As the landscape in the conferences, seminars and meetings industry becomes more crowded and more competitive event planners are looking for more ways to make their event a unique experience for their attendees, vendors and other participants. I'd like to share one tip with you that will help make your event one to remember:



Look beyond your event, to where your attendees are coming from.

The case with business travel is that often when you invite someone to join you at your event there is someone else they are leaving behind: a spouse or significant other. In many cases, the content at your event which your attendee finds so captivating won't necessarily be as interesting to their partner (opposites attract, right?). So why not compensate their partner for the time you're "borrowing" your attendee?

With an online registration system that includes simple shopping cart functionality, this is an easy-to-implement detail which makes a huge impression. As your attendee is registering for your event, present them with the option to send something home to whoever they'll be away from. A few suggestions are:

A bottle of wine

A gift basket (food and snacks or a "spa-pack" are great choices)

A choice of DVD titles with popcorn included

Be creative! What would you like to do if you had a few days to yourself? Give your attendees several options so that they can tailor their gift to what their partner likes to do. Another great idea is to allow registrants to add a personalized note to the gift, or provide them with some pre-made options: "Missing you," is a simple phrase that can work wonders.

Making it easy for your attendees to do something good for themselves and those they love is a great way to make your event memorable. When your attendees return home, travel-weary and overloaded with information, to a welcome reception from an ecstatic loved-one they'll remember your event as one that makes their lives easier: giving them more information, with less impact on their day-to-day.