A Comeback Story: The Return of In-Person Events

The biggest opportunity of your career is coming up.

For years, people have had a seemingly infinite number of event invitations in their inboxes. They could pick the best ones to attend and leave the others. That’s not the case anymore. Everyone is waiting for that first invite to their first post-pandemic, in-person event. They're craving it, eager for the chance to be together again.

That's huge. That's a sea change. It's a (hopefully) once-in-a-generation opportunity that you can't afford to miss.

Being one of the first to host an in-person event (when it's safe, of course) will come with some hooks. But it also comes with a significant upside: your event can have a massive impact. People remember their firsts. If you're willing to take the necessary steps — like re-imagining your event programs and figuring out how to create a safe environment — you can give your audience memorable experiences, build trust, and capture a new crowd of loyal champions.

So if you're up for the challenge, let's talk about how to make it happen.

The Immediate Reality of In-Person Events

First, let's acknowledge the reality of what in-person events will look like, at least immediately. There will be fewer of them than you remember. If someone attended 20 events a year pre-pandemic, they might go to three when in-person events return — maybe. The question for event professionals is how to make your event one of those three. We'll get to that.

In-person events will also be smaller, for a few reasons. One, they're easier to control from a safety standpoint (obviously). Two, they present a clear value proposition and are more easily targeted. And three, they encourage interaction, participation, and engagement. And that leads to real connections among attendees that drive real business outcomes. (That's one of the many reasons small events are just plain better. Check out my article on this topic here).

But not everyone will feel comfortable going back to in-person events right away, so many of them will take a hybrid approach with a virtual component. Our recent industry research shows that 79% of companies plan on hosting hybrid events, even when in-person events resume. 

The Hybrids are Evolving

As companies continue investing in digital event technology and tools, expect to see hybrid events change significantly.

Right now, say the words “hybrid events,” and you’re likely envisioning a small group of attendees in one location live streaming to anyone who’s not physically there. This has limitations, not least of which that it’s essentially a webinar. Interaction is limited to those in the room, and virtual attendees are likely snoozing or working through your lecture via Zoom.

But they won't snooze through a compelling keynote. "Parallel”-style hybrid events reserve the broadcast stream for something everyone wants: the keynote, an entertainment headliner. In this hybrid variety, the in-person component is reserved for breakout sessions or side conferences, which benefit the most from interactions between attendees. 

Event technology that can make actual give-and-take possible between online and on-site attendees already exists. When that becomes more widely adopted, we'll see more hybrid events that seamlessly integrate the IRL experience with virtual. Until then, my guess is that the best way to think about “hybrid” pre-event, with online meetings, meetups and hype-up content. (Read: gather folks pre-event online).

Give Me a Reason to Join You

Another reality we have to face: Even a perfectly sized, highly interactive event needs a compelling raison d'etre to get people in the door — especially today. According to Smart Meetings, about 54% of Australian businesses want to host in-person events, but 61% still cite COVID concerns as a barrier to attendance. 

Relevance is the watchword here. Since attendees are limiting the number of events they go to, they’re going to prioritize events most relevant to their interests. 

It's up to event professionals to give people a reason to come. You can do this gradually by starting small. Tailor agendas and invite lists to maximize relevancy. Provide an experience that's unattainable virtually. Focus on connection, interaction and participation. Make the effort to encourage authentic engagement. And maybe most importantly, assure attendees they'll get all these things safely. That's where trust comes in.

The Question of Trust

So many external things can impact the trust level of an event. Some of those are within your control, like implementing sensible protocols and precautions (think pre-event testing requirements or proof of vaccination, when fully available). Day-of contingencies like temperature checks, enhanced cleaning, and social distancing are also within an event organizer’s reach. 

One tactic event organizers should take no matter what their event protocol: Distribute an event code of conduct to ensure thorough, transparent communication. No attendee should arrive without knowing what’s considered mandatory versus preferred.

But what about inter-attendee trust? Those who attend events must trust not only the organizers and venue but other attendees too. Do attendees know each other? Are they confident others will follow protocol? Can they ask those questions of one another? 

That kind of trust isn't developed at a welcome cocktail hour. But you can build it beforehand if you provide clarity on rules, as well as attendees and their statuses (vaccinated, negative tests, etc.). And to provide a conduit for that clarity, you need to start building a community. 

Building a Community

When built around a common purpose or interest, a community can become a real circle of trust. If event professionals want to inspire trust among attendees, they have to establish a community first. And they can achieve this through events.

Small events with curated attendee lists and plenty of pre-and post-event interaction lay the groundwork for a community. Hosting a series of events breeds familiarity. It also forges stronger connections, reinforcing the commonality of purpose essential for creating a circle of trust. And if your series of interconnected, small virtual events create a community among attendees, they're more likely to strike up friendships of the IRL kind.

As I wrote in an earlier article, a small, intimate event series will naturally produce little "pods" of like-minded people with plenty in common. They have a reason to get together and have built up trust among themselves to do so safely. 

In that article, I referenced Salesforce as a company that has embraced smaller events. One of the reasons they did so is the trust and community benefits bred in more intimate settings. Trust is a key Salesforce value. It's what makes for good software sales and what makes for effective events. We can all take a page from their playbook and ensure the guiding principle behind the return of in-person gatherings is trust.

Champions Lead Comebacks

If all of this sounds like a lot of work just to host effective in-person events, you're right. But there's a payoff. There's the opportunity to create lasting memories, and early movers will have an advantage. There's the opportunity to build trust. If your event is the first one a person has been to in a year or even longer — and you execute it safely — they'll remember it. They'll remember how they trusted you with their time, health and safety, and that it was worth it. So live up to it.

But early action is a double-edged sword. In-person events that feel superfluous — or worse, unsafe — will backfire in a big way. Instead, be the champion that leads the comeback of in-person events. Think small, and invest in a series of intimate virtual events that build community and trust before asking attendees to take the plunge into larger in-person gatherings. Be transparent about your rules and expectations — they're the new Ts & Cs of the event world, and they can't be an afterthought. Emphasize relevance and curated attendee lists. Be thoughtful about the space you create, prioritizing outdoor activities and unobtrusive (but omnipresent) safety points, like door testing. Be flexible to accommodate attendees' comfort levels. Embrace the event technology that can make all this happen effectively. And most importantly, be trustworthy.

People are ready to come together again. They're longing for it. Now, without the constant stream of email invitations pining in their inboxes and ears, they're listening for them. The volume is up.

The boldest voices will be heard. Will it be yours?