“It’s becoming a seller’s market. With higher innovation and event demand, event professionals will be negotiating harder for the best venues and vendors.”
Amy Farrell, account executive, the Charles Group, Fairfield, New Jersey
"Although technology keeps changing and audience expectations have grown in a world where all information is available instantly anywhere, the challenge remains in finding ways to design events that will engage the audience and send them home with the message you wanted to impart. Attendees now expect to be participants and be actively involved in the program. The best events will be those that relay the message successfully at a reasonable cost.”
Les Selby, event specialist, Planning for Success, Toronto
“As a destination management company, we are faced with a number of challenges that include quicker response time for a creative R.F.P., budget constraints, and an increasingly competitive market. Clients are looking for the ‘wow’ factor on a much tighter budget, so the value-add is very important and has to be communicated well. The end client is now looking at a much larger number of destinations before they make their final choice, which puts constraints on the business.”
Gillian Rae, managing director, AlliedPRA Scotland, Edinburgh
“Integrating N.F.C. technology in a turnkey way that actually enhances the consumer’s event experience.”
Alex Frias, co-founder and president, Track Marketing Group, New York
“Presenting unique content that cannot be acquired for free elsewhere.”
Carly Ekstein, acting event department manager, Managing Matters, Toronto
"Competing with TV event shows to create unique experiences for clients that haven’t been seen before.”
Chekesha Rashad, event producer, Chi Squared Events, Washington, D.C.
“Creating a ‘wow’ factor. With the ability to share information, videos, and photos so easily, people are able, in some capacity, to feel part of an event experience even when they didn’t attend. People increasingly seem to have a ‘been there, done that’ attitude because they’ve been inundated with the same or similar concepts on Pinterest, etc.”
Kayse Dahl, public relations and marketing manager, West Coast Event Productions, Portland, Oregon
“The balance of tech and social media with attendees enjoying the actual event and living in the moment.”
Jason Rocco, director of events, GSM, Alexandria, Virginia
"Budgets that have not increased but costs have. Also shorter lead times."
Lorraine Mariella, president, Celebrations Event & Meeting Management, Totowa, New Jersey
Editor's note: Some of these comments were shared by readers on our social media networks. Join our discussions on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
