features: opinion & comments: Face off
Face off
We live in an era of rapid change - economic, cultural and, especially, technological. The meeting and incentive travel industry especially has faced more than its fair share of these changes and challenges over the past two years.
It is in this context that I have been asked one question more frequently over the past 12 months than at any other time: “Are virtual meetings and events going to spell the death of live events?”
The answer is an emphatic no but let me explain why.
The rise in new technologies for virtual meetings and conferences, including online content, streaming video, gaming and interactive, real-time education, has been breathtaking. However, as reliable business tools they have not been without their failures. Nevertheless, viewed from the right perspective, these technologies can and do provide the meeting and incentive travel industry with new choices, new channels and exciting new opportunities. To see them merely as a direct replacement - a threat - to live, face-to-face interaction completely ignores all the potential they offer for adding value.
Be seen, be heard
This virtual meetings ‘learning curve’ was highlighted vividly in a recent webinar delivered by IMEX. As part of our Meetings for Success initiative, we invited Angie Smith, Cisco’s global sales experience manager, to share her insight and experience of running the company’s first ever entirely online sales conference. Angie was very candid. Feedback from Cisco’s 20,000 delegates showed that the event clearly succeeded on its communications goals but fell short on both recognition and motivation goals. Participants missed that feeling of being seen, acknowledged and rewarded in front of their peers. They also missed the atmosphere that a live event delivers – lights, music and a tangible sense of excitement plus a touch of ‘star quality’.
I believe now more than ever it is vital to remind ourselves that people need, enjoy and are motivated by the physical presence of their colleagues and peers. In truth, this desire is possibly more vivid, more powerful and more appreciated now that the world is dominated by email, the internet and virtual relationships.
As far as the trade show model goes, IMEX’s success is also testament to this fundamental desire and need for face-to-face contact, and never more so than when signing sizable contracts for new business.
As co-sponsors of a significant new piece of global industry research – Convention 2020 – we have just received results from Phase One of the study which also confirms a future marked by face-to-face contact. Of those interviewed, 76 percent felt the ‘quality of networking’ was the biggest single factor encouraging delegates to attend live events; less than 50 percent cited price as an influencing factor. Equally, a new industry body for the live events industry, FaceTime, has also just published similar results.
The key to the future is to embrace change, celebrate progress but also to recognise limitations. We need to acknowledge that fundamental human behaviours continue to operate in extremely powerful ways and that they cannot and should not be ignored.
I look forward to meeting many of you in person for IMEX in Frankfurt, May 25-27.
