In a recent webinar, Rich Vallaster, Director of Marketing and the Tradeshow Wonk at Personify, discussed innovative strategies for successfully implementing event communities and connecting audiences at your next event. This webinar covered building event communities to increase satisfaction and retention, create additional revenue opportunities, and drive higher attendance to your hybrid events.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the discussion.

Your Audience Wants to Connect

As Vallaster stated early on in the webinar, “We were really good at in-person events. But, then Covid-19 happened, and Covid-19 taught us that communities matter more than ever.” People want to connect with like-minded professionals and engage in meaningful industry topics. Networking is essential for establishing vital relationships—and that is where event communities come into play. They have built-in trust thanks to familiarity, privacy protection, and ownership.

Event communities are not a new concept. Audiences have been asking for them for a while. Vallaster noted that he often heard that attendees wanted to stay in touch with the people they met at in-person events after they left. Event communities provide an outlet to keep the conversations going.

Audiences are conditioned and accustomed to utilizing digital tools to feel more connected and engaged. “We need to diversify the investment and risks associated with in-person events, and event communities do just that,” said Vallaster.

Event Communities Are the Hybrid Solution

In-person events will be the centerpieces of the digital experiences surrounding physical events. Vallaster stressed that that is “where we are headed in ‘Hybrid 2.0.’”

Webinars and online communities are going to drive people to in-person events. In-person events generate the most revenue, and digital will continue to facilitate networking opportunities and awareness around those physical events.

In a recent survey of 500 associations, Personify asked, “What is becoming more important for association members?” Personify found that 45% of respondents want to network with others in person. Still, 43% want to be able to network with others via digital platforms and communities. Thus, the data supports the importance of having an event community for your tradeshow and conference. “This truly is creating the total package,” said Vallaster.

How You Can Maximize Event Communities

Content: Your event community is your private audience. The data is yours. It is designed and scalable for your event. You can host live and on-demand videos for pre-, during, and post-event activities. Vallaster stressed that these communities encourage thought leaders to interact on relevant topics, which creates and fosters engagement. “It’s not just a virtual event; not everything is happening in a certain timeframe, “he said. It’s a year-round opportunity to solicit real-time feedback to improve your overall content initiatives.”

Revenue Generation: Sponsors, exhibitors, and industry partners are eager for opportunities to get involved year-round. Online marketplaces, sponsor advertising, and galleries for products and services are increasingly of interest for year-round exposure. The more networking that occurs online year-round, the more valuable your events will be.

Return on Investment: Event communities grow the value of your events. They foster and accelerate connections. They not only broaden your audience but also increase engagement among all audiences and offer new and exciting revenue opportunities. “The great thing about member-only areas is that they create exclusivity and desire to level up,” Vallaster remarked. “The general trend is that people wait until the very last minute. Habits have changed. That is where event communities can drive registration benefits. They create excitement to influence attendance at other events.”

Wrapping Up

Vallaster offered a lot of valuable information during the webinar for any organization interested in reaching its audience through event communities. From growing the value of your events to increasing engagement among all audiences, he made it clear that as organizations begin to stage hybrid and return to in-person events, the desire to connect is stronger than ever.

Click here to watch the webinar recording. To request a demo of Personify’s Community for Events, click here.

The post Webinar Recap: Supercharge Your Hybrid Event with an Event Community appeared first on Personify.

So, what happened?

Continued success is what happened. Our traditional events continued to grow in both attendance and revenue. In addition, their relative predictability and reliability made them desirable for organizations, associations and independent show organizers of all sizes, many of whom events are often a large portion of their organization’s budget.

Sure, there were years with small fluctuations by city choice, weather-related issues, or local and regional incidents that impacted a host city. Still, these were frequently acute and effected only a minuscule fraction of the events industry. For example, even shortly after September 11th, I was chairing a large outdoor, 60,000 plus attendee event, and we were able to move forward with only slight modifications to our event. We plan for these types of things – it’s what we do.

In mid-March 2020, that all changed. COVID-19 revealed that in-person events were far more fragile than anyone imagined. The New York Times quoted me last year; nobody had this in their event planning playbook. Many were forced to cancel or postpone their events with no alternative. Others with more runway were able to pivot to a virtual event, often their very first.

Most professionals were “on the job training” as they built out virtual experiences in unfamiliar and new and emerging event technology. Early on, attendees and exhibitors alike understood the challenges and want to remain involved to support the organization and event. However, all audiences had little experience in engaging in this new world.

As COVID moved from a few-week event to a full-blown global pandemic lasting through today, there have been many lessons learned and opportunities for event professionals to build their events to better weather the post-pandemic era upon us.

Bigger and Wider Audiences in the Virtual World 

The removal of many traditional in-person barriers such as time, travel and expense opened the door to wide-ranging audiences at virtual events. Countless organizers saw participation from entirely new audiences–from geographic diversity to adjacent markets, the level playing field opened unseen doors. Indeed, some of this growth can be attributed to a lower price point (sometimes free), but these new contacts represented untapped potential.

The prospect is now on organizers, membership managers and marketing teams to harness this audience going forward as they have already shown a propensity to engage virtually.

Connecting these new and existing audiences in more meaningful ways throughout the year online should generate new opportunities. Even those who may never attend an in-person event (for whatever reason) are still valuable through increased engagement with your exhibitors and sponsors, membership capacity, participation, or additional purchases with your organization.

Engagement Wins with Greater Competition 

The upside to the removal of those barriers has been the ability for more to participate virtually. The downside is the greater competition of digital experiences, both personally and professionally. This is a significant shift from competitor events rarely, if ever being in the same venue, location, dates or even times. As many are aware, larger tradeshows are often booked 5-10 years in advance to avoid competitor events and secure prime locations.

However, the technology and ability to host virtual events on short notice with no physical location anchoring them have expanded the marketplace extensively. In addition, the rising trend for online content such as webinars has created a crowded space of content, connections and commerce.

CEIR reported in December of 2020 that only 54% of registrants converted to attendees. That number is expected to decrease as events return to in-person or hybrid and virtual fatigue gains strength. What is clear is that a pre-COVID registration no longer represents a lower-funnel activity. The funnel has flipped with registration now at the top and engagement far more predictive to event success and satisfaction.

Engagement is the new currency. Regardless of approach, virtual, hybrid or in-person, to compete in this crowded space, event organizers will need to build ways to connect all the audiences pre, during, and post-event. These strategic and far more frequent interactions will not only be what attendees are looking for; they will demand it as a part of their total in-person package. Likewise, exhibitors and sponsors will also be searching for events that mobilize the movement and connect them

with their desired audiences in meaningful ways. Bottom line, you can’t just have a three-day event any longer.

How is a Community Different from an Events Community?

While it may seem obvious, communities are groups of like-minded individuals sharing common interests and goals, learning new things, solving challenges, and conducting business. It sounds like your event.

Communities have been around since man first began to walk the earth. They have grown exponentially since the advent of the internet. The adage, “birds of a feather, flock together,” is true of our networks to professional ones. Communities bring together people the way events do.

For those with shuttered in-person conferences and tradeshows, the virtual world became the only opportunity to connect with their communities. Thus, the challenge arose when attempting to take a three-day engagement and expect the same results in an online world.

An events community is not just another occasion to connect with your membership, audience, or constituents. It is a way to stay in front of them year-round. And unlike traditional communities, these pay off with in-person meetings to share those desired experiences.

But We Already Have an Online Community?

Some associations, nonprofits and organizations have been utilizing online communities for years to maximize member engagement. My colleague, Erin Sullivan, recently interviewed several successful organizations who have enabled their members, volunteers and advocates to connect, communicate and collaborate in a digital space.

An events community is separate (and for a good reason). Like all good communities, a common purpose is a foundation. Just like your event, there are many subgoals each of your unique audiences is looking to achieve. They are often far different than your existing online community.

An exhibitor or sponsor, for example, wants to promote their products or services to your attendees. Your attendees want to solve challenges and connect with other attendees. Often this aligns with your educational programming or the products and services your exhibitors and sponsors want to showcase. Forums on topics, challenges, services needed, success stories are all examples of great event communities. There may be elements only available to paid registrants, open areas to attract new attendees or exhibitors and sponsors. And since this community is open beyond your traditional membership base, it will grow in new organic ways.

Also, do not confuse the fantastic efforts of your social media team. Building a community of social media followers is not the same as creating a safe and secure space for constituents to connect via a private, online branded community. They are both designed to build brand and event awareness and increase attendance, but strategically, they need to be viewed differently.

Don’t worry if you have not tackled an association community yet. An events community is an excellent post-pandemic starting point to drive revenue and understand the power and influence a community can have for your organization. We can also help. 

Why Attendees and Exhibitors Love It

Events can be overwhelming experiences for many individuals. Meeting new people, making connections, learning new ideas and even deciding where to go to dinner in a new town – all require a great deal of effort. This is especially true when you put these expectations into a few days’ timeframe.

One thing is clear, the desire to connect is stronger than ever with those sharing similar experiences or successes and resolving related challenges. Event communities nurture and facilitate those connections pre-event, so on-site they are far more natural and more beneficial. Conversations start “It’s nice to finally meet you in person” versus “who are you and what organization are you with?” The same is true for exhibitors and sponsors. Attendees will visit a booth with knowledge and intention of a company’s products and services versus, “what do you do?”

These curated and often topic-driven connections build over time in a comfortable and safe space. And while not every topic is around content, the discussions of the best places to eat (and possibly someone to share a meal with) drives value for attendees.

And unlike a traditional conference, the benefits don’t stop once it is over if you have an events community. The connections made before and during the event now have another venue to continue those relationships, learnings and excitement from your event.

The post-event engagement is often the most critical to maximizing the investment in your in-person event. As your audiences meet again in the online world, they will extend the life of your event and build loyalty and ownership – further driving future success.

Why Speakers (and their Content) Benefit 

We have all been to a conference and walked into a session with a speaker who has little understanding of who the audience is. We have also been to an amazing session and wished we could continue the conversation far after the event. Event communities help solve these common challenges.

Much like connections and networking, having the ability to interact with speakers and content during all lifecycles of your event ultimately creates better content, more informed speakers and a greater affinity for your event. For example, speakers can monitor popular topics, challenges people are facing or even ask the audience what questions they want to be answered. In addition, speakers can modify their presentations for the most up-to-date content based on your community’s interactions.

Post-event, speakers can answer questions they could not answer live, offer post-session discussions and provide check-ins with attendees. Attendees can also post questions and watch the on-demand session if they missed that session.

Why Event Organizers Love It

There are so many benefits to event organizers beyond those listed above. Event communities increase Net Promoter Scores and retention because of the enhanced value offered to attendees. They drive additional revenue with fresh sponsorship and engagement opportunities for companies who want to interact with your key stakeholders. They also provide real-time intelligence and data on your event performance – from trending session discussions that might need a bigger room to popular locations you may want to maximize as a sponsorship opportunity. No other platform or event technology can offer this level of active data and insights in a non-obtrusive way while driving value for everyone involved.

Finally, the more engaged your audience is, they will likely attend and sponsor your other events. The more satisfied they are, the more likely they are to encourage others in their networks to become involved in your organization or attend your events.

Finally… the 365-day type of engagement every event professional has talked about for years.

Looking to build your online events community?

Watch on Demand 

The post Event Communities for Your Hybrid Events – It’s Time appeared first on Personify.

2021 SISO CEO Summit Event Signage

I have attended industry events for most of my life. In good and bad times, even after industry-influencing events such as 9/11 and the great recession. This was different. Not only was this arguably the very first large industry event in person, but it was also the first time in a year that many of us have traveled outside of our homes or pandemic pods to discuss event industry trends.

Like caged birds, we were finally allowed to fly and sing again. We were among our peers, our events professional tribe – all having suffered both personal and professional losses due to COVID. With more than 200 plus C-level show organizers and industry partners gathered on Amelia Island, Florida – one thing was clear, everyone wanted to solve how to move forward, grow stronger and evolve our industry.

While I shared my five lessons learned from a post-pandemic in-person event in my recent blog post, this post briefly covers the some of the key themes and trends from the SISO CEO Summit.

Partners Over Platforms

Industry leaders and show organizers equally agreed that event technology evolved rapidly over the past year. And while this explosive growth (from in and outside of the space) has offered some solutions to the challenges of the pandemic – selecting technology partners (and not just vendors) will be critical in the year ahead. Partners will need to evolve and navigate this new journey together, helping to develop new best practices and products that match the unique needs of event organizers and all the various audiences involved in successful events. Many of these needs will need to help address a 365-day, media and content-rich approach to engagement in addition to a more dynamic in-person experience. Not only will partners need to help serve the market, but revenue will also be a primary driver as events rebound and rebuild.

Engagement is the New Currency (Data/Digital/Dollars)

Engagement is the digital currency show organizers must build to connect and attract their audiences through modern media (live, digital and social media) on a more frequent basis than ever before. Webinars, content, hosted buyer programs, lead generation activities, activations, etc., will surround in-person events to keep audiences connected. As those channels build and evolve, the data and information around those interactions will further guide in-person and digital experiences.

Trade in the Virtual Space

Connecting buyers and suppliers and generating the equivalent revenue or sales leads in the virtual space has been one of the most significant challenges expressed by organizers over the past year. Even with improving technology solutions, replicating large-scale tradeshows in the digital space has not been incredibly successful for participants. This is especially challenging for exhibitors who have highly tactile or sense-driven products. For organizers who had recently staged in-person events, the responses were overwhelming that exhibitors and their prospective buyers viewed the events as critical for their business and that buyers had a much higher sense of purpose in connecting again with exhibitors in-person.

International Audiences

Much like the SISO event that would have typically seen another 100-plus registrants from members worldwide, the international landscape remains far more uncertain as restrictions prevent some international travel. Events that rely on both attendees and exhibitors/sponsors from international locations will need to help each audience navigate the changing landscape. SISO CEO did have two international attendees who could justify the conference as highly relevant to their business’s needs and attended. Organizations will have to consider how to help this audience or serve it effectively in the virtual format for the near term.

Challenging Assumptions  

Leaders stressed that planning for the years ahead based on historical data would challenge every event and organization. The consensus was that 2019 should be considered an indicator and not a predictor. Many C-Level executives argued that 2022 or 2023 would be the first post-pandemic years to begin baseline benchmarking again. One major event organization shared with their reduced staffing they were having their team focus on operational milestones and goals versus financial ones given the uncertainty.

An Episodic Approach to Events Revenue

Once considered a reliable income for organizations, events became an uncertain and unpredictable activity in 2020.  This episodic model (single, one-time events as the primary revenue driver) is now replaced with subscription models, marketplaces, online event communities and various year-long engagement activities to diversify revenue streams across their portfolios. Even in the mergers and acquisitions space, events are now viewed more regarding their engagement ability and events revenue.

Customer First Approach

Regardless of the format (in-person, virtual or hybrid), the agreement was that listening to the customer, including attendees and exhibitors/sponsors was critical as the industry rebuilds. Understanding their motivations, needs, pain points, etc. would help organizers build a more holistic approach to planning their events since many of these buyer considerations have drastically changed in the past year and will likely continue to evolve.

Events Employee Landscape

The layoffs and furloughs were considerable for many event industry partners. Most organizations openly shared they were entering a “new unknown” as events begin to stage in-person and hybrid. Few, if any, had their entire staff hired back and many were not in a position to rehire or only planning to slowly higher back a percentage of their pre-pandemic workforce – if they could find them. Understandably, many event professionals have moved outside of the industry for work.

There was a palpable concern that the entire ecosystem will be strained in Q3 and Q4 of this year with new event formats, compression in certain cities/venues and the ability to rely on a seasoned workforce. The positive news that many organizations were moving forward with events that would create the demand for every partner to reengage the workforce. It was also evident that retraining, retooling and building new roles to reflect the post-pandemic event will define the landscape for some time to come.

Engagement over Marketing Managers

With the significant initiative for more events engagement, executives considered re-thinking their marketing groups teams as engagement teams. These professionals are already heavily engaged in marketing to their various audiences using many platforms suited for this new engagement. They are reimagining these teams to adapt to these changing dynamics while utilizing existing resources more quickly.

Innovation – Creating Want to Attend Events

Innovation didn’t just apply to event technology or draw inspiration from the closing keynote speaker, George Blankenship .  He helped architect Apple Computer’s brand-building retail strategy and revolutionized the car-buying experience as an executive at Tesla Motors. Innovation was a common thread throughout discussions and panels as executives felt as if the time had come to innovate at every level – from event operations to marketing – modernizing to meet the needs of the changed consumer behavior. This is further reinforced by a recent McKinsey and Company study found that found 90% of executives said they expect the fallout from COVID-19 to fundamentally change the way they do business over the next five years.

Bullish Event Industry Outlook

Anirban Basu, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Sage Policy Group, Inc. delivered compelling data showing indicators that a desired “V-shaped” recovery will provide a quicker ramp to revenue growth in 2021. He also shared that some industries (such as the hospitality and travel industry) will be slower to grow, given the profound impact this past year has had. Consumer sentiment continues to rise and consumer travel will rebound shortly after that.

Executives echoed sentiments as initial in-person events and customer surveys show both pent-up demand and a desire to return to in-person events. Customers and consumers are anxious to meet again in a face to environment. We are creatures of habit.

What’s Next in the Event Industry

Like all great events, it was hard to leave for many reasons. First, my head was filled with many new ideas and lessons learned – I didn’t want the learning to stop—the reason why organizers are considering event communities to continue the engagement year-round. Second, the event challenged and reconfirmed my belief on the approach I shared hybrid events will take in the coming years. And finally, it reconfirmed my love of an industry that will continue to evolve and rise from the ashes like a phoenix. With innovation and the focus on the customer, creating “Want to Attend” (versus must attend) events will drive the industry back to profitability and long-term growth. Here is looking forward to SISO Summer!

The post Event Industry Trends & Recap of the 2021 SISO CEO Summit appeared first on Personify.

SISO CEO 2021 Name Badge

While it seemed like attending my first post-pandemic in-person event would be like riding a bike, it came with some lessons learned and a few surprises.

Personify A2Z Events was thrilled to be a sponsor of this year’s SISO CEO Summit this past week in Amelia Island, Florida. It had been a little over 16 months since I last attended a tradeshow but having attended previous SISO events, I knew the event would be top-notch, from the speakers and sessions to the networking and events. What I did not know was how (or if) the way we attend or plan events a year after only having virtual offerings had changed.

I have compiled my five critical lessons learned to consider as you strategize for your first post-pandemic hybrid or in-person event.

Lesson #1: Post Pandemic Events Etiquette

The most immediate difference I witnessed was navigating our new norms of interacting with each other in a physical space. Having not seen many of our clients, friends, and partners for over a year, it was hard not to hug someone or come close to shake their hand. While we all had been tested or vaccinated, we have spent the past year making sure we were physically distanced (or six feet) from anyone not in our “pod.” Suddenly we were far from our homes and face to face.

Many defaulted to a hug or to shake hands, while others felt more secure keeping their distance and simply waving or bumping elbows. Stickers on our badges denoted who was vaccinated, but that certainly didn’t seem like a determining factor of how people interacted. We questioned each other on even using go-to conference items such as business cards to minimize the spread of germs (many even commented they didn’t even think of them since they haven’t been used in over a year). How do you manage large groups or even getting on the elevator at the end of the day? Each moment was met with split-second decision and mental note there were things were new as we ventured out.

Ironically, navigating this awkwardness created ice breakers and jokes among us. Even with masks on, you could see the smiles and delight to be back in person.  Each one of us wanted to respect what each other was comfortable with interacting. While none of it distracted at all from the event, it was just our new reality.

Quick Take – Setting expectations of post-pandemic events etiquette will be vital as you welcome back your audiences in person. Communicating that audiences may have different comfort levels of interactions. Each attendee will need to respect their fellow attendees wishes to provide everyone a higher level of comfort.

Lesson #2: Connections Over Content  

What was also immediately apparent was that networking and peer-to-peer conversation were a top priority for everyone from the moment of arriving on-site. Whether it has been the lack of quantity and quality of networking at virtual events the past year or the common desire to solve challenges – every opportunity to speak to each other was significant.

After each networking or session break, it was a challenge for organizers to drive attendees back into the general sessions. Attendees struggled to decide between the next fantastic speaker or continuing the great conversation.

The conflict of competing priorities was also confirmed at networking receptions and meals. It was hard to move attendees away (or end) these events as the desire to continue the conversation was strong. While these were all incredibly positive points for both the organizers and attendees, remaining on the schedule was challenging.

Quick Take – As your events return in person, adding additional and longer times to network may provide a better attendee experience as many have not seen each other in over a year. Provide other areas or suggestions of where to continue the conversation should your scheduled event end.

Lesson #3: Virtual In-Person Fatigue

General session at SISO CEO Summit

Virtual fatigue is a growing problem facing every aspect of our pandemic lives. From on-screen meetings, binge-watching Netflix to virtual events, we are all growing weary of the amount of daily screen time. As I approached SISO (an extrovert that hasn’t traveled for work in well over a year), I was thrilled to attend sessions. Finally seeing and hearing speakers live and interacting in-person with attendees before, during, and after each session. What I found was a new type of fatigue – post-pandemic in-person fatigue.

While previously I could turn off my camera and mute myself, I was on – live and in-person (and several rows and aisles away from an exit door even if I wanted to slip out). To be actively engaged, I could not multi-task. I couldn’t keep meetings, take calls, respond to email or Slack messages. I couldn’t promise myself I was going to watch the session recording a few weeks later. From 8 am breakfast till the end of the evening, often after 9 or 10 pm, I was interacting with others and learning. I was once again in sessions that were 45 minutes to an hour in length versus the 20-30 minutes sessions many have adopted in the virtual world. I had to pay attention to be fully engaged in the event (and I was out of practice).

So, what’s changed? While we all hate to admit it, our behavior has been altered by COVID. In the past, we would have put up an out-of-office message while attending an event and manage our non-event duties on a minimal basis. And if we did take time, we felt justified as there were plenty of other opportunities to learn and network around the corner. However, we quickly discovered the ability to manage our daily personal and professional lives during a virtual event. I applied our new accepted event virtual behaviors back to the in-person world, and it did not work.

Quick Take – Understanding how behaviors have changed during the pandemic is essential to scheduling your in-person event. Our attention spans are even smaller than before, so session length is critical to consider. Building in breaks is even more relevant for people to now manage both worlds while in-person. Length of the day and total event days will also play a factor as being away from home and home office will be a new adjustment for many participants.

Lesson #4: To Hybrid or Not 

While I and several hundred made the decision to attend in-person, I know others who could not or did not feel comfortable traveling to an in-person event quite yet. Since SISO was a purely in-person event, I watched the event unfold and imagined both the logistics and experiences involved to test theories and applications if this had been a hybrid event. Though it certainly would have been possible, and the benefits of the amazing content would have helped the hybrid audience, I saw many challenges to consider in your hybrid event planning.

The largest item that stands out to me is those who made the commitment in resources, time and risk (albeit minimized) to attend. It would have honestly been less desirable to connect with a virtual attendee if it had been hybrid. While I understand many have entirely valid reasons not to attend, I still wanted to communicate with those face to face and those who had the shared experience of being in person.

As we moved freely around event spaces (both in and outdoors), it would have been logistically difficult to connect us with good audio and video (regardless of the associated expenses with executing this experience). Attendees were continually moving on-site versus being glued to their screen. Groups grew and often broke up into smaller conversations. At outdoor events, and one, in particular, had a band playing and a strong ocean breeze – the audio alone would have created a nightmare to connect the virtual and in-person audiences.

As noted above, a virtual audience would have had trouble keeping up with sessions that flexed to meet the needs and priorities of the on-site attendees. Some sessions started late to accommodate a more extended networking session or longer lunch service. Would a virtual audience have waited while the in-person room filled back up before starting? What audience becomes the driver of the event?

I couldn’t help remembering back to my high school days of working at an independent bookstore (well before Amazon). Nothing aggravated a customer more than when an associate helped a phone customer before the customer who drove to the store. Would the in-person audience feel their needs were greater than the virtual? Would two distinct audiences still emerge?

Quick Take:  There are many considerations when planning a hybrid event. With changes in attendee behavior, the costs and logistical challenges of in-person events are more challenging than most expect. I believe a more logical model exists – watch my Hybrid 2.0 Webinar and download our Hybrid Events Planning Guide to learn more.

Lesson #5: Health and Safety

In person post-pandemic on-site rapid COVID testing.

Finally, SISO took great care to make every participant feel safe. Not only were attendees required to submit a negative test or proof of vaccination prior to arrival, but event participants could also get an on-site rapid COVID test. Attendees were unable to pick up their badge until on-site staff confirmed all the health and safety protocols were in place. Participants could denote their vaccination status on their badges, and masking was also protocoled at the event. Six feet separation in session rooms, greatly reduced table seating and hand sanitizer were also present.

Before departing for the start of the event, some family and friends seem surprised I was traveling to a business event. And while I said it jokingly, the health and safety measures along with protocol from business professionals made me feel safer at SISO than at my big box warehouse club on any given day. I can honestly say I felt safe and that both the participants and organizers also wanted the event to be safe and adhere to the guidelines. Even at meals, the ability to offer meals both in and outdoors with tables set for four versus the typical 8-10 also ensured that un-masked physical distancing was considered. From single-use materials to the staff of the resort serving meals, the details made a difference. And as I talked to other attendees, these measures are why they felt comfortable (and safe) in traveling to the event.

Quick Take – Everyone will have different levels of comfort and desire to travel as the world reopens. Clearly articulating the health and safety protocols at your event will be critical to increasing attendance over the next several years. Work closely with all your partners to secure your events ecosystem as best as possible. Also, be clear in your policies about non-compliance.

So much like riding that bike for the first time again – take a few laps around the neighborhood before venturing on a bike trail. And with anything new after such a long break will be challenging – your attendees will overlook many of the small challenges to be back together again.

Though I hope this article helps prepare you for many of the lessons and considerations, I would still encourage you to attend an in-person event as soon as possible. Your experiences will better prepare you, your team, your organization, and every constituent coming to your in-person or hybrid event in 2022.

The post Five Lessons Learned from a Post Pandemic In-Person Event appeared first on Personify.

Focused young gentlemen engaged in online event communities.

Ironically, event professionals are an industry that is changing and an industry that never seems to change. Like many black swan events, there are often long-term changes to the way businesses operate and consumers act.

According to a recent McKinsey and Company study,  90% of executives said they expect the fallout from COVID-19 to fundamentally change the way they do business over the next five years. Those same executives also reported that the pandemic would have a lasting impact on their customer’s needs and 75% said the crisis would create new growth opportunities. Could online event communities be the answer?

So, what will stick with events? 

What continues to gain traction across event manager blogs, discussion groups and industry chatter is harnessing online event communities’ power. Ironic since it is something event professionals (and audiences) have been discussing for many years, well before the pandemic. Having conducted event focus groups for years, it was common feedback. Regardless of the industry or event size, every group desired to extend their three days to year-long engagement. From the connections they made, the business conducted, the sense of community they often felt at events to the learnings, it was always an utmost desire to “keep it going.”

It makes sense given the investment of resources (both in time and money) for a three-day event. We have all been to a great session and wished we could continue the conversations with the speakers and other attendees. Most of us have gone alone to a conference and wished there was an easy way to connect to other attendees in advance to meet up on a topic or just a social meal. Exhibitors and sponsors would always prefer to start a conversation at the event with “it’s great to meet you finally” versus hear “what do you do?” The list of benefits and examples of why we should leverage event communities are endless.

So why now?

As the pandemic has endured (on gone on further than anyone ever expected), organizations realized that year-round engagement is not only an insurance policy for the risks singular in-person events can often face; it is what everyone wants in their events. As new and previously untapped audiences have attended virtual-only events, organizers are scrambling to find ways to extend and increase engagement, networking and connections as the core value propositions that in-person events were so effective at generating pre-pandemic. While everyone seems to agree that virtual events will not replace in-person events, the value of events is far more than just the in-person interactions in such a short window of time.

So how do online event communities work with hybrid events?

When it comes to hybrid events, in-person events will be the centerpieces of the virtual experiences surrounding physical events. For many organizations, the most effective virtual component will be event-branded online communities.

In our latest research study (LINK), 44% of association members shared that it’s become more important to have an online community in 2021 than in previous years. However, we found that only a tiny percent of association staff report using one. So, it not only serves to benefit your events, but it will also benefit your organization.

Sounds great, but why will it work?

Audiences are already conditioned and accustomed to using digital tools to feel more connected and engaged with their peers. Peers are one of the most trusted sources in digital spaces.

I travel a great deal for both work and personal enjoyment. When I am looking for a restaurant recommendation in an unfamiliar town, I turn to Facebook over Yelp. While Yelp provides me an overview of what the public thinks of a dining establishment, I have been in cities where Taco Bell is highly rated. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Chalupa, but my friends will make recommendations for a small local Mexican restaurant versus a chain. Or since I am a bit of a foodie, a unique local establishment, or some great BBQ. My peers will also likely know I am allergic to seafood, so they will not make that recommendation either. My peers and colleagues will better serve me, and I will trust them more than the general public.

Association and event communities have built-in trust because of familiarity, privacy protection, and community ownership. Just this past week, another Facebook data breach compromised 533 million users phone numbers and personal information was leaked. The more trust a participant feels, the more likely they are to freely engage with others.

Even if they have only attended your event once, they will likely already feel connected to the event and its community. If it is a new attendee, they will want to engage this community as quickly as possible to make the time most valuable. These are not strangers meeting online; they are a group of individuals with a common goal and interest – your event and your organization.

Will this help our in-person events?

Absolutely. Event advocacy or net promoter score (NPS) via online channels is a universal driver of attendance. And since most people attend events to solve problems, make connections, conduct business and gain knowledge and skills – your online community becomes an extension of why they already attend. This past year, our research (LINK) has shown this has grown more important, with 45% of respondents saying a chance to learn career skills or certifications is more important than in 2020. Followed quickly behind is 46% who said it was more important to network with others in-person and 45% who shared being able to network with others via digital platforms & communities.  We have all heard of FOMO.  Event communities can create it by offering “member or registered attendee only” areas, special events and sessions only available to registrants. That exclusivity will drive event registration sooner to benefit from the content, sharing and networking reserved for “club members.”

These connections and interactions create a circular loop: People want to meet the people with whom they interact in an online community. When they connect and engage at events, they contribute more to your online community in authentic, relevant and ongoing discussions.

Can we generate revenue with an online event community?

Of course! Online event communities offer companies year-long opportunities to remain in front and engaged with their target markets (your attendees). Companies can participate in many ways, between highly valuable thought leadership sponsorships and events to online advertising opportunities.

Some event organizers only allow participation in their event communities to those who exhibit or sponsor this in-person event (to drive in-person revenue), while others are extending their reach to those who may not attend in person but still want exposure to your audiences.

Regardless of your approach, there are many ways to cover the cost of the platform via sponsorships.

Are there other benefits of online event communities?

While this list extends beyond this, here a few:

Content – Most events are filled with great content. Content that expires moments after it is presented. An online community maximizes the usage of existing educational content and speakers for days, weeks or even months afterward. Some will include this as a member benefit moving forward, while others may charge for it.

Networking – Connecting our audiences has been a challenge this past year. Well-built event communities create curated and meaningful interactions and connections around affinity. Examples include topics of interest, job role/title, products, services, geography, skills, etc. And for introverts who may feel less comfortable networking in-person, a community provides a level playing field and safe space for digital networking year-long.

Data and Insights – As we learned with a year of virtual events, the data became highly valuable. Your online events community is not only a place to connect; it’s a goldmine for data, interaction insights and market and member intelligence. The data will be a real-time data source not only to plan your in-person event but can also help organizations strategically plan for 2022 and beyond.

Ready to learn more about building an online community?

If you’re interested in hearing more about our strategy and approach to online communities, watch our recent discussion with Personify’s Erin Sullivan and Benjamin Morton. During the webinar, they explore the benefits of communities for associations and nonprofits and reveal strategies to get your community off on the right foot and keep it going strong. In this session, you’ll learn:

• What an online community is and how it plays an important role in your engagement strategy that is unique from your organization’s other digital tools
• A strategy to launch a new community that will make your members and stakeholders feel welcome and understand how to get involved
• Essential best practices in online community management for organizations of all sizes
• A walkthrough of Personify’s community platform and how to bring these best practices to life within the software
• And much, much more.

Watch Now

The post Online Events Communities – Why Now? appeared first on Personify.

In the year ahead, the fate of safely gathering in person remains uncertain. But with the vaccine rollout, there’s now an added dose of cautious optimism. Of course, people want IRL events to start back up ASAP, and it can be demoralizing as they continue to get canceled and pushed back. But Molly Hamill, the manager of exhibit sales at the Global Association for the Attractions Industry (IAAPA), believes it’s all about moving forward together.

“People are more forgiving and I hope that continues into 2021, [with everyone] understanding that we are all going through this,” Hamill said. “I have such high hopes for the rest of the year and I want to maintain that happiness and not dwell on 2020.”

According to our research in December of 2020, nearly 90 percent of association members surveyed said that looking ahead, they will focus more on virtual engagement than they had in past years. But “not every event is equal,” Hamill pointed out, noting that some things that might easily work for one association might not work for another, and vice versa.

“You really have to look at each event individually and not think that everything is going to fit into a box.”

Getting into the technical weeds of managing safe and effective events (whether they’re virtual, in-person, or a hybrid) in the not-yet-post-COVID world is an individualized task. So associations should figure out what their essential checklists look like and adapt their plans accordingly, Hamill said. But she noted that there are some event-planning strategies that remain universal—empathy and understanding should fit into everyone’s box, for example. We’ve shared more of Hamill’s thoughts here:

Share the Deets

What is the “sweet spot” when it comes to dropping into your members’ inboxes? Your intuition might not always match up with the type of attention your members are looking for, Hamill points out. Best to consult the stats: According to our research, while associations were inclined to overestimate how much members wanted digital content from them, about one in three did want to receive something weekly or more.

Our study found that the ideal amount of communication was about weekly to monthly—81 percent of members wanted something either weekly, twice per month, or monthly.

And once you’ve struck that perfect harmony when it comes to how much information you drop in leading up to the event, you need to figure out where to drop in, suggests Hamill. Again, let’s turn to the stats: Personify looked into the social channels where associations are reaching members, and found that Facebook is the most effective, with Instagram a close second. Twitter might be overused—half of associations reported using it, with only a third of their members interested in following them on Twitter. The underutilized gem? Private online member communities.

Hamill also pointed out that it’s essential to have dedicated COVID-19 resources available not just for members, but for big companies, legal teams, independently-owned facilities, local government agencies, and constituencies—all the parties that need insights into things like bills being passed and relief options. “In this instance, it is, the more information the better,” she said. This way, everyone has all the info they need to ensure they’re actively and safely opening their facilities and that the public feels safe coming to them.

At the end of the day, it’s all about fostering a comfortable event environment. IAAPA drives home that it is working with all its partners—local agencies, convention centers, decorators, partners—to ensure attendees and suppliers feel safe.

“Again, it’s putting as much information online or accessible to the attendees upfront so that they feel safe enough to make that decision to come.”

Speaking of the association-member relationship…

Best Too?  Your Members

Hamill said the best tool her association has is its members.

“The most valuable lesson that I learned in 2020 is to stop and listen to the members regarding their needs. They can come up with ideas [to address them] that you probably didn’t think of yet.”

Members are attending annual association events and other virtual events, so they can tell you what’s working and what’s not. “What you think is going to work for your audience might not satisfy their needs, and you can’t satisfy everyone,” Hamill said. But she added that you can have open and honest conversations with members—as well as exhibitors and clients—to cultivate those relationships and plant seeds for people to feel comfortable providing feedback in the future.

And in a Close Second, the Tools That Bring Those Members Together

Now that you’ve listened to your members and found that information sweet spot, the third piece of the puzzle is finding and adopting the right services and platforms to execute your well-informed vision.

She and her team worked closely with our Personify team, especially when they had to cancel, move, postpone, or downsize events. Personify helped their association with many of the moving pieces on when to make those changes and quickly sending them off to exhibitors.

To summarize, when it comes to smooth sailing during a turbulent time of shutdowns and safe reopenings, it’s about three key things—keeping your ears open to members, making sure communication is open and flowing, and maintaining a digital toolbox that can deploy all of your event planning (and scrambling) needs.

This IAAPA profile was first published on the Associations Now blog on February 16, 2021 as part of an ongoing series profiling the COVID response strategy of Associations. Republished with permission, all rights reserved.

The post Planning for an Uncertain Future Requires Open Ears, Communication and Empathy appeared first on Personify.

Glamping at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Williamsport, MD

While on Labor Day holiday, I started to reflect on the summer I had “planned” and what summer ended up “being.”  Much of what had been scheduled was canceled, postponed, or changed to consider the Coronavirus circumstances. I also pondered what a dizzying array of unforeseen circumstances the last six months have been that have forever changed how we work, live and play. From the concerns and riots over systematic racism to the profound impacts of the pandemic, nothing has been absolute in 2020.

The parallels to my summer and the events industry were suddenly evident to me. We are all searching for some certainty in this uncertain time. Anything. Something. But much like my summer, I realized I had to cherish the opportunities and new experiences this moment in time has created. As a family, these include many day trips to explore the fantastic states immediately around us. We “glamped” for the first time, tubed down the Potomac River and took advantage of the beach being only a few hours away. Each experience was different than what had been planned but was also new, unique and satisfying.

Early Virtual Event Mistakes

When virtual events were the only option, many organizers simply attempted to turn their in-person meetings to online events without modifying the experience to adequately accommodate the virtual experience’s differences. The “plop and drop” method, as I like to call it, was frustrating to attendees as well as exhibitors and sponsors.

To be fair, most event planners had little time to make the necessary changes and little information on how to host a successful virtual event. As the pandemic has continued, savvy organizations have worked to fully understand the limitations and opportunities to provide much more valuable experiences. But just as quickly as the technology and planning of virtual events evolved, the world has evolved around us.

With the announcement of IAEE’s Expo! Expo! and a few other events moving forward with a face-to-face meeting and a virtual component, it is clear the demand for both will remain the “certainty” for the near term. Some constituents (and organizers) are anxious to meet again in-person, while others prefer a desire to join virtually, the case to cater to both only gets more substantial for hybrid events.

Hybrid Event = Many Definitions

Using the word hybrid to reflect a meeting or event is not as inclusive as one might think. Is the event in one location or many? Will it include audio-only or one and two-way video? Will it be synchronous or asynchronous (meaning audiences may be participating at the same of different times)? Will participants be able to interact with speakers and other audience members? Will that participation be before, during and after the event? Will it all be live, simulive (simulated live), or all recorded or some mix? Will sessions be offered on-demand? With an in-person event following a more typical timeline, how will that impact the virtual audience? The list of questions to consider and logistics is long and suddenly virtual-only seems more straightforward than we imagined.

Hybrid Events in Our Daily Lives

Since many event professionals (once again) have never planned or executed a hybrid event, it is helpful to think of something in our daily lives that effectively replicates a mixed experience. While I noted above, there are many definitions of hybrid. For simplicity’s sake (and ignoring COVID for the moment), I will stick to an event occurring simultaneously with two audiences.

Since my primary DC area football team no longer has a name, let’s go with a Baltimore Ravens game. With any televised sporting event, there are two distinct audiences “attending” the same event at the same time. Some could argue that you cannot compare being in a stadium to watching it on television, but each has its associated costs and benefits. Companies covet both interaction and awareness of their brand’s participation and both audiences. And technology and social media have furthered increased interaction from the online audience.

Where it gets interesting is that the production of a sporting event is high. There are sportscasters, personalities and interactive tools to bring the live event to your home and online. You are not merely listening to the announcer in the stadium. They help translate the in-person experience, mixing in the audio from the stadium and connecting the audiences. Because of the nature of sports, most likely, you won’t watch a game a week later on-demand, unlike an event. While that is true, we don’t have enough data yet to say the same for virtual events. One game and two different experiences shared by millions of viewers, many, if not most who will never attend a game in-person.

New Audiences for Hybrid Events

Hybrid events will offer a more significant opportunity to reach more extensive and diverse audiences. We also need to move past the concept that these attendees will cannibalize our in-person events. In the short-term, many either cannot travel (due to restrictions) or don’t feel comfortable for health and safety, so the virtual element is their only choice. Longer-term, the online audience most likely will have never or never intended to attend in-person (for a multitude of reasons). This broader audience will create more value for your exhibitors and sponsors and attendees as your community grows.

Hybrid and Virtual Events ROI 

Another upside of virtual events has been the additional data, some of which would have been either cost-prohibitive or impossible to capture. As companies recover from shutdowns, a sluggish economy and potentially poor virtual events experiences, it is even more imperative to provide a return on investment.

Data will be critical to highlight the exposure of those exhibitors and sponsors in both the in-person and virtual world. Historical participation and “gut instinct” will no longer provide the typical number of exhibitors and sponsors in a pre-COVID world. Virtual only exhibitors may also be a new revenue stream for some events.

Lemons into Lemonade 

So much like my summer, I was forced to take the bad and make good (and sometimes even better). For event professionals, this is now that moment. Your hybrid events should create an experience that every audience (attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors) seamlessly interact within both the physical and virtual spaces. They will challenge the way we think or attend events moving forward.  And more importantly, they can be the intersection of the best from the physical and virtual worlds. As Deepak Chopra once said, “All great changes are preceded by chaos.”

Learn more about planning hybrid events at our FREE on-demand webinar!

The post A Half Year Reflection on Events in a COVID Era appeared first on Personify.

As I have started my virtual meet-ups, webinars and as the host of the Planet Leadership Podcast I have asked, “If you could go back to the second week of March before the COVID-19 lock-down, what would you do differently?”   

While I would have expected most event professionals to say things like “purchased the pandemic insurance cancellation rider” or “update their playbook to include such a catastrophic event” (or at least “buy more toilet paper,”) the first answer has been around cherishing those face-to-face interactions with colleagues, friends and family a little more. Having watched my daughter hug her grandmother (with masks, of course) and cry, having not seen her in person in months, it hit home even more.  

It only makes sense. We are driven professionally by those same motivators of face-to-face interactions that we naturally crave.  

Take Action

While we are all working to figure out the future of events in the online, in-person and hybrid worlds, I want to challenge us all to take the time to reimagine our events. We cannot continue to lick our wounds and hope for a better outcome. Hope is not a strategy since we will most likely be co-existing with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. 

Let’s DO some of the things we have all talked about (myself included as an event organizer) forever. Year-long engagement is something every organizer has wanted to maximize for their events. Ironically, our in-person success has hindered moving this from the wish list to the to-do list.  

What is a Community?

It is essential to broaden our definition of a community to incorporate all channels – events, social networks and online communities. Much like events, communities can be social places to learn, network, conduct business and share information or education. They create a place that allows constituents to interact with two trusted sources – an organization, association, or event they have an existing relationship with and their peers.  

That trust creates a safe place for participation. And fortunately for organizers, audiences (of all types and ages) are already conditioned and accustomed to using digital tools to feel more connected and engaged. According to Statista, Facebook (a type of community) has 22% of female and 15% of male users that are over the age of 45.  

Why Now?

People want or need to solve problems. Now more than ever, it is why they seek out events, networks or online communities. For event professionals, in-person experiences were the primary moment to fulfill this need. For decades, events have successfully connected audiences with content (education), and commerce (buyers and suppliers) and their peers with little interruption or decline.   

Every activity has been driven around engagement in such a limited amount of time, typically 72 hours. The dramatic and sudden inability to meet in-person because of COVID-19 has highlighted the risks associated with placing the full weight of a successful engagement strategy on a singular activity – meeting in-person and the potential rewards of having a highly engaged community around your events.  

Delivering Value

Having conducted hundreds of focus groups with attendees and exhibitors, the biggest requests of these audiences is two-fold. One is the desire to be more involved in shaping the event and the other is extending the event beyond the few days that people are together in-person.   

Why? Because every audience invests a lot of resources, time, and effort to travel and attend an in-person event. Any way all audiences can feel more “invested” and “engaged” in your event, the more value (and satisfaction) it will drive.  

On the education side, a community allows engagement with speakers and other attendees around the topics and issues important to the audience. Post-event, and even more importantly, learners want a forum to unpack those learnings and extend the value of the educational content. 

For exhibitors and sponsors, the ability to connect and showcase products and services before the event generates greater brand awareness and creates even more meaningful in-person interactions on your show floor. 

But Wait, There’s More

While it is cliché, there are so many other positives to list here by creating an events community.  

I recently hosted a discussion on these topics:

• Education– How to leverage educational content and speakers for increased engagement, higher session satisfaction and improved attendance for webinars and virtual and hybrid events.
• Networking– How to foster genuine and meaningful networking among various affinity groups, on relevant topics as well as products and services (from your exhibitors and industry partners) before, during and after your events.
• Increase Attendance – How events communities boost attendance and drive earlier registration with less marketing resources.
• Revenue – How to monetize your community and involve key exhibitors and sponsors in the development, growth and success of your community.
• Market Intelligence – Understand the real-time information, analytics and data that event organizers can now have at their disposal with an events community.

So, let’s take this “pause” and start to think about how you can create a year-long event community. Not only will you find that it will increase engagement and satisfaction, but you will also better support all your event formats, virtual, hybrid or in-person. 

Watch Now

The post Stop Talking. Start Doing. Community Engagement for Events appeared first on Personify.

Last year, more than 100 individuals (including myself) spent the day in Washington, DC walking the halls of congress, advocating to lawmakers and policy influencers to the importance and economic impact of the events and tradeshow industries.

Local Impact

It is staggering to think that B2B events contributed 101 billion dollars to U.S. GDP in 2019, according to IAEE. In Maryland alone (my home and home of Personify’s Columbia, MD office), there were 303 B2B events with 991K attendees. If you combine the areas of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, we collectively had 716 tradeshows with 5.9 million visiting attendees.

Rich Vallaster on Capitol Hill 2019

Capitol Hill Experiences

I have always approached this day with such excitement. Part of it is to see so many colleagues who fly in from all over the country. The other is feeling as if my own efforts can make a difference and be part of the solution to move the industry forward. Walking the halls of where our country’s most significant decisions are made is such a rush. Last year, my group even got a chance opportunity to ride the subway underneath the Capitol and watch a bill being passed live on the house floor by a special invite.

This year was different. I know so many industry colleagues and friends directly impacted by layoffs and furloughs. I have watched our clients agonize over the decision to cancel or postpone their events. In just a little over three months, 1.6 million exhibitors and 286 billion dollars of impact has been felt. As I studied the issues, I realized now more than ever, my efforts were needed for my friends, for our clients and the industry.

Virtual Experience

Like many other virtual events, we all worked to learn a new platform and turned on our webcams to connect face-to-face. We did virtual yoga and

attended an education session on bourbon from Louisville (the host city for this year’s IAEE Expo! Expo!). We struggled to unmute and enjoyed seeing other pets, family and even their office backgrounds.

With a record-breaking 1,600 registrants, it was reaffirming that the positive spirit and drive to move forward will help the industry grow. This year’s theme of “exhibitions are key to rebuilding economies” was evident as lawmakers around the country connected and interacted with us as they realize the financial impact and jobs tied to our industry and their desire to see a return to normal.

So, as we move forward, I encourage everyone in the industry to continue the efforts to advocate locally, nationally, and internationally to support this vibrant and critical component to our world’s economies. You can also watch the day’s recap video here.

I look forward to being back on Capitol Hill next year!

The post Reflections on Virtual Exhibitions Day 2020 appeared first on Personify.

Don’t Pivot Your Event – Reimagine It

When I was running for a local elected office many years ago (a story for another blog post), my campaign consultants coached me on how to “pivot” during debates. In politics, it is a diversion tactic to avoid a non-advantageous topic and change the conversation to something more beneficial for the candidate. In the events business, the pivot seems to have manifested itself as a short-term solution to a long-term problem.  

Google Search Term 1 – Coronavirus

To be fair, events and trade shows in the early days and weeks of the pandemic had only a few options. Since that time, it has become evident the Coronavirus is not an acute event with a clear conclusion (an organizer’s worst nightmare). To put this in perspective, below is a chart of the Google Search traffic for “virtual events” and “coronavirus” since the beginning of 2020. 

Understandably, even veteran event professionals who by definition are worst-case scenario planners and they never had this in their playbook. Unfortunately, as the crisis progressed, instead of reimagining events and focusing on the core foundations of content, commerce, connections and community in the virtual world, many decided to “pivot” and abandoned many of these basic tenants. 

Google Search Term 2 – Virtual Events

E-mail and voicemail boxes were flooded with messages and calls from unheard of companies with virtual event “experts” and new products offering a life raft in a rising sea. Virtual events seemed like the answer and the only answer. Organizations and associations had to be willing to give up many core components (and revenue drivers) to their event to survive (commerce, connections and community). Countless events suddenly dropped registration fees, removed their mobile app, refunded exhibitors and sponsors and focused solely on the educational components. Not only was it not sustainable to their business, but it was also not what their attendees and exhibitors wanted.  

Hybrid First – Virtual Events Second Approach 

So what are the answers to future proof your events in an uncertain COVID-19 world? Even if a mass producible, tested and proven vaccine becomes available, you must approach, plan and solve for the inevitable long-term changes. Sounds daunting or impossible, right?   

I do not see it this way. Everyone agrees that both the benefits and desire to meet in-person will propel the industry forward. That yearning for face-to-face interactions may even create new opportunities we have yet to imagine (or monetize). In parallel, the demand or need to consume and experience events in a virtual world will remain.  

In this hybrid approach, cost centers, revenue streams and time commitments diversify, mitigate risk and maximize investment and engagement for every participant. Attendees, exhibitors, speakers, organizers, event staff and many others can evaluate participation in new ways. New opportunities will also be created by a hybrid model that is not possible with an in-person or virtual event.  

Furthermore, creative organizers will blur the lines between virtual and in-person to provide highly valuable experiences, including content, connections, commerce and community for every constituent in the lifecycle of an event.  

Community–Driven Events

The other way to significantly future proof your event is around developing events–focused communities. I have conducted hundreds of focus groups in my career and every attendee and exhibitor has shared similar sentiments:  

• “I wish there was a way to engage, participate or connect before and after the event.”  
• “Why do I only get to share my latest products and services with this audience for three days? There is so much pressure to deliver high levels of quality leads in such a short time frame.”  
• “This event would be more valuable to my boss if I could continue connecting and learning from the others in these sessions.” 

We (as show organizers) are laser focused on the achievements that must happen in a three– to five-day time period. We completely understand and have often talked about the fact that engagement is needed year-round to drive better satisfaction. We have not concentrated on it since our in-person events always happens. Always. Until now.  

When COVID hit—suddenly—shifting the risks (and rewards) across the entire year seems far more plausible (and even more satisfying for everyone involved).  

Imagine having attendees, speakers, staff, exhibitors/sponsors and thought leaders all exchanging ideas, discussing challenges and solving problems before the event. Exhibitors having already shared their white papers and research to benefit attendees (and their companies). Attendees having already connected and reviewed new products or services and had engagement around an industry topic with those exhibitors and sponsors.  

Think about driving registration trends earlier so registrants could take advantage of this community (hello FOMO). All of this before a badge is even printed.  

And finally, the in-person event where this engaged community meets face to face will still be connected in the hybrid world to those attending virtually and each more satisfied by their choices. And after the event, everyone convenes again to further the learnings well into next year’s event or drives them to another meeting or event that you are holding. Suddenly the investment is year-long, the risk far less to the organizer and the experience far greater.  

Back to Basics

So before you pivot and completely change directions, remember that the vision for a successful event is a foundation of connecting people with content, each other (in a community) and commerce.  

Most of you do that really well with the talent you already have on your team, your industry partners and technology in your ecosystem and the audience that already believes in what you do.  

Your event must go on and when the “months of March 2020” finally end, being ready with a hybrid approach and an event community in-place will serve everyone in the long-term. Your convention, hotel and education rooms will once again be filled, some virtually and many in person.  

Don’t pivot, reimagine for the long-term. Want to learn more?

Watch our on-demand webinar for best practices on how to plan successful (and profitable) virtual hybrid events including:

• Creating Engagement – In a virtual or hybrid events environment, creating connections and building community will be paramount to event success.
• Harnessing Event Tech – Most registrants have never attended, or companies ever exhibited at a virtual or hybrid event. Building and communicating an experience using your event website, mobile app and other event tech tools is critical.
• Developing Commerce – Regardless of the forum (in-person or hybrid), connecting buyers and suppliers (and other attendees) is paramount for most trade shows and events. Learn how to create a frictionless environment that fosters these connections required for profitable events (and satisfied exhibitors and sponsors).
• Engaging Content – Simply taking in-person content (and the associated speakers) and serving it in a digital environment will not be valuable or engaging. Creating a virtual program requires additional thought and considerations that don’t exist in the in-person world.

The post Future Proof Your Events: How to Plan Successful (and Profitable) Virtual and Hybrid Events appeared first on Personify.