Blink and you’ll miss it! This is probably the best way to describe how quickly 2019 flew by. Before we knew it, it was the end of not just a year but also another decade as well. The 2010s were ‘event’ful to say the least but this only serves to lay the foundation for bigger and better events in 2020.
Trends come and trends go and every event professional worth their weight in salt will have their own take on what is to be expected for the upcoming year. While we may not be fortune tellers, here’s what our experts strongly believe will take the front seat when it comes to B2B events in 2020.
- Trend #1 – Personalization
Birds of a feather may flock together but each bird deserves special attention. While we agree with targetting certain personas in a group, the event meetings scene today demands more. Every event plays host to many different attendees, each looking for and working in their own unique way. Personalizing the event experience for your attendees will ensure that they get the most out of the event and will experience the same not as a passive visitor but as an active participant.
For example, data collected about attendees (from Google forms, social media handles, meeting agendas, etc.) can enable planners and organizers to tailor certain messaging and experiences especially if these attendees are larger in number.
- Trend #2 – Sustainability is here to stay
The new buzz word all around is ‘sustainability’. Regardless of which industry you are a part of, the movement that is gaining the most traction is towards ensuring that all products and processes are environment-friendly. The Event Industry is no exception.
The International Standard on Sustainable Event Management, ISO 20121 was developed in order to encourage the event industry to employ sustainability practices. This international standard also helps organizers and enterprises to identify the impact of an event and reduce those that have a negative effect on the environment.
Bare-minimum measures such as substituting metal straws for plastic ones are just not going to cut it anymore. Today not just attendees but vendors, venue partners, and other collaborators look at the environmental implications of an event and meetings that take place at these events. Upgrading the food that is served, cutlery, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, and LEED certifications are also necessary.
Related: Here’s how you can ensure that your B2B Meetings at events are sustainable
Trend #3 – Your Mind Matters
The past few years were mainly about ‘hustling’, ‘the daily grind’, with importance given to hard work sometimes even at the cost of mental health. While the trend started changing mid-year with the focus shifting to mental health and balance, experts believe that in 2020 the emphasis will be on wellness and mental health.
Events are not synonymous with relaxation or peace. The hustle and bustle of large scale events are daunting even for the most seasoned of event veterans. However, there are a number of B2B events that are curating activities or partnering with wellness organizations in order to take one step further towards fostering mental health at events. Salesforce’s premier event Dreamforce lead this trend a while ago and we believe that a lot more events will follow suit in 2020.
Trend #4 – Rise of AI/VR/AR
The new ‘Holy Trinity’ of Event Technology – AI(Artificial Intelligence), VR(Virtual Reality), AI(Augmented Reality) are changing the face of events and how. This is especially true for event venues. Technology has allowed for better event experiences in terms of sound, structure, lighting, and other digital interactions. Events are all about engagements and if technology can be used to enhance this experience then all the better. A number of new, creative, and exciting technological infrastructure is being put into place and looking at the positive reactions this scenario has been gathering, it is safe to say that events in 2020 will just be bigger and better.
Trend #5 – Automation is here to stay!
As an enterprise focused on Automation, we couldn’t be happier. Automation is not just about making tasks easier, it is about enhancing quality that will ultimately have a significant impact on a business. CRM software, Marketing Automation, Badge Scanning apps, Meeting Automation, etc., almost every workload today can be automated to provide better and faster results. And in 2020, the necessity for automating all possible tasks will just get stronger.
While there are a plethora of trends that will shake up the world of B2B events, the above is what we believe will be the most impactful. What do you think will lead the trend for Events in 2020? Let us know in the comments below!
