“Event Design” can take on many meanings when it comes to planning conferences. But what is it really?

Event Design is the umbrella over three key components of creating memorable and impactful experiences for attendees. These elements go beyond logistics and delve into storytelling, creating immersive environments, and establishing a cohesive brand identity.

When there are millions of dings, pings, and notifications that are constantly asking us to turn our attention away from where we are—there is a noticeable effort to draw people back into being fully present at an event experience and be firmly planted where their feet are, truly living in the present moment.  

With advancements in AI being a hot topic of conversation, more organizations are looking for ways to bring new and fun technology to their conferences. Events are becoming less about traditional swag or networking and more about a unique experience. With that comes several challenges. What can you do that isn’t seen everywhere else? It’s expensive – how do you cover costs? How do you get attendees to engage with these experiences? Is it even worth it?  

With stage time maxing out with required programming, auxiliary stages are popping up everywhere to create more program opportunities. Innovation presentation stages in the lobby, mini-super sessions, media booths, side stages in GS—basically open space is fair game! Aux stages are a great way to test the response to up-and-coming speakers, provide time for sponsors, or show-off new technologies to your attendees! 

Your stage is more than just a backdrop, it’s part of the show, but being purposeful with design will create a larger impact for your audience. Whether it’s unique stage configurations or custom scenic design, here’s a few ways to design a memorable event experience. 

Organizations are always looking for ways to drive traffic and engage attendees throughout their event space including the Exhibit Hall. Bringing together two of the most important content areas—General Session for Education and Exhibit Floor for product and service opportunities makes sense, but is it the right choice for your event?

The education and fun shouldn’t end when attendees walk-out the venue doors, keep the connection and engagement going up through your next event. This will keep your members reading emails, staying active on social, and attending outings throughout. 

One of the top questions our clients ask us is: "What are some cool, new AI technologies I can use to elevate my event experience?"  Tech is a tactic in pursuit of some other goal.  Event goals are many; but purposeful and memorable are two that drive ROI and WOM (word of mouth.) 

This means layering tools and tactics that cement the IN-PERSON value and create memories that accurately remind the attendees of the event. AI and other tech tools can guide, nudge , or transform these elements to make them more memorable and purposeful.