One of the first international corporate events was held at Crystal Palace in Hyde Park in 1851, and in the 170 years that have followed, businesses have used events and expos to engage with their audiences and develop their marketing strategies.
Despite advances in technology, the format of these events has been largely unchanged, until the pandemic changed consumer engagement behaviours, and the world was forced into virtual events. Now, as the world reopens and restrictions are eased, the event and exhibition industry needs to rebuild and prioritise sustainability.
We have a look at four key steps for businesses when planning their next event.
1. Upgrade your in-person events
In November last year, the Eventbrite platform had 34 times as many people attending virtual events than in January 2020, calling the validity of in-person events into question.
It has led to a hybrid model for events, which allow a greater number of attendees to network effectively. By incorporating a virtual element into your event, delegates can fit attendance around their schedule, and more delegates mean a larger audience to market to.
2. Put event sustainability first
We are all much more aware of the need for sustainability and consumers are savvier to environmental issues, meaning that businesses need to be transparent with their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets, and events are a good place to start.
The average in-person event wastes around 15-20 per cent of the food provided, and a report from 2019 found that the UK events industry emits 1.2 billion kg of CO2. Hybrid events can help reduce waste and carbon emissions.
3. Gather bespoke event data
Business growth is built on customer insight, and analytics tools today enable companies to understand the strengths and weaknesses of how they choose to engage with their audiences. Virtual events have boosted the quality of this data by offering clear insight into which content is capturing the attention of a company’s customers.
Neglecting this aspect could lead to a “black hole” in data strategies which event organisers must consider. Hybrid events, supported by quality technology that can capture data across all formats, will provide a long-term solution to this challenge.
If you’re looking for exhibition space in Milton Keynes, talk to us today.
