Engagement and personalization are essential for successful meetings and events, but the first hurdle is capturing the attention of potential participants, reveals a new study by Ovation Global DMC. With insights from 463 respondents — 55 percent suppliers and 45 percent event planners — the research reveals the key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of memorable gatherings.
“It’s about crafting experiences that not only capture attention but also stimulate a sense of belonging and community,” said Rutger Hoorn, Ovation’s vice president of global sales and strategic partnerships. However, those are difficult goals to achieve, survey results demonstrate.
Standing out from the competition
For most respondents, capturing the target audience’s attention is the biggest hurdle. With so many events competing for attendees' time and interest, standing out has become increasingly difficult. To overcome this obstacle, event organizers must have a deep understanding of their audiences, and craft content that resonates deeply with them, according to Hoorn.
Once on-site, session formats must hold participants’ attention. One-third of respondents rely on Q&A sessions to keep attendees focused, and 25 percent use a combination of tools, including Q&A, social media integration, live polling, entertainment, gamification and mindfulness strategies.
The crucial role of personalization
Personalization emerged as a crucial driver of engagement. By offering targeted content, tailored sessions and customized networking opportunities, event organizers can make attendees feel valued and deeply engaged. However, 42 percent of survey respondents find it hard to create personalized experiences, and 25 percent are concerned about respecting participants' privacy in this effort.
Future opportunities for the events industry
Looking ahead, the survey identifies personalization and sustainability measures as the primary areas of opportunity for improving engagement, followed by AI capabilities. Only 8 percent expect hybrid events to be an important success factor for future events.
