Trend 5
The engagement advantage
In a world where attention is the new currency, focusing on engagement is the smart investment.
Whether your target audience is end consumers, internal teams, business partners, or media and influencers, you know the key to influence them lies in your ability to understand them. Once you’ve mastered their preferences, elevating attendee engagement to build unshakable brand loyalty through thoughtfully curated experiences becomes the ultimate aspiration.
Your audience craves engagement – thrill them.
Leaders in event marketing are convinced that these are the main ingredients needed to create personal connection between people and brands: creative and unique experiences, surprise and delight moments, and personalized interactions. The chase is real and in the world of events, we’re hunting for the one moment that matters – one that attendees will think of in the future. It can be difficult to put our finger on what exactly is going to create a tangible moment for each attendee. If you’re not sure what your audience is interested in, ask them! Before an event, speak to potential attendees and get their input on what they expect to experience and walk away with. And, because the obvious sometimes need to be stated, don’t forget to look at feedback from previous events to find out what worked and what attendees would like to see in the future.
Event produced by the Experience Studio, Amex GBT Meeting & Events.
Real engagement comes from events with purpose.
Marketers are prioritizing intentional and meaningful events that offer unique experiences, rather than hosting events because that’s what they’ve always done in the past. At events, giving attendees choices of activities and more free time (and down time) helps them feel that their attendance and attention are valued. If your attendees are so inclined, consider including activities that are socially focused – for example, bring teams together to participate in volunteer work or other positive, uplifting activities (which can be particularly effective for internal team events). Additionally, exploring unique destinations and bespoke venues can further enhance the overall experience and leave a lasting impression.
Event produced by the Experience Studio, Amex GBT Meeting & Events.
Are your event dollars creating the most impact?
The strategic art also lies in channeling resources for maximum impact and recognizing that engagement nuances tailored to specific goals and event types is crucial. For example, according to our survey, product launch and incentive or special events play significant roles in marketers’ strategic plans, at 70% and 58%, respectively, making allocation of resources for creativity and high engagement especially important. Drawing insights from past events can also help. If attendee feedback signals a trend of skipping activities like early breakfasts, or rate networking cocktail hours lowly, is it worth spending your precious dollars on them? Perhaps that money could go towards something more unique and engaging. If you’re stuck for ideas, this is where your trusted partners can help you figure out how to get the biggest bang for your buck.
Experts say:
“Historically, content is paramount for events, but for modern event marketing, it's really all about the experience and how everything is curated for the attendee. It's the surprise and delight moments and small touches that make attendees feel valued, and that every aspect has been carefully considered. Achieving this delicate balance is what truly makes the difference.”
Lindsay Niemiec, VP Global Customer Programs & Events, OneStream Software
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