Reggie Aggarwal, CEO and founder of event management
software company, Cvent, opened the company’s annual conference by defining the
four pillars of digital event success.
Aggarwal kicked off Cvent CONNECT Europe with a positive and
practical keynote. He said, “Demand is coming back, and our industry is getting
healthy again. I believe we’re finally in a place where pandemic-driven changes
have stabilised, and the future we’ve all imagined is within our grasp.”
Throughout his keynote, Aggarwal explained how event
planners can leverage technology to drive positive business results. He added “digitisation
is a catalyst for success,” and encouraged the audience to, “challenge the
status quo, learn, engage, and have the important conversations that help shape
our industry.”
1.The Total Event Programme (TEP) powered
by one platform
An organisation’s TEP includes
all the events an organisation hosts or attends, whether internal or external,
across all formats: in-person, virtual, and hybrid. This all-encompassing view
encourages organisations to think about their event strategy as one cohesive
programme rather than a disparate collection of events or marketing campaigns.
By adopting this mindset, event and marketing professionals can maximise reach
and impact, and deliver an event programme that generates more value for their
audiences and stakeholders.
2.Engagement
Digital transformation has created a new kind of engagement
economy, where engagement opportunities compound, and collaboration never
stops. “Because of digitisation, we now have more opportunities to capture and
utilise attendee engagement interactions to amplify event impact,” said Aggarwal.
“To drive maximum attendance and engagement, organisations must deliver
information in more interactive ways in multiple formats, and leverage technology
to act on those engagement insights.”
3.Data and insights
With the right technology, organisations can connect all
their events, as well as attendee insights, processes and results, in one
place, to deliver more personalised marketing campaigns and dynamic event
experiences, which ultimately results in better business leads and improved
outcomes. Aggarwal said, “Collecting the right insights across all data
sources, and taking appropriate actions, is a true competitive differentiator.”
4.Unifying the Ecosystem
Aggarwal explained how technology is helping to create a
more unified MICE ecosystem. “Through technology, we can bring the entire
meetings and events ecosystem together in one seamless digital environment. Our
industry is made up of so many different players, and technology can facilitate
greater collaboration between all of them and create even more incredible
experiences.”
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
