Nth Degree Trade Show and Event Marketing Blog

Many of us thought that by now things would slowly be getting back to normal. Unfortunately, we are still seeing COVID-19 make its rounds throughout the U.S., which means events will most likely be substantially affected for the remainder of the year.

During this time, when virtual events have taken center stage, event professionals are starting to assess the impact of this change on their business and marketing opportunities. From the feedback I've received so far, virtual events have attracted larger audiences, but these audiences have been reluctant to engage with the content and each other. Also, while some virtual events require a lower investment than physical events, their impact on the pipeline, and ROI, appears limited – at least in the short term.

While the world is waiting to see what a post-COVID-19 landscape looks like, event planners are preparing for its impact. We’re creating new budgets for equipment and technology to allow for contactless encounters, rethinking food and beverage, and considering moving conferences to warm climates to take advantage of outdoor space.

When conferences transition to virtual events, what happens to the sponsors and exhibitors? They are still a critical part of the event’s ecosystem but now have an uncertain role in the new format. Many of our clients have long-standing relationships with sponsors and exhibitors who know the event just as well as the people planning it.

Virtual events are currently becoming the way of the world during the challenging times of COVID-19. The information overload created by the quick shift to virtual can make the process challenging. How do you find the right provider to fit your needs and deliver a seamless experience?

A well-executed education program is the thread that unifies attendees at any conference. Nth Degree has a department dedicated to speaker and education management and we’re working hard to ensure success for both our clients and their audiences in the current climate. Let’s take a look at some of the ways we prepare speakers for a virtual event, and how it’s different from a face-to-face environment.

The shift from in-person learning to digital requires a different strategy and approach. Let’s take a look at some of the ways we’re approaching learning in a virtual setting and the tactics we’re brainstorming to keep the audience engaged.

Like you, I’ve read dozens of articles about what changes will be made to enable large shows to return – temperature checks, rapid testing, cleaning procedures, social distancing rules, etc. But I haven’t heard anyone talking about the impact of these changes on exhibiting companies. 

We’re living in extraordinary times. No roadmap. No contingency plan. I think we can all agree that the changes are uncomfortable and have disrupted the natural flow of our everyday lives. For those of us in the events industry, this is more than a disruption — it’s an upheaval of our businesses and plans we’ve been working on for months. As we scramble to get creative and come up with new ideas to ensure success for our clients, we’re also wondering if this is this the new normal. Are live events going to be a thing of the past? I don’t think so; in fact, I think they will evolve into something even better than before.