Are events the new clickbait?
With technology impacting almost every business model you can think of, it’s not surprising that enterprising organisations everywhere are seeking new opportunities to build revenues.
And just as musicians (and their management) have cottoned on to the fact that live performances are now the best way to earn money in the face of digital downloads and ‘free’ music, so publishing houses are increasingly turning to events as a way to replace lost income from advertising and the sale of publications.
Events are a great way to assemble relevant customers and prospects in one place so that they can hear sales messages in return for insights from expert speakers hired for the occasion.
And of course high quality events that are proven to add value and have done for centuries. However, what we at CDR have noticed recently is a rise in events that purport to add value but turn out to do anything but.
The problem is that while everyone can get a crowd along to an event once by offering valuable insights into the issues of the day, if they are disappointed by the content they will not return to another – just as no-one with any sense responds to click bait on the Daily Mail or Standard websites any more.
Is this a case of buyer beware? Is the onus on delegates to investigate events more thoroughly before committing to attend? Should there be a standard, transparent way for events to be rated along with holidays, books and tradespeople – EventAdviser perhaps?
The lessons to learn include the following:
- Remember that if you want to win heart and minds as well as a repeat visit in the future from delegates, you need to respect their time and make it worth their while to attend
- Value exchange is a fair currency and delegates are prepared to listen to a certain amount of messages in return for relevant news and insights that they can’t source elsewhere, but unwanted out-and-out sales pitches are always unwelcome
- Lending your brand name to an event that adds zero value can damage your reputation – be careful who you partner with
Written by Judith Massey, Executive Director