Event marketers can stay on track with plans that factor in uncertainties by turning to the right data for insights. Photo Credit: gettyimages/Dilok Klaisataporn
Think you know everything there is to know about marketing events? You will be surprised how the basic question of “am I communicating well” applies to seasoned marketers in the industry.
The landscape and its situations are ever-evolving, and marketers deal with many perpetuating questions about contingency plans, the right marketing message, the right event and engagement messages, to name a few.
Nicole Bowman, Vice President of marketing and communications of International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) shared her insights from a learning webinar on the Status of the US B2B Exhibition Industry organised by Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) in a blog.
How can marketers use data to shape their messages?
CEIR shared that in an October survey last year, 61% of executives expected the Delta variant to have a somewhat significant impact vs 39% of executives in January expecting a somewhat significant impact from Omicron.
For Bowman, it placed a big question mark over registration numbers and the right marketing strategy to implement. Additionally, any plan that is implemented may no longer be applicable the next day if new Covid developments are announced. The need to be flexible was crucial during the many ups and downs of the pandemic.
“I feel like I am spinning my wheels working harder and not smarter with no end in sight. It’s exhausting because planning is exasperated by the daily news cycle and public sentiment of gathering. We (exhibition industry) are in a battle with public perception regarding the health and safety of shows. Knowing that executives polled in this survey are not as concerned about new variants gives me hope that our ‘new normal’ is actually normalising.”
CEIR also highlighted that many organisers are running virtual content after the in-person event, but less so as a standalone or even as a hybrid event. Other CEIR research had also shown that delegates preferred to attend in-person events for networking and shopping, and digital events for learning.
Bowman said this data made it clear organisations had to decide where or if digital events fit into their customers’ journey. “For example, at IAEE, the pandemic forced us to offer full-day CEM in-person classes as virtual offering. This has turned out to be a great solution for this programme as we can offer more with a more flexible marketing approach and professionals do not have to worry about added travel expenses or comfort levels of attending in-person,” shared Bowman.
Lastly, CEIR data projected the US will reach herd immunity in the first half of the year, triggering the softening of mitigation strategies. This signals the rise in comfort level for travelling, and therefore, more stable longer-term plans will be made by delegates. With delegates feeling confident in attending shows, “ultimately, I can create a plan, and execute that plan. I have never wanted stability more than now”, said Bowman.
Amidst the uncertainty, turning to data provides that funnel of clarity to plan the next step on more solid ground. “CEIR data allows me to benchmark my thoughts, ideas, campaigns, and strategies against a larger group and that lessens the burden,” concluded Bowman.