The Pandemic Made the Industry Stronger

Over the course of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the in-person activation strategy has gone through a world of change. The industry has seen an acceleration to virtual, hybrid, and covid safe execution techniques. According to Pollstar, the live events industry should have hit record revenue in 2020 but instead lost $30 Billion. This rapid change forced industry professionals to change the normal ways we do business to keep consumers and brands that hire us safe. As a business professional, you must learn how to cater events to this new normal. Outlined below are the top 2 techniques Motus Experiential and others have adapted during the pandemic and continue to use as we all slowly inch towards the new normal.

Contactless is Here to Stay

Completely touch-free interaction is becoming increasingly common at B2C and B2B events. From virtual sign-in to contactless on-site displays, activations are integrating digital more than ever. In fact, 76% of attendees say contactless technology makes them feel more comfortable. Not only does this technology promote safety, but it also increases the fluidity of events.

Touch-Free:

In 2019, aftermarket automotive expo, expoMECÂNICA digitized their interaction points. They switched from physical invitations that attendees had to fill out to a digital sign-up. Along with this, they introduced a seamless system for lead capture. Each attendee received a “smartbadge”. Through a simple tap, attendees could share their contact information with exhibitors. These contactless implementations increased registration for the expo by 25%. Additionally, leads collected by the top 50 exhibitors doubled from 2018 to 2019. https://bit.ly/3DNkRxU

In-Person and Online Combo:

As in-person events now offer both on-site and online options for consumers, sponsors need activation plans for both platforms. At Motus Experiential we have two clients that had a full schedule of in-person sponsored events during the pandemic and a desire to keep the schedule intact. We were able to re-create the in-person experiences delivering the same branding, data capture, and educational content to the target audience from the safety of their homes. The addition of the online activation platform combined with the pre-Covid in-person activation execution eliminates all barriers of entry to deliver on our goals to the target audience. Here is a link to see these examples and more.

Virtual/Hybrid/In-person

B2B Hybrid:

Businesses agree that virtual events are here to stay and are investing in them more than ever. Take care to make sure your events are virtual-ready. Want a successful online event? Read this blog providing the 5 steps you need to make your next virtual event a success. The one missing piece of virtual B2B conferences is in-person networking. Sponsors want them to meet prospective clients and attendees want them to grow their personal network. Many virtual platforms offer very creative networking options, but nothing replaces in-person.

In-Person:

How do we make in-person networking safe for our attendees? Spread out the in-person networking venues to match where your online audience is tuning in. This will keep the attendance numbers small and your covid safety protocols controllable. If you are offering in-person networking during warm months, select outdoor locations over indoor venues. If in-person networking is not an option, create a virtual match-making system to allow attendees and sponsors to preselect who they would like to connect with during the conference. Have time scheduled in the conference to allow one-on-one connections to take place.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not changed the future, rather it has accelerated it. This new environment forced the events industry to adapt and these rapid changes have strengthened the industry. The biggest changes seen have to do with reducing physical contact. These changes include digital augmentation to reduce physical contact and virtual/hybrid events that leverage the power of technology to put events online. As a business, you must understand these changes and cater to your audience appropriately. Taking these changes into consideration will ensure that your future events are successful.