7 Things Innovative Event Organizers are Doing

January 2, 2016

Alon Alroy

Alon Alroy is the Co-Founder, CMO and CCO of Bizzabo, the world's fastest growing event technology platform for hybrid, virtual and in-person events. Alon helps marketers and event organizers from world leading brands promote, manage and maximize their professional events, to create memorable and impactful experiences.

When it comes to the world of professional events, from well-established legacy conferences to cutting-edge corporate retreats, the industry is ripe for change as well as a technological revolution. Though the industry is well on its way to embracing a more tech savvy, dynamic future, there are quite a few stragglers left in the dust. So what are the forward-thinking event planners out there actually doing? Are you keeping your event practices up to snuff?

Personalizing Digital Marketing

Implementing personalization in your email marketing campaigns can have a great impact on your event ticket sales and registration goals. Segmenting your content, and targeting by audience and type of attendee will help increase conversion rates. By incorporating your attendees’ names in your subject line and signing off with your own, you ultimately humanize your message and have a more direct appeal to your target audience. Your online ads can be personalized to target visitors of your event website through retargeting campaigns, greeting your attendees with “Welcome back <Name>” when they visit your website for the second time, further increasing their likelihood of registering for your event. Personalizing marketing messages helps craft the experience for attendees before they even get to your event.

Simplifying Metrics

Event organizers are no stranger to data. Planning budgets, registration revenue, attendee reports and engagement analytics are just a few metrics that are no doubt constantly bouncing across your spreadsheets. Successful organizers don’t just collect the data, they draw out the key figures and understand how to use this knowledge to move forward and make smarter planning decisions. They make it possible by using an event management software that integrates the right tools to understand this data.

Looking Beyond Demographics

It may not seem logical to look past our popular generational designations of the “Millennial”, “Gen X”, and “Baby Boomer”, but studies have shown that segmenting audiences by age isn’t enough. People across all demographics are preferring humanized authenticity when dealing with brands, and want to be spoken to like an actual person and not number. Instead, organizers should look at their attendee’s motivation and goals for attending an event, and how it would be useful in their lives and careers. Grouping attendees by their rationale and attitude, rather than demographics, can help you keep your content relevant and better target your audience.

Being Responsive

While it is an absolute must to respond quickly to your attendees, savvy organizers know this also means their online content must be responsive, consistent and look good on any device. You should always consider that a potential attendee may use their laptop to buy their ticket, open their emails on their tablet, and follow the event agenda on their smartphone. Chances are that your attendees will view your event site and interact with your marketing campaigns cross device. The forward-thinking organizers should be committed to providing a great experience, even on a small screen.

Enabling Brand Ambassadors

Though word of mouth is organic and can’t easily be faked by wily marketers, it’s one of the most powerful marketing tools, and should be encouraged through a social referral program. Similar to big-name startups like Airbnb and Uber, innovative organizers amp up their event’s social power by incentivizing attendees to share their event with their networks. By implementing referral programs, attendees have the opportunity to offer discounts or other incentives to their colleagues while also potentially getting money back from their already purchased ticket. This lets those organizers reach new audiences and turn attendees into event ambassadors.

Getting Rid of Spreadsheets

Nothing gives you a solid migraine like a complex, multi-tab spreadsheet. Though everyone can relate to this, spreadsheets have still been a necessity when it comes to the day-to-day of most planners. Now, with the release of innovative and accessible tools, planners are finding that they can automate more and more tasks that they used to have to do manually. Event management software that uses Smart Lists can automatically update the list of attendees, as well as help you easily segment contacts and filter by type of attendee. This allows you to skip manually updating spreadsheets, while also giving you the power to understand your attendees on a granular level to make their experience even more personalized.

Optimizing by Outsourcing

Event organizers may feel like they are short on time in many instances, especially during crunch time. While freelancers have always been an option, it’s now easier than ever to get that extra pair of hands on-demand. Companies such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Taskrabbit give you access to a marketplace of talent that you can hire for as little as $5. Things that were originally out of reach due to lack of budget or time like a promotional event video or frequent content for the event blog can now easily be achieved, while also freeing you up to focus on the main tasks at hand.

Conclusion

The innovative event organizers create personal experiences by personalizing their message, humanizing their voice and making sure they communicate to the right audience. They use management software to measure their efforts and optimize by using data to gain insights. Those organizers speak the language of their attendees and interact where they are. They use the power of advocate marketing and make sure they are focused on the most important tasks, and automate or outsource the rest. The most successful organizers use technology that allows them to focus on creating unforgettable experiences, instead of event management. Isn’t it time you became an innovative organizer?

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Partner Voices

Women at the Helm: Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!” These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas. Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities. Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC. What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space. What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here. Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen. This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.