Insight: Issue 27 (13th January)

Anyone else suffering from the January Blues?

We’ll distract you! Today we’re sharing: news of the AAPG’s brand new website; the top software platforms for virtual events; an update from the organising committee of the Tokyo Olympics; a successful trial event in Barcelona resulting in *zero* COVID infections (dare we say it, good news?!); 37 event survey questions for gathering valuable feedback; and 21 event predictions for 2021. Just because.

APPG launches new website

In case you haven’t seen, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG)—AKA, the voice of the events industry at Westminster—launched its new website last week. On the site, they’ll share news and info on upcoming events, as well as minutes and notes from meetings and evidence sessions.

On Monday 18 January, the group’s first evidence session will take place; hosted by APPG Events Chair, Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, and attended by representatives from across the UK events sector. A full agenda for the session can be found on the new website (appgevents.inparliament.uk) and you’ll find relevant outcomes and actions after the meeting there too. If you want to stay in the know in the meantime, you can follow them on twitter: @appgevents.

Top software platforms for virtual events

Last week we shared the best apps for taking your events to the next level; this week we’re moving on to the top software platforms for 2021.

Savvy software teams are already planning for the post-vaccine future. They’ve been hard at work collating and analysing data on ever-changing audience needs—from registration and ticket buying, to attendee behaviour and engagement—then feeding back clear info to event profs about how to refine these processes. That means, using the best software platforms, the performance and productivity of hybrid events will leave little to chance.

Organisers are divided over Tokyo Olympics

Last Friday, the organisers of the Olympic Games in Tokyo stated adamantly that the postponed games will indeed take place next summer—the day after the Japanese government declared a month-long state of emergency in and around the Japanese capital. This decision came after a record number of new COVID infections were reported in the region.

The organising committee behind Tokyo 2020 has already stated several times that a new postponement of the games is not an option, and has now said that the state of emergency provides an opportunity to control COVID-19 in advance of the summer. Dick Pound, the longest-serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is less confident due to the fluctuations of the virus: “That remains the elephant in the room”.

The Olympics, which were postponed by a year due to the pandemic, are scheduled to run from 23 July to 8 August 2021. Time will tell…

Test event with 1,000 attendees sees no infections

In more promising news, a trial event in Barcelona with 1,000+ attendees was successful, resulting in zero COVID infections.

The event was organised in collaboration with Primavera Sound, an annual music festival in Barcelona, to test whether a concert without mandatory social distancing leads to new infections. Attendees had to wear a certified face mask (which they were allowed to remove whilst drinking) but they did not have to keep their distance from one another. Rapid tests were, of course, carried out at the door. The organisers suggest the positive findings could prove to be very useful for future events. Some rare good news, people!

37 event survey questions for the best insights

The Bizzabo Blog has shared an invaluable guide for writing survey questions to help event profs get inside the minds of participants and answer that all-important question: “how do I know if my event was successful?”. The guide covers how to structure your questions (e.g. multiple choice, yes/no, open-ended) and even provides sample questions for targeting different groups—from event attendees and speakers, to event volunteers and employees. As a starting point, these the 5 key takeaways:

1. Feedback is always good. Every person involved in your event, whether they’re behind the scenes or front of house, has something important to teach you.
2. People love to share their opinion. An event survey gives them the platform to do so and will make participants feel valued. 
3. Find your people. By identifying the people you’ve won over, you’ll already have a jump start on making your next event even more successful.
4. Keep it short. Be respectful of your participants’ time and prioritise your questions, taking into account KPIs and your unique event objectives.
5. If you don’t know, just ask. Remember, most people love helping others; so chances are they’ll be more than willing to share their experiences.

21 for ‘21: industry predictions for the year ahead

We’re barely 2 weeks into the new year, and experts from all corners of our industry are clamouring to have their say on the future of events in 2021 (*ahem* see bullet point 2 above). If you’re curious about what the big players are thinking, MeetingsNet has rounded up some key predictions and perspectives (21, to be exact) that cover pretty much everything—from event design, production, and sustainability; to air travel, incentives, and hotel stays; plus contracts, legislative affairs, and risk management.

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, get comfy, and dive in here.

Team Cameron, over and out.