Trends indicate that industries won’t be seeing large scale, in-person events until the end of 2021. However, 25% of the market is still operating - be it through smaller regional shows or larger conferences taking place in countries with better containment. Trade shows are being held in places such as Japan, China, Abu Dhabi, and have even begun to return domestically in the form of a recent MAGIC Pop-Up in Orlando. Where there is a will, there is a way!
The truth remains, no matter how digitized our lives have become due to Covid-19, the business and networking that happens on a show floor isn’t possible online, no matter how robust the digital platform is. And, not to be outdone, after a year of pandemic-forced lockdowns and social distancing, most of us are experiencing Zoom fatigue.
So what does this mean for the future of events? Events won’t ever truly go back to “normal”, they will evolve to fit the new era, and what attendees can expect to experience will certainly be different.
Programs and event organizers must be prepared for new safety and security measures: on-site testing, increased aisle width, separated seating arrangements, increased sanitization and ventilation efforts, visual and auditory reminders to “stay six feet apart”, and dozens of other potential changes that may feel daunting upon reopening.
How can FastSensor prove ROI for your event? Let's find out.
Still, despite barreling forward into a challenging future, you can expect some legacy trade show aspects to remain, which should be made even better due to pandemic-era innovations. One of those aspects will be the desire of program organizers to design events that everyone will ENJOY - something we all need as we look toward a time free of lockdown restrictions.
Online events are competing constantly for individual attention. It’s all too easy to become distracted while watching a webinar (live or on-demand), listening with one ear, while an app or other content is calling from a cell phone. This is one of the main reasons why event producers desperately want to restart the live event industry - they can capture consumer attention and exchange the currency of dedicated time, eliminating the fractured focus that currently exists.
Physical events provide the best possible sensory experience for customers, even if it has proximity restrictions. The satisfaction of attendees should be the primary goal, right? The way customers perceive and experience an event will determine whether or not it was successful.
This is where FastSensor comes in - attendee metrics and analytics. Analytics help event planners make business decisions and measure performance by helping to identify patterns and trends. FastSensor’s solution can be incredibly powerful in providing brands, organizers and even venues with the critical data sets necessary when looking to, say, determine the busiest hours of operation, find out which areas in the space have the greatest attraction, or even determine how long a typical visitor stays and where that visitor goes.
Events and meetings mean business. It is key to prove ROI from these types of events, especially as the industry is still grappling with reduced staffing and budgets but increased pressure to show success. Whether hosting an annual meeting, or a corporate retreat or trade show event, FastSensor’s attendee behavioral analytics are the most comprehensive way to measure and interpret an event’s success.
Covid-19 has been the biggest behavioral modification event in recent history. Thus, it’s never been more necessary to understand how customers and attendees behave in a world designed for the “new-normal” and it is key for professionals to be measuring engagement, analyzing influence, calculating conversions, and tracking the complete, connected attendee journey. Events need to prove that they are safe, yes, but just as importantly that they are accomplishing what they set out to do - attract and engage customers.
Bring your event into the future with modern engagement tracking, outreach funnel analysis, brand impression data, and other proprietary data points using FastSensor today.