The event in time of crisis

Events in time of crisis

There is something new in the meeting industry.The crisis has caused many problems for companies and for agencies and as well as some guidance. You just need how to read them.

1. Oh yes, quality is compulsory
Although the global crisis has not spared our meeting industry, this does not mean that Italian companies have stopped communicating through the event.Research tells us that most of all continue to invest and believe in the efficacy of the meeting tool, recognizing that there is a still large space for growth in the market. But something big happened, affecting our industry for the future: companies, forced by the crisis and various spending review, today devote fewer resources to the events but they need to maintain a very high level of expectation.
This gap is a historic transition, and I do not think we will come back.The level of quality at which the market has become acquainted in Italy, it is now high, and business audiences expect high level annd and technically sophisticated events.
Soevent companies ,were forced to collect a dramatic challenge: working on production methods and processes internal in order to compete by providing a superior quality at lower cost and with acceptable margins.
It ‘s the “virtuous” side of the crisis. The one which generates progress.

Stage

2. More efficacy, more efficiency and more risks
There is also a problem of format and content. Even companies, which in turn undergo a stronger competition in their markets, ask the event to be more effective, to seek tools to measure the results and to more and more work on the content, involving the public, and in particular to be memorable and really useful for the audience. The time of soporific convention, – all podium and power point – and then everyone dancing (if not worse) seems to be over for good.
nowadays the organized events are less and shorter, but they must be more effective. A paradox? Simply: few but good.
Until a few years ago, the event was an excuse to reward the best performers, but also the management, today this aspect is less important.
Despite the obvious differences between corporate and consumer events, there is everywhere an increased demand for a more efficient cost/effect.  The event has become more vertical, more focused,  with great attention to the content rather than purely decorative. If I have to organize an event with less time and money and the goal remains the same, it becomes vital to achieve flawless. For companies which have fewer resources give to the event a strategic role,  since it is often the only means of marketing for the launch of a product, for the reorganization of a business network, for a change management project, a kick off … Today we all have a responsibility much greater than before. We can say that what is at stake has risen and the price we (all) pay for errors is much higher.

Girls

3. The information has changed
A devastating tsunami?No, not at all. Perhaps this evolution toward efficiency was expected and is accompanied by a faster and faster change of habits, behaviors and ways to receive and benefit communication. New technologies and new media (portable devices, social media, etc. ..) have accustomed us to easy accessibility and real-time contents including the complex and “distant” ones. We are increasingly unwilling to bear useless and soporific conferences and conventions,  full of frills. Effectiveness is the key word: it means short, speed, dynamism, less talk and more action, but with excitement and entertainment: offering useful things that impress and remain, to take home and use the next day.

Food

4. Persons, not spectators
And then there is the involvement of the participants, who increasingly must be provided in the events of the future (and already present).Today, no one wants to be (only) viewer, it comes to socializing communication. Marketing has had to understand that  a social  opinion of the consumer is more effective than 100 commercials in prime time! In the events is the same: the public wants to  be a leader, not only wants to passively listen to the opinions of others.That’s the end of top-down sermons- events. In present events are increasingly interactive (perhaps mediated by technology), talk with employees, agents, managers. Public events are often launched in advance on the web with collection of views, impressions, even polls on “what you want discuss in the next event”and so on in this direction.

Puzzle

5. New professionals meeting
So the crisis has triggered a change but it was in the air, with a question of effectiveness on the part of the public found its kick off in the need for efficiency imposed by the skimpy budget.
It seems never to return: fewer investments will be in sequins and palliettes events and increasingly in content.This does not mean strange events, indeed. Professionals who know how to make it exciting and memorable message become more and more indispensable, and above all know getting into the head of the business, understand their language, understand what’s really needed, they are aware of the latent and unexpressed needs of managers, they can focus the lens with creativity and enthusiasm, giving ideas to life in a new way.These professionals have realized that we are in a phase of transition and evolution of corporate event and are ready to experiment and take risks with a certain financial generosity, knowing that the income position condemned to marginalization.

Blue stage

6. This is an opportunity
I suppose this article will be read by both the manager of the company that the operator of the meetings industry, and each will have different meanings. In fact, this is precisely my intention.
I would like to reassure the managers saying that our industry is gearing up to face their new demand for effective and that the best agencies are working for some time to make events more interesting, more effective and less expensive. We understood what you need.
I would also encourage my colleagues in the meetings industry to update and racking their brains to find new solutions, not to cry on because “it is not like it used to,” but to face this new challenge as a great opportunity. And indeed it is, but you have to get busy.