In 2017, everything is going to get more disruptive! Disruptive media, disruptive technology, disruptive marketing, and disruptive meetings! With the vast amount of knowledge available online and the numerous webinars and video conferences out there, face to face meetings are becoming endangered. Event organizers and planners need to make potential attendees excited about the event and entice them to come, and once they have their attention and that valuable face to face time, they need to make the most of it.
Here are some of the hottest meeting trends of 2017 that will ensure that your event is a success
Convergence
With technology advancing rapidly and creative innovations taking place every day, it has become challenging to separate industries and fields. In this ever evolving world, anyone can be anything. Business meetings and conferences will follow this trend of interdisciplinary spheres and encourage convergence. This means that more meetings and conferences will be multi-dimensional and open to people of all disciplines. This will allow people to share knowledge of their fields and everyone can use that knowledge. Convergence in meetings and conferences will create more harmony and synergy between teams and companies.
Festivalization of meetings
Gone are the days of the generic old school business conference. If you want to give a lecture and want people to take in what you say, they can do that via video. People need to have a reason to attend the conference or business meeting. Festivalization of meetings is one of the big meeting trends of 2017. With so many conferences and business events to choose from, event organisers and planners are trying to engage all the senses and create a holistic event that will attract attendees. Having a concert and hosting your conference around it, is just one of the ways that you can festivalize an event. You can also have a market vibes, a fitness feel or a circus themed meeting. This technique also gives an event more legs to run on – you can host pre, post and interlinked events around it which will, in turn, boost your brand presence.
Business events are brand and experiential marketing experiences
Meetings and events as just one part of the brand experience channel, which is continuing to evolve as more companies bring meetings into their marketing toolbox to leverage the value of real-time, face-to-face engagement. Events are no longer isolated experiences. Brands are more consciously developing their conferences and business meetings as “flash points” that amplify brand messaging in alignment with online channels. Since most marketing is done via technology these days, it is essential for a business to bring the online, face to face and live marketing together, and this can be done at one of these conferences. There is so much noise online, but the one who can nurture those online relationships and leads, face to face, is the most powerful.
Refreshing breaks
Another one of the hot meeting trends of 2017 is the refreshing break at a conference. In 2016, refreshing might have meant a cup of tea, but this year it means something completely different. Yoga sessions, a swim at the beach, meditation gardens, reiki, and painting are just a few of the new types of breaks that event planners can set up at a business meeting. These types of activities and breakaways are known to put attendees at ease, to lighten the stress or tensions that they may have and to promote greater cooperation between teams.
BLeisure
There is a fine line, if any, between business and leisure these days. With many conferences and meetings taking place at hotels on the beach, resorts and game lodges, conferences are looking more like holidays than work events. Using a conference or business meeting as a mini vacation or a team building event as well is cost efficient and effective. The attendees will feel more appreciated, they will be more active in the work sessions and everyone will be more relaxed and revitalized when they get back to the office.
We hope that you will be using a few of our meeting trends of 2017 tips for your future events and we hope that you will consider using us for your next big business meeting or conference.
