

If you’re putting on a major event such as a national or international conference or a multi-day festival, it’s your outstanding array of “content” that will attract attendees. But, let’s face it. Today’s attendees expect a comprehensively outstanding experience — one that’s personalized for them. And the hottest event trends reflect that.