Conferences, Corporate Events & Exhibitions in 2022

Businesses the world over are trying to navigate the way forward post pandemic. It has resulted in a range of disruptions to daily life, both personally and professionally. If you’re wondering what events and exhibitions will look like in 2022, you’re not alone. In this article, we’re sharing what you can expect these otherwise annual happenings to be like, as well as a range of viable alternatives for your business.

Events and exhibitions have been a way to meet people and connect with them - networking en masse. Because of the timeliness of them, usually conducted at least one a year, people and businesses prepare for them in order to showcase the best that they have to offer. In that sense, they’ve been the place to be and to be seen at. It’s where the who’s who of industry leaders gather.

In many respects, the corporate events industry has been taken for granted - people enjoy these industry-specific social gatherings and the timing of these events often coincides with industry announcements and the publicizing of new deals or contracts between event participants.

The past couple of years showed us that businesses can no longer rely on these in-person events and doing so presents a risk.  The industry has changed - it's been forced to change and this also causes ripple effects for both event / conference organisers and attendees . For organisers, ticket / admission revenue can be impacted.  It also impacts sponsorships, which play a massive role in events and exhibitions due to the revenue that's generated from this activity.  But there are significant cost savings for both parties too.  Some of these costs include the venue rental for organisers, while attendees and participants can benefit from savings including booth space set up, travel, merchandise and of course time.

With the changes occurring, one has to wonder what this means for businesses and industries in terms of sponsorships, networking and branding.

9 Realities and Alternatives of Conferences, Events and Exhibitions in 2022

• Host your own:

  Consider hosting your own event - online or in-person, rather than travelling to exhibit elsewhere. Utilise your current venue for an event over a day or two, where you can invite all of the people you would have liked to network with. This can be expanded to become a regional event, and if you have the capacity, you can invite other industry-related businesses to exhibit with you.
   

• Send representatives:

  You can attend an exhibition without exhibiting and instead rely solely on having a couple of your business representatives there. They can network on your behalf and attend important sessions, so that you can still make an impression.
   

• Re-direct these marketing costs:

  If you decide to skip the event and exhibition scene yet still have marketing budget, consider ways in which you can redirect these costs effectively. Pour this into campaigns and expanding your presence online with more high tech systems and website refreshments, for instance, or stronger paid advertising on social media.
   

• Have a speaker:

  If you’d like to ensure your business remains front of mind in the industry with an authoritative position, approach events and exhibitions and offer your services or the services of a colleague to attend as a speaker.  This will ensure you are present and engaging with a relevant audience, without incurring the costs of exhibiting. When going this route, try to make it an interactive experience for the audience by having technologically savvy ways for them to contribute in real time.
   

• Do personal visits:

  Whether its customers or industry leaders, you can opt to do personal visits instead. This way, you are still making personal networking connections and can showcase the best of your offering with a presentation or demonstration, without causing much inconvenience or disruption for them.
   

• Skip the year:

  Many businesses are facing financial strain in 2020 and will need to recover in 2022. With that being said, it may be necessary to just skip events and exhibitions for the year while you regroup. This can save you in the long term as you can come back stronger the following year, rather than displaying something mediocre.
   

• Stage an event:

  You can record a seminar speech to share (however or wherever you’d like) using videography techniques. These can be powerful speeches, though it needs to move beyond the TedEx format in 20201. Record the speech using multiple view cameras and consider suing a voice over when necessary, as well as a green screen in order to display high tech graphics for a truly captivating delivery.
   

• Mimic popular show formats:

  Host a webinar series that is applicable to your customers, employees or industry friends. With interview style talks and discussions, you can produce and share regular content that is relevant and informative - you may be distancing, but at least you won’t be missing out this way.
   
  
  

• Virtual events and exhibitions:

  A viable option, highly favoured for its scalability, reach and in depth analytical capabilities. However, this too has its drawbacks and there is no telling whether virtual events and exhibitions will fully replace the benefits of in-person meetings and gathering post 2022. However, it is definitely on the cards for at least the next 12 months. Many industries are hosting virtual conferences that offer digital booths and exhibitions. This presents you with the opportunity to gather a tech team to deliver innovative and immersive online experiences. The opportunities here are ripe as these formats are still in their early stages, so this could be great way to get ahead of the pack. As this develops, more businesses are likely to employ augmented reality set ups.

If you’d like to explore these further...

There is no doubt that events and exhibitions are changing in 2022. There will be fewer gatherings and many attempts at alternative options by businesses. Deciding on which option is best depends on your business, industry and strategy for the year ahead.

Book a session with us at Nexa - we’ll help navigate the best way forward for you and help you bring that solution to fruition like we've done for many businesses in 2020.  No events doesn't mean no business.  Start your 2022 event planning with us today.