Almost 400 meeting professionals, presenters, suppliers (and puppies) gathered together this week for ACE 2022. Yes, there was a puppy cuddling experience. Many a tail were wagged. Wordly team members participated in all the sessions and activities, plus had many great conversations in the expo area. Here are some highlights of what we heard.
- In-person events are quickly coming back - but many will be hybrid in order to appeal to a wider audience.
- Virtual events are drawing new attendees to events. Onsite events attract more senior, business-oriented attendees. Virtual events draw more technical professionals.
- Virtual booths are not great for engagement - they primarily serve as an extension of your website so be careful not to invest too much effort.
- When selecting a tech platform it is important to understand how you will use it. What does your event plan and business model depend upon?
- Look for features that make it easy to keep attendees engaged - and can provide good analytics info.
- Use an emcee at events to keep the content lively.
- Experts are still looking for more engaging virtual exhibition capabilities, because exhibitor ROI for virtual events trails physical events considerably.
- The SF Giant’s mascot, Lou Seal, did a great job driving attendees to the next sessions after breaks. Having colorful and fun “ushers” or “hype men,” is worth considering.
- Attendees are now accustomed to using mobile apps for live Q and A at in-person events.
- Planners need to give people a good reason to travel to an in-person event. ACE used the fun of Oracle park, batting cages, and puppy cuddling to add experiences and activations of attendees.
- Hybrid and virtual events give you unlimited reach. Leverage regional marketing teams, influencers and partnerships to promote your event globally.
- To increase global attendance, recruit speakers globally. This creates a stronger expectation that international attendees’ interests and concerns will be addressed.
- Language inclusivity (translation) reduces friction for international attendees.
To learn more about Wordly interpretation services, please visit https://wordly.ai or schedule a personalized demo.
