For many UK venues who are hosting events, getting people to attend and selling enough tickets are often the most stressful things they have to deal with, and so we thought we would pull together five event trends they need to keep on top of this year to ensure the secure ticket sales and registrations for their events. #1 Last Minute Sales If you an event organiser facing slow ticket sales, especially for conference centres of excellence, then you may well feel nervous. However, there are simple things you can do to change this. Firstly, don't panic! Last minute sales of tickets are really common these days, and are in fact normal (despite the fact they do nothing for your anxiety levels!) However, planning is very important, especially if you want to encourage earlier ticket sales. If you don't want to be waiting around on tenterhooks wondering if you will sell all the necessary tickets, then why not consider changing the format of your event? There are lots of event ideas you can use to make your event stand out from the crowd and wow your attendees, including: - Auction - Breakfast briefing - Cabaret - Debate - Festival - Obstacle raves - Pop up And so on. #2 Changing customer expectations Standing out from the crowd is really important these days - especially if you want people to spend money with you. Reaching new attendees and filling seats are one of the major hurdles that event organisers have to overcome. Delegates are spending more than they ever have before, but they are becoming more selective about how and where they spend their money, and they want experiences that other people haven't had yet. What this means for event planners is that you need to come with innovative solutions that are convenient. We live in a society that is short on time, and so people want convenient ways to book and access event information. People also want innovative experiences that help them to self-care and give them some escapism from the hum-drum of daily life. Mindfulness is a hot topic these days, so anyway you can fit some meditation, and mindful creativity into your event the better. #3 Watch your competitors There is an old saying 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'. This may be a little over the top when it comes to the world of events, but it can help to keep an eye on your competitors - even the ones that you don't normally worry about. Monitor local and international events relating to your particular industry, looking at what type of events are popular and how much people are willing to pay for certain events as well. You should also keep an eye out for what type of events people are joining together, and what they are splitting out to give you ideas of different ways to present things. #4 Test, test, test What every event organiser wants is a steady stream of ticket sales, but things don't always work out this way. If this is the case, then you need to fix the situation. If your tried and tested method of selling tickets isn't working, then try something different and test that. Test different times, different locations and different dates. Test everything to find out what isn't working and why. #5 Be flexible We live in such a technologically advanced society today that it is easy for us to make the mistake of thinking that everyone will be able to find our event online, and book and pay for it that way too. However, not everyone can do that, and if you leave them out then you won't ever sell out your event. Many people are frightened are inputting a lot of details online as they think it leaves them open to security breaches. You need to be prepared to accommodate those people who prefer more traditional methods and be able to strike the correct balance if you want to maximise ticket sales. If you are looking for conference venues Manchester or London then please get in touch with the friendly and experienced team at Conferences UK - we can help to find the perfect venue for your needs.