Creating an event is a costly project and to be successful, one needs to focus first and foremost on what’s important for the participants or delegates. After years of experience in the events industry and looking at the most recent trends in this field I have concluded that it is very simple if you focus on a few key performance indicators and messages you plan to pass through to your audience. There are many reasons why people will attend an event, be it a business, association, institutional or leisure event but all in all we can shortlist a handful that stand out as basics.
Business events are primarily about educating a community or a crowd. The need for lifelong education is the driving force for this type of events. Delegates will in the first place wish to learn. Not only from faculty but also peer to peer from others participating in the event. Participants primarily will come to be inspired, and some to get certified so they can be regarded as an expert in their field. The choice of excellent speakers and mentors as faculty is therefor of prime importance of these types of events. To be successful in these types of events, one will need to clearly articulate in advance what the educational outcome one can expect from attending or participating, be it a live or digital event. Learning new skills and improving business processes is key in this matter.
Other business events are more about the opportunities for business development. On one side the sellers, on the other the buyers. These events will require a complete different set up, staring for instance from trade shows or events organized by trade associations in conjunction with a conference or symposium. The return on objective here is measurable as it often involves the creation of new partnerships or increased sales. From the buyers’ side of the isle, it is measurable on the basis of better buying, discovering new deals and opportunities. The application of sales and marketing techniques plays a major role in this segment of events as well as a good buyer/seller ratio.
A big motivation for successful events is the ability to create a sense of belonging or connection. Being part of the ‘family’ is one of these great motivators for association events as it clearly identifies who one is compared to other members. Also here, certification will play an important role. Especially when there is a business element to the association. Being a certified individual will set the participant apart from the bigger crowd thus creating a higher profile in terms of competition. It will set the subject matter experts apart from the allrounders and therefor create a competitive advantage. Sufficient time for networking will play a major role in the event creation process. The opportunity to connect and being part of something much bigger than ones own community or environment.
What’s in it for me? Whichever project a meeting or event planner is developing, the focus on the individual, the participant is of prime importance. See the event through the eyes of the participant. What is their career status? What will happen if they do not participate (i.e. creating a FOMO effect). Or for leisure events or incentive programs, how can participants enjoy more, relax better, create unforgettable or unique experiences. For some of them status is important, for others the sense of belonging or opportunities for personal growth. Even bragging rights are important in case of incentives.
One thing is sure, creating events without a focus on creativity, culinary pleasures, fun elements, and any form of entertainment is doomed for failure. Immersive experiences that leverage new technology and curate content to audiences’ needs generates extended interest, focus, and enthusiasm. Furthermore, during events delegates or participants want to step out of the daily routine of work or escape from dull home office agendas. Even board meetings should not be boring. Allow participants to discover new experiences or allow time in the programme to let serendipity happen.
How technology and social media will enhance engagement.
Whatever great event design framework you have created, it will never be successful if you do not communicate about it. Here is where a digital strategy and the use of social media play a major role: pre, during and post the event.
Technology and digital communications must fully contribute to creating meaningful and relevant experiences for the audience. They are tools that bring people together and ultimately strengthen community. Technology is improving the quality of an event experience. It allows us to extract the data that for us to see what our audience wants. Virtual, hybrid and in-person events, meetings and conferences, as well as incentive programs must incorporate more digital touchpoints, supported by constantly evolving technology.
It all starts with a first announcement or save the date. Start communicating early about the theme or start passing on key messages of the event. Announce keynote speakers and use testimonials from previous events if that is the case. Use incentives or contests to win event tickets or prizes. If partners or major sponsors are involved this again creates opportunities to promote the event through their channels as long as you keep the overall control on the content and style.
Throughout the pre-event period you will have the opportunity to interview some of the speakers or do a pre-event webinar to showcase the project even better. Use footage from the previous year – video works best but also some stats about who participated. Use sneak peek communications to boost last minute registrations and to create a sense of FOMO. This all can be crystalised in an event app which will continue its lifecycle throughout the event. Or even beyond to those who did not or could not participate in person, be it live or digital.
Constant communications during the event will motivate participants even more and enhance their event experience. Live interviews from the conference, statements made from the trade floor or quotes from keynote speakers will do the trick. Polls are a powerful tool too especially if you can run them through this event app. Live streaming of some of the sessions or live podcast recordings available to participants or those who can not attend are of great value too. Use imaging of the social events or food and beverage as snapshots on social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or even LinkedIn in case you created your event profile there too. Short daily reports or entire event videos can be produced easily by using footage from the event tech teams as well. These are very powerful communication tools.
A major opportunity to drive future engagement is to repurpose and reuse the content from your event in your marketing channels. Through webinars, virtual events and on-demand video content, event marketers can develop a constantly engaged audience as well as extending the duration of an event. Especially the ‘after movie’, curated event pictures and video footage will help you ‘sell’ the event towards the following project as well. Use this material to thank sponsors, speakers, collaborators and especially the participants. Let your community know where recorded sessions can be found. Testimonials should be used immediately after the event too to activate future projects. And if this is the case, announce the next events so people can pencil them in or plan for budget.
Destinations & Events 