Well, no! Although the recovery physical events is eagerly awaited, it will not spell the end of digital technology. Or at least, it shouldn't! Here's why. 🧐
Physical events will be able to return, yes. But before we can find ourselves on a stand at a trade show with 5,000 people, we will have to use our imagination. Capacity limits will eventually return to normal, or almost normal. But is it really necessary to return to 100% physical events?
We want to meet up in person. Exchange pleasantries, raise a glass, in short, interact with human beings rather than through screens. And all this will soon be possible, if we are to believe the latest government announcements. 🤞
But completely removing digital from your event communications would be a mistake! Whether Covid continues or not (let's hope for the latter), you MUST maintain your digital strategy! Why? Just take a look below. 👇
• 25% of an event's consumption takes place after the day itself, i.e., via replay! Therefore, if you don't offer viewing locations for your event after it has ended, you will lose a quarter of your audience. This is a very poor communication strategy...
• Many employees are still working remotely today (and will continue to do so for some time). As such, holding internal events with 100% in-person attendance still seems impossible at this time.
• According to a study conducted by LinkedIn Among 200 B2B event organizers, 51% of respondents want to continue with the digital format so as not to be dependent on the health situation.
• Many companies have accelerated their digital transformation in response to the Covid crisis. Faced with the risks of social isolation, companies have found ways to maintain connections and communication through new digital interactions. Whether with their suppliers, customers, or future employees (with HR trade shows 100% online), they enjoy a lasting advantage. The others are lagging behind, and the gap between the two is widening. With their digitized event communications, these companies are one step ahead!
But what is the added value of digital technology at your events?
With an event platform, there is no longer a limit on the number of participants! Capacity limits are removed. What's more, all guests can come from different geographical areas and even represent different target audiences (suppliers, partners, customers, etc.). In this case, you need to ensure that specific content is tailored to each of these target audiences. If this effort is made, it is possible to bring them all together in a single event or platform.
It is possible to use the same platform for different events. This involves duplicating your platform templates and adapt them to each of your targets according to the desired objective. No need to start from scratch, re-import all your data, and learn how to use a new tool each time. A single back office for all your events is possible.
Your Return on Investment (ROI) is easier to quantify. Gain greater visibility into what to keep or change for your next events by monitoring and tracking participants' journeys. A complete and detailed report
Check guest attendance during your live event. See which pages or sessions performed best. When did your target audience disconnect from your webinar? What was their journey on the platform? Or their engagement rate on interactive modules?
Analyze the results to determine the performance of your digital event is easier than for a physical event. Often, a simple satisfaction survey at the end is effective.
According to the same LinkedIn study as above, 38% of respondents want to continue with the digital format to ensure the profitability of their events.
With fewer suppliers, fewer purchasing positions, and lower costs per participant, digital events are often less expensive than physical events. But they also allow you to pool your costs. Instead of organizing two or three separate events depending on your participant type, you can now organize a single event! Organize specific sessions for your suppliers and others for your customers. Hold workshops with your partners. Develop value-added content for your ecosystem. All on a single platform.
More and more of us are concerned about the impact our events have on the environment. Waste, electricity consumption, crowd movement, non-reusable stands, etc. With a (partly) digital event, it is no longer necessary to fly 150 sales representatives from America to Paris for a three-day meeting. And this model is going to run out of steam. This type of event also requires fewer materials to be sourced and generates less CO2. So the planet thanks you!
