You have surely participated in a conference where the content of the speakers seemed difficult to digest, the attention was harder to capture and the outcome after the event tended towards zero.

We will approach this topic in a positive manner, offering some possibilities for improving the content of the speakers’ presentations. In our portfolio of corporate events we also meet corporate conferences. And as we really like to accept the challenges of large-scale events, we have come across situations where a 2-day conference with 500 participants needs improvements in terms of presentation design – and here we are not referring to the design per se, but to the flow or way of presentation.

I was talking in a previous article about Effective Learning and how important is the design of an event so that the entire content is assimilated by the participants. So, here are some alternatives to the classic Power Point projected on a screen, with many slides and a duration far too long for the attention and patience of the participants.

Short (May) Sessions

Shorter sessions, more varied and followed by breaks.

Instead of 50-minute sessions, organize shorter sessions of a few minutes, use an interactive event application to collect questions from the room, and afterwards the speaker reserves 10 minutes for to answer them. An alternative, in order to encourage human interaction, would be that after the presentation of just a few minutes, the interested participants are invited to a room for a “break-out session” in which they have the possibility to interact with the speaker or to network with the other participants.

If each speaker is given 15 minutes of presentation, not only does he concentrate on his entire content in this time, but also the attention of the participants is dedicated to those 15 minutes.

Also in this category, we also mention the format of type presentations PechaKucha 20×20, Ted Talk sessions (including a red carpet) or Ignite Talks .

Poster Sessions

To encourage the above point, we recommend Poster Sessions. Each speaker creates a single poster to present his topic. He has a few minutes (5-7 minutes) and afterwards he can ask questions from the audience or retire to a breakout room to spend time with those interested in the topic addressed.

We encourage e-posters, not only because we eliminate the print and the difficulty of transporting them, but there is the possibility of subsequent changes and rapid transition between speakers.

Interactive Sessions with several Speakers

They have the format of the famous panels. Several speakers are invited on stage, an MC moderates the session and the audience can interact with them through an event application. The speakers can have short presentations before the panel or they can present their area of expertise at the beginning of the session. For such sessions, we encourage the use of the event application, the content being very easily customized and directed by the participants through questions. The learning process in such a session is very fast, and the feedback is positive.

In Conclusion

The success of an event depends on a lot of variables – from location, to the agenda, activations or present speakers. The purpose of an internal corporate event is for the participants to assimilate a fairly large volume of information, that’s why you need to use the appropriate method for them to be a win-win. And, for example, to increase the interest and interaction between participants in your event, you can find some solutions in the article 4 Quick Methods to Increase Attendee Engagement.

Looking over the trends of recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have became an essential part of the events industry.

And maybe not only from the events industry, because there are blog articles, newsletters, e-books, video-blogs and almost everything around us has adopted VR and AR the These are among the most innovative technology trends of the last decade.

Before we see how the two can be integrated into your next event, let’s go back to basics.

Virtual Reality (VR)

As he defines it Oxford Dictionary:

The computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.

This starts from the idea of creating something “almost real”. VR is used in events to create an interaction without limits and is often used in hybrid events or predominantly in virtual events.

Augmented Reality (AR)

It is similar to VR, but it does not create an alternative to reality, but complements it. You must have played, or at least heard about Pokemon Go. The magic of that game was created with the help of AR.

In Oxford Dictionary, AR is defined as:

A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.

Like VR, augmented reality is often used in hybrid events.

Here are some ideas caught on the fly from colleagues in the MICE team to approach AR or VR in your next event:

1. Twist it up with a bit of gamification

I kept talking about gamification, clearly becoming a strong component of events and especially of team development. You give an interesting and fun twist to a serious event.

Combining the useful with the pleasant – you help the participants to communicate with each other, you can collect feedback, promote the partners of an event and all this with the help of gamification. And, of course, you can do this with the help of VR or AR.

2. Product display

And here we refer to the products that are perhaps more complicated to bring to an event – we have the well-known example of those from Volskwagen, when they developed an application for the Golf Cabriolet. The application uses AR and VR and gives you the opportunity to discover the car only with the help of a smartphone.

3. Creating a hybrid event

Before creating a virtual event, you can try organizing a hybrid event. That is, in addition to the participants who come to a conventional location (or not), you can also have those who participate online from various parts of the world.

And here we are not referring to the live streaming of the event, but to living the experience of the event with the help of Virtual Reality. An example at hand is the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.

4. Stands with VR

We live in an era where information means power. And brands want to convey, that’s why more and more are starting to offer information in various formats. Among these we call VR.

Here we have the example of colleagues from Internet & Mobile World and Bucharest Technology Week, in one of our events – Inspiration Day – presented their events through an application and some VR glasses.

5. Offers virtual tours

Unprecedented experiences with the help of an application and a pair of VR glasses. We can talk about how interactive the event is for colleagues from Imobiliarium, or rather we invite you to enjoy the experience Real estate on October 12-14.

6. Interactive presentations

The content of an event is in the top 3 reasons for participants choosing to attend an event. The presentations and information delivered by the speakers can also be offered in the form of AR.

A very good example is Bill Chang’s speech:

Conclusion

Both Virtual and Augmented Reality take your event experience to the next level. And if your audience is tech savvy… bingo!

Team meetings are special moments created either to give the team a boost of energy, or to make the action plan for the next year, or learning or all of the above. The meetings of the management team are more special because, in addition to those mentioned, perhaps a shift in thinking is needed, the topics may be more sensitive, or perhaps the event is one of the few in which the entire team gathers in a less formal setting.

So, while talking with the business development team, I learned about the next steps to choose the right location for the management team

• Step #1: Determining the exact number of people who will participate
• Step #2: Duration of meetings – it can be a one-day meeting, half a day or a complex event, for example, of which the meeting takes up a third
• Step #3: Logistical requirements – whether we are talking about an LED screen, a video projector and a projection screen, laptop, flipchart or if there are also teambuilding or energizer activities during the meetings, we are already talking about more logistics complex
• Step #4: Activations or entertainment – as we mentioned in the previous step, if there is room for activities in the agenda of the meeting, we recommend that you discuss with the location if this is allowed, in what time slot and of course if there is actually space for this
• Step #5: Accessibility – it is a very important aspect if the team is given transport to the location or it is necessary that the access be done quickly by other means
• Step #6: Planning this event in advance – even if you take care of it yourself, even if you give it to an agency, we recommend that you organize it in advance if you want it to be different
• Step #7: Other elements such as tables, cocktail parties or a specific arrangement of the room are aspects to be taken into account sent either to the location directly or to the event organizer

Considering that in such meetings the discussions are very serious, and the participants must be receptive, absorbing as much information as possible, while being relaxed and involved, the location and design of the event can help you to do this as efficiently as possible. From natural light, to the color of the location or the fresh air, they are through these elements.

If the meeting is part of a more complex event, it is very important that the agenda of the meeting is in accordance with the concept of the event, the theme or the values of the company so that the message transmitted is as strong as possible. For example, if it is a company focusing on sustainability or green energy, the meeting can take place in nature – park, mountain plateau, Botanical Garden or greenhouse. Even if the message is about power and about doing even more, we always recommend a circuit on an autodrome.

In Bucharest there are a lot of unconventional spaces which can be rented to escape the monotony of a conference hall – palaces, gardens, rooftops or art galleries.

The possibilities are countless and we know that in the case of managers’ meetings the most important thing is the content and those in the organization are mostly concerned with this aspect, the structure of the meeting, the topics covered, reports and future plans, hence our recommendation to leave the organizational part in the care of experts so that even a serious meeting can be an unforgettable experience.

Noua toamna ne place sa nu numaram participantii fericiti, de aceea pe langa o selectie de activitati de teambuilding iti recomandam sa ii dai evenimentului tau un twist tomnatic.

Din agendele colegilor nostri am selectat urmatoarele idei:

BUTAFORII

Fie ca vorbim despre copaci sau frunze pentru un eveniment indoor, atmosfera cu siguranta va apreciata. Sa aduci natura mai aproape de tema evenimentului tau inseamna un plus pentru experienta oferita participantilor tai.

PĂTURI

Daca evenimentul tau se desfasoara outdoor, daca ai activitati de teambuilding care presupun activități de tip atelier de lucru sau un eveniment de tip “Company Day Out”, iti recomandam paturicile. Fie ca vor sta pe ele, fie ca se vor inveli cu ele la lasatul serii, acestea cu siguranta vor fi apreciate.

DECORATIUNI

Foloseste-te de ce iti ofera natura si imbina-le cu recipiente rustice pentru a crea decoratiuni. Borcane cu frunze, conuri, nuci, porumb vor aduce culorile toamnei directe pe masa participantilor tai. Mai poti adauga si uleiuri esentiale pentru experienta completa.

LUMINI

Ati observat ca toamna ne intampina cu confeti? Si aici ne referim clar la frunzele copacilor care cad precum niste confeti. Recreaza interiorul evenimentului tau cu o multitudine de frunze si lumini ambientale ca de un asfintit de toamna.

PETRECERE DE HALLOWEEN

Pentru ca toamna este si Halloween-ul, poti organiza pentru colegii tai o petrecere tematica pentru Halloween. Decoruri de speriat, costume creative, muzica de nu te lasa sa stai jos si distractie pana la rasarit.

CAFEA DE SPECIALITATE

Ceva caldut si gustos este si va fi mereu apreciat intr-un eveniment care are si componente outdoor. Cum iti surade sa ai un Specialty Cofee Spot cu un barista care creaza latte art?

CONCERTE DE MUZICA LIVE

A fost o vara cu festivaluri noi sau cu renume, aproape niciun weekend acasa. Dar, cum iti surade ca petrecerea sa continue si in toamna? Incepe cu un concert live pentru participantii tai.

GIVEAWAYS

Povesteam intr-un articol de blog anterior despre giveaways si cat de benefice sunt ele pentru experienta participantilor daca reusim sa mergem mai departe de paradigma agendelor , pixurilor si flyerelor. Lasa-ti imaginatia sa umble libera si alege cele mai traznite si utile giveaway-uri pentru colegii tai.

Cum vrei sa arate evenimentul tau? Lasa-ne gandurile tale intr-un comment.

We don’t know what others are like, but in the fall we don’t count the freshmen… but the experiences offered, the smiles received and we enjoy the energy created.

The tailored experiences for the teams we work with are based on a lot of research, detailed details, energetic facilitators and personalized teambuilding concepts.

Here is what we propose for your team, this fall.

#1 GLOBAL INNOVATION GAME

An activity specially created to disconnect us from the devices we have adopted in our lifestyle. The activity encourages creativity and rewards the most innovative. Starting with the Dragon’s Den idea, we challenge the teams to create, bid and… may the best idea win!

#2 ANIMATE

Are you familiar with stop-motion animation? The teams are challenged to create a unique digital stop-motion animation sequence on a certain theme. The themes can be adapted according to your team, project or organization.

#3 RAT TRAP< /h2>
Mickey doesn’t get caught so easily. Your team will create a trap to catch him, consisting of several pieces, creating the domino effect. All this trap has huge dimensions and we season it with witty questions. Spoiler alert: collaboration will make the whole process easier.

 

#4 ESSENCE OF EXCELLENCE< /a>

Grab your robes and embark on the most wonderful tour of essences. Depending on the team’s goals, you can create the perfume of the ideal client, the perfect team or simply the last “must have” on the market.

Boom Time

#5 BOOM TIME

With catchy music, the energy level will surely be high. Each participant owns a boomwacker, and with the help of an application, a special synergy and symphony is created.

#6 CHAIN REACTION LIFESIZE

Creativity and team communication are among the skills improved during the activity. The teams must create a large-scale chain reaction. The energy that is created around the workshops is unimaginable.

#7 BLOCKBUSTERS

The world of showbiz is being rewritten by your team. Blockbusters is an activity that incorporates the culture of your team by combining fun, teamwork and funny videos. Exciting themes, props and lots of laughs are elements that will increase the energy of your team.

We reviewed the most popular teambuilding activities for this fall, but you can also browse other activities from our portfolio, and if you want an activity specially created for your team, write to us: Contact“

Over time we managed to see and organize hundreds of events. Experiences that exposed the participants to a lot of information, different content and impressive speakers. Basically, they are leaving with a large (information) baggage.

In a complete event experience, is the welcome package still useful?

Over 10 years of organizing events have taught us that any possibility to interact with the participants or to keep them engaged in an event, represents one of the aces up the sleeve. And if this is done professionally it will represent a win-win situation.

#1 Be creative

Participants see a lot of information during an event, not applied immediately or without a follow-up, they become useless.

Thus, give them the possibility that the information received during the event will be useful, later it will be useful to you too. Think about all the flyers or catalogs you received, how useful were they? Most of the time, they end up being thrown away or there is a huge discrepancy between the event experience and the welcome bag received.

We recommend you to be creative, what the participant receives in the welcome package should go hand in hand with the experience you offer. Whether we are talking about gadgets, business tools or an object that has meaning but is also useful in everyday activity.

– – – – Looking for welcome package ideas? Write us! – – – –

#2 Create a community of people with the same interest

If, for example, your event promotes a healthy lifestyle or your participants tech savvy or a community of people willing to bring a change in our environment, welcome package should be in this direction. And here, we can offer you the most handy example – event application.

Besides the fact that the registration process is much faster, but you offer them the possibility to interact with each other, with the speakers or with the organizing team. Yes, the application will not be found per se in the welcome bag, but it is the participant’s first interaction with your event at the moment T0.

Also, the application provides you with essential data about your audience, you can deduce event behaviors and you can also create that community we were talking about at the beginning.

CONCLUSION

To answer the question in the title: YES, the welcome package is useful, it’s up to you to decide how it will look and what its purpose is.

Represents among the first interactions between the participant and the event experience. It will not be thrown away or ignored if it brings added value both during the event and afterwards – being an extraordinary method of follow-up.

We notice that Generations Y and Z are increasingly present, not only as consumers but also in the business world. In order to attract the attention of these tech-savvy generations, companies must make the transition from “Talk-Listen” thinking when they the design of an event to a structure that keeps them involved throughout the event and a more relaxing atmosphere.

Below, I made a list to support the creation of a corporate event for generations Y and Z.

#1 Education vs Selling

No one likes to attend sales presentations, especially the Y and Z generations, who pay attention to the marketing methods of the past years.

These two generations are exposed to an extraordinarily large volume of information that is at their fingertips – free online courses, webinars or videos on YouTube. Thus, in order to attract them to your events, you must offer them valuable, unique information delivered in innovative methods.

#2 An Instagram-able Event

The rigid corporate events of the past should remain in the past. Today, business events are relaxing, cozy, with the buzz of conversations, music and, of course, food. Because Generations Y and Z are dependent on social media, we recommend that your event has infinite possibilities to create “Insta Stories” “Insta Posts”… insta-everything.

#3 Techy, techy, T E C H Y

Because we are talking about the generations that have the phone in their hand. Your event must be adapted for them. From the handouts from the event that should be distributed electronically, to charging stations, communication with the event staff, the speakers or the MC.

#4 An Event on Social Media

Social Media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are at the forefront when we talk about Generations Y and Z. Take advantage of the trends of these platforms and offer participants the opportunity to use hashtags , discounts and promotions to attract them to your pages or share-worthy content in presentations.

#5 Speakers

Influencer – this term heard more and more often. Your event agenda should include them because they are the promoters of these two generations.

CONCLUSION

The young generations are starting to occupy an increasingly large percentage of the current workforce. Thus, they also change their status from consumers to people who are actively involved in companies, who take part in events. The event experiences offered to them must be adapted to their lifestyle.

In order to maintain quality at high standards, we seek to be up to date with the latest trends in event management, to we use the feedback that our clients give us, to participate in conferences and specialization courses and to generate new ideas.

With these things in mind, we have listed below a series of small changes for experience management.

ANTICIPATE

The success of a conference depends a lot on the time of preparation and communication prior to the event itself. Social media offers an excellent way to generate interest and increase enthusiasm. It is also a fast, easy and affordable way to share information and, above all, to get to know the audience.

CLARITY OF PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

Participants should not be overwhelmed by too many topics covered in the event. Having the focus only on a few key topics, the participants will be able to assimilate the information delivered much more easily.

TECHNOLOGY

They are promoters of technology, therefore, each of our clients is encouraged to use it in their event – whether we are talking about conferences, teambuildings or parties. From interactive presentations, to event applications or techy decorations.

LOCATION

When we want events, the location plays a very important role. When you choose an event location, you must start with the following ideas in mind: capacity, the possibility of personalization, the attached spaces – for example, the spaces for the expo or cocktail party.

Also here, we mention the change of location. If your event has been held in the same location for years in a row, we recommend you try a new one. For example, Lagoo Sangov, a location that brings you closer to nature and offers flexibility in terms of event design.

GAMIFICATION

“We like not to play like big people”< /a>, we say it often because we believe that remarkable results can be achieved through play. Therefore, we invite you to adopt it in your next event and you will have a surprise regarding the engagement of the participants and especially the quality of the event.

GATHER FEEDBACK

The easiest way to improve your events is to find out what the participants liked and didn’t like. Regardless of the method you choose to collect this feedback, make sure you ask participants for their opinion about the event no later than one day after the event when the experience is still fresh.

In conclusion, a small step for the event management strategy, a big step for the quality of the event.

Meetings, workshops and trainings are a necessity in a work environment. Effective learning is the path to innovation and productivity.

Over the years, as event organizers, we received this challenge in the event brief. That’s why I’ve listed below some methods for the structure of the events to help in the effective learning process.

Location

There is a reason why changing the “landscape” can influence the mood and productivity of the participants. A location with personality can inspire participants to become more creative and innovative. Moreover, if it is a location that also has accommodation, the meeting can be transformed into a teambuilding or a conference.

Brainstorming

The creative process of brainstorming is quite often found in team meetings. Whether we are talking about the classic “flipchart & marker”, digital solutions or the creation of sticky walls in which your colleagues write their ideas on a sticky note and are later stuck on a wall.

COZY

Armchairs, adjustable tables, colors, beanbags – elements that create a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. Besides these, the fact that you emphasize comfort is conveyed to the participants.

Collaborative creativity

Through the teambuilding activities in our suite, we encourage collaborative creativity, which in turn improves teamwork. For example, Big Picture – everyone loves to paint, whether we are talking about talent, passion or relaxation – the participants get involved until the last detail of the painting and where else can it be exhibited at the company’s headquarters.

Snacks & Coffee Breaks

Food is essential in events. If it is a shorter event, we recommend introducing healthy snacks or coffee breaks. In the case of long-term events, we are talking about lunch, dinner or breakfast.

Gamification

We have been advocating gamification for several years and we continue to do so in the case of the effective learning process. Thus, by creating informal event spaces with gamification twists, we encourage creativity, innovation and productivity.

Relaxation Spaces

Relaxing activities within an event will help your colleagues to find a balance, offering them a small break with a creative activity will push them towards innovation. For example, in the relaxation areas there can be Zen Gardens that can also be a nice give-away.

Division Areas

If you have scheduled 1-2-1 meetings in the agenda of your event – be they for feedback, brainstorming or informal discussions – we recommend you to create specially designed areas for this.

Meetings within the team are essential for organizational growth – both from the point of view of the individual, the team and the company’s objectives. The structure of these types of events is very important to reach the end of the event with some relevant conclusions and the objectives of the event achieved.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Brand activations represent the set of actions through which the target audience interacts directly or indirectly with the brand. In short, consumers have reached a point where “Buy Now!” is no longer convincing enough, so activations have appeared in which trust in the brand can be strengthened.

As an event organizer, the buzz from the networking spaces is the sound of the event’s success – people connect, and you managed to help them in this regard. Creating an atmosphere in which participants feel comfortable, leave their comfort zone and interact with partners or brands is a big part of this success.

Of course, each activation is specially created for the target audience and the right brand. Thus, before entering the creation process to establish the right activation, we recommend you to answer the following questions:

• Where is the target audience most likely to use my product? How can I recreate that experience in my event?
• What is the philosophy behind the brand?
• What are the unique features of the product? What is the story?
• How can customers interact with each other?

These are the starting point for creating the right activation. With these in mind, we invite you to go through the following directions also experienced by us within the events created under the #theUNIVERSUMexperience brand.

Adopt technology

Smart phones and social media are part of customer behavior. That’s why, even if the brand activations during the events involve face-to-face interaction, you can use social media until the moment of the event – using the hashtag, sharing a photo or video on Facebook or Instagram.

Personalized activities

The soul of the created event is represented by the activities that keep the participants involved. Storytelling, activities, know-how and laughter – the recipe for success, and we’re not the only ones saying it – these lead to the “Activation” of the brand. Whether we are talking about large-scale events or smaller events, it includes activities to reach every participant.

Also, these personalized activities go hand in hand with social media. If the participants feel good during the event, they will share frames from the event on Facebook, Instagram or Stories with the hashtag of the event, the location or even your brand.

Tell a story

Storytelling for a brand is essential and can transform the way teams work within the event. Any company can “adopt” a character to use to tell stories. This not only humanizes the brand, but it can be an easier communicator for the entire story of the company, and in an event it can be the central element.

Each event has unique moments, both within the sessions and outside them. Creating a memorable brand experience can give life to an event.

We have some ideas for brand activations for your next event. Write to us to ask for more details:

[/vc_column_text][mk_button size=”x-large” url=”https://www.universum.ro/contact/” target=”_blank” align=”center”]Contact[/mk_button][/vc_column][ /vc_row]