As a leading event and exhibition hire company, we’ve worked with some of the country’s best brands and agencies. At its core, event planning is a delicate art of harmonising vision with reality and we’ve collated some practical tools and resources to ensure your brand shines at your next event or tradeshow. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out in the industry, these top tips from our team will help you navigate the complexities and challenges of event planning.
Venues that feel like home (and why we love them)
Venue selection is such a pivotal and often challenging aspect of event planning. It’s no coincidence that it ranks among one the toughest tasks to check off your list based on our customer insights and feedback.
We understand your vision is to curate an extraordinary and immersive environment and the venue takes centre stage. So where to start? Take a look at these local venues to consider:
- Hyatt Regency: Stunning water views, top-notch AV facilities and spacious ballrooms, ideal for conferences and exhibitions.
- ICC Sydney: World-class and purpose-built to deliver the pinnacle of conventions and tradeshows.
- Luna Park: Uniquely charming and versatile, it’s the perfect place to work and play, creating memorable experiences for all.
- Randwick Racecourse: A unique venue offering with excellent ballroom space for exhibitions.
- Sydney Masonic Centre: An expert team with flexible and unique event spaces.
- Sydney Showground: Designed for large-scale exhibitions and conveniently accessible via public transport.
Don’t forget to check the venue restrictions and guidelines too – this is often overlooked! We recommend making an inventory of all the equipment and supplies needed for the event and we’ll take care of the rest. From guidance on what the venues can accommodate through to loading docks and lifts, we’ll make sure you don’t get caught out.
Video is the new black
Whatever your budget, you can still find a beautiful balance of being creative, innovative and impactful. Virtual event formats such live streaming and social streaming have gained huge traction in the past few years and have proven to be highly effective in extending your events’ reach beyond the physical venue as well as enhancing your overall marketing strategy. In fact, according to Statista, global users spent about $3.8 billion on mobile live streaming apps in 2021. It increased by more or less 57% in just a single year.
To break it down; live streaming focuses solely on video streaming such Zoom Events, Google Meet, GoToWebinar or ON24, whereas social streaming are social networks with live video or video platforms. We challenge you to think outside your standard social channels such as Facebook Events or Instagram Live and consider YouTube, twitch or even Tiktok for your next event, but also consider if they align with your audience demographics.
Practice makes AV perfect
Time is always against an event planner! Even the most meretriciously planned event can have one or two hiccups come event day. Events with multiple sessions, stage changes, speaker panels or performances often require complex AV setups and transitions – so schedule extra time for rehearsals. Be sure to check out the room acoustics, soundproofing and sound system capabilities too along with testing the aspect ratio, image resolution and sightlines before the main event. Some venues and convention centres now even have speaker prep rooms with fully equipped rehearsal studios to allow presenters to simulate a typical presentation setup – be sure you take advantage of these!
Go contactless but make it sleek
Contactless technology solutions, such as mobile check-ins, digital badges, touchless kiosks or QR codes that link to a dedicated registration page are just the tip of the iceberg in this space. You can enhance safety, efficiency and convenience, not to mention offer a streamlined digital check-in to enhance your delegate experience.
However, if you really want to make a big impact in this space, we recommend adding branded event signage, entrance feature styling or red-carpet arrival experiences. Our team can help create everything from the perfect mood board through to the striking finished aesthetic. We’ve worked with some of the best in the business too such as Sprintr, Touchpoint Technology, JombaBlue, Eventbrite and more, so if you really want to level up your arrival experience then contactless is the way to go.
Pop-Up and Pop-Out Experiences
Creating a space for pop-up installations or activations within the event will also make for a memorable experience. Our team can help guide your floor plan design to create zones or breakout spaces that will help with visitor flow and drive traffic to your displays. This could involve inviting sponsors or exhibitors to provide interactive art installations, photo booths with unique props, or mini-displays to showcase their products.
Why not set up collaborative learning spaces where attendees can engage in group discussions, brainstorming sessions or knowledge-sharing circles? Be sure to provide tools and resources to facilitate collaboration such as interactive whiteboards and real-time polling or go with a traditional paper and easel set up if this approach suits your delegates.
But leave the heavy lifting to us! With our comprehensive project management, risk management and event equipment services, we take care of the intricate details so you can focus on creating an unforgettable experience. For more fun ways to Create An Engaging Exhibition Stand, check out our latest article.
Data and Analytics
Even with all these innovative virtual platforms to explore, in-person meetings and face-to-face connections remain the preferred format. We’ve worked with data capture platforms and agencies such as Affinity Outdoor, Mesh and EventsAir to name a few and although it may seem daunting at first, these resources will provide valuable insights for you to offer more tailored experiences, pinpointing valuable sponsorship opportunities and achieving future success. For more tips on using analytics, check out our latest article on How To Create A Winning Marketing Strategy For Events
Looking to deliver a show-stopping experience at your next event or tradeshow? From event and equipment hire through to shell scheme and custom exhibition builds, we have the expertise and resources to bring your vision to life. Contact us today to discuss your event needs and leverage our industry knowledge to make your next event appearance a show-stopping experience.
