Event trends you need to know about

Are you planning to hold an event next year? If so, you’re probably hoping that it’s an interesting and engaging one, and that everyone has a great time. One thing to consider when it comes to planning interesting events is what is ‘on trend’ at the time.

There are so many unique ways to impress your guests and give them a talking point during and after your event.

Here are our favourite event trends for 2017:

Creative catering

Unique catering is a great way to stand out and impress, and you can also use it to brand your event. Elements such as signature cocktails using your brand’s colours, or desserts with edible rice paper logos or messages on top, are interesting ways to get creative with catering.

The extreme dessert trend is likely to continue into 2017, with dessert walls (think donuts and Nutella) becoming part of the decor!

Personalisation

People want more than the standard cookie-cutter event, so they’re looking for more personalised options when they scout their venues and plan their events. The possibilities for personalisation are endless, with more simple things such as personalised email or app communications to guests through to more complex data driven elements such as tailoring events to the individual based on their reactions on social media.

According to a study by Eventsforce, personalisation is a key priority for 82% of event planners, with 97% saying they believe that event personalisation can change a guests perception of your brand or event.

Audiovisual technology also plays a huge part in personalisation of events. Lighting effects, colours and staging options can all contribute to a more tailored event. At AVPartners we pride ourselves on fully understanding our client’s event and design briefs so that we can deliver on a completely unique and successful event.

Digital interaction

More and more we are seeing that event planners are embracing digital channels to reduce costs, to be more environmentally conscious and to better engage guests. There are so many interesting ways to deliver information at your event digitally rather than expecting guests to take notes constantly or handing out paper. Examples include leveraging an event app, providing a digital handout via files made available on a USB or having notes delivered by email.

Video content

We all keep hearing that video is the future, and in 2017 we will see a greater role for video at events. One example of where video is being used effectively is through the live-streaming of events. This is where an event is filmed and delivered to online viewers in real time, so that they don’t miss out and can be part of the action as it unfolds. Usually this footage can then be packaged up and shared on a business’ website or social media, or used in-house.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to go overboard with event elements to create an impact. Choosing just one or two ideas and exploring how they can meet your business and event needs will be enough to impress.

Talk to us to start planning your 2017 events!

The benefits of a team building event and how to plan one

Team building is vital to the success of your organisation. When you have a team that appreciates and respects each other, they will likely be more productive, efficient and happy. What’s not to love? A team building event is a great way to deliver on your team building goals and enhance the overall performance of your team.

The benefits

Team building events give employees the chance to test out their teamwork skills and have fun by engaging in activities or challenges together. Each person starts the day on the same level as everyone else, despite where they may sit in the organisation, with a task at hand and a novel approach to it. Everyone has the chance to be heard, have fun, and draw on skills they may not have had an opportunity to showcase within their workplace role. These events are also a great way for your team to form better relationships with each other, and truly bond over common ground.

The objective

When planning a team building event or activity, it’s best to determine a goal or objective before you begin. Knowing what direction you would like your team to go in, and what you want everyone to get out of the day, will assist you in choosing appropriate activities and venues.

Usually, team building events or activities aim to provide fun and boost morale, or they aim to solve a problem or a communication breakdown within the workplace. This is achieved by getting everyone out of the work environment and allowing them to relax and get to know each other better in a new setting. This can help people to open up to new experiences and can lead to a better understanding of each other. Additionally, tackling a workplace problem outside of the usual domain can reveal a new perspective on the issue, and potentially, how it can be solved.

Things to consider

Ensure that the activity chosen is appropriate for your team and workplace. A wine and cheese tasting or a trivia night are great options for fun casual events where the goal is to relax and socialise. If you want to take things up a notch, you could arrange a CSI night, where your team works to solve a ‘murder’, or a casino or games night where everyone can let their hair down and mingle with their colleagues. If the aim is to create greater team cohesion, activities such as ‘escape rooms’ or interactive matrix style mazes really test people and require them to pool their strengths to get out of the game.

More ideas for your next team building event include cooking workshops, live drawing, community service, bowling, and outdoor sporting activities such as bootcamp, rock climbing or rowing. These can all be fun activities, but you might find that some are better suited to your team than others.

At AVPartners we love supporting team building events to bring your team closer together! It’s important to think about what technology will be required to make your event a success – from getting the lighting and sound right, through to ensuring you have the right projection screens, or even considering what app technology you can leverage to strengthen communication and engagement – technology can often make or break an event.

When dividing your team into groups, keep the group sizes to a maximum of 10. This will mean that each group member can be fully engaged and it’s far more manageable than larger groups, where people tend to detach themselves.

Keep the momentum rolling after the event by setting action plans at the end of the day for everyone to take back to work with them. This could include making sure employees say hi to a new friend made that day, or keeping tabs on the progress of solved problems. These actions can ensure the team building event has a lasting and meaningful effect.

Keen to bond your team together with a team building event? Contact us today and we’ll show you how!

Top tips for improving presentations at your events

Presentations at events are commonplace, and are held for various reasons. You might be presenting awards at an award show, giving a speech thanking donors at a charity event, or speaking to your guests about the upcoming direction of your organisation.

Whatever the reason or desired outcome, the basics of presentations are the same – be as prepared and as engaging as possible. However, what has changed over time, is the ways you can take your presentations to the next level, and really impress your audience.

Here are our top tips for improving presentations at your events:

Include imagery and video

A picture is worth a thousand words, so if possible, include some photos, graphs or illustrations to support your words. Imagery is a great way to explain your point, or provide extra information. Bonus points if you want to include short video clips too! To read more about the importance of including content in your presentation, check out our article on how to create standout presentation content.

Be clear and concise

It seems obvious, but along with being prepared for your presentation, ensure that what you are saying needs to be said, and that you’re saying it in the best way for your audience to hear and digest. A great presentation will be the perfect combination of concise information delivered with the right tone and manner that encourages audience engagement.

Be aware of your audience

Be aware of who is listening to you, and what they might need to better understand you – are they elderly and would appreciate a slower pace, or are they your employees who you can be more casual and fun with? Tailor your approach as needed.

Set the mood

The instant you are in front of people, you are giving an impression and setting the mood, so decide how you want to be seen. You can also use your surroundings to help support your presentation. For example, using modern lighting techniques such as flooding the room with a certain colour scheme while you present, or using a spotlight to follow you on stage.

Have fun!

Everyone loves to be entertained, so injecting some humour into your presentation will help people loosen up and become engaged with what you have to say – after all, they won’t want to miss the next laugh! You can use imagery within a presentation to lighten the mood, or just pure banter – the possibilities are endless.

To start preparing for your next presentation, and really impress your audience, contact us today!

Why hold an event?

Events are a great way to bring people together, and share a moment, message or idea with a captive audience. They do, however, take considerable time, effort and organisation to execute successfully.

When deciding whether to hold an event, the first step should be to ask why you’re holding the event. This will help you get to the heart of whether an event will be valuable and help you achieve your goals. Here are some of the common reasons organisations hold events.

To build brand awareness

Events bring people together at the one location at the one time, giving you focussed time you can utilise to build brand awareness around your business with target audiences. You might make a presentation highlighting your services, or hold a workshop that builds on your thought leadership, making you a respected and trusted person within your industry.

To humanise the business

It’s usually quite fun and interesting to meet the people behind certain brands, so make sure you give your customers or clients what they want by introducing yourself and letting them know that there are real people in your business. It’s also a good time to thank customers and clients for their support, and offer to answer any questions they have or help them in some way if you can. People buy from people, so make sure your business is real and authentic.

To provide networking opportunities

Events are a great way to expand your connections, gain new clients, customers or referrals, and also to show your existing customers or clients what else you can offer them. It’s also an excellent way to meet like-minded individuals in your industry, and you never know where those relationships may lead!

To fundraise

For not-for-profit and charity organisations events are a perfect way to do drive fundraising efforts. They offer a controlled and focussed environment for you to spread the word and incite empathy and curiosity in attendees.

To launch a new product or service

New products or services are a cause for celebration! Events can allow you to inform guests of this, offer demonstrations, or give away samples. It gives your potential customers a chance to interact with your product or service in person, and in a fun and upbeat atmosphere.

To recognise and reward

Awards ceremonies are a very common type of event to hold, and a fantastic way to recognise your team or others for their hard work. Recognition is always appreciated, and usually makes for a more loyal team.

To offer a face-to-face communication experience

Too often in this digital world, we lose that personal, human interaction. While the internet has opened up a world of possibilities, the feeling of being in front of someone; having a conversation and sharing a laugh, can’t really be replicated online.

So, now that you know some of the reasons and benefits of holding events, you might be wondering just what type of event suits your business. Events vary in style, size and outcome, but some common event types include a sit down dinner, a fundraiser, an awards ceremony, a cocktail party, or a conference. You might like to read more about which events really engage your customers or clients, or how to know which conference type suits your business.

Once you’re ready to start planning your event, ensure you have a solid timeline in place. For tips on this, check out how long it takes to plan an event.

At AVPartners, we love to help bring your event dreams to life! Speak to us today and let us know your ideas.

How to choose the right venue for your event

Choosing the right venue for your event is crucial to its overall success.

Once you know the type of event you are planning, and how many guests you intend to invite, you will have an idea of the type of venue you’ll need. Be sure to also consider the theme and style of the event, and that the venue reflects this along with the guests expectations.

Once you’ve got the logistics sorted, you will be armed with enough information to start researching venues. When it comes to choosing a venue, consider the following:

Location

The event location needs to form the basis of your decision making. Make sure the location is accessible by transport and has good parking access, along with accommodation particularly if the event goes over a few days. Ensure that the venue is in a location that is sensible and accessible for the majority of your guests to get to, an element of excitement about the venue always helps too.

Catering

Food is such an important element to any event, so whether you choose to have canapes, a sit down meal, or a cocktail option, make sure the venue can offer what you want. Find out what specialties the chef can provide that can give your event a point of difference. Always ensure you have catered for any special dietary requirements of your guests too.

Atmosphere

How the venue or event space looks and feels is a big part of an event atmosphere, and the message you want to convey. If you want to impress guests at a gala dinner with modern decor and a sophisticated ambience, you will need to look at more contemporary venues.

Services and accessibility

Consider your event audience and who are you are targeting, be it families, corporates, or gender specific events, and try to pick a venue that would best support their needs or expectations. For example, families may need access to baby change rooms, or children’s entertainment and enough room for children to run around in, whereas corporates would be expecting an up-market bar service or cocktail party. Be sure to also consider the ease of access to the event space for anyone with special needs, this includes parking, distance to walk, amenities, and ramp access.

Size and capacity

Your expected guest numbers will give you a good idea about the size of venue or event space you should be looking for. Many venues have a selection of spaces of varying sizes, and it will also change based on the type of event you are having, for example a sit down or standing cocktail style event.

Technology access

Ensure that the venue will be able to handle the audiovisual requirements for your event. Many venues will have an in-house AV team, such as AVPartners, who are able to make your lighting, sound and visual ideas come to life! This might include anything from setting up a stage and microphone for speeches, to a colourful and brightly lit ballroom with your logo projected onto the walls.

Make sure you visit the venue personally to see it for yourself, and to put yourself in the shoes of your guests. At AVPartners we couldn’t be more excited to show event planners through our venues, and to let them experience our state of the art technology first hand.

Contact us today to see how our venues can make your event a success.

How beneficial is it to be part of a trade show?

A trade show is where businesses can exhibit their latest products or services. Trade shows are a successful way for buyers and sellers to meet and engage with each other. With the rise of online technology and social media, the value of meeting and marketing face to face is higher now than ever before.

A trade show can allow you and your business to cut through the noise, and stand out in a way that many businesses aren’t.

Some of the many benefits to exhibiting at a trade show include:

Reaching your target audience

 

Trade shows are usually targeted to particular industries or niches, so it’s a great opportunity to interact with people that are already qualified and interested in what you have to say.

Building brand awareness

 

Hundreds of people attend trade shows, and because they’ll be seeing you and your brand face to face, this is a great time to capture their attention, make them feel included, and start building strong brand advocates. You can even use this time to capture their contact information so you can easily follow up with them after the event.

Developing your image

 

Along with building brand awareness, a trade show is an opportunity to develop your corporate image, and showcase this to the world.

Testing your products and offering

 

A trade show can be a unique time to test out some of your new products or ideas on interested people. This might help you gain an insight into your direction and you should get some useful feedback about your offering.

Collaborating with partners

 

Trade shows will usually have a large number of exhibitors, and depending on the industry or target for the trade show, you might find it’s a fantastic way to meet other like-minded business owners, and potentially look into collaborations with them.

Remember, there can be a lot to gain when you are promoting your products, services, or business in person and in a new environment. Make those first impressions count! At AVPartners we help our venues deliver successful trade shows time and time again.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of being part of a trade show, contact us today!

How to plan a product launch event

A product launch is an event which promotes the launch of a company’s new product. A product launch will aim to introduce the new product to your target market, promote your brand, build brand awareness, boost customer loyalty and drive sales.

Here are a few simple steps for planning a product launch event.

  1. 1. Choose your venue

    When choosing your event venue, the size and location will depend on how many people you expect to attend, your target market and target location. Some additional factors to consider when choosing your venue should include decoration potential and audiovisual accessibility.

  2. 2. Find a food and beverages vendor

    Providing food at your event will provide a drawcard for potential attendees and will make the event more enjoyable for your guests. If the product you are launching is a type of food or beverage it’s important to ensure your product is the feature of the event and all other accompanying food and beverage products highlight your feature product. If you need to acquire an external vendor, considering a sponsorship partnership is a great way to offer food and beverages at a lower cost.

  3. 3. Decide on your theme and develop your event messaging

    Your launch product should be reflected in your theme, event messaging, decor and colour scheme. For a product launch event, the event messaging will reflect the launch product and should tie into your conversion goals for the product and event. Your event styling, including the colour of your decorations and event lighting, should echo the colour and aesthetics of your product. This will help reinforce the memory of your product for your event guests.

  4. 4. Get the word out

    Marketing and promotions are some of the most important components of a successful event. Prior to undergoing marketing activities for your event, it’s important to decide who you would like to attend your event as well as define your marketing objectives. Are you interested in getting media coverage for the event? If so, you might want to consider investing in some public relations for the event. Would you like the event to be invite only? If so, you will need to arrange invite distribution and RSVPs. A few effective ways to promote your event include through social media, event listing sites, pamphlets and flyers, and through media outlets in the lead up to the event.

If you would like some help planning your next event, talk to us today.

What types of events can your business hold to engage your customers or clients?

Holding a business event can help boost customer loyalty, while reinforcing brand identity and building thought leadership. There are several styles of event which are suited to different types of businesses depending on the industry, the business’ target market, whether the business markets via B2B or B2C, and the business’ goals.

In order to choose an event that successfully engages your customer or clients, you should ask: How will the event benefit my customer or my client’s business? Will my clients make sales through the event? Will my clients have the opportunity to network with industry leaders at the event? Will my customers or clients enjoy the event?

Here are a few event styles which are highly engaging:

Trade shows and exhibitions

Trade shows and exhibitions provide a platform to feature new products and showcase your brand. Trade shows are generally B2B events which allow industry professionals to build brand awareness while networking, whereas exhibitions are geared towards B2C businesses and provide a platform to drive sales and conversions. Industries which benefit greatly from trade shows and exhibitions include hospitality, travel, technology, retail and cosmetics.

Gala dinner

A gala dinner is an evening event which involves a sit down dinner for guests. This form of event is a great way to facilitate professional networking within your industry. A gala dinner is generally a professional celebration of a business achievement, for example an anniversary or a lifetime achievement, or charity event or fundraiser. It is usually a black tie event and follows a certain theme, involving entertainment, styling and speeches.

Symposiums

A symposium involves a panel of experts presenting on particular topics, discussing trends and proposing potential solutions for industry matters. Holding a symposium is an effective method of building thought leadership for your business and is a great way to engage clients or customers on specific industry issues.

Award ceremony

Holding an industry specific awards ceremony is a highly effective way of positioning your business as industry leaders. Like a gala dinner, an award ceremony usually involves a catered sit down dinner, and includes entertainment, drinks and sometimes a theme. Holding an award ceremony event can help cultivate professional networking within your industry.

If you would like some help planning your next event, talk to us today.

How sponsoring an event can help your business

Sponsoring an event can be beneficial for a business trying to build brand awareness and reach a targeted pool of customers. Event sponsorship is a mutually beneficial agreement between an event organiser and event sponsor. Although there are many different types of event sponsorships, generally they involve an investment by the sponsor into the event which leads to brand affiliation and publicity opportunities for the sponsor.

Event sponsors benefit from marketing and promotional efforts leading up to and during the event, they can build brand loyalty through association with highly credible events, and can often tap into a targeted market that is suited to their business goals. Event organisers can benefit from lower event costs and better credibility through association with large brands.

Why get a sponsor for your event?

For event organisers, event sponsorship can help alleviate some of the prohibitive costs that come with event planning. This may involve a cash sponsorship or an in lieu sponsorship. For example, finding a food or alcohol company to sponsor your event may involve the provision of food and drink, or a print sponsor can cover the costs of printing programs and flyers.

Why sponsor an event?

Event sponsorship is a great marketing strategy for businesses large and small. For up and coming companies, sponsorship agreements which showcase a business’ products or services are a great opportunity to build brand awareness and acquire new customers. For larger brands, sponsorship can be a great opportunity to build brand loyalty and credibility. A common type of sponsorship agreement for large brands is the sponsorship of an event which targets their customers. This type of agreement helps bind larger brands with their customers, in turn building brand identity. Event sponsorship is also a great opportunity for brands to sample new products or services at a lower cost than retailing.

How to choose the right event to sponsor

A few questions to ask prior to signing a sponsorship agreement include: Who will be attending the event? What can we expect to get out of the agreement? Are there other sponsors involved in the event? And if so, how might they impact our sponsorship goals?

It is paramount to consider how the agreement will benefit your business, and it’s equally important to try to measure expectations. If your intentions are to build brand awareness and brand loyalty through the sponsorship agreement, your business should ensure that the demographics of the guests attending the event are akin with your target audience. It is also highly important to ensure that the event’s messaging is aligned with your company values. Another thing to consider is whether there might be a conflict of interest between your business and other sponsors.

If you would like some more information on event sponsorship, get in touch with us today.

 

How to hold an eco-friendly event

Planning an eco-friendly event can seem challenging, especially when sticking to a tight budget. Often there are higher price tags placed on eco-friendly products and services forcing event planners to choose cheaper, less environmentally friendly options.

With a smart plan in place, going green doesn’t have to break your event budget. There are many strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of your event while keeping costs down. The most important way to minimise costs while planning an eco-friendly event is to have an eco plan in place covering all facets of your event.

Here are a few things to consider when planning an eco-friendly event.

Impress on less

When going ‘green’, style doesn’t need to be compromised and costs can be cut, while still impressing your guests. Utilising reusable decorations is a great way to make your event more ‘green’ and will help cut costs at the same time. The type of lighting at your event should be considered when it comes to eco-friendly event planning. LED lights are highly efficient, cost effective and are much more eco-friendly than traditional lighting methods. The use of LED lighting at your event will help reduce power consumption and as a result will reduce your event’s CO2 footprint.

Reduce waste

Maintaining a wise waste management strategy will help make your event more environmentally friendly. Global food waste is responsible for a massive portion of the earth’s annual CO2 emissions. By carefully managing food waste at your event, you can help reduce global CO2 emissions. Utilising an organisation like OzHarvest, which redistributes excess perishable food will help make your event more eco-friendly while at the same time feeding people in need. Food redistribution organisations often work on donations, meaning it doesn’t have to cost much to manage your food waste wisely.

Choose your vendors carefully

Choosing eco-friendly vendors can make a big difference. Choosing all local vendors reduces the need for long distance transportation of goods and services, reducing CO2 emissions and pollution caused by vehicles. Selecting caterers that use organic food products also has a lesser environmental impact.

Keep things digital

Avoiding paper tickets and invitations will help reduce the environmental footprint of your event. Avoiding the use of paper can be achieved by ensuring your event exclusively provides e-tickets or online invitations. Keeping your marketing methods online will also reduce the use of wasteful and environmentally harmful products such as plastic and paper. Not only does the decision to go paperless make your event more eco-friendly, it will save printing costs.

If you would like some advice on planning your next eco-friendly event, get in touch with us today.