Powering events with personalisation

How can you power your events with personalisation? Personalisation is back in vogue, as businesses everywhere try to reconnect with customers on a one-to-one level. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love walking into a shop or restaurant and being greeted by someone who knows their name, likes and dislikes? Even big brands like Starbucks and Coke are trying to get in on the personalisation game by adding their customers’ names to cups and bottles. Of course, in the world of events, personalisation remains as relevant as ever; and it’s unlikely that you’ll find any event management company worth its salt that doesn’t strive to create events that appeal directly to individuals. But the way to do that is constantly evolving. So what does this mean for marketing and event teams? This time it’s personal The renaissance in personalisation has come about because of two main factors: 1. The evolution of technology Technology has evolved to the point that it can accurately predict the ideal experience for an individual, based on what is known about them. And, by 2020, experts predict that ‘personalisation engines’ will empower businesses to increase their profits by up to 15%.[1] For events, this could mean using different registration paths for different users, creating assorted event content, and running a variety of bespoke sessions that meet the needs of different audiences. But, when it comes to powering the personalisation engine, the devil is in the data, and next year, new legislation will significantly modify the way we can collect, store and use personal information. So, ensuring compliance of event registration systems, online surveys and event apps could prove to be a minefield for even the most seasoned of event professionals. Find out what event professionals must do now to prepare for the GDPR. 2. Demand from customers to be put at the heart of events In our ‘experience economy’, event aficionados are creating experiences that appeal to their customers – both on and offline. This includes creating sharable, immersive and disruptive experiences that put the individual at the heart of everything they do. Find out more about creating stand-out events in the experience economy. Worryingly, while personalisation is a priority for 82% of event planners – and 97% believe it has the power to change a delegate’s perception of an event - only 27% are regularly using it to promote and manage their events.[2] And, rather than concerns about data privacy, the biggest barriers to personalisation are a lack of time, resources and costs. But you don’t need a big budget to add those all-important special touches. And if a lack of time is your biggest problem, a specialist event partner can remove the burden. At Apex, we’ve been helping our clients to power their events with personalisation for over three decades. Here are some quick wins to help create delegate focused events.

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