As thousands of event professionals from all over the globe flooded the IMEX Frankfurt Expo halls on the first day of the international event, the opportunities for forging new connections, discovering the latest in event tech and learning something along the way flowed like red wine at a hosted bar. For those who could not make the trip, IMEX CEO Carina Bauer and her team are making it easy to grow along at home by sharing insights and feeds.
Here are three lessons already coming out of the Spring conference, as well as possible modifications for making them your own.
1. Get outside your comfort zone.
As part of a new three-year partnership with C2 International, an experiential Play Room is literally hanging attendees in the air—in a sky lab designed to put people in a higher frame of mind for heightened creativity.
Modification: For those who do not have a boardroom attached to a harness, staging a meeting in an unusual environment with the goal of actively involving participants can still result in out-of-the-meeting-room solutions.
2. Consider your legacy.
This talking point is designed to help planners focus on the long-term impacts of everything they do. That can include the political, personal, environmental and social impact of their decisions about everything from where to meet and what to serve to who to invite and how much paper to print.
Modification: There can be a lot to consider, but even adding one sustainability or CSR activity can infuse a meeting with meaning that lasts long after the pipe-and-drape has been removed.
3. Celebrate.
As always, IMEX started with a party. SITE Nite Europe raised money for the SITE Foundation as attendees caught up with old friends and made new ones in the photo booth with the silver-jumpsuited DJ. For alphabet-affiliated groups—AIPC, DI, ESAE, IACC, IAEE, IAPCO, ICCA, PCMA and ASAE—Association Day ended with their own event at Depot 1899.
Modification: Why wait for the open bar? Start the party as soon as attendees walk into the registration area, with music, champagne and a chance to mingle. It’s always time for networking somewhere.
