Screen fatigue. Death by webinar. Over the last year, we’ve learnt that virtual events can be a lot cheaper, more agile, and easier to organise and facilitate than face-to-face events. But what has been missing is the incredible value that comes from face-to-face connections.
The great news is that amid the barrage of daily virtual meetings, there’s a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity right now to re-engage with customers in a thoughtful, sincere and authentic way with face-to-face or hybrid events.
And the appetite for it is growing. In the American Express Insights survey, carried out in November 2020 with American Express Card Members, 60% of respondents stated they want to return to face-to-face experiences as soon as a vaccine becomes available.
As we look ahead, what are the top things to keep front of mind when planning these next generation events?
Safety first
Of course, safety is front of mind. While it might seem daunting hosting an event with a face-to-face element in these COVID times, it really doesn’t have to be. Matt Whisker, Global Experiential Marketing, Asia Pacific (APAC), Amex, says: “In a lot of cases, common sense applies and for those times when the situation is less clear, there’s actually an incredible amount of information on local government websites, explaining what the regulations are, how to meet them, and what that means for event planners and attendees.”
“Don’t be intimidated. The trick is to familiarise yourself with the new normal, and once you go through the process of organising an event once or twice, it will truly start to feel, well, normal,” he says.
The next step is to make sure you let your prospective attendees know the priority you’re placing on safety so they can be reassured. From your first touchpoint that you have with them, let them know their safety is your top priority and the steps you are taking to keep them safe.
The power of a plus one
Once you’ve dealt with safety, don’t downplay the power of a plus one. “Spending time with friends or family is one of the things our Card Members tell us they have missed the most. Whatever experience you are creating, consider it an opportunity not just to connect with your customer, but for them to connect with those they care about. The ‘plus one’ element will be extra important moving forward,” says Whisker.
And don’t disregard the power of small. Whereas people may be used to dinner events for 100 people pre-COVID - maybe 50 clients and their plus ones - it might be 20 people and their plus ones today. Hosting smaller, more intimate events is not only COVID-safe but will allow you to really tap into an emotional connection and create a more memorable experience for your attendees.
Adding more vibrancy to virtual
Amid this push to move forward with face-to-face functions, it’s worth noting that there is continued demand for virtual, thanks in part to the ease and simplicity of slotting these into our schedules. In the American Express Insights survey, carried out in November 2020, American Express Card Members in Australia told us that even once a vaccine is available, 27% of respondents would still prefer to attend online.
To best cater to those who prefer to attend virtually, provide event content on demand for attendees that they can watch after the event has concluded. Our research found that there’s significant demand for the choice and flexibility that comes from being able to choose when you consume event content, particularly if you’re trying to reach a Millennial audience. People increasingly expect to be able to consume the content around their work schedule, take breaks and watch it when they’re most likely to be engaged. All good things for your company.
Making hybrid more human
For most of us, there are few things worse than attending an event where you can see that people are having an entirely different experience if they are attending in person versus dialling in. The good news is that with some careful planning, this unpleasant experience can be avoided. “Looking ahead, we’ve got to move away from the idea of a hybrid experience being an in-person experience with a bolted-on virtual component. When creating a hybrid experience for your customers or staff, it’s critical that you plan two journeys: the in-person experience and the virtual attendee experience, as well,” says Whisker.
IHG Hotels & Resorts’ leading business and meetings brand, Crowne Plaza, is one of those brands making strides in making this kind of seamless hybrid experience possible for those attending event. Dean Jones, Head of Commercial, Australasia & Japan at IHG Hotels & Resorts, says: “The key message that we’ve heard from customers is that they cannot wait to meet face-to-face. The challenge is that they’re actually more concerned now about the possibility of border closures, and the risk that creates of having team members getting stuck in other states.”
That’s a big part of why the hotel brand introduced Crowne Plaza Connections, a hybrid meeting solution that incorporates a range of different meeting platforms and audio visual solutions, designed to help people stay connected across cities and borders and get more out of their dispersed meetings. Connecting 12 different Crowne Plaza hotels from Sydney Coogee Beach to Canberra, and Perth to Adelaide, it’s a great back up plan for those who might get hit with border closures that affect their plans to gather in one location.
“The hybrid option gives people the flexibility if the borders close to use the network of hotels and have the confidence that they’ll still be able to seamlessly connect and have a robust delivery of essentially the same meeting,” Jones said.
A more conscious approach
IHG Hotels & Resorts has been busy investing in its events offering across its entire family of brands to make sure that for those who do attend, they’ll have an experience they won’t quickly forget. “For the businesses that are coming back and requesting meetings, they’re asking for more hybrid, relaxed, energised events, with regular wellness-minded and healthy break options,” Jones said.
The other areas where the company is innovating and investing in the event experience for the ‘next normal’ relates to food and sustainability. From creative and clever culinary experiences that allow those who’ve been rooted to Australia for a while to experience a gastronomical trip around the world, to offering participants ways to do their bit for the planet by planting trees to offset the impact of their event.
After all, recent research commissioned by IHG found that almost two thirds (58 per cent) of Australian adults who travel agree that they care more about doing their bit for local communities and the planet while travelling now than they did a decade ago, while more than half (51 per cent) agree that they want to be more environmentally and socially conscious on their travels. This is undoubtedly going to cross over into the kinds of business events they enjoy and how event planners can design face-to-face event experiences that will create lasting memories for all the right reasons.
Any business willing to step forward into the future of events has an opportunity to connect like never before, through thoughtful and innovative face-to-face or hybrid experiences that use new and energising approaches to re-awaken people’s passion for face-to-face interaction. Customers are ready to re-engage face-face – is your business?