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Companies and small businesses planning their corporate events for 2019 may find that the process has become increasingly complex as new technologies, meeting formats and personalization preferences are introduced. Incorporating these trends into your business event or meeting helps to ensure attendees are as satisfied and engaged as possible.

As one of the leading venues in Columbus for small business and corporate events and meetings, The Grand Event Center has played host to some of the most cutting-edge brands and companies in the region. With state-of-the-art facilities and an expert staff of event planners helping every step of the way, we all but guarantee success for our clients.

Whether you’re planning a corporate event in Columbus or across the country, here are some of the top trends to consider in 2019.

Bridge Physical and Digital Worlds

Today’s world is more connected than ever, and the vast majority of companies employ intricate digital programs designed to attract and engage customers. Allocating even a fraction of those resources to an upcoming event can substantially alter the reach and engagement you’re likely to receive.

Here are a few ways businesses are weaving digital and experiential into their events and meetings in 2019:

• Event hashtag. An event hashtag not only emboldens attendees to share their experience online, but it also allows organizers to gauge peoples’ thoughts and level of engagement around the content they’re sharing.
• Live video. By taking live video during certain key parts of the event, customers and employees who may not have been able to attend are able to watch and interact with the content as if they’re in the audience.
• Live posting. As a complement or alternative to live video, event organizers can also capture photos and sound bites and share them in the moment on the brand’s social media channels—tagging each post with the event hashtag, of course.
• Digital materials. If your company’s event is presentation-heavy, be sure to make digital versions available to attendees once the conference or meeting has ended. This allows people to follow up on key points made by the presenter and capture any information they might have missed live.

Plan Official After-Hours Events

Corporate events are packed with information from start to finish. Once the day is over, attendees—especially those from out of town—are often on their own to either relax back at their hotel or go out on the town with others. Instead of letting attendees run free, event organizers can plan an official after-party or networking mixer at a nearby hotel or restaurant as a way to facilitate that much-needed social time after a jam-packed day.

It helps to speak with your corporate event venue to get connected with local hotspots in the area. For example, with tons of hotels and restaurants within walking distance of The Grand Event Center, we have partnerships with several food and entertainment options in Grandview Heights and Columbus-area—many of whom offer exclusive packages to our clients.

Address Impact of BYOD

More and more at corporate events, attendees are bringing their own devices (BYOD) and significantly impacting the digital infrastructure of the venues they’re held at. To address this, organizers should choose an event venue that offers ample power and space for charging, as well as strong wireless speeds.

If you’re anticipating a lot of connected attendees, it might even be a good idea to bring additional charging stations to keep everyone happy and engaged. At The Grand Event Center, our state-of-the-art corporate event venue is filled with charging outlets, and features industry-leading Wi-Fi capabilities.