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Tips & Trends

<p>Event planning is a marathon—and a sprint. Juggling multiple details, tight deadlines, and high expectations can make it a struggle to keep up physically and emotionally. In fact, a <a href="https://www.pcma.org/3rd-most-stressful-job-event-planning/">2023 survey </a>ranked event planning as the third most stressful job globally. It’s important to acknowledge both why event planners face so many challenges and how they can make the job a little more manageable.</p>
<p>Read on for crucial context as well as practical, actionable strategies to help planners stay centered and relaxed, from initial preparations to the final breakdown.</p>

<h2><strong>It’s Not You: Event Planning IS Stressful</strong></h2>
<p>Event planning “is not life and death,” says Dave Lutz, managing director of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting. “But I think what people are reacting to is how much more stressful it has become for a variety of reasons.” Lutz says that what he hears from his clients (mainly large associations) is that competing priorities are causing high levels of stress. “Most associations are still recovering [post-pandemic] from a revenue point, and their expenses are up,” Lutz says. “But at the same time, attendee expectations are at an all-time high, as are demands from leadership.” That’s a recipe for stress.</p>

<h2><strong>Mindful Scheduling: Plan With Intention</strong></h2>
<p>So how can planners mitigate the pressure? In addition to contextualizing the issue, one of the most effective ways to reduce stress is through mindful scheduling. Start by breaking down your event timeline into manageable chunks, allowing for flexibility where possible. Prioritize tasks not just based on urgency but also on your energy levels. For example, if you’re more focused in the morning, tackle high-stakes tasks then and save the more routine tasks for the afternoon.</p>
<p>Consider using tools like time-blocking, where you dedicate specific blocks of time to certain tasks, minimizing distractions and maintaining a clear focus. By planning your day with intention, you create a sense of control over your schedule, which can alleviate the anxiety that often comes with the unpredictable nature of event planning.</p>

<h2><strong>Try Stress-Relief Exercises</strong></h2>
<p>When your schedule is packed, it’s easy to let wellness practices slide. However, incorporating simple stress-relief exercises into your daily routine can make a significant difference in your overall well-being.</p>
<p>● Box Breathing: Take a few moments throughout the day to focus on your breath. Box breathing is a simple yet powerful breathing technique that involves inhaling, holding your breath, exhaling, and holding again, each for an equal count, typically four seconds. This method helps increase focus and promote a sense of calm.</p>
<p>● Stretching: Incorporate quick stretches into your day to release physical tension. Whether it’s a neck roll or a quick stretch of your arms and back, these small movements can help reduce the stiffness that comes from long hours at a desk or on your feet.</p>
<p>● Short Walks: Whenever possible, step outside for a short walk. Even five minutes of fresh air can clear your mind and boost your mood, making it easier to return to your tasks with renewed energy.</p>

<h2><strong>Allow Time to Unwind</strong></h2>
<p>Of course, an event planner’s job doesn’t stop once the event does. There’s breakdown, follow-ups, and often a flood of emails waiting for you. This is why post-event decompression time is a must.</p>
<p>Consider establishing a post-event ritual that signals the end of the intense period and allows you to transition back to your regular routine. This could be as simple as a quiet dinner, a relaxing bath, or even a short getaway if time permits. The key is to create a clear boundary between the event and your personal time, allowing your mind and body to recover.</p>

<h2><strong>Delegate and Collaborate: You Don’t Have to Do It All!</strong></h2>
<p>Event planners often feel the need to manage every detail personally, but effective delegation is essential for reducing stress. Identify tasks that can be handled by team members or vendors and trust them to execute these responsibilities. Not only does this lighten your load, but it also fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels empowered and engaged.</p>
<p>Collaboration also extends to your clients. Setting clear expectations and maintaining open communication can prevent last-minute changes that lead to unnecessary stress.</p>

<h2><strong>Stay Ahead of Industry Trends During Downtime</strong></h2>
<p>Keeping up with industry trends can also reduce stress by ensuring you’re prepared for whatever challenges come your way. Attend workshops, webinars, and conferences to stay informed about the latest tools, techniques, and trends in event planning. Being proactive in your professional development can boost your confidence and equip you with new strategies to handle the complexities of the job.</p>

<p>Whether it’s starting a meditation practice, booking a massage, journaling, or simply taking the day off to recharge, take an opportunity to focus on yourself—and your well-being. Remember, regardless of the job, your well-being always comes first.</p>

Global

How to Make the Third Most Stressful Job a Bit Calmer

Top Stress-Busting Tips for Event Planners

<p>You want your meetings to touch your attendees’ lives. One way to do that? Have them touch the world around them.</p>
<p>Adding tactile activities to your meetings can help make the event indelible in your attendees’ minds. The sense of touch is one of the first sensory systems that evolved in humans, so it’s hardwired to our memory banks in a way that other activities—say, reading a bunch of materials—aren’t.</p>
<p>It’s also just plain fun to touch things. (Are attendees at promotional events ever more engaged than when they have a chance to hold a new, long-awaited product in their hands?) Read on for actionable ways to bring a touch of the tactile to your events.</p>
<p><em>For ways to bring the other senses into your events, visit the other articles in this series: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/428/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-visual"><em>sight</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/429/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meeting-super-sonic"><em>sound</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/511/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-event-more-tasteful"><em>taste</em></a><em>, and </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/512/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-incorporate-scent-into-your-events"><em>smell</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<h3><strong>Make your swag touch-friendly</strong></h3>
<p>By its nature, swag bags are tactile—you’re asking attendees to carry around something physical when they pick up a gift bag. Make that more useful to attendees by including “please touch” gifts, such as a notebook with a fuzzy or textured cover or a fidget toy. You can take it a step further by including a small card explaining why you chose those items: Taking notes by hand helps with memory retention because of its physical nature, and <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fidget-toys-arent-just-hype/">fidget toys can help people harness attention</a>.</p>
<h3><strong>Enable haptics</strong></h3>
<p>Know that feeling when your phone buzzes in your pocket? Use that sensation in your favor to guide attendees within your venue. If your audience is tech-savvy, or demographically likely to have embraced the Apple Watch, they may be willing to download apps or enable features that issue haptic reminders when certain events happen—say, when they approach a meeting spot with a particularly cool offering.</p>

<h3><strong>Create an immersive experience—literally</strong></h3>
<p>The draw of “immersive experiences” is that they create a wholly different environment for attendees. But you can take it literally and physically immerse your attendees in a sensation shift. Start by playing with temperature, as found at an August promotional event that deployed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/production-strategy/experiential-marketing-activations-sponsorships/article/22418964/three-activations-at-btc-2022">snow machines and an ice bar</a>. Too much hassle? Even “immersing” your guests’ hands in a temperature shift can evoke the same shift in sensation—one liquor brand had attendees <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/catering-design/beverages/article/22366676/how-3-spirits-companies-tickled-taste-buds">reach through vapor to grab an ice-cold drink</a>. Not enough<em> </em>for ambitious planners? Ball pits don’t have to be just for kids.</p>

<h3><strong>Give attendees a tactile experience</strong></h3>
<p>Most of the sensory tips here are about your attendees touching something—but humans crave <em>being</em> touched too. Small luxuries are one place to start, such as chair massages, reflexology stations, and manicure booths. Depending on the vibe of the event, you could even have a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/production-strategy/experiential-marketing-activations-sponsorships/article/22366861/inside-shake-shacks-miami-event">“braid bar”</a> for hair braiding, or a head massage booth for a touch of tactile ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response, aka “the tingles”). Remember that it’s not just about having a spa service; being touched is about human connection. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.meetingsnet.com/corporate-meetings-events/experience-design-cmi-25/gallery?slide=1">Folk dance</a> usually involves holding hands or linking arms, and can create a memorable opening or closing event. Just make sure to keep any hands-on events optional and particularly professional in nature, and to have hand sanitizer at the ready.</p>
<h3><strong>Break the ice</strong></h3>
<p>A good icebreaker can go a long way toward cementing groups. Having an activity that involves the hands can be helpful for shy attendees, allowing them to participate without fearing that they’ll be put on the spot. You can have people get their hands dirty with a <a target="_blank" href="https://gardenuity.com/pages/corporate-partners">group gardening workshop</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kinetic-sand-and-artist-dan-lam-encourage-you-to-touch-the-art-this-november-301423150.html">kinetic sand sculptures</a>, or group decoration of an item that serves as a centerpiece for the event (like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/production-strategy/experiential-marketing-activations-sponsorships/media-gallery/22471427/cool-event-ideas-from-september-2022?utm_medium=Email&amp;utm_campaign=10/3/2022_EN.1003BizBash&amp;utm_source=">this oversized shoe</a>). Or just set up a crafts event, such as a booth for making <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/production-strategy/event-production-fabrication/media-gallery/22353760/miami-swim-week-2022-recap">cellphone straps</a> like a recent beauty event did. Bonus points for tying the hands-on activity to the purpose of your meeting, as with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/production-strategy/event-production-fabrication/media-gallery/22432201/a-look-inside-nycs-new-hiphop-museum">DIY graffiti wall</a> for the opening of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in New York City. Another option that’s more explicitly geared to prime tactile sensations is to set up a guessing game, where participants are blindfolded and then handle various objects, both common (an orange, grains of rice) and uncommon (windup chattering teeth, wooden shoes), and guess what they are.</p>

Tickle Your Guests’ Delight by Adding Tactile Activities to Your Events.

The Five Senses of Meetings: Make Your Meetings More Tactile

<p>Even the simplest of meetings has something you can taste, even if it’s as humble as a cup of coffee. That ubiquity means that taste is already a part of every meeting you’re planning. Why not use the gustatory senses to level up your meetings?</p>
<p>Having delicious food and drinks on hand is part of the equation (and it won’t earn you any complaints). But leveraging the morsels you offer to maximize your meeting’s impact will make your event all the sweeter. Here are five ways to get started.</p>
<p><em>For ways to bring the other senses into your events, visit the other articles in this series: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/428/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-visual"><em>sight</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/429/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meeting-super-sonic"><em>sound</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/516/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-tactile"><em>touch</em></a><em>, and </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/512/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-incorporate-scent-into-your-events"><em>smell</em></a><em>.</em></p>

<h3><strong>Test your taste buds</strong></h3>
<p>A taste test requires participants to focus their senses so they can discern one variety of whatever they’re tasting from another—making it a great exercise for priming people to truly pay attention to the moment. An expert-led tasting educates attendees on the treat in question, but it’s not your only option. Try setting up stations, each hosting a different variety of the featured item, and let guests draw their own conclusions. (You can also up the ante and make it a blind taste test, then give out prizes to the people who guess the most ingestibles correctly.) As for what to taste: Wine and chocolate tastings are perennial favorites, but you can get creative. Tasting the differences in everyday items—honey, salt—can reveal exactly how attuned we are to subtle variations in flavor.</p>
<h3><strong>Make standard snacks sensational</strong></h3>
<p>Sometimes it’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Let that guide a taste voyage, by offering a relatively simple snack that’s served or prepared in an interesting fashion. Try a station using liquid nitrogen to make popcorn or ice cream, for example. Even just serving food in a heightened manner can make your event more memorable, whether that’s serving meals under cloches, using edible presentations, or deploying bento boxes.</p>

<h3><strong>Get attendees’ hands dirty</strong></h3>
<p>Who doesn’t love a sundae bar? True, everybody loves a sundae, but the joy of a sundae bar is getting a chance to build your own dessert without the effort of gathering ingredients. You can extend that thinking to pretty much any otherwise standard menu offering, elevating it beyond the item itself. Hot dogs with all the toppings, lemonades with a choice of herbal infusions, and, sure, sundaes—the point is to let guests build it themselves, not just serve it to them as is.</p>
<h3><strong>Withhold taste</strong></h3>
<p>Preventing people from tasting can call attention to the gustatory senses just as much as feeding them. At a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/catering-design/event-design-decor/media-gallery/22144139/event-decor-inspiration-from-diffa-by-design-2022">2022 fundraiser for Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS</a>, the New York School of Interior Design built a tiered faux serving structure with expensive foods stationed at the top, literally untouchable. This particular execution was designed to call attention to food inequality, and the concept could apply to any meeting with a theme centering on scarcity—or, on the opposite end, desire. (Just make sure you eventually feed your attendees, even if you play tricks with priming their palates.)</p>
<h3><strong>Match your menu to your meaning</strong></h3>
<p>Catering offers you the opportunity to underscore your meeting’s mission in a visceral way. Hosting an event marking an anniversary milestone—say, an association’s 50th anniversary? Plan around foods popular in the 1970s, such as Watergate salad and fondue. Want to call attention to your host city’s history? Plan a menu around that city’s heritage. If other menu considerations limit your ability to go off the grid, get creative with naming. For the <a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/inspirational-stories/article/405/ask-the-right-questions-get-the-right-answers">Florida Dental Association’s 2022 convention</a>, the “Sea Vibes” theme meant there was plenty of seafood on offer. But simply renaming the salad bar “Poseidon’s Power Greens Salad Bar” kept seafood-averse folks sated while remaining on theme.</p>

Think Beyond Standard Catering to Make Your Meeting More Memorable.

The Five Senses of Meetings: Make Your Event More Tasteful

<p>Of all the five senses, scent might be the greatest challenge to incorporate into an event. Sure, you can have an aromatherapy booth or look for a fragrance sponsor for your swag bags, but why limit yourself?</p>
<p>Scent has a particular power to trigger memories, so if your goal is to create memorable events, fragrance gives you a leg up. Just make sure that when you incorporate scent into a session, you let people know ahead of time and have a fragrance-free zone so that people who are hypersensitive to scents can have a safe haven.</p>
<p><em>For ways to bring the other senses into your events, visit the other articles in this series: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/428/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-visual"><em>sight</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/429/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meeting-super-sonic"><em>sound</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/511/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-event-more-tasteful"><em>taste</em></a><em>, and </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/516/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-tactile"><em>touch</em></a><em>.</em></p>

<h3><strong>Offer a signature scent…</strong></h3>
<p>Your venue might already be a step ahead of you on this front, as with the bespoke fragrances found in many of Marriott Bonvoy's distinct hotels. That’s for good reason: Because of the unique connection between scent, memory, and emotion, a one-of-a-kind scent can immediately transport guests back to the moment they first smelled a particular scent. Creating a signature scent for your event, dispersed either as a low-grade air freshener or at specific stations, can add a whiff of luxury—and if you send attendees home with a small vial or sachet of the scent, they’ll be able to “revisit” your meeting in a visceral way.</p>
<p><br></p>
<h3><strong>…Or have attendees create their own</strong></h3>
<p>Let guests try their own hand at perfumery in a session geared toward networking, team-building, or recreation. You can bring in a professional guide, or simply have essential oils on hand for people to mix and match. Some planners have found success by having attendees create fragrances that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.themeetingmagazines.com/acf/entertainment/">align with their goals for attending the meeting at large</a>. Custom scents were key to the success of an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartmeetings.com/news/144816/scented-supper-made-meeting-memories">Incentive Research Foundation conference at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort</a>. Fragrance giant Jo Malone began the event with a scent-blending bar, then progressed through a dinner featuring flavors paired with scents.</p>
<p><br></p>
<h3><strong>Sniff out the right flora</strong></h3>
<p>Heady blooms such as roses fit the bill, but you don’t have to have a flower show to offer pockets of natural aroma as a respite for your attendees. Try surrounding indoor topiaries with gently scented ground cover such as sweet woodruff, or create backdrops with clusters of jasmine or gardenia. You could also create a miniature herb garden, encouraging people to pluck leaves to carry the scent with them.</p>

<h3><strong>Play with perception</strong></h3>
<p>Aromatherapy booths have their place at events for a reason—a whiff of peppermint can be energizing, while the scent of lavender is associated with relaxation. But canny meeting planners have an unexpected trick up their sleeves: making a space seem larger than it is. Researchers have found that the scent of apple and cucumber makes people perceive a room as being bigger. If infusing an unexpectedly small space with fragrance is out of the question, a station offering cucumber water can step in.</p>
<p><br></p>
<h3><strong>Get a whiff of this icebreaker</strong></h3>
<p>While scents can trigger powerful memories, it’s not always easy to identify what exactly goes into a particular fragrance. Use that to your advantage with an icebreaker guessing game: Gather a mixture of strongly scented items, essential oils, and premade fragrances. Place them in opaque containers at different stations, and have people open and smell what’s inside. Aim for a mix of the easily guessable (apple, grapefruit, soil) to the familiar yet esoteric (salt, ozone, Champagne) to keep people talking and comparing notes.</p>
<p><br></p>
<h3><strong>Create a scent lounge</strong></h3>
<p>One liquor company had its work cut out for it when it created <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/catering-design/beverages/article/22366676/how-3-spirits-companies-tickled-taste-buds">stations featuring the concentrated aroma of the ingredients</a> in the liquor being promoted. If your meeting is focused on food, beverage, or a destination, this is easy enough to mimic. But the principles can apply to any field or theme. An arts conference could have stations featuring the scents of paint, chalk, and clay. Chalk could come in handy again in a meeting for educators, along with the aromas of ballpoint ink, fingerpaint, and apples.</p>

Give Your Event the Smell of Success With These Tips.

The Five Senses of Meetings: Incorporate Scent Into Your Events

<p>Your schedules are printed. Your slides are ready. Now it’s time to think about taking your event to the next level. After all, <a target="_blank" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=587201">65% of people self-report as being visual learners</a>, which means appealing to their sense of sight will help make your meeting one to remember.</p>
<p>If you want to create an engaging experience that attendees won’t soon forget, focus on incorporating iconic visuals that go beyond the usual meeting media. Here’s some inspiration for your next eye-catching event.</p>
<p><em>For ways to bring the other senses into your events, visit the other articles in this series: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/516/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-tactile"><em>touch</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/429/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meeting-super-sonic"><em>sound</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/511/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-event-more-tasteful"><em>taste</em></a><em>, and </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/512/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-incorporate-scent-into-your-events"><em>smell</em></a><em> .</em></p>
<h3><strong>Set the tone on social media</strong></h3>
<p>Before your event even begins, ramp up the visual excitement with posts on social media. Try a color-block feed like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/thecollecteur/">The Collecteur</a>, bright multicolor shots like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/katespadeny/">Kate Spade New York</a>, or graphic quotes like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/britandco/">Brit + Co</a>. You can even dedicate all 12 squares of your grid to <a target="_blank" href="https://designshack.net/articles/inspiration/instagram-grid-template/">one big image</a> that simply can’t be ignored.</p>
<h3><strong>Go bold with bright visuals</strong></h3>
<p>Take a cue from a conference made for design professionals. The <a target="_blank" href="https://mindsparklemag.com/design/aiga-design-conference/">schedules, notebooks, and wayfinding signs</a> from AIGA’s annual design conference a few years ago were so unapologetically attention-grabbing, with vivid colors and bold type, that attendees were more likely to keep them for inspiration than toss them in the trash at the end of the day.</p>
<h3><strong>Get graphic with note-taking</strong></h3>
<p>During a presentation, it can be difficult to strike a balance between paying attention to the speaker and taking notes on the useful information they share. Chicago Ideas Week brought in a <a target="_blank" href="https://inkfactorystudio.com/visual-notes/chicago-ideas-week/">visual note-taker</a> to capture key information and quotable moments in graphic form. The artwork was then displayed for attendees to peruse. These notes can also be sent to eventgoers in PDF form or printed as a booklet.</p>
<h3><strong>Color on the walls</strong></h3>
<p>During spring break campus events, the University of Texas at Austin encouraged students to leave their mark on a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fancyfeatures.com/blogs/interactive-art-blog/texan-coloring-wall-at-ut-austin">giant Texas-inspired coloring wall</a>—essentially a huge coloring page. At your next event, invite participants to get creative and decompress between sessions as they fill in the blanks on a themed wall with paint pens.</p>
<h3><strong>Create a shareable backdrop</strong></h3>
<p>Veuve Cliquot had not one, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shawnayamamoto.com/blog/2021/11/16/sy-amp-co-attends-las-hottest-event-veuve-polo-classic-2021">three backdrops</a> at a 2021 polo party, which set the stage for the event and provided a fun spot for selfies and photos. Opt for a branded, snap-worthy backdrop—think florals, balloons, or neon—and attendees won’t be able to resist posting about your event on social media.</p>
<h3><strong>Entice attendees with interactive film</strong></h3>
<p>HP encouraged data scientists to hone their skills with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hp.com/us-en/workstations/industries/data-science/unlocked-with-z.html">an interactive film</a> that promoted their Z by HP line. Participants watched a four-part film, then analyzed and worked through a dataset to try to solve the film’s mystery. While an interactive film may not be in your budget, consider kicking off your event with an engaging video that touts a new product or service.</p>
<h3><strong>Identify attendees at a glance</strong></h3>
<p>Target used <a target="_blank" href="https://dribbble.com/shots/6577559-Target-Incubator-Badges">colored badges</a> to differentiate corporate employees, speakers, and attendees at an event for their incubator program. If your event involves people from various companies or industries, try going visual with badges. Think red for sales professionals and blue for product managers, or green for vendors and orange for attendees.</p>

Look no further: Here are seven ideas to make your next event a sight to behold.

The Five Senses of Meetings: Make Your Meetings More Visual

Promote

<p>Mic check? Done. AV setup? Done. Music selected? Done.</p>
<p>Your sonic setup can begin and end there—but it doesn’t have to. Music helps set the tone for an event, but the auditory world goes beyond music. Sound is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.livescience.com/8426-brain-link-sounds-smells-memory-revealed.html">just as powerful as sight and smell</a> when it comes to triggering emotions and forming memories, and using it in ways other than the expected can help you shape your meetings. Here are some ideas to inspire the audio at your next event.</p>
<p><em>For ways to bring the other senses into your events, visit the other articles in this series: </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/428/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-visual"><em>sight</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/516/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-tactile"><em>touch</em></a><em>, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/511/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-event-more-tasteful"><em>taste</em></a><em>, and </em><a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/512/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-incorporate-scent-into-your-events"><em>smell</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<h3><strong>Pairing sound with visuals</strong></h3>
<p>GE and The New York Times Magazine partnered to <a target="_blank" href="https://giantspoon.com/work/general-electric">create an aural experience</a> to go with a special issue of the magazine. They aimed to help readers match <a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/tips-and-trends/article/428/the-five-senses-of-meetings:-make-your-meetings-more-visual">images</a> with vivid, engaging sounds, such as the glass-breaking crackle of a lava flow from Kilauea and honking horns and shouting street vendors in Lagos, Nigeria. If you’re introducing new machinery or tech at a conference, try pairing images with the sounds it makes when operating.</p>
<h3><strong>Take a bath</strong></h3>
<p>Sound baths have gained popularity as a meditative aural experience. You can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/03/style/self-care/sound-baths.html">do the real thing</a>—Toronto General Hospital recently held a sound bath performance as part of its Music Can Heal concert series. Or borrow from the phenomenon by creating a sound loop that you can stream throughout the meeting. For a tourism event, try evoking the feeling of travel with the sound of jet engines, church bells, taxis, and a street festival.</p>
<h3><strong>Branding with sound</strong></h3>
<p>Beyond commercial jingles, brands are experimenting with sound—BMW, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/1655649/interstellar-composer-filling-the-silence-of-bmw-electric-cars/">partnered with Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer</a> to craft sounds for its notably mute electric cars. A sonic brand can be as simple as a few notes that, over time, become associated with a company through marketing. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketingdive.com/news/mastercard-sonic-branding-timbaland-priceless-album/625808/?utm_campaign=mkb&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_source=morning_brew">Mastercard recently took the plunge</a> into sonic branding with an album featuring tracks inspired by the Mastercard melody, familiar to us through their commercials.) Give your meeting a sonic brand by choosing a special sound to indicate the start of a meeting or end of a break period. Think: the sound of clinking glass for a meeting of beverage professionals, or chirping crickets for a gathering of conservationists.</p>
<h3><strong>An audio adventure</strong></h3>
<p>Sound has the power to transform a space and transport listeners to another dimension. Take a cue from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.darkfield.org/seance/">Séance</a>, the “intense sonic performance” that was a hit at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Guests sat in a small, dark space and listened to an immersive audio experience that had them believe a séance was happening in their midst. In a meeting, try giving guests headphones and streaming sounds related to the meeting’s purpose to set the tone—a medical conference might use a soundscape that incorporates sounds health professionals hear through a stethoscope, for example.</p>
<h3><strong>ASMR in person</strong></h3>
<p>ASMR—or autonomous sensory meridian response—is a physiological response to sensory cues. In recent years, it has gained popularity through “whisper videos” online, but <a target="_blank" href="https://whisperlodge.nyc/">it’s a hit at events, too</a>. Try holding a live ASMR performance at your event that immerses guests in the experience, like the sound of rustling pages and clicking keys at a literary event.</p>
<h3><strong>Incite virtual conversations</strong></h3>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.clubhouse.com/">Clubhouse</a> is a virtual water cooler, where users can wander “hallways” and step in on meeting rooms to engage in audio-only conversations. Professionals tout it as a networking hub. For virtual meetings, the app can be a great way to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartmeetings.com/tips-tools/technology/131412/meeting-planners-clubhouse">keep the conversation going</a> outside of videoconferences and breakout sessions.</p>

Haven’t you heard? Planners can move beyond music to make your meeting an auditory experience.

The Five Senses of Meetings: Make Your Meeting Super Sonic

<p>Whether it’s through sleek food carts, delivery robots, or roving food stations, mobile dining options are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/garyocchiogrosso/2024/01/20/trends-shaping-the-ever-changing-restaurant-business-in-2024/">revolutionizing the restaurant industry</a>, which is changing the way we think about event catering. The true magic of mobile food solutions lies in their ability to create a networking-friendly environment. By bringing the food to the guests, these innovative options encourage interaction and engagement. Attendees are more likely to strike up conversations when they don’t have to wait in long lines or leave their groups to get food. This fluidity fosters a more relaxed and sociable atmosphere, perfect for building connections and making new acquaintances.</p>
<p>Additionally, mobile food solutions offer versatility and customization, allowing event planners to tailor the dining experience to suit the theme and objectives of the event. From elegant hors d’oeuvres served on silver platters by roving servers to interactive food stations where guests can build their own tacos or personalize their cocktails, the possibilities are endless. This adaptability ensures that each event is unique, leaving guests with a lasting impression of creativity and hospitality.</p>
<p>Here are three mobile food solutions that can transform any gathering into a networking-friendly extravaganza.</p>

<h2><strong>1. Food Carts</strong></h2>
<p>The food truck industry has experienced a significant upswing in recent years. According to a report by Grand View Research, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/food-trucks-market-report">global food trucks market was valued at $3.93 billion in 2020 and is expected to see a growth rate of 6.8% from 2021 to 2028</a>. According to the report, the growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for street food among millennials and Gen Z, which makes this choice a particularly good fit for modern events. Imagine guests mingling at an outdoor soirée, the warm glow of string lights overhead, as they approach a beautifully designed food cart offering gourmet sliders, artisanal pizzas, or decadent desserts. The sight and smell of delicious food being prepared right before one’s eyes creates an interactive experience that invites conversation and connection.</p>
<p>Food carts can also add a dash of fun to any event. Consider a vintage ice cream cart with a friendly attendant scooping out handcrafted gelato, or a chic espresso cart serving up rich, aromatic coffee. Again, these mobile culinary units not only satisfy hunger by appealing to a vast array of tastes, but they also serve as conversation starters; the more unique and specific the cart, in fact, the more likely it is to help to break the ice and foster new friendships among guests.</p>

<h2><strong>2. Delivery Robots</strong></h2>
<p>As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/09/02/how-technology-is-changing-the-restaurant-business/">technology continues to advance</a>, so too does the restaurant and hospitality industry’s ability to surprise and delight guests. Delivery robots are at the forefront of this movement, offering a futuristic and efficient way to serve food at events. These autonomous little helpers can navigate through crowds with ease, delivering everything from appetizers to cocktails right to guests’ hands.</p>
<p>Picture the excitement as a sleek robot rolls up to a group of attendees, offering them a selection of gourmet canapés or shot glasses full of ceviche. Not only do these robots add high-tech flair to any event, but they also ensure that guests can enjoy their food and drinks without interrupting their conversations — a seamless integration of technology and hospitality.</p>

<h2><strong>3. Roving Food Stations</strong></h2>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://bridalboutiques.us/roaming-food-bars-our-favorite-wedding-reception-food-trend-for-2019/">Roving food stations</a> (also sometimes called roaming or rolling food stations), staffed by chefs, take the concept of mobile dining to the next level by bringing the food directly to the guests. Instead of having attendees line up at a buffet, these stations move throughout the event space, offering a variety of dishes and beverages. This dynamic approach encourages mingling and allows guests to sample different cuisines without having to leave their conversations or spots.</p>
<p>Think: A sushi chef expertly crafting rolls on a mobile cart, a mixologist shaking up signature cocktails from a stylish bar cart, or a chef carving succulent roast meats from a portable station. The mobility of these stations ensures that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy all of the culinary offerings at your event.</p>
<p>So, the next time you’re planning an event, consider mobile food solutions. Not only will they satisfy your guests’ taste buds, but they’ll also create a networking-friendly atmosphere that is sure to make your event memorable.</p>

There’s a New Way to Delight Hungry Guests. 

3 Mobile Food Ideas That Will Create a Memorable Event

<p>You want your event to have a lasting impact. But you don’t want that impact to be on your attendees’ hearing.</p>
<p>Noise-induced hearing loss isn’t limited to people who work with heavy machinery. Repeated or extended exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss—and given that many sporting events and concerts register at 110 decibels, that’s not a high threshold.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.asha.org/about/press-room/articles/protect-your-hearing-during-noisy-summer-events/">According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association</a>, more than a billion young people are at risk of irreversible hearing damage, in part because of noisy events. But hearing loss aside, too-loud events can also trigger sensory disorders—and can be just plain unpleasant.</p>
<p>“Not all ears are created equal,” says Kayla Johnstone, senior director of project management at Encore, an event experience organization. “Hearing can be a subjective experience and can vary not just person to person but also vary on where a person physically is within a space.”</p>
<p>Protect your attendees’ well-being by reading our guidance on communicating about audio needs, and top-level tips on what to look for.</p>

<h2><strong>Listen Up: Communicating Clearly Now Can Prevent Audio Issues Later</strong></h2>
<p>You’ve devoted yourself to understanding your attendees’ needs. If you’re stopping short of considering what they need aurally, you’re not considering the full scope.</p>
<p>“It all starts with communication with the attendee,” Johnstone says. This can include assessing attendee needs by giving them opportunities during registration to specify preferences or requests, alerting them of any particularly loud programming, and identifying resources you have on hand for people with sensitive audio needs.</p>
<p>Resources Johnstone identified include noise-canceling headphones, designated quiet zones, and flexible seating arrangements that allow participants to enjoy programming while finding the level of stimulation that’s best for them. Low-sensory environments can satisfy a variety of needs: a space for attendees who desire quieter surroundings, closed-captioned programming, and an overflow room for plenary sessions.</p>
<p>She also advises that meeting planners consider the full scope of potential sensitivities when offering alternatives, pointing to the example of silent disco experiences, in which attendees listen to sound through headphones so they can adjust according to their needs. “That’s not a one-size-fits-all solution—some people can experience discomfort when it comes to touch, which needs to be considered,” she says.</p>
<p>Once you understand the attendees’ concerns, <a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/481/five-tips-for-better-communication-with-your-tech-team">it’s time to communicate with audio technicians</a>. Let your audio team know not just the content of each segment, but the intent behind it. Is the keynote meant to kick off an energetic networking session? Or is it a more somber event meant to ground attendees in fulfilling an organizational mission? Skilled technicians can ensure that the volume matches the mood you’re hoping to evoke at each point.</p>
<p>And don’t skimp on prep time. “Rehearsals and cue-to-cue sessions are crucial for fine-tuning the audio setup, allowing technicians to perfect the balance and energy needed to support the content and atmosphere,” Johnstone says.</p>
<p>As you connect with the audio team, be specific and timely. You don’t have to know exactly what to ask a technician to execute, but the better you can communicate the desired effect—or what undesirable effect is hampering the moment—the better the solution will be. When communicating with the tech team, know whether the issue is general or specific to one part of the space to help them diagnose and fix the problem quickly.</p>

<h2><strong>What Makes a Successful Audio Experience?</strong></h2>
<p>Balancing the need to create an energetic environment with protecting attendees’ hearing doesn’t mean keeping the volume at a bare minimum. “Loud audio is safe in small durations and can be used intermittently throughout a program for moments of impact and high energy,” Johnstone says. “This should be spaced out with moments of lower audio levels to create a dynamic environment while minimizing any harmful effects of constant exposure to loud sounds.”</p>
<p>Go into your tech check-ins understanding that the audio experience isn’t just about volume. It’s also about space. What sort of sound-absorbing elements are in the room? What microphone system is best for the space and the programming? What speaker layout is going to yield the desired effect? Are you able to use delay speakers to evenly distribute sound throughout the room?</p>
<p>“Without delay speakers, attendees at the back may struggle to hear, while those in the front rows could be overwhelmed by the volume,” Johnstone says. Your tech team will guide you to the right choice, but to help them do that, come to your sessions with them equipped with knowledge about your event.</p>
<p>In a world where loud is proud, finding the right volume at your event is as important as finding the right DJ for the after-party. Focus on kicking your communication skills up to 11 and you’ll be in the right groove.</p>

Five Senses

Five Senses

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