Eco-Friendly Event Planning: 8 Ways to Host a Sustainable Event

ways to host a sustainable eventSustainable 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.

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11 Memorable Event Entrance Ideas with a Wow-Factor

We all know how important first impressions are. Your event entrance is your guests’ first impression of what’s to come. It sets the tone, so you want it to engage, excite, and fill them with anticipation. You want to wow ’em.

You can do that in big and small ways, limited only by your imagination and budget. The secret is to make it a multi-sensory experience to trigger maximum engagement. Here are some of our favorite ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

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10 Best Ways to Use a Large LED Screen for Your Event

LED screens are a great way to liven up your event. Sure, you could use projectors and screens, but the advantages are that screens created from LED panels are brighter (think daylight and outside use) and easier to see in rooms with ambient light issues. They can be assembled at almost any size and screen ratio, and don’t require the extra space and positioning concerns of a projector.

You can use them as a backdrop for your stage, to display social media posts with your event’s hashtag, or live stream the main presenters from a different location. But that’s just the beginning. Indoors or out, LED screens can transform your next big event in other unexpected and memorable ways.

10 Ways to Use LED Screens at Your Next Event

  1. Giant LED screens can display wall-size murals that transport attendees to an entirely different environment. They can also display sponsor logos, your event’s branded visuals, or the message of the day.
  2. You can display virtually anything on an LED screen, so let your imagination take over here. (But keep it relevant, so every little detail reinforces your event’s branding.) Think: dimensional effects, live conferencing from multiple locations, or action situated in front of a chroma-key screen.
  3. Some events such as music concerts and sports events require huge venues that accommodate very large audiences. Crowds build excitement, but it’s virtually impossible for most people to actually see the action on the field or the performers on-stage. Unless you use LED screens. Live-streaming your event onto strategically placed screens ensures no one misses a beat. Or a play.
  4. Overly popular speaker at your upcoming conference? No bigger room available? No problem, just live-stream the presentation onto one or more LED screens in another space, and no one will miss out.
  5. LED screens can keep arriving attendees entertained (or informed) before the official action gets underway. And if there’s an unexpected delay, the audience won’t get restive. They may not even notice. Use video that promotes speakers or performers, hits on the latest trends in your industry, or offers sightseeing tips for the city where your venue is located.
  6. Use an LED screen to display a continuous montage of stills or video clips from your year as a corporation. The same idea applies to political or cause-related events.
  7. People love to see themselves on camera, so project audience “sweeps” onto the big screen. Sporting events do this all the time, but you can do the same thing using a hand-held camera at your festival or conference.
  8. Even better, instead of just showing a sea of faces, get them talking. Before your event, do some on-camera interviews with attendees — what do they expect, why are they there, etc. — then show those clips during the event. Conduct “man on the street” live interviews in the hallways during your conference (or around the grounds at your festival) — what did they think of that last talk or performer, what’s their favorite part so far?
  9. Aside from projecting sponsor logos, LED screens are ideal for displaying ads or even full-length commercials or other branded material. Your audience will learn more about your event’s key funders, and your sponsors will love, love, love the greater exposure. Where can they re-up for next year?
  10. Use LED screens to deliver messages to conference attendees — scheduling reminders, updates, etc. Or set up one or more screens to serve as social media hubs. Encourage attendees to post comments and visuals using your event’s hashtag, then display those postings for all to see.

As an event organizer, you want to wow attendees, whether you’re producing a one-off concert, an annual conference, or special festival. LED screens are so versatile, they can give your guests a more engaging, immersive experience and leave them wanting more.

How to Avoid Audio Feedback and Other Sound Issues at Your Event

Nothing is worse than starting your event off with a bunch of ear-piercing shrieks coming from your speakers. Or no audio at all. Although sound glitches are common, they don’t have to be. Audio feedback and numerous other annoying problems can easily be avoided or quickly fixed.

Whether you’re working with a professional AV team or not, it behooves you as an event planner to know basic preventive measures. Here are some tips, straight from the pros, to help you treat your audience to crisp, clear sound instead of a cacophony of weird, unpleasant noises.

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Projection Mapping: How to Add Dimensional Variance to Your Event

Projection MappingIf you’re looking for a new way to amaze and impress attendees and indelibly brand your next event, projection mapping might just be the ideal solution. Instead of projecting a simple image to a screen, wall or building, you could use projection mapping to create an entire 3D “atmosphere” or make static objects appear to be moving. (If you’ve never seen examples of projection mapping, you’re in for a treat! Here are links to a large-scale mapping project, and a fun, smaller project.)

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Special Event Tips: 11 Things to Look for in Your Venue Contract

things to look for in your venue contractDon’t sign that venue contract! At least, not until you’ve read it and are sure you understand what it says… and what it doesn’t say. Once you sign, you’ve agreed to those details. So, does the contract cover everything you want and need — without sneaking in anything you don’t need or want? Is the language clear? Ambiguity can work against you if something goes wrong.

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There’s an App for That: 7 Ways Conference Apps Can Enhance Your Event

Stock Image for 9/4 Blog (Event Apps)Nowadays, there’s an app for just about everything — even your large-scale events. Whether it’s Pathable for conferences, Attendify for networking events, DoubleDutch for consumer events, CrowdCompass for engaging event participants, or FestApp by Aloompa for festivals, conference apps can help attendees fully experience your event with the help of their phone or tablet. But how? And which app should you choose for your event?

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