Why do we bother to attend live music concerts when we could stay home and listen to a CD? Because we want multi-sensory engagement. We want to be a part of the crowd. Interactive technology can help foster this. It makes things more interesting, more fun, and more convenient. It can do all that and more for your next event, bringing it to life instead of delivering the same-old-same-old.

People will be glad they chose to show up and will be primed to attend your next event, too.

There are almost unlimited ways you can use interactive technology to spice things up. Please just don’t let the tech distract you. What counts is how it can elevate people’s experience during their time with you whether they’re attending a concert, conference, trade show, or festival.

Here are 10 ideas sure to get any event planner’s creative juices flowing:

1. RFID wristbands streamline registration and check-in, purchasing, and social media connections. The wristbands can double as a safety measure, only allowing those with the right wristband code into certain areas of your event.
2. Augmented audio lets people adjust the sound to suit their personal preferences for volume, treble-vs-base, etc. How? Wireless earbuds.
3. LED walls add pizzazz to spaces from high-traffic corridors to small meeting rooms. Use an LED wall as the backdrop of your stage, as part of your branding, for social media and gaming, or simply as a live view of the speaker.
4. Virtual reality (VR) headsets give wearers a 360-degree experience beyond what’s physically possible onsite. They can take a tour of vendor products or take a time-out visit to a place far, far away.
5. 3D projection creates a similar all-around experience as VR, but for entire groups instead of one person at a time. A 3D projection can turn anything into a screen — walls, and objects, too — fully immersing your crowd.
6. Interactive touchscreens can take the form of message walls, tabletops, and event information kiosks. Self-service opportunities are fast and personalized, helping attendees tailor their experience so they get the most from it. In a sales environment such as trade shows, interactive touchscreens allow prospects to gather basic information, watch a demo, etc. without having to chat with a salesperson.
7. Motion-activated technology lets people control and interact with your content with a swipe of the hand or by moving their body, no touch required. Screens activate as they walk over the floor-mounted sensor. The picture changes as they wiggle their fingers. Responsive lighting changes color or mood as they move around.
8. Beacon technology gives attendees a virtual “tap on the shoulder,” with real-time reminders, event updates, or other messages.
9. Live streaming gives those offsite a taste of what they’re missing. Live stream your event to reach a larger audience. Who knows? Those watching from home this time might join in on the festivities next time. In fact, nearly one-third of folks who see a live stream say they’ll be there in person next time.
10. Recharging stations are critical to keeping tech-happy attendees ready for action. Your attendees can’t post to your social media pages if their phone dies. Make it Wi-Fi-free and comfortable, so people can plug in devices to recharge, and recharge themselves by tuning out for a few moments.

We could go on and on, but you get the idea. As we said at the beginning, there are almost unlimited ways that interactive technology can bring your event to life. But it takes planning.