future events trends

It is safe to say that the last few years have been rough on most people in the events industry. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly caused a shift in the way that many event planners think and the way that they approach different events. In the midst of all the challenges faced by the industry, there is however a silver lining as many opportunities have also come to light during these dark days. A number of important future events trends have emerged in recent years and event planners need to take note if they want to stay in front of the pack in an ever-changing world.

Using Events as a Marketing Opportunity

For the longest time, the primary purpose of hosting an event was to generate revenue, with brand exposure taking the back seat. We now find ourselves at a place in time where consumers are constantly bombarded with marketing activities and you really have to think outside the box to captivate consumers.

Businesses have recognised that there is an opportunity to use events as a form of marketing rather than an income generator. To the point where companies are willing to host an event at a loss, as long as they receive the right type of exposure, and the right amount of exposure.
A good example of this is the prevalence of events that grant free admission to attendees in the hopes that this exposure entices individuals to engage with the business. And if your guests happen to have a great time at your event, it can do a lot to improve your company’s public relations.

Shift Towards Hybrid events

Hybrid events are one of the most notable future events trends that have become increasingly popular as they enable guests to attend both online and in person. Attendees can either log on to a streaming service and experience the event from the comfort of their homes or they can take a trip to the event venue to participate in person. Hybrid events can attract more guests from around the world and significantly increase your reach as they are not geographically bound. Hybrid events are also more inclusive in many ways as it increases accessibility for people that have trouble travelling.

As you can imagine, this greatly improves your chances of attracting more individuals that are interested in the event. Because let’s face it, most of us are homebodies that are sometimes deterred by the effort that goes into venturing to a venue. If you are able to attend an event remotely simply by launching an application on your computer, you might be more compelled to invest your time.

Increased Data Collection Using Events Technology

Events are rarely hosted simply for the fun of it, even if it is a lot of fun! Events planners typically have a reason for organising an event and an end goal that they need to keep in mind. In order to gauge the success of an event you need to collect as much data as possible. This information can help you identify pitfalls for the future and indicates whether or not you have met your objectives.

Luckily, the right events management software will do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to data collection. This software can reveal the number of attendees and their demographics, a breakdown of income and expenses, vendor details and attendees’ level of engagement to name a few. This information is vital if event planners wish to understand their audiences and engage with them more effectively.

Events management is an ever-changing field and in the digital age, it is more important than ever to identify future events trends as soon as possible. So be sure to stay sharp, because the next big trend could be right around the corner just waiting to be discovered.