Events after covid
Like a lot of industries, the pandemic has had a significant impact on how the event industry works and engages with its audience. While in person events are returning there is still a lot of uncertainty about what we can all expect going forward however there are some key trends that have emerged in events after Covid which will continue to influence the way we deliver events going forward.
Events after the Covid-19 Pandemic
With a need to develop and adapt to survive in a constantly changing environment, many previously used processes, technologies, and frameworks have changed for the events industry.
To solve the problems created for events by Covid and create new ways to engage with audiences and connect with each other, event professionals, event planners and event management agencies have had to adapt. Event planning has had to become more creative and consider new ideas and technologies. So, how have events after Covid changed compared to pre-covid times for the event industry?
Event Planning
Those in the event industry have had to follow and understand infection rates locally, nationally, and globally. They've had to become forward thinking in terms of how the ever-changing landscape could affect specific events and understand the risk management needed to mitigate the very likely risk of disruption. Sometimes this included predicting what the public health context may be in 6 months or a year’s time. Pivoting and being agile to plan an event based on what could happen in the future rather than the here and now has become a crucial part of event planning.
"Staying agile isn’t just about being able to react quickly, which planners do very well. It’s also about thinking and understanding thoroughly every aspect of the event." Jennifer Kellogg, Meeting Play.
Covid-friendly event platforms & tech
With the need for immediate change, the pandemic meant advancements in digital event platforms were rapid and bold. As a result, several new opportunities to create and engage digital communities have opened up in a short space of time.
These exciting new opportunities included building of brand new communities, reaching new audiences and tapping into existing communities and audiences but in new ways via new digital means. This huge shift in digital event tech gave the industry new opportunities to build trust with people during the pandemic and beyond while creating a personalised events after Covid and meaningful event experiences.
Engagement
One events trend after covid-19 is how we engage with audiences as this has had to change, with a real need to fully understand more about our existing audiences and strategies to embrace new audiences. We need to be in tune with their needs, continuously creating the best experiences for them.
"The reality is that you have to meet your customers where they’re at, not where you want to be." Sheriff Karamat, PCMA
Think about taking a “two lane” approach to your event so that you create something that will appeal to your usual customer base and will entice a new audience to experience something new.
Knowing your Audience
Many believe that moving forward we need to be looking at ‘value graphics’, which unlike demographics tell you more about what motivates a person rather than describing them. This is a more effective tool for targeting and creating the right content for audiences and, importantly, understanding the psychology behind the purchases process, behaviour and customer needs.
Even though there is a growing space for virtual events post-covid, for many audiences it still does not quite meet their needs. Hybrid will almost certainly become the norm for many large scale events, and will be a key impact that the pandemic has expedited.
Reconnecting People via Events
With much of the world now working in a hybrid format, or completely remotely, there has been a decentralisation of work due to the pandemic. This has created new opportunities for event professionals to reconnect people filling that gap created my moving out of the office.
David Adrian CEO of ExpoDevCo says
“The digital events, quite frankly, are not satisfying customers. Getting people back together again is more than just a nice thing to do, it’s a necessary thing to do.”
New roles have been created whose sole purpose is to ensure employees stay connected, so the opportunities for the event industry to support and create truly different experiences is wide open!
The future of event industry after covid
The pandemic has been a once in a generation event, changing the world forever. Changing how business operates, forever. When it comes to events, the expectation from a digital perspective will never be what it was pre pandemic so events must be creative, engaging and think outside of the box to flourish.
Need some ideas or pointers on how to approach your next event? Or want some help to revive an event that last took place pre Covid? Contact our team today, we'd love to hear from you.
