Technology is everywhere in our lives, often when we don’t even realize it. We see and feel the effects, or the direct benefits, without considering their source. You certainly cannot produce an event without lights, sound, and video technology! And there are ever-new technology options that make planning your event easier and put spectacular experiences right into the hands of your attendees.

Here are some tech trends already popular with event planners and some you’ll want to consider putting into play as we head into 2020.

User-Friendly Tech

Event technology options that enable self-service make it easier for people to customize their experience. They’ll learn more or uncover more surprises or have more fun. And you can bet they’ll share that with their friends.

• Embed RFID technology into badges and wristbands to enable cashless transactions. Attendees can move around your event and pay for food and beverages or other purchases with a swipe, no cash or cards required. They can tag-up at sponsor booths, too, to get giveaways and prizes or take a survey.
• Branded apps custom-designed or tailored just for your event put everything about your event at attendees’ fingertips, before and during the event. They can plan their activities and schedule, receive alerts and other messages in real time, and make changes on the fly as they track the action.
• Chatbots free up staff time by answering attendee questions quickly and efficiently. Some AI apps can even delve into attendee social media profiles to offer personalized recommendations on what to do or see at your event.
• Touchscreens aren’t new, but they have become essential – kiosks help with wayfinding, and touchable digital walls or other surfaces provide signage and literally invite hands-on interaction.

Event Planner-Friendly

• Event management platforms help you plan and pull it all together seamlessly – faster, easier, and with vastly more engaging attendee communication that leaves you with more data about attendees.
• Learn even more about your participants with smart mats. This unobtrusive technology can be strategically placed anywhere to gain analytics and intelligence from those attending your event. Capture footfall, time spent in any one area of your event, and impressions. You can share this data with your sponsors and prospective sponsors, too.

What’s Really Hot?

Zero Waste Events are gaining momentum. Attendees not only want but expect you to produce an event that considers sustainability in every way possible. And they’ll remember when you do. So zero-in on technology that supports sustainability and reduces your event’s carbon footprint. You aren’t still using paper and plastic printed materials, wayfinding, etc., are you? LED signage and screens are so much cooler, in every way. LED lights save energy big time and they burn cool for a more comfortable environment.

Just say no to throw-away scenic backgrounds, and create an amazing backdrop with projection mapping instead.

Or go whole hog with our Heroic CONTENTCANVAS^TM that redefines WOW. LED-based for brilliance in any environment, CONTENTCANVAS is a family of options that transform your podium, banners, and/or walls as if they were an artist’s canvas. And the artist’s palette is filled with the latest technology. Why just project your logo on the wall, when CONTENTCANVAS can “paint” your surfaces with graphics, text, whatever you want – static or in dynamic motion. It’s the ultimate in informing and impressing attendees.

Conclusion

Raconteurs of long ago had only their voice to tell stories. With today’s technology, you can tell your story, or your event’s story, using lights, sound, and video. Stories are powerful because they are relatable, and tech pulls your attendees right into the story, emotionally and even physically. Create a themed environment for an attention-grabbing entry, use interactive walls or galleries or stations that educate, or 3D projection mapping that literally sets the stage. Stories are about imagination, and this is one place you can really use yours.

No one can attend every conference, trade show, meeting, concert, or festival out there. Will people be there for yours, or pass it up? Adopting carefully-selected event technology is a way to make sure your production is at the top of the must-attend list for 2020.