2019 is coming to an end and event professionals everywhere are asking the questions: how can we increase our sales in the next quarter and which strategy should we use next? Trends develop fast and event professionals have to apply new methods as quickly as possible to create top shows and events. Influencer marketing, AR and new security methods are all just at the tip of the iceberg. That’s why we’ve compiled a whole list of conference marketing trends that you should be using this year.
1. The Influencers Era
When it comes to promoting new events, there’s no way you can avoid influencer marketing. Influencers as keynote speakers will not only draw in visitors but they will also promote your event before, during and after. This strategy is a win-win for everyone but remember, it’s important to only choose partners who match your goals and your target audience. There’s no point in asking fashion bloggers to promote your Greentech conference.
2. Rise of the Chatbots
AI technologies help all of us make the development process much faster, easier and cheaper. Computers are able to read through the information and collect all the data that’s needed in more efficient and economical way. But there is another way of using AI; not as part of the development process but as part of customer support. Chatbots are getting better and you should be using them. Why? They allow attendees to ask questions and get answers quickly, even in the most pressing moments before or during an event. We’re sure every event professional can agree that this is a hugely valuable thing.
3. Live Photo Sharing
Every event professional knows, an event that hasn’t been broadcasted on social media may as well have never happened. Insta Stories taken on your iPhone are great but your audience deserves to see great quality images in their feed. This is where Splento’s Live Images feature comes in. The idea for the feature was conceived in reaction to the increasing demand for sharp, high-quality and eye-catching imagery from events. The feature works so that the photos taken at your event by your Splento photographer are professionally edited and sent to event organisers within an hour so that they can be shared online as the event is taking place.
4. Wi-Fi On The Fly
DB Event Networks’ ‘Wi-Fi on the fly’ solution allows you to get connected, even if there is no connectivity infrastructure. This is the perfect solution for all event organisers who work with festivals or pop-up events, where the event Wi-Fi can be unreliable. It works using multiple sim cards from key 4G operators and automatically detects the strongest 4G connection, switching seamlessly between operators in response to connectivity traffic. We hope this solution goes viral to help marketing teams everywhere to connect with each other and their online audiences easier and faster than ever.
5. On-Demand Services for Everything
Millennials are well on their way to ruling the world and tech companies are scrambling to invent the newest, best marketing systems to keep up with their demands. Millennials demand three things; simplicity, convenience and speed. No one is hailing a black cab anymore; everyone is using Uber. Many companies are applying Uber’s principals and undergoing a process affectionately known as “Uberfication” by making their product more convenient, or on-demand. On-demand services are almost everywhere nowadays; food can be delivered, hotels can be booked, beauty treatments can be delivered and even event photographers can be delivered to your door through an app. Check out Splento’s easy-to-use event photography booking platform here.
6. Cloud-Based Management Systems
Cloud-based event technology systems and advanced APIs help make the life of event planners and marketing teams much easier. Let’s take Built.io for example, this cloud-based service is the solution to a lot of event planners problems, as it enables them to connect with CRM tools onsite. This allows them to deliver content much faster. Conference planners will be able to find personally customized solutions using cloud-based technology products with the ability to collate marketing data is if they were a single platform.
7. Easier Check-In Technology
The check-in process is another headache for any event planner but once again, another trend is coming to save us! With new apps, the process of checking in has never been easier. For example, Cvent OnArrival check-in and stands are becoming a staple at many great events. But what we’ve all really been waiting for is facial recognition to make event check-in times more efficient. Here is the hero we all deserve: Zenus! Their facial recognition solution is still improving but the idea is definitely worth every penny. We’re certainly behind them on this one.
8. Face-to-Face Meetings are King
Even though virtual meetings are on the rise, live conferences and tradeshows are still in the centre of attention in the events industry. Webinars are good, but workshops are better; the same story goes with face-to-face meetings. Simple psychology tells us that even during the most mundane parts of a big conference, we still pay more attention than if we were hooked up to a webinar. Besides, making valuable business connections is easier when you’re meeting people face-to-face. Especially when all your potential future partners are in the same location once a month, like they do at Prestige Events’ 20/20 Speed Networking.
9. Events Becoming Central to an Overall Marketing Effort
Big events are hard to organise but even harder to track for profitability. Back in the day, events were like black holes and a lack of data collection technology meant that for analytics teams everywhere, what happened at the event, stayed at the event! But times are changing and now we have all the tools to help us collect data during events and then make good use of it. Because we are able to find out exactly how successful an event has been, we can grow and develop faster. The sales automation tools can help us track visitor behaviour in depth, which allows you to reach the high expectations of all your attendees and sponsors are perfect for all your attendees.
Splento is ready to help you make your next event a success. Why not check out some of our work and what our clients have to say by reading our case studies. If you have any questions about making a booking or about how we can work together, get in touch – we’re always happy to talk.
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