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Trends for 2012: Keeping Current in a Mobile World
Meeting and event planners know the importance of staying current on the latest tricks of the trade that help in event planning and execution. In the digital age, and in the current precarious economy, the trends that experts are quoting for 2012 focus on saving time and saving money. With the goal of making it easier and cheaper to organize and attend events, new “greener” technologies are at the forefront doing their part. Atmosphere is also an important factor at events regardless of their purpose. From formal dinner galas to festive holiday parties, planners need to know how best to utilize music and photography to enhance the success and impact of an event.

Event Planning trends for 2012

From style of meeting to use of technology, the following are the Top 5 ways events are heading in this fast-paced, ever-changing world.

Group Mentality: With the new generation of business professionals, events are going away from guest speakers toward platforms for open discussion. Rather than everyone listening to one person’s perspective, attendees want to become an integral part of discussions held and decisions made. Taking ownership of information in this way is seen as increasingly valuable and adds to the event for individuals and companies.

Superior Swag: Branded pens and cardboard folders don’t cut it anymore so personalized takeaways are the thing. This doesn’t mean individualizing “Bob’s pen” and “Julie’s folder.” It means the contents of “goody bags” are directly relevant to attendees and useful to them in their lives and businesses. This takes time, forethought and knowledge of guests, but it can be great if done correctly and cheaper than an alternative object that briefly gets put in a corner before the trash.

Social Media Blitz: Through Facebook, Twitter and plenty of research, event planners are able to get to know their guests better than ever. Moreover, it is worthwhile to learn exactly what clients and invitees want and need from an event. People and companies reveal a lot about themselves on social-networking sites, including completed and upcoming projects and new clients. Social media also shows that many conferences thrive without a traditional Web site; some are planned entirely through social-media sites and e-mail. With Facebook, planners can invite people, keep track of RSVPs, post event photographs and convey important details. During a conference, social media also enables hypernetworking, which is often more effective than contacts met in person.

Green Machine: Instead of the printing of myriad conference materials on endless sheets of paper, event coordinators can utilize mobile and other electronic options. Attendees choose for themselves if they want a printed copy, and changes can be made at any time, making it far cheaper and easier than printing hundreds of materials hundreds of times.

Mobile Mastery: The advent of Smartphones has made data dissemination and collection more efficient and effective. Innovative and budget-conscious event planners are taking advantage of the fact that most attendees already pay for such devices and want to use them. Tablets, such as the iPad, can be carried around easily, being a fraction of the mass of a computer or conference binder, and provide immediate access to information from anywhere. Event apps for mobile devices that are replacing conference books allow people to network more, better plan their experience and generate new business; and attendees can give real-time feedback through voting, messaging and conveying opinions via their devices during the event.

Truthfully trends are what you make them, and although the details and devices change, wanting to save time and money are here to stay.

Technology Leads to a new level
Already making waves in 2011 and steadily building steam throughout 2012 are new technologies that help meeting planners streamline their practices and better serve their clients. Technologies constantly are evolving to help with event preparation, registration, attendee tracking, presentations and more.

Event Preparation: Organization is crucial for successful event planners, and there is an app to help. An invaluable tool in the field for getting important details sorted and determined, Super Planner organizes and facilitates all the details of venue planning and puts them right at your fingertips. Simply input real-world details, such as square footage, and instantly you can estimate food and drinks based on event type and length as well as staffing requirements, table number, setup and optimal audiovisual and staging arrangements.

Registration: Forget nametags and lanyards spread alphabetically across a table. With technology available today, attendees don’t need to stand in long check-in lines by last name. Thanks to specialized software and apps for iPad and other tablets and handheld devices, meeting planners can offer digital check-in that speeds up the process. With this technology, staff quickly and easily have access to bookings, confirmations, attendee lists and more without shuffling through tables of paperwork.

Better than setting up a table-bound check-in system, the lightweight portability of a wireless tablet, like iPad, allows registration staff to access attendee information from anywhere in the venue, many of which offer free wireless connectivity. This can mean multiple registration points with up-to-the-minute attendee data available from a central file. Tablet devices also are compatible with most wireless printers, enabling staff to instantly print name badges, maps or other materials registrants might need on the spot.

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