Inspiration

Attending Events By Yourself; You Are Not Alone

You have just registered to attend an event and you’re excited to meet new people, maybe visit a new city and learn some great innovative content.

If you are attending the event by yourself, however, it can be a very overwhelming experience, especially if you are an introvert. Know that you are not alone. There are many other attendees that are also by themselves and likely feel the same way. If you are open to the possibility of making new connections you might attend the event alone but not actually be alone while you are there. In some instances it may actually be better to attend an event alone, you are more open and likely to engage in meaningful conversations that result in real connections.

Here’s how:

Say Hello. Yes, it sounds simple, but breaking the ice and saying hello can be very daunting when you are in an unfamiliar place. If you are able to collect yourself and make that first step, it opens the opportunity to learn, and connect with someone new. If the other person does not engage in dialogue, that’s okay, don’t feel discouraged, not every opportunity is a good match. Some people prefer to attend events alone.

Have a goal. Be prepared before you attend the event. Outline what you want to accomplish, and set a key objective on what you hope to take away. Your goal could be to come back with the business lead, supplier partnership, LinkedIn connection, operational advice, or a new friend.

There is a great quote from John Wooden that reads “When opportunity comes it’s too late to prepare”. If you modify your perspective to view every connection as an opportunity then making sure you are prepared to get the most out of your encounters will help you move closer to your goal. For example, if your goal is a new business lead, have an opening statement prepared to help shape your dialogue and lead the conversation in the right direction. Understanding and knowing where you want to go in your conversations can make the discussion more engaging for the other person.

Use lineups to your advantage. From the registration counter to keynote sessions, to coffee lines, most people are looking to entertain themselves while they wait. Lines are a great way to engage in a start-up conversation since you already have something in common: waiting. Based on the time of day you can speak about the event so far and engage on what you are looking forward to seeing.

Meals and Breaks. Opening night receptions and lunch breaks are great chances to make connections. Food brings people together, it’s also a great way to energize and have an undistracted conversation. It can be isolating to eat alone, try sitting at a table that is partially full, you can always open the conversation with “Is this seat taken?”

Be confident. Take control of your attitude and confidence. Shape your appearance and body language so you are more confident when approaching situations. If you exuberate confidence, you are also sending a message to other single attendees to engage with you. Dressing for success will help you achieve success in your objective. Confidence is just as important as ability. Fear of failure can be a hindering contribution to being confident and making connections so think positive!

Join Networking Groups. Many events make it easy to connect with other attendees through technology and networking labs. You can usually find information on how to join through the event website or in the itinerary pamphlet. Using social media to follow, and tweet aspects of the event can create a more comfortable environment for connecting with other attendees when you know their standpoint.

Attending an event alone can pose many opportunities, and it’s a great chance to get away from your everyday environment to experience something new. Whatever your objective, understand that some attendees are looking to make connections. If you are attending an event alone and are not going with the purpose of connecting, that’s okay too. Ultimately, we are all there to have a great time!

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Inspiration

Impactful Ways To Make Your Event Environmentally Friendly

The world of events has transformed, clients are implementing changes in the way they produce events to make them more environmentally friendly. Environmental responsibility and sustainability is an important concept that many companies are taking notice of and are actively making moves towards alternative options that better impact the planet now and in the future.

Implementing green practices into your events, your company and team can help reduce waste, conserve natural resources, improve both air and water quality, and protect ecosystems and biodiversity. Going green is not just good for the environment it’s good for your health because it reduces pollution, and improves the areas in which we live.

There are many ways you as an events professional can become more environmentally friendly in your events. Here are some potential suggestions that will benefit you, your client, and the planet.

Use Recycling Bins…Everywhere

It may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many events don’t actually have recycling bins and organic bins next to their waste containers. Be sure to position the recycling boxes next to, or near to food, so attendees don’t have to hunt in order to dispose of their items.

Select Reusable Materials

The next lunch or breakout session you organize, opt for silver utensils rather than plastic. It will be a nice touch into the quality of the dining experience and reduce the number of plastic forks that end up in a landfill.

If you are providing a delegate gift, a reusable water bottle can be a great sponsorship option that attendees will keep and use. In addition, rather than handing out plastic bags to collect tradeshow materials, source reusable grocery or lunch bags, they may cost a bit more, but can be positioned as another sponsorship opportunity.

Look at Various Transportation Options

When selecting a venue, consider one that is easily accessible by public transport, it will be more convenient for your attendees and will encourage them to use alternative modes of transportation compared to driving by themselves. If you produce very large municipal events, you may even be able to apply for group tickets/pricing on public transportation to help your attendees get around safely and economically.

Based on the type of events you plan, you can coordinate a carpool program where attendees from the same company can carpool together, which could advocate as a networking or team building opportunity.

Go Digital

We are increasingly changing our paper consumption into digital options for content delivery.

Digital signage solutions provide wayfinding and event information that can be changed in a moment compared to stationary printed signage.

Tradeshow booths often hand out many flyers, postcards, and magazines that cost a lot to produce and often times is not impressionable to delegates. Consider hosting your information online, or on an app, and showing them the information at the booth from an IPad; starting valuable conversations on specific points. You can even reroute delegates to that online location before, during, and after the event, where you can measure who is visiting, and provide information long after the tradeshow has concluded.

Sponsorship branding doesn’t need to be printed on a banner and positioned in 1 single location, you can work with your AV supplier to project your sponsors’ logo onto a surface; table, wall, or ground increasing view-ability and reducing waste. Additionally, If you’re simply having a large dinner function, perhaps project the menu on a wall, screen, or through an event app rather than printing menus for each table.

Consider Team Building Activities

Take an opportunity to help the planet through team building. Groups can work together to plant a tree or garden together as a part of your agenda. Not every event type will work seamlessly for this, however a green activity promotes positivity and coordination in groups in a way that supports mental wellness and fulfillment.

Run Recycling Incentive Programs

If you are very passionate about being environmentally sustainable and really want to make an impact, putting together a recycling program initiative may be an option. Some of these programs may include a clothing donation/swap, or an electronic recycling program where attendees can bring in old electronics for a credit towards a new device.

Reducing waste and making your event environmentally friendly can actually help to lower your cost and environmental impact, you spend less and achieve more by doing things differently and effectively using those opportunities to engage with your attendees in new and different ways.

If you would like to continue the discussion on how you can use AV at your event to be more environmentally sustainable, please connect with us now.

Read the blog post here.

Visit our FMAV Blog for more!