Presentation Trends for 2018: What You Should Embrace for Your Work Meetings

Do you run work meetings or have client meetings? Find inspiration from the event industry’s presentation trends for 2018 to make them more engaging.

Your weekly round-up, monthly board meeting, or visit from clients or suppliers may not compare to the mega-conferences and events held in global capitals, but they can certainly benefit from the advances that have been made over recent years in the events industry. The trickle-down effect that has improved technology in the boardroom can also help to reshape the ordinary work meeting into an engaging and memorable experience that fulfils your objectives. We’ve found 5 trends forecast for 2018 that you can modify to suit your work meetings:

Bright Colours

Colour trends are far from random, with international corporation, Pantone, responsible for mandating the hues that will dominate the catwalk, consumer goods and conference room each season. 2018 is forecast to be bright and sunny with rich Meadowlark yellow and crisp Cherry Tomato red on the palette. Start 2018 fresh and on trend by adding some life to your meetings and experimenting with colour. It could be as simple as updating your PowerPoint template, or invigorating your meeting space with some new, brightly coloured sticky notes and pens.

Modern Décor

According to the 2018 Meetings and Events Future Trends report by CWT Meetings and Events, meeting room layouts have shifted from traditional to less formal, with lounges and standing desks growing in popularity. In an agile workplace with activity-specific spaces, you could use any area that’s large enough for a meeting. If you have a more conventional-style office, you could transform your meeting room with vibrant new furniture, or go rogue and hold your meeting in the breakroom or reception area if this is suitable.

Festivalisation

The “festivalisation" of events is a mash-up of conferences, expos and training with entertainment that captivates audiences, which has been gathering momentum over the past decade. You may not have the budget to get the Foo Fighters to open your weekly department meeting, but you can still have a festival feel and get everyone pumped by playing an upbeat intro as they enter and settle in. Monday mornings would be far more exciting if you walked into your boardroom to “The Final Countdown" by Europe, “Good Feeling" by Flo Rida or Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off". Pair your phone with a Moki Bluetooth speaker to get the bass thumping and the mood lifting. For client meetings you may even want to hand out gift packs filled with branded merchandise and your marketing collateral like the big events do.

User Experience (UX)

Attendee experience and engagement have become priorities in events that are competing for market-share. Our expectations and attention spans have drastically changed, with Millennials in particular driving the charge for experiential learning, digital engagement, and shorter, more focussed meetings. These are easier to achieve in a small, intimate meeting than in the big events. Keep your audience engaged by making the whole process simple and inclusive. Use an interactive projector that lets you engage with the display like a giant tablet on your meeting room wall or table. Scroll, zoom in, and move items around in your digital presentation. Or try the Post-It Big Pads and Dry Erase Surfaces for a low-tech, hands-on approach.

Tech

With so many different technologies available to us, our meetings can get out-of-control if the tech isn’t managed properly. Don’t just use tech for the sake of it in your meeting. Be purposeful and use it to enhance the experience. This means that you must be confident with it and ready to go when everyone arrives. No one has time to watch you fumble around looking for controls or where to plug in your device. The big events offer seamless integration with technology for the most powerful experience, and you should, too.

Get people excited about attending your work meetings by incorporating some of the presentation trends that are forecast to make 2018 an outstanding year for events.