If you follow me on Instagram, you probably noticed that I spent yesterday at BizBash Live NYC with my colleague and soon-to-be business partner in the Industry, Nicole Morgenstern. There were not many other Philadelphia Event and Conference Planners there, which was surprising, but I did see a few familiar faces. We were able to catch the Innovation Forum talks and some of the Lounge and Learn talks, so I am sharing some of my personal takeaways below:

1. Events for Social Good are Here to Stay. Michael Skolnik of the Soze Agency spoke about the mission behind his company, their projects, and collaborations that lead to social awareness and change. Organizations and nonprofits have a unique ability (and, increasingly, responsibility) to use their platforms for larger social good and driving social change. Think about how you can incorporate a message that’s near and dear to you or your organization into the fabric of your next event, and how you can get your attendees to buy in, give back, and think more critically about the world around them.

2. All Guests are VIPs, and Should be Treated as Such. Both Author Priya Parker (The Art of Gathering) and Eric Murphy, Founder and Managing Director of concierge.com by Conde Nast, touched on the fact that all of your guests should not only feel like VIPs, but should be aware of and able to see and experience your event’s mission. Personalization, customization, and purpose are key to success in this industry.

3. The Events Industry is Crowded, and that May Not be a Good Thing. Aaron Kaufman, President of the Fifth Element Group, was very candid in his Lounge and Learn segment about the lack of structure within the Event Planning industry, and challenged us to stop allowing the public to refer to us as ‘party planners,’ when we’re much more than that. We also have to challenge one another to elevate the perception and value of our industry.

4. Event Technology is Crucial. Technology was a huge topic of conversation, as meeting and conference planners are able to leverage technology in new and exciting ways to maximize ROI, marketing reach, and customization. I particularly enjoyed the Innovation Forum talk by Ken Madden, Senior Vice President of Digital Engagement at George P. Johnson and the Lounge and Learn talk by Robert Caldwell, who was the creator of the eventbot used at the event (Betty).

5. Everyone Wants an Experience. The day as a whole really brought home the fact that everyone wants an experience - and not all the same experience. What one attendee hopes to gain from an event is totally different than a sponsor, a partner, an association, and a speaker. The experience that I wanted was different from what Nicole wanted, who came with me and owns her own photo and experiential booth, based in Philadelphia.

Were you at BizBash yesterday? How did you like all of the material? Would love to hear your comments below.