Explori Blog (2)

From SaaS to Events: What Can Event Professionals Learn About Data-Driven Strategy?

Oct 24, 2024

It’s nearly 2025, and yet millions of $ continues to be spent on event programs without optimal guidance from data-driven strategies. When measurement of other marketing channels, particularly digital, is getting increasingly sophisticated and trusted, now is the time for our industry to step up to the mark. In 2018, after years in the events industry, I made a significant shift by stepping into the world of scaling SaaS startups, particularly in the video and conversational AI spaces. This experience transformed my understanding of strategic decision-making, especially when it comes to data. Now, having come full circle, I’ve returned to the events world with a fresh perspective and a new lease of life, blending my passion for events and technology in my role at Explori. So, what does this fresh perspective look like? Working in SaaS opened my eyes to the power of data-driven decision-making— something that event professionals can increasingly benefit from today. To not only improve the attendee experience, but also prove the value of events to the C-suite, event professionals must take a more strategic approach to decision-making, informed by data. There are three core lessons that I’m bringing back with me: Lesson 1: Data Over Gut Feel One of the biggest shifts I experienced when moving from events to SaaS was how much we rely on gut instinct, intuition, anecdotal evidence and past experiences to drive strategy. While creativity and intuition are valuable, they should be informed by data to make more impactful decisions. Every product feature is scrutinized by metrics; how many users interact with it, how often, and what outcomes it drives. Even the smallest change in a product feature can yield dramatic shifts in engagement and success. Marketing strategies are meticulously tracked, with A/B tests, user behaviour analysis, and conversion rates providing clear indications of what works and what doesn’t. This culture of data-driven iteration has taught me the value of harnessing the right metrics to drive decision-making. It becomes second nature to make decisions based on user data rather than intuition. This rigorous approach to building and scaling a tech product made me wonder: Why don’t we apply the same data-driven rigour to the events industry? Lesson 2: Personalization Through Data In SaaS, personalization is key—whether it's tailoring a chatbot’s response based on user behavior or crafting personalised onboarding experiences, tech companies use data to customize the user journey. Event professionals can apply the same approach. Using attendee data to create personalized experiences not only increases satisfaction but also maximizes engagement. By analyzing data such as past attendance, interests, and session participation, event professionals can recommend tailored agendas or suggest relevant networking opportunities. Personalization isn't just about making the event feel special—it's about increasing its impact. When attendees feel the event is designed with them in mind, they are more likely to return and recommend it to others which suggests positive brand perception and increased loyalty which will justify continued or increased investment in the event. For event organizers, this data is crucial in proving ROI, optimizing future events, and securing future budgets. Lesson 3: Proving Value and Defending Budgets with Data Perhaps one of the most critical lessons from the SaaS world is the importance of proving value through data—a mindset that event professionals need to embrace, especially when justifying budgets to the C-suite. In SaaS, you measure success through hard data—customer acquisition costs, retention rates, and lifetime value, among other metrics. This data isn't just for internal use within your team; it's shared with senior stakeholders to demonstrate the product's success and justify ongoing investment. Event professionals need to take the same approach. For many organizations, events are a significant investment, but it can be difficult to show direct ROI. Reactive metrics like attendee numbers and leads generated provide some insight but aren't enough to demonstrate the true business impact. That’s where strategic event measurement comes in. To truly defend the budget spent on events, deeper data analysis is required. Key areas to focus on include: Benchmarks: Event performance can’t be communicated without context. If you can compare one event to the performance of others in your company, and even the industry you operate in, you can begin to pinpoint what success looks like for your team in a meaningful, data-driven way. Behavioural analysis: It’s crucial to track how your events influence attendee sentiment, brand affinity, and purchase intent. Attendee satisfaction and loyalty: Monitoring your events’ year-over-year increases in NPS (Net Promoter Score) and repeat attendance will help to truly measure long-term impact. This level of precision shifts the conversation from simply justifying costs to demonstrating your event program’s essential role in driving business objectives, making it easier to secure future budgets. Coming Full Circle: Combining Events and Technology at Explori After my journey through SaaS, my return to the events industry through Explori has allowed me to blend my passion for events with the power of data-driven technology. As we approach 2025, it’s clear that data-driven decision-making is no longer optional for event professionals. With marketing channels like digital growing more sophisticated and trusted, the events industry must rise to meet this standard. My journey from the events world to SaaS, and now back to events, has shown me that applying the same data-driven rigor used in tech can lead to smarter decisions, stronger event impact, and ultimately, the ability to prove the true value of event programs to senior leadership. By embracing these principles, we can move beyond instinct and creativity alone, ensuring our events not only inspire but also deliver measurable business outcomes that the C-suite can confidently support.

IMEX Vegas 2024

Sep 26, 2024

Explori's Latest Benchmarks: Doubling insights for the exhibition industry

Jul 17, 2024

At Explori, we are constantly striving to provide the most accurate and relevant insights to our users. This month, we are thrilled to announce an evolution to our benchmarking feature that reflects the evolving landscape of the exhibition industry, as we have introduced a 36-month rolling benchmark to accompany our long-term benchmark, offering an even more comprehensive view of industry performance. 1. The Need for Evolution Historically, Explori has provided a single set of long-term benchmarks, including metrics such as NPS, Value for Time, and Customer Satisfaction. This has positioned us as the home of event insights, and these benchmarks have been essential in helping industry professionals track performance and make informed decisions. However, since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have observed that KPI scores for both visitors and exhibitors have not only rebounded but have consistently remained above pre-pandemic levels. 2. Introducing the Rolling Benchmark To capture these changes even more accurately, we are now offering a 36-month rolling benchmark, that will run alongside our long-term benchmark, providing users with two distinct yet complementary sets of data. The 36-month benchmark is designed to reflect the most recent industry trends, ensuring that our users have access to the most up-to-date insights. 3. What This Means for the Industry For those who rely on our long-term benchmarks, you will continue to see the stable figures you have come to trust. The addition of the 36-month benchmark, however, offers a more dynamic and current perspective. This new feature is particularly valuable for understanding the rapid changes and trends that have emerged in the post-pandemic period. Our commitment to providing credible, transparent, and flexible benchmarks remains unchanged. We believe that these enhancements will provide even greater value to our users, helping them to navigate the complexities of the exhibition industry with confidence. 4. What Next? We invite you to explore the new 36-month rolling benchmark and see how it can benefit your organization. At Explori, we are here to help you get the most out of these new insights and continue to support your success in the exhibition industry. Stay tuned for more updates and innovations from Explori as we continue to evolve with the industry. For more details, please contact Chloe Richardson at c.richardson@explori.com.

How To Find Your Next Speaking Opportunity In 8 Easy Steps

Dec 20, 2023

As event professionals, we often find ourselves caught up in the hustle of attending and exhibiting at numerous events, leaving little room to seek out speaking opportunities. However, many of us are passionate and knowledgeable speakers who are just waiting for that next big chance to share our message with the world. Moreover, it can be quite challenging to come across speaking opportunities that align perfectly with our expertise and target audience. That's why we've put together a list of five simple steps that will not only help you secure your next speaking engagement but also allow you to showcase your skills as a dynamic and impactful speaker. So, let's dive right in and discover how you can find your next speaking opportunity in no time! 1. Attend Industry Events and Conferences Attending industry events and conferences is a tried and true method for finding speaking opportunities. These events are filled with professionals who are eager to learn from experts in their field. By attending these events, you not only have the chance to network with potential event organizers, but you also get a sense of the industry landscape and the types of topics that are currently in demand. To make the most of your time at industry events and conferences, be sure to come prepared. Bring your business cards, a concise elevator pitch, and any marketing materials or samples of your work that showcase your expertise as a speaker. Engage in conversations with fellow attendees, ask questions during sessions, and actively participate in networking events. By doing so, you not only increase your visibility, but you also have the opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader and make connections that may lead to future speaking engagements. See a list of global events in 2024 2. Check out industry calendars for best match One valuable resource that should not be overlooked when searching for speaking opportunities are industry calendars. These calendars are curated lists of events, conferences, and seminars happening within your industry. By checking out industry calendars, you can easily find events that are the best match for your speaking goals. Industry calendars provide a comprehensive overview of upcoming events, including the dates, locations, and themes of each event. This allows you to quickly identify which events align with your expertise and the topics you are passionate about. Additionally, industry calendars often provide website information for event organizers, making it easy for you to reach out and express your interest in speaking at their event. By utilizing industry calendars, you save time and effort in finding speaking opportunities that are tailored to your needs. Instead of searching through numerous websites and event listings, industry calendars provide a centralized hub where you can find all the information you need in one place. This allows you to streamline your search process and focus on connecting with the right event organizers. Explore 2024 MICE Events Calendar 3. Utilize Your Network Utilizing your network is a powerful way to find speaking opportunities that may not be publicly advertised. Start by reaching out to your friends, family, and colleagues and let them know that you are actively seeking speaking opportunities. They may be able to provide you with leads or introductions to event organizers or industry contacts who can help you land your next speaking engagement. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations or referrals; you never know who in your network may have connections in the event industry. When reaching out to the contacts, be professional and concise in your communication. Keep your email or message focused, highlighting your relevant experience, speaking engagements, and any notable achievements. Show genuine interest in their event and express how you believe your expertise can add value to their audience. Consider attaching a speaker resume or portfolio to your outreach message, showcasing your speaking experience and testimonials from past events. This will help event organizers get a better understanding of your skills and the impact you can make as a speaker. Follow up on your initial outreach if you don't receive a response within a reasonable time frame. Sometimes, event organizers may have missed or overlooked your message. By following up, you show your persistence and genuine interest in speaking at their event. 4. Use Google Search and Social Media to Your Advantage When it comes to Google search, use specific keywords related to your expertise and target audience to find relevant events and conferences. For example, if you are a marketing speaker, search for terms like "marketing conferences" or "industry events in marketing." This will provide you with a list of events and conferences that you can explore. Similarly, social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be valuable resources for finding speaking opportunities. Join industry-specific groups and communities, follow event organizers, and engage with other speakers in your field. Additionally, use social media to search for hashtags related to your expertise and target audience. This will help you discover relevant conversations and events happening within your industry. Make sure to follow and engage with industry influencers and thought leaders as well. They often share information about upcoming events and may even be looking for speakers themselves. 5. Join Professional Associations Professional associations bring together like-minded professionals in a specific field or industry. By joining these associations, you gain access to a wealth of resources and networking opportunities that can help you connect with event organizers and discover new speaking engagements. These associations often host their own events, conferences, and seminars, which provide a platform for members to share their expertise and showcase their speaking skills. These events attract industry professionals and decision-makers, creating valuable opportunities for you to establish yourself as a thought leader and make connections that can lead to future speaking engagements. Additionally, professional associations typically have online directories or member profiles that highlight the expertise and qualifications of their members. By including your speaking experience and topics of expertise in your profile, you increase your visibility and make it easier for event organizers to find you when they are looking for speakers. Beyond speaking, you can attend educational workshops and webinars, gain access to industry research and publications, and participate in mentoring programs. These resources can help you enhance your speaking skills, stay updated on industry trends, and strengthen your expertise, making you an even more sought-after speaker. 6. Start Local Your local community can provide a wealth of speaking engagements that are often overlooked by other speakers. By speaking locally, you not only have the chance to connect with your community and make a positive impact, but you also build a strong foundation for your speaking career. Start by reaching out to local organizations, clubs, and associations that align with your expertise. These groups are often in need of speakers for their meetings and events. Whether it's a small business association, a club, or a community center, these organizations are always looking for knowledgeable speakers who can provide valuable insights and expertise to their members. Additionally, consider volunteering to speak at local schools, libraries, and non-profit organizations. These venues often have events and programs where they invite speakers to share their knowledge and inspire their audiences. By volunteering your time and expertise, you not only contribute to your community but also gain valuable experience and exposure as a speaker. 7. Build a Speaker Portfolio A speaker portfolio is an essential tool for showcasing your expertise and skills as a speaker. It is a collection of materials that demonstrate your speaking experience, areas of expertise, and the impact you have made on previous audiences. By building a comprehensive speaker portfolio, you not only provide potential event organizers with a clear understanding of what you bring to the table, but you also establish yourself as a professional and credible speaker. To create an effective speaker portfolio, start by gathering materials that highlight your speaking experience. This can include videos of your past speaking engagements, testimonials from previous clients or audience members, and any press coverage or media appearances you have had. Be sure to also include a bio and headshot, as well as a list of topics you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Having a strong speaker portfolio not only sets you apart from other speakers, but it also serves as a powerful marketing tool. When reaching out to event organizers or promoting your speaking services, you can easily share your portfolio to demonstrate your expertise and convince potential clients of your value as a speaker. So, take the time to build a speaker portfolio that truly reflects your skills, experience, and passion as a speaker. 8. Keep Learning and Improving As a speaker, it is important to continuously learn and improve your skills in order to stay relevant and deliver impactful presentations. The speaking industry is constantly evolving, and by keeping up with the latest trends and techniques, you can ensure that you are delivering the best possible experience for your audience. One way to continue learning is to attend workshops, seminars, and webinars that are specifically tailored for speakers. These events often cover topics such as storytelling, audience engagement, and stage presence, which can help you enhance your speaking abilities. Another way to improve as a speaker is to seek feedback from others. After each speaking engagement, ask for honest feedback from audience members, event organizers, and fellow speakers. This feedback can help you identify areas of improvement and provide valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. Consider joining a speaking group or finding a mentor who can offer guidance and support in your speaking journey. Finally, make it a habit to watch and study other speakers. By observing successful speakers in your industry, you can gain inspiration and learn new techniques that you can incorporate into your own presentations. Pay attention to their delivery, body language, and storytelling abilities. Take note of what makes them successful and try to incorporate those elements into your own speaking style. Stay curious, seek feedback, and never stop striving to be the best speaker you can be. Your commitment to growth and improvement will set you apart and ensure your success in the speaking industry.

Don't Waste Your Event Content: Here's How to Repurpose it for Maximum Value

Dec 4, 2023

As event professionals, we know the effort and resources that go into creating engaging content for our events. But what happens to all that content once the show is over? Do we just pack it away and move on to the next event? Or do we keep milking it for more value? The truth is, there's still so much value in that content waiting to be unlocked. Not only is repurposing event content a sustainable practice, but it also allows you to reach a wider audience and extend the lifespan of your content. In fact, according to the State of Content Marketing 2023 report by SEMrush, 42% of marketers reported that repurposing content increased the success of their marketing campaigns. In this article, we'll explore real-life examples of successful post-event content repurposing, creative ways to repurpose event materials, and best practices for a winning event content strategy. Don't let your valuable event content go to waste, keep reading to discover how to repurpose it for maximum value! Skip to: Why should I repurpose my event content? Creative ways to repurpose event materials. Best practices for a winning post-event content strategy. Why should I repurpose my event content? Repurposing event content is not just a trend, it's a necessity in any industry, especially in the event industry where almost every event program costs a fortune. By repurposing your event content, you can unlock its full potential and extend its lifespan, resulting in numerous benefits for your business. Here are eight reasons why repurposing event content is so important for your business: 1. Generate More Quality Leads: There are countless individuals who are interested in the topics and insights you shared at your event, but for various reasons, they couldn't make it to the event. Repurposing your event content allows you to bridge that gap and bring your valuable information to them. By resharing snippets of your event content, you can pique the interest of your audience and generate quality leads for your business from non-attendees. This approach allows you to leverage the power of your event content beyond the confines of the physical event itself. 2. Establish Thought Leadership: Repurposing content not only positions your brand as an expert in your industry, it also establishes a strong reputation and gains the trust of your audience. When you share valuable insights and knowledge from your events, you demonstrate your expertise and showcase your ability to provide valuable information. With content repurposing, you have the opportunity to go beyond the surface-level content that was presented at the event. You can delve deeper into the topics, share additional insights, and provide more in-depth analysis. This allows you to showcase your expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, attract a loyal following, gain the trust of your audience, and open up new opportunities for growth and collaboration. 3. Maximize Your Event Budget: Repurposing content is both a cost-effective strategy and a way to maximize the return on your event investment. Rather than starting from scratch and creating new content, repurposing allows you to tap into the wealth of existing material you have already created, saving you valuable time, effort, and resources. That way, the value of your content doesn't end when the event is over. Instead, you can continue to share valuable information and insights long after the event has ended, keeping your brand top of mind for your audience. So why let your valuable event content go to waste when you can repurpose it for maximum value? 4. Boost Search Engine Optimization Effort: One of the key benefits of repurposing event content for SEO is that it allows you to target different keywords and phrases. By creating content in different formats, you can optimize each piece for specific keywords that are relevant to your target audience. This diversification of content helps you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for a wider range of keywords, increasing your chances of being discovered by potential attendees and customers. Moreover, when you distribute your repurposed content across various channels, such as social media platforms, industry forums, and online communities, you expand your reach and increase the likelihood of attracting backlinks. Backlinks are essential for SEO as they signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. The more backlinks you have from reputable websites, the higher your website will rank in search results. 5. Engage & Provide Value to Your Audience: By repurposing your event content into diverse formats such as captivating videos, visually appealing infographics, and informative blog posts, you can effectively engage your audience across multiple platforms. Recognizing that individuals consume content in various ways, repurposing allows you to cater to different preferences and capture the attention of a wider audience. Moreover, this strategic approach enables you to continuously provide value to your audience. By creatively packaging information and presenting it in fresh and unique ways, you can offer new perspectives and insights that may have been overlooked during the event itself. 6. Extend the Lifespan of Your Content: Instead of letting your event content gather dust after the show is over, repurposing allows you to breathe new life into it. By repurposing event content, you can continue to share valuable information and insights long after the event has ended, keeping your brand top of mind for your audience. Creative Strategies for Maximizing the Use of Your Event Material The possibilities for repurposing event content are endless. Creative thinking and exploring multiple content formats and platforms will help you maximize the use of your event materials and engage with your audience in new and exciting ways. Below, we've listed 9 creative strategies to consider, and some real-life examples as well. These strategies cut across both in-person and virtual events. 1. Blog posts: Transforming event presentations or sessions into informative blog posts is a great way to provide your audience, who may or may not have made it to your event, with in-depth insights and valuable information. With that, you can offer a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, further engaging your readers. Summarize key takeaways from the presentation or session, focus on a specific theme, and enhance your blog post with visuals such as images, videos, or charts that reinforce the concepts discussed in the event. Visual aids not only make the content more visually appealing but also help readers grasp complex ideas more easily. Finally, include quotes from the event speakers or attendees where necessary, as it adds a personal touch to the blog post and allows readers to connect with real experiences and perspectives. In the screenshot above, Explori creates a dedicated page that houses summary blog posts for its virtual event. Tap the image to visit the page. 2. Email marketing: Another effective way to repurpose content for events is by turning it into engaging email newsletters or updates. By sharing highlights, key takeaways, or exclusive behind-the-scenes content with your subscribers, you can keep them informed and engaged even after the event is over. Just as it is with blog posts, in your email newsletters, you can summarize the most important points from the event and provide additional context or insights. This way, your subscribers can get a taste of the valuable information that was shared at the event, even if they couldn't attend. It also helps attendees remember the impact of your event and get a hold of any part they may have missed. This can also be made into workflows, to ensure each attendee goes beyond the summary of your event, but also get relevant information about other related resources you may have to share. 3. Webinars: For in-person events, hosting webinars with the existing event content as a foundation is an excellent opportunity to continue engaging with your audience in a live and interactive setting. During the webinar, you can expand on the key takeaways and themes discussed at the event, allowing participants to gain a better understanding of the topic discussed. This also gives you the chance to address any questions or concerns that may have arisen from the event. By offering expert commentary and insightful responses, you can provide valuable guidance and support to your audience, further establishing your thought leadership and expertise in the industry. This is a major strategy that not a lot of brands are leveraging yet, but can help further drive more conversation and generate more leads for your business. 4. Case studies and testimonials: Another creative way to maximize the use of event material is to showcase positive experiences from your event through case studies and testimonials. By highlighting real-life examples of how your event has made a difference in people's lives, you not only demonstrate the impact of your event but also build credibility and trust with future potential attendees. Case studies provide an in-depth analysis of specific individuals or companies that have benefited from your event. They delve into the challenges they faced, the solutions they found through your event, and the results they achieved. By sharing these success stories, you not only inspire others but also provide concrete evidence of the value and effectiveness of your event. Testimonials, on the other hand, offer personal accounts of attendees who have had positive experiences at your event. These can come in the form of written testimonials, video interviews, or even audio recordings. By sharing the words and experiences of satisfied attendees, you create a sense of trust and authenticity that can be incredibly persuasive to potential attendees. SubSummit is unlike any other conference, according to @jasonnmyers of @bold_commerce! 🎉 #subsummit #networking #businessconference #liveevents #businessevent #digitalsubscription #dtcsubscription #subscriptions #subscriptionconference #networking #subscriptionindustry pic.twitter.com/yQMjv9ewUF — SubSummit (@Sub_Summit) June 7, 2022 5. Social media posts: Break down event content into bite-sized recap pieces and share them across your social media platforms. This will help increase the chances of your content being shared by others, even after the event. Doing this creates more opportunities for your audience to interact with your content. They can like, comment, and share these snippets, which helps to amplify your message and reach a wider audience. Additionally, when your content is shared by others, it increases the chances of it being discovered by future potential attendees or customers who may not have been aware of your event. This can drive traffic back to your website or blog, where they can find the full content or learn more about future events or any other relevant content. View this post on Instagram A post shared by River Beats Colorado (@riverbeatscolorado) Other creative post-event content use: 6. Podcast episodes: Convert event presentations into podcast episodes. This allows you to reach a wider audience and provide valuable insights in an easily consumable format. 7. Explainer or how-to videos: Create short videos that explain concepts or provide step-by-step instructions based on the event content. Visual content is highly engaging and can be easily shared across various platforms, thus, it will help you reach more people across multiple platforms. 8. Infographics: Create visually appealing infographics out of your event data and statistics. Infographics are highly shareable and can help you reach new audiences on social media platforms. 9. Quizzes: Repurpose event content by turning it into interactive quizzes. This engages your audience and allows them to test their knowledge while also reinforcing key concepts learnt from your event. By utilizing these creative strategies, you can make the most of your event materials and continue to engage with your audience long after the show is over. Best Practices For Creating a Winning Post-Event Content Strategy Creating a winning event content strategy requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to consider: 1. Set clear goals: Before repurposing your event content, define what you hope to achieve. Whether it's generating leads, establishing thought leadership, or increasing brand visibility, having clear goals will guide your strategy. 2. Understand your audience: Know who your target audience is and what kind of content they prefer. This will help you tailor your repurposed content to their needs and preferences, increasing its effectiveness. 3. Prioritize quality: While repurposing content allows you to save time and resources, don't compromise on quality. Ensure that your repurposed content is valuable, informative, and well-crafted to engage your audience. 4. Be strategic with platforms: Different platforms cater to different types of content. Consider the strengths of each platform and repurpose your content accordingly. For example, use blog posts for in-depth analysis, social media for quick snippets, and videos for visual storytelling. 5. Maintain consistency: While repurposing content, maintain a consistent brand voice and style. This helps create a cohesive brand identity and builds trust with your audience. 6. Encourage engagement: Use your repurposed content as an opportunity to engage with your audience. Encourage comments, ask questions, and invite feedback to foster a two-way conversation. 7. Analyze and optimize: Track the performance of your repurposed content and analyze the results. Identify what works and what doesn't, and make necessary adjustments to improve your strategy. By following these best practices, you can create a winning event content strategy that effectively repurposes your materials and achieves your desired outcomes. Remember, it's all about delivering value to your audience and maximizing the impact of your event content. Make the most of your event content by repurposing it for maximum value and wider reach. Don't let all that effort and resources go to waste – let's explore how to breathe new life into your content post-event.

How to Plan an Event Successfully in 2023

Nov 21, 2023

Are you looking to plan an event? Whether it's an exhibit program, a corporate conference, or a charity fundraiser, the event planning process can easily become very overwhelming. However, with the right tools and strategies, you can successfully plan an event that meets all your goals and expectations. In this guide, we will break down the seven stages of event planning and also provide you with a comprehensive event planning checklist to ensure that your event is quite successful. So, let's dive in and learn how to plan an event effectively this year! Why is Effective Event Planning Important? Effective event planning is crucial for the success of any event, regardless of the type of event you're planning. It is the first step, as without proper planning, you run the risk of facing numerous challenges and setbacks that can ultimately hinder the success of your event. It allows you to carefully consider all the necessary details, from venue selection and budgeting to logistics and marketing strategies. It helps you create a clear roadmap for your event, ensuring that you stay organized and on track throughout the planning process. Additionally, effective event planning helps you anticipate potential challenges and devise contingency plans. It allows you to allocate resources efficiently and prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. The Seven Stages of Event Planning and Why They Matter Planning an event is a complex process that requires careful consideration and strategic execution. The seven stages below are crucial to ensure the success of your event. Let's dive into each stage and explore why they matter. 1. Define Your Objectives: Before you can plan any event, it's important to clearly define your goals and objectives. This will help guide your decision-making process and help you stay focused on what you want to achieve. 2. Budgeting and Financial Planning: Planning an event requires careful budgeting to ensure you stay within your financial limits. By utilizing carefully-curated event budget, you can track your expenses and allocate your budget efficiently. 3. Selecting the Right Venue: The venue sets the stage for your event, so it plays a crucial role in its success. Consider factors such as capacity, location, and amenities when choosing a venue. Also, consider the best central location for your target audience. Also, speak with multiple venue providers, so you see the one that aligns most with your preferences, especially your budget. Doing this can help you narrow down your options. 4. Vendor Selection and Management: From caterers to audiovisual technicians, choosing the right vendors is essential for a seamless event Create a robust checklist to keep track of vendor contracts and deadlines. 5. Marketing and Promotion: To attract attendees, you need to effectively market and promote your event. Utilize social media, email marketing, and other channels to create buzz and generate interest. 6. Logistical Planning: This stage involves coordinating all the necessary logistical elements, such as transportation, accommodation, and event timelines. Your event planning checklist can help you stay organized and on track. 7. Execution and Evaluation: The day of the event is when all your planning comes together. Monitor the event closely and address any issues that may arise. After the event, measure and evaluate its success and gather feedback for future improvements. The Importance of Event Measurement During Planning When it comes to event planning, measuring the success and impact of your event is just as important as the planning itself. Event measurement allows you to assess the effectiveness of your strategies, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate the value of your event to stakeholders. It provides valuable insights into attendee satisfaction, engagement levels, and overall event outcomes. So, how can you plan your event with measurement in mind? Start by defining clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your event goals. This will guide your planning efforts and ensure that you gather the necessary data to evaluate success. Consider incorporating surveys, feedback forms, and analytics tools to collect attendee feedback and track key metrics throughout the planning process. This will allow you to gauge attendee satisfaction, measure engagement levels, and assess the impact of your event on participants. Ways to boost attendee engagement before, during, and after the 2023 event Here are some strategies on how to plan an event that keeps attendees engaged before, during, and after the event. Before the event, create excitement and anticipation by leveraging social media platforms and email marketing. Share sneak peeks of what attendees can expect, highlight keynote speakers or special guests, and encourage them to spread the word. During the event, incorporate interactive elements such as live polling, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities. This allows attendees to actively participate and feel connected to the event. Utilize event apps or platforms that offer features like gamification or virtual exhibitor booths to further engage attendees. After the event, keep the conversation going by sending out surveys or feedback forms to gather insights and improve future events. Share post-event content such as recordings or key takeaways to provide value even after the event has ended. Stay connected with attendees through social media or email newsletters to keep them engaged for future events. By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your event is not only successful but also leaves a lasting impression on attendees, increasing the likelihood of their continued engagement and attendance at future events.

How to write the perfect post-event survey email

Nov 6, 2023

Congratulations! 🎉 Your event was a huge success and your attendees had a blast. But it doesn't end there. As an event manager or exhibition organizer, it's crucial to gather feedback from your attendees through a post-event survey. This will not only help you understand what worked well and what can be improved for future events, but also show your attendees that their opinions are valued. In this blog post, we'll share tips on how to write the perfect post-event survey email and provide templates with sample post event survey questions that you can use for your next event. Jump to section: Understanding the importance of post-event survey emails Key elements to include in a successful survey email Practical tips to maximize participation rates Templates for effective post event survey emails Take your event insights to the next level Understanding the Importance of Post-Event Survey Emails As an event professional, the end of your event marks the beginning of another set of activities. One of the most crucial steps in the post-event process is gathering feedback from attendees. This is where post-event survey emails come into play. Post event survey emails provide a valuable opportunity to understand attendees' experiences and gather insights that can be used to improve future events. These surveys allow you to gauge satisfaction levels, identify areas for improvement, and gain feedback on various aspects of the event, such as the venue, speakers, agenda, networking opportunities, and overall organization. By sending out a well-crafted post-event survey email, you can show attendees that their opinions matter and that you genuinely care about their feedback. This helps build a positive relationship and fosters loyalty to your event or organization. To ensure the success of your post-event survey email, it is important to carefully craft its content, the design, and consider timing of deployment. In the following sections, we will provide you with key elements to include in your survey email, a step-by-step guide for crafting the email, practical tips for maximizing survey participation rates, and templates that you can use as a starting point. Key Elements to Include in a Successful Post-Event Survey Email When crafting a post-event survey email, there are several key elements that you should include to ensure its success. These elements will help you gather valuable insights and opinions from your attendees. Add an attention-grabbing subject line. Your subject is the first point of contact with your audience after an event, It is very important to make it as catchy as possible, as this will drive high open rates which increases the potential of conversion for you. Start with a personalized greeting to make the email feel more personable and tailored to each attendee. This shows that you value their participation and feedback. Next, provide a brief introduction that highlights the purpose of the survey and emphasizes the importance of their feedback in improving future events. This will motivate attendees to take the survey seriously and provide thoughtful responses. In the body of the email, include clear and concise instructions on how to access and complete the survey. Provide a direct link to the survey and explain how long it will take to complete. Additionally, assure attendees that their responses will remain confidential and anonymous. You can also provide an example of the type of questions they will encounter in the survey to give them an idea of what to expect. To encourage participation, consider offering an incentive for completing the survey, such as a discount on future events or a chance to win a prize. This can increase response rates and engagement. Finally, close the email with a post-event recap or summary. This gives attendees a quick reminder of the event and allows them to reflect on their experience before taking the survey. By including these key elements in your post-event survey email, you will maximize participation rates and gather valuable feedback to improve future events. Practical Tips for Maximising Survey Participation Rates To ensure that you receive a high response rate on your post-event survey, it is important to consider a few practical tips. Keep it short and simple Attendees are more likely to read your email and complete a survey if it is quick and easy to fill out. Avoid lengthy emails and focus on the most important aspects of the event. Keep your survey to a maximum of 10 questions to prevent survey fatigue. Timing is key Send out your post-event survey email as soon as possible after the event while it is still fresh in attendees' minds. Waiting too long may result in decreased response rates. Use a mix of question types To keep the survey engaging, incorporate a variety of question types such as multiple choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions. This will provide a more comprehensive view of attendees' experiences. Personalize the survey Make the survey feel tailored to each attendee by including their name in the email and addressing specific aspects of the event they attended. This personal touch shows that you value their individual feedback. Provide a post-event example Include an example of the type of questions they will encounter in the survey to give attendees an idea of what to expect. This will make them more likely to click to start the survey. Incentivize participation Offer a small incentive, such as a discount on future events or a chance to win a prize, for completing the survey. This can increase motivation and response rates. By following these practical tips, you can maximize click-through-rates to your survey, which will enable you to get as much responses as possible for your event from attendees. Template for Efficient and Effective Post-Event Survey Emails Crafting the perfect post-event survey email can be a challenging task, but using templates can make it easier and more efficient. Here is a quick template to help you write an effective post-event survey email: "Dear [Attendee's Name], Thank you for attending our recent event [Event Name] at [Location]. We hope you had a great time and found it valuable. We would greatly appreciate your feedback to help us improve future events. Please take a few minutes to complete our post-event survey. [Provide a brief introduction about the purpose of the survey and its importance.] As a token of our appreciation, you will receive [offer an incentive]. Your opinion matters to us, and your responses will remain confidential and anonymous. Your feedback will assist us in making improvements and creating a better experience for all attendees. Click here [insert survey link] to access the survey. It will only take [mention estimated time] to complete. Thank you in advance for your time and valuable input. We look forward to hearing from you. This template and other possible templates provide a starting point for your post-event survey email. Personalize the template according to your event and audience, and remember to keep the email concise and engaging. Take Your Event Insights to the Next Level with Explori! After your survey, what next? What important insights do you draw from your events? Do you know where youyour events are comparable to those within your industry? Take your event insights to the next level with Explori. Let's help you: Get advanced measurement tools to prove the influence of your event strategy to stakeholders. Benchmark events, understand the best-performing events and optimize budgets to fit. Integrate with other platforms including registration, event apps and CRM systems. Contextualize event performance, and compare events to the industry standard.

The Value of Customer Service: Black Hat Cybersecurity

Oct 3, 2023

Let's explore the Service in SAAS, using a case study of the Black Hat team, a division of Informa. It's been talked about before, but the real benefit of true SAAS platforms is in its service. Well, service and trust! Since day one, Explori, the events industry survey tool has invested heavily in its customer service team, and by ensuring this, we were able to provide personalized support, seeing an outstanding increase in retention and loyalty among our clients including Richard McCarthy, Senior Marketing Director at Black Hat who has been a customer for over eight years. "The consultative nature of the relationship and, and frankly, just the amount of work that Explori does for us has been fantastic," Richard commented. Richard and his team have been utilizing Explori's survey tools and services since 2014 on the Black Hat Cybersecurity Event series which consists of three international shows based in the US, Europe, and Asia as well as a number of smaller events and conferences. The Black Hat team welcomes thousands of visitors and exhibitors annually and at the start of the relationship with Explori, the Black Hat team, a division of Informa, were "voluntold" they'd be using the survey tool. From Voluntold to Loved — Explori's Journey with Black Hat Skeptical at first, as many users are when new software is introduced, Richard and his team were soon won over by the ease of use and customer support provided by Explori. When asked about the relationship with the customer service team at Explori, Richard said "after eight years, Explori has really proven themselves, and I really, really like working with the team." Richard discovered very quickly that it was more than just the software that they valued in this relationship. From front-end usability, back-end customization, and cross-tab reporting capabilities plus a very consultative approach to understanding and delivering on requirements, it was unlike anything Richard or his team had used before. Before long, Informa started to adopt the platform across its event business using the software and service. But as Richard says, it's the team behind the technology that makes the real difference. Data Security Due to the nature of the events, working in Cybersecurity, the Black Hat team has to take data security very seriously and Explori has not only met their requirements but have gone above and beyond in understanding the specific needs of the industry. So much so that Black Hat will now be sending emails directly from the Explori dashboard to survey its customers. This enables the team to integrate better its data with registration to truly understand their aggregated data from survey responses to know exactly what each of their event personas thought of the event and how they could then improve on those experiences. "What job function said that? Which industry was that subset of data in? It's this level of data and insight that we've simply not had before" commented Richard adding "Explori has proven that we can trust them". Understanding Black Hat's Audiences It can be a real challenge to truly understand attendee, sponsor, or exhibitor intentions and perceptions through using purely traditional data points such as that of registration. Registration is often where questions are asked so that sales, marketing, and operational event teams can fulfil a service; deliver a badge, promote spaces and build relevant show features. Utilizing Explori has meant that the Black Hat team can truly understand different personas at their events and what matters most to them. For example, receiving feedback from an individual could seem like the whole event is against them when up against it onsite, but with validation through surveying, the team can see if it's just that particular individual or if there are multiple people feeling the same way. This helps them to take corrective action, whether that be through better communication on-site or post-event, improvement to event features, or even how they plan and communicate their events or sessions going forward. Explori helps Richard and his team really understand what worked, what didn't, and what they should keep doing because attendees loved it and equally, what they should change because certain areas didn't work so well. INSIGHTS FOR EVENT ORGANIZERS What does success mean for your event, organization or market? Clive Morris, Research Director at Explori, shares his thoughts on measuring event success and how to turn the numbers into valuable action-led insight across your organization. Download Guide Accessing Data-Validated Feedback The validation that the team received on real-time show feedback helped the Black Hat team have better, data-led conversations with their suppliers. At a recent event, they understood onsite that there was a paint point around exhibitor entry to the event on build days, not something that's always easily visible onsite. Through surveying their sponsors and exhibitors they were able to get to the heart of the problems raised, understand that it affected a wider audience, and take corrective action when speaking with their supplier on how to do better next time. The relationship with Explori has helped the team to build better, more transparent relationships with their suppliers. In summary The Black Hat Cybersecurity team has been able to grow its survey program and improve event experiences for attendees with the help of Explori. Their data security requirements have been met and exceeded, and they are now integrating their data with registration (and other vendors) in order to understand attendees’ perceptions and intentions at a much more granular level. The team is also utilizing Explori to validate feedback received onsite in real-time so that they can have more data-led conversations with suppliers and partners, improving experiences overall. Asked about the relationship with the Explori team, Richard commented "Clive is just fantastic. He’s a great partner and has been looking after us for a long time. His role may not be our day-to-day manager, but the fact that he always jumps in to help, is just another great reason we’re working with Explori."  Check out how Explori can help increase the value of your customer service. Get started with Explori, let us set you up with benchmarks that provide insights to guide your event measurement and innovation to increase your ROI. Book a demo with our events specialist today.

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Do You Really Understand What NPS Means?

Sep 18, 2023

There is a suspicion that many people in the events industry don't fully understand the significant role NPS plays in running successful exhibitions. It's often viewed as just another metric to measure and one that many teams are now incentivized to improve, however, if you were to ask an honest question to the entire market about what NPS means and what it does, many likely wouldn't know. "Is the question 'how likely are you to recommend us on a scale from 0 to 10' really driving change? Do people really understand what it means and how to use it?" — Richard Kensett, VP Enterprise Partnerships, Explori While tracking and comprehending NPS is significant, it is only one aspect to consider among several others that should be evaluated to gain a comprehensive understanding of exhibition performance. NPS may be turning 20, but does it really help us understand customer experiences? The answer is this: NPS is not an end in itself. It should be used as part of a broader measurement effort, combining qualitative and quantitative information to help event planners drive positive experiences. NPS has gained a lot of traction as a metric for gauging the success of exhibitions, and whilst it is still very relevant on its 20th birthday (link to other post / article?), the actual measurements of successful visitor or exhibitor engagement are deeper than a rating of 1-10. The way NPS is calculated makes it a little complicated for exhibitions. To put this into context, look at your dinner last night. Out of ten, how would you rate it? Maybe a 6? So it was pretty good, but it could be a bit better? You didn't throw it in the bin, but would you tell a mate about it? Maybe. In NPS ratings, this score would be considered a detractor and be subtracted from your promoter's scores (and most certainly be binned!). So, when asking someone about their thoughts on the latest trade show they attended, they may tend to give a simplistic answer as, generally, people prefer to take a moderate stance and avoid extreme opinions. It's also important to remember that even a small minority with strong opinions can greatly impact your overall NPS score - positively or negatively. How good an NPS can you achieve? Gaining popularity in the events industry with the arrival of private equity firms, NPS remains a valuable tool for supporting business decisions, as typically, a high NPS indicates positive revenue growth momentum and fosters positive interactions between visitors, exhibitors and the event organiser. However, to achieve a 9-10 rating on the NPS scale for an exhibition or event, there needs to be an exceptional level of satisfaction from visitors in terms of the quality of products and services offered, value for money, the overall event experience as well as the customer service. It's a big ask. If you want to understand your audience and your event performance, you should consider a blend of metrics instead. Measure your overall event score NPS has its place in event measurement, but what you should do instead is combine various metrics such as loyalty, advocacy, and the importance of attending your event and then compare how your overall event score performs against previous years or industry benchmarks. In so doing, you will get a much better indicative view of how your audience perceived your event, how likely they are to return and the value your event offered. At Explori, we believe in considering the entire audience experience to provide a rounded view of customer sentiment and accurate insight into how well your event is performing. Together with surveys, this data can help you develop strategies for improving engagement, increasing loyalty and ultimately creating an exceptional experience for participant’s next time. The importance of understanding your audience Events with high customer experience scores are easier to run, more profitable, and faster-growing, which everyone wants from their event. Once you know what's driving your NPS and overall event scores, you can adapt and tweak your strategy to improve it for the following year. In Explori, customers can click on a report, select their NPS and instantly see their detractors. This report will tell you everything you need to know about that audience profile, such as what products they are interested in, what were there objectives of the event, and who they were. Once you understand your personas, you can build profiles with these detractors and focus on areas that could improve from a 4/5/6 to a 7/8 or even a 9/10. Don't forget your promoters It's easy to focus on increasing your detractors and ensuring you have a highly-positive NPS score, however, don't forget to focus on your promoters too. Promoters are the people who drive growth in your organisation and increase word-of-mouth referrals, so focus on initiatives that reward them for their loyalty. Think beyond unique links - today, advocates are more than likely to know the worth of their audience to you, so offer them VIP experiences beyond a unique referral code - your VIPs want to feel valued - to ensure they are engaged with your events as much as possible. In summary NPS remains a valuable metric in the industry after 20 years, but it should not be used as an end-all measurement of success. It should instead form part of a broader evaluation initiative that combines qualitative and quantitative information to help event planners understand what can be done to drive positive experiences for their audience. By gathering insights into their personas, focusing on detractors and promoters, and offering VIP experiences to their most valued customers, exhibition organisers can create an exceptional customer experience that will leave a lasting impression on their audiences. With the right combination of metrics and tools, you can optimise your exhibition performance for an improved overall customer experience. Take a quick tour of Explori website. 👇 Explori is powering the events industry with the right data and insights. See how Explori works right away!

Net Promoter Score Turns 20 — Is It Enough?

Sep 12, 2023

In 2003, Bain & Company partner Fred Reichheld introduced a groundbreaking method of assessing how well an organization treats individuals whose lives it affects — its capacity to foster enduring and loyal relationships. This assessment, known as the Net Promoter Score or NPS, has since been shared so anyone could apply it to their business. NPS has since been widely used amongst businesses to measure success and while it is mainly used for gauging customer satisfaction and loyalty, it has also been employed for measuring the effectiveness of corporate events. However, this one form of measurement is not enough when analyzing the success or impact of corporate events. In this article, we will look at the relevance of NPS in corporate events and why it's time to change how we measure success. NPS as a stand-alone measurement is not enough There is a common misconception about Net Promoter Scores in corporate events. Many believe that NPS combines factors such as customer satisfaction, advocacy value, behavior perception, and brand awareness. However, this is not entirely accurate. The truth is that NPS solely measures advocacy and only provides a small part of the overall picture. So while it is an excellent metric to measure to an extent, it is almost worthless when used in isolation for measuring the overall success of your corporate event program. NPS doesn't tell you how you can change the hearts and minds of your attendees to move them all to become promoters of your next event or increase their propensity to buy from your next customer-facing event. It also doesn't tell you which events worked for your business and for what reason. For your event measurement to mean anything, it is critical to understand how those who attended your event felt and how their brand perception has changed from pre-event to post-event. Only by knowing this, can you then understand the event's role in changing brand perceptions and, ultimately, increasing business revenue. "Our clients are already familiar with NPS as a tool to gauge brand advocacy. While it should absolutely be used to measure event success, it shouldn't be the only metric utilized. Incorporating NPS into a blended metric will provide valuable insights into attendee satisfaction and overall customer experience." — Chloe Richardson, VP Senior Corporate Relations, Explori Measurement beyond customer satisfaction To improve the effectiveness of your events program, you should consider analyzing brand perception and impact scores, including sentiment and behavior analysis, which helps you better understand how your attendees and customers feel about your event and how they behave towards your brand, such as, what is their propensity to purchase. By blending these metrics, you can build an overall event score and form a more complete picture of your event's success and effectiveness in strengthening customer relationships, enabling you to measure year-on-year and event-on-event performance better. To ensure that NPS can be utilized to its fullest potential in business events, you should set clear objectives and prioritize achieving strategic outcomes rather than simply collecting data. Evaluating customer sentiment, behavior, satisfaction, and brand perception are all important factors to consider when assessing your event's impact. Additionally, creating feedback mechanisms to encourage attendees to provide input at every stage of your event cycle, is vital for establishing an effective understanding and analysis of how to improve your event or increase your number of event promoters, a result of which you can measure through net promoter scores. The benefits of measuring overall event scores By measuring overall event scores, you gain valuable insights into the health of your entire customer event program. This robust blended analysis helps you pinpoint your top-performing events and identify areas for improvement. You'll begin to build a better picture of how, even small, lower-invested events can deliver exceptional results with proper strategic measures in place, where they previously were considered lower-tier, underinvested events. Measuring your events' performance with an overall event score allows you to track the progress of your entire event program and have a clear line of sight on what works, what doesn’t, and how you can improve. By taking a strategic approach to your events, you can reap maximum benefits from it. How do you measure impact scores? / Where do you start to better measure your corporate events To improve the overall effectiveness of your events, it's essential to align the objectives of your event with those of your business as a whole as this will ensure you capture relevant data and insight to help positively impact your events business unit. To ensure comprehensive analysis, it is advisable to review three distinct categories of data: demographic data, engagement data, and sentiment data. Demographic data provides information on attendees, while engagement data offers insights on their actions such as dwell time, session scans, and clicks. On the other hand, sentiment data provides a deeper understanding of how attendees think and feel. To obtain this information, analyzing customer sentiment and behavior through surveys, interviews, or focus groups is an effective way to gather additional data that can help measure impact scores. With this information collated and analyzed, you can then create strategies to enhance your events program and develop greater opportunities to positively impact not only your events score, but your entire business bottom line. Cheers to 20 great years, NPS! 🎉 Whilst we couldn't be happier to celebrate the year of NPS turning 20, and the positive impact it has had on our industry alongside many others, event planners and managers should focus on a more comprehensive approach to measure and evaluate event performance. This is the problem we set out to solve at Explori! We enable event professionals across the world to better understand their overall event score beyond NPS — bringing together customer satisfaction data with brand perception and impact scores — to provide a better view into how they can drive success in their events program. Take a quick tour of Explori website. 👇 Explori is powering the events industry with the right data and insights. See how Explori works right away!

How to Use Data to Drive Events Business Strategy

Sep 12, 2023

IMEX Vegas 2023: Bringing Event Measurement to Vegas

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