Each month in 2019 this space is focusing on how to take strategic steps to make this the year of YOU. It doesn’t matter if your New Year’s Resolutions are a thing of the past. Each morning you get a new day to accomplish something. So instead of focusing on what you haven’t done, let’s stay on track and set a goal for today.

Thanks to technology, the trade show space continues to evolve. From digital mapping and augmented reality to IoT and predictive analytics, event marketers have a plethora of tools at their disposable to make their events more impactful than ever. While significantly less flashy than an immersive VR environment at your booth, one tried and true way to impact the ROI of your event is through strategic events and meetings. 

One of the attributes of the live events business that draws people to want to be part of it is its dynamism, its constant change. Event planners, vendors, and others involved in the industry thrive on the fast pace and endless evolution of new trends, technology, and practices.

It's not a sit-at-your-desk-during-business-hours kind of role. Event professionals crave travel, adventure, and the adrenaline rush that comes from producing an extraordinary experience for attendees.

Planning a corporate party can seem like a tedious task, from hours of planning, to creating a personalized budget for a successful outcome. But many companies host special events or parties either in conjunction with existing events or as standalone celebrations to show appreciation for customers, partners and employees.

Events are one of the best ways for businesses to showcase products, promote services and increase brand awareness, and one of the key advantages of event marketing is the ability to provide attendees with something memorable to link back to you. However, as we all know, organizing events can be extremely complicated and time consuming — and that is especially true for startups and small businesses.

Thanks to technology, the trade show space continues to evolve. From digital mapping and augmented reality to IoT and predictive analytics, event marketers have a plethora of tools at their disposable to make their events more impactful than ever. While significantly less flashy than an immersive VR environment at your booth, one tried and true way to impact the ROI of your event is through strategic events and meetings. 

If the past several years go down as “The Era of Acquisitions” in event tech, 2019 and beyond just may become known as “The Era of the Niche Solutions.”

What happens when your event’s security is lacking, the gourmet food doesn’t arrive, your lodging accommodations turn into a health hazard and the entertainment bails? Sounds like a disaster, right? This is exactly how the Fyre Festival of 2017 will be remembered: a total disaster.

With this month’s focus on YOU (and what subject is more interesting?), it seemed the perfect opportunity to discuss making it a full year of year of YOU, whatever that may look like. To have a successful 2019, you need to be willing to get out of your comfort zone, put in a few extra hours of work every week and stay committed to your goal. If you’ve got the desire to get there, I’ve got the roadmap.

Technology evolves faster every day and that’s a great thing when it comes to the event space. This rapid innovation means there are new event technologies available at a constant pace, bringing new ways to collect data, engage audiences, manage details and more.

But how can event professionals stay on top of these new offerings and figure out what best applies to their needs and challenges?

Read on for our predictions on what’s ahead when it comes to digital and event technology in 2019 and beyond.