This post was co-written by Jessica Everett and Jorge Aguilar, a partner at Prophet Consulting. 

Staying up-to-date with the latest technology is vital, and as a result, developer conferences abound.  Microsoft Ignite, Apple WWDC, Facebook F8, and Google I/O have become a standard way for developers to learn about emerging trends, hone their skills, expand their knowledge, network with other professionals, and learn about the newest products coming down the pipeline.

In a perfect world, an event will never be oversold. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Eventually, one of your hosted events might end up with more attendees than your venue can support. Here are some tips on ways to handle the situation.  

Meeting design is a hot topic, and with good reason. An engaging event environment immerses attendees in an atmosphere that brings your marketing message to life. A cohesive marketing and communications strategy should include the entire event experience, from pre-show promotions and onsite through the post-show follow up. Defined event goals are the foundation for the messaging and knowing what attendees need to hear to improve their behavior is the bedrock for content.

"My event app smells like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!"

Well, not exactly...but wouldn't it be cool if it did?

Today's attendee wants events to be experiences. They're looking to see, try, taste and learn. They want to be part of what you're creating or building. You design your events to provide immersive experiences for your attendees, so why shouldn't your app help with that process?

Here are a few ideas and ways to create that immersion:

I am often asked what giveaways are the most popular at trade shows. Event managers feel they should offer something but they are at a loss of what will draw people in so they can talk to them. However, they find that while giveaways were a good draw in the past, many of today’s show attendees are not interested in them. I have had multiple show-goers decline my offer of a giveaway because they don’t need it and this response has become much more frequent over the past three years.

Digital technology has changed the way in which business operates. At one time companies just had to focus on radio and print advertisements to gain popularity. The advent of television complicated this, let alone the rise of the internet. Suddenly advertisements are everywhere and come in a wide range of forms. Some businesses even only operate online! This means that companies and brands have had to become savier and more strategic in reaching their consumers if they want to succeed.

A sustainable event is one in which attendees remain connected to the organizer, sponsors and fellow conference-goers from the opening reception to closing remarks. General session seats are filled early, and facilitated networking events are as well attended as impromptu groups forming in hotel lobby bars.

You might not think the definition of perishable can possibly describe a corporate event but think of it in these terms: something perishable is likely to rot or decay because the core of the event lacks sustenance and nourishment to keep the energy alive.

Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.  It’s important to be reminded of this as we get caught up in our ‘can do’ mode tackling projects for which we may not be the best qualified. If you imagine décor and music are all it takes to design experiences, my conversation with Julian Lwin, a spatial innovation and experiential design director, may change your perspective.

It’s that time again! Can you believe it’s been almost six months since our first quarterly reader survey?

I’ve always been better at the first two of the three “R”s (reading and ’riting, clearly not so much ’rithmetic), but I’m also going to go with the excuse of being so busy sourcing and writing articles that the time just flew by.

Our second reader survey is now available, and will be open through July 23.

In a world of networking events and big conferences, thinking of unique ways to make a lasting impression can be tough. Luckily, almost anything is possible when it comes to large-format printing and branding materials. Below are six out-of-the-box ways to use your conference signage to make a big splash with attendees.