Ruling Trends of Event Management in 2012

The growing craze of taking events online for reaching out to a large number of people has brought major changes in the event management trends over the past few years. Technological advancements have taken event management a step further, leading to increased interactivity in the program. Experts believe that growing importance on technology these days has made it the core of several trends coming up in 2012. Let's take a look at the leading trends, which are expected to rule the event industry this year.

Use of Mobile "Apps" for Event Promotion

With the advancements in technology, there is expected to be an increased use of mobile applications for the promotion and marketing of the events. Now-a-days, the mobile devices, with their in-built applications, help promote audience engagement, interactivity, and networking. Using these mobile "apps", organizers can communicate with their attendees and give live updates of the meeting. Some of the leading mobile audience response and networking apps includes VisionTree, Spotme, and so on. Barcode scanning and RFID are also becoming increasingly important for customized lead generation and tracking and reporting of registration status.

Use of Hybrid Elements in Events

The cost-conscious business environment in the post-recession period has encouraged the growth of hybrid meetings in recent years. Incorporating hybrid components, such as live broadcasts, video streaming, and others not only helps organizers plan event at a reduced cost, but also allows them to conduct it from a remote location.

Events Going Green

"Going green" is no more a slogan; rather, it is highly in practice these days. According to the veterans of the event industry, this is likely to be the buzzword in 2012. Organizers now focus on incorporating green elements in their events. It includes biodiesel vehicles and biodegradable materials, locally sourced food, and reusable plants for decoration. Many event organizers are also using recyclable name badges in order to reduce on-site waste consumption. Water refill stations are also launched in order to replace bottled water.

Increased Social Media Interaction

With the increased popularity of social networking as a marketing ploy, event organizers are using the social media tools for the same. Experts believe that the use of social networking websites, such as Twitter and LinkedIn for interactive meetings will have exponential increase in 2012. The popularity of computer kiosks and Twitter boards that provide live updates of events is gradually increasing. At present, organizers are also making extensive use of Skype for providing instant assistance and "face to face" client interaction to achieve maximum attendee satisfaction.