So the festive tinsel and party games are a distant memory, you’re back into the fray at work and you’re already doubting the sanity of those champagne-fuelled New Year’s resolutions. 2018 is well and truly here – so what’s in store?

The pace of change is breath-taking in our digital age, so it’s vital to keep up to speed with current trends in our sector.

Tightening belts

Most people like a bargain – and, in the face of a lingering era of austerity and the uncertainty looming post-Brexit, this has never been so true.

For more and more organisations, maximising ever-tighter budgets and achieving real value for money is crucial to everything they do, from conference hosting to product manufacture.

As experienced event planners, we are dab hands at adapting to varying budgets – and getting the very best deal we can for our clients.

And the good news is that current trends – harnessing rapidly-changing technology and heightened environmental awareness – can offer significant opportunities to cut costs.

Technology

As the focus for many event planners moves to more experiential events, we are seeing a rise in the employment of emerging technology to better connect with attendees and enhance audience engagement.

Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality are being increasingly used at events in ever more inventive ways. Computer-generated environments such as these create a truly unique, immersive, personalised experience for each attendee and one they won’t forget in a hurry.

Artificial intelligence is also a fast-evolving technology to keep an eye on, as the possibilities and opportunities it presents begin to become astonishingly clear.

Sustainability

Environmental implications and an emphasis on sustainability are important considerations for any event planner, as we all become more conscious of our carbon footprint and its impact on a fragile Earth.

In the past, organisers may have considered this a relatively minor concern, a ‘bolt-on’ issue to have a quick think about when the principle elements for their glittering event are all in place. But these days, that just won’t wash – clients and their event audiences are far more clued-up, and rightly so.

Awareness of an event’s potential environmental impact needs to be built into its planning right from the start, from the choice of location and transport links to catering and publicity material.

And, of course, measures such as promoting an event on social media rather than printed flyers or ditching single-use plastic cups for our coffee break can not only bring environmental benefits but also financial savings.

Innovation

Necessity is, indeed, the mother of invention. So – instead of bemoaning the challenging economic climate which may prompt the need to justify every penny spent on a conference, festival or product launch – let’s embrace the exciting opportunities it presents.

As we explore ever more creative ways to make the most of our clients’ budgets, innovation is key. By taking a more imaginative approach, we can deliver not only a first-class event but also take the strain off their purse strings – and the planet.