Events marketing specialists have had one of the harshest adjustments during the pandemic, with all planned events cancelled and the whole process moving online. But this shift has also presented opportunities, with geography becoming a markedly reduced barrier when booking speakers or inviting attendees, allowing for events to increase in terms of scope for the price of a software solution rather than a room in a hotel or conference centre. Of course, events marketers focus will shift back to onsite events as and when they become possible, but the innovations and opportunities created by the pandemic will influence the industry going forward. Here’s some things to think about when discussing your events marketing strategy:
Hybrid is the future With all of the knowledge and experience gained from running online events during the pandemic, it would be silly to cast all that aside once physical events are possible once again. The possibilities of organising an in-person event with real atmosphere and combining that with the possibilities of having speakers from anywhere in the world, or infinitely expanding the reach of your event by live streaming it are too numerous to give up. Expanding your ability to broadcast your events by either investing in the people and equipment required to do so or building relationships with companies that can provide the necessary services and equipment.
Be sure to cater to both audiences That said, it’s important to remember that the experience of your events will be markedly different for those attending online rather than in person. As a result, you should always make an effort to ensure both audiences are catered to. This may mean ensuring there are ways for online attendees to interact with speakers through Q&As or instant polling. Providing some mechanism for the two groups to interact is also advisable, perhaps by connecting attendees with similar concerns or interests who could then organise a call amongst themselves.
Apply lessons learned in digital to onsite events With digital events, there are so many more trackable metrics from which to derive insights. While it is not possible to track some things in the hyper-specific way possible in digital, attempting to record some extra data on attendance for different talks or using an event app to gauge reactions to certain topics can provide you with valuable insights that you can apply similarly to those you’ve derived from digital events during the pandemic.
Maintain that innovative mindset The move to virtual events during the pandemic meant being reactive, seizing opportunities when they arose and innovating in order to stand out from the pack. This mindset is one that should be carried forward into any events marketing strategy. This could mean taking advantage of emerging technologies like VR or investing in advanced online collaboration tools that allow for many people to interact. Just make sure you’re taking advantage of any situation that presents itself.
Minc can help you develop your events marketing strategy. Find out more here here.
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