Last month, we asked leading experts in field and event marketing to look into their crystal balls and make a bold prediction about the future of the events. They may not be tarot card readers or understand what the lines on your palms mean, but they sure do have expertise in the world of event marketing. And when you pair personal experience with some industry data, you get yourself some well-educated predictions.
But before we get to the good stuff, let's dive into the data.
Here at Splash, we have the unique position to see thousands of events happen on our platform every single day. From product launches to experiential whiskey tastings, we’ve seen them all. It’s like we had a front-row seat to witness the impact the pandemic had on our industry, how they have evolved, and how the future is going to unfold (to an extent, of course).
When the pandemic first hit at the beginning of 2020, companies were unprepared. Brady Bunch-style Zoom was the new normal, and all events felt the same. But in true event marketer fashion, that did not stay the case.
Innovation skyrocketed. Businesses had no other choice than to embrace virtual events, and event marketers rose to the challenge. Technology emerged. Gamification happened. And today, virtual events look entirely different than they did two years ago. As Daniel Burrus, disruptive innovation expert, puts it, “Innovation accelerated in three places by 10 or more years because of the pandemic: remote work, online work, and virtual meetings.”
Virtual meetings are less expensive to produce, foster a wider audience, provide evergreen content, and make logistics slightly easier to plan. But while virtual events have advanced, they are also becoming less of a novelty. As the year comes to a close, we've been finding that people no longer have the attention span to join in on all these virtual events, and attendees are being more selective with their time.
Which brings us to the question: What does the next phase of events look like?
Burrus expertly explains that there is no longer a “this-or-that” mentality for event and field marketers. A transformation must occur to a “both-and” mentality. Burrus says, “The future of events is going to look like a generous mix of both virtual and IRL events.”
And that was a consistent thought among leading industry experts as well.
When I hear a mix of anything, I think of a phrase I heard repeatedly in business school: “diversify your portfolio.” Events professionals in the new year will want to equip their event marketing strategy with a variety of events. They will need virtual, in-person, and hybrid events to receive maximum ROI in their marketing efforts.
Catey Debalko, Head of Field Marketing at Check Point Software Technologies, predicted that virtual events will begin to see an uptick in video collaboration and augmented/virtual reality. She believes that VR will be the newest way to engage your virtual audience.
Inessa Rozenberg, Director of Integrated Marketing at Varonis, predicts that because we are now producing such a variety of events, field and event marketers will be cross-collaborating with sales teams more often. Events professionals will have to tap into sales knowledge for specific customers to create curated events for the right audience.
As we continue to understand our audience and what they enjoy, it's no surprise that people will prioritize events they feel give them the most value. Molly Szabo, Senior Event Planner at Paycor, predicted that virtual events will lose value as we return to IRL events unless we can provide a one-of-a-kind experience.
But how can you create that in virtual or IRL events at the moment?
Brooke Mendoza, Event Marketing Manager at Loom, told us about the importance of creating unique experiences. Mendoza believes the key to these experiences, disregarding format, is for companies to foster event activations that excite people.
A great way to achieve these new experiences is through leveraging platforms that show the latest trends that people are searching for. For example, Pinterest Predicts is a great way to find inspiration for your events. In fact, according to Pinterest, a big trend in 2022 will be “flexercise,” A type of activity where people of all ages will move their bodies in more mellow ways. You can capitalize on this trend by creating events centered around amplifying your morning routine or even producing podcasts that your audience can listen to during a walk. Whichever you choose, it's time to engage your audience in never-before-seen ways.
Because when you can curate unique campaigns, you will create value for your event and drive engagement. So whether you’re bringing your event online or IRL, creativity is coming to the forefront this next year.
Another common thought among industry experts was that IRL events are coming back. The only thing is: They will look different. Mendoza predicted that IRL events will be more intimate, small, safe, and unique.
Smaller events are better at delivering ROI, better at getting decision-makers together in targeted situations, and better at getting results. More targeted, smaller events can do a great job at getting the right people in the room. And if you create a memorable moment, it will have an impact.
But as we know and what has been proven true over the last two years is that things will continue to change. As event and field marketers, we are always on our toes. Ericka Houlihan, Field Marketing Manager at Arctic Wolf, predicted that we must remain above the curve. And the easiest way to do that is to understand your customers. Once you do that, you can truly create custom, small experiences for them specifically.
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Let us know your bold prediction for the new year and join the conversation on LinkedIn.
