TRANSFORMATION OF EVENTS:

By Tammy Gazzola

Some Silver Linings to Post Pandemic Shut Down

The COVID-19 pandemic undeniably reshaped every aspect of our lives, including the way we organize and experience events. With social distancing measures, capacity restrictions, and health protocols, event planners and organizers were forced to innovate and adapt to a new normal. While the challenges were immense, COVID-19 also presented an opportunity for positive change in our industry. For many event coordinators, including me, we were forced to re-evaluate each event including location, event layout designs, revenue streams and other logistics that had been in place for years. To many of our surprises, this paved the way for more inclusive, sustainable, and engaging gatherings. I want to highlight just a few of the positive changes we have made over the past three years. I am not saying it was an easy process, but the investment in time and learning how to adapt has made a positive impact for sure.

Redefining Space Utilization

One of the significant shifts in event layout during the pandemic was rethinking of space utilization. With the need for social distancing, event organizers have had to allocate larger areas for gatherings, reducing crowding and creating a more comfortable environment for attendees.

1. Reimagining Space and Flow: With the need to maintain physical distance between attendees, event organizers had to reconsider the layout and flow of their gatherings. This led to more expansive venues or creative utilization of outdoor spaces. By embracing this shift, events found that participants had greater freedom to explore and interact with various attractions without feeling crowded. The enhanced spatial experience allowed for a more enjoyable and immersive event.

2. Improved Accessibility and Comfort: Forced expansion often resulted in wider aisles and increased seating options, making events more accessible for people with mobility challenges. Attendees appreciated the increased comfort and ease of movement, creating a more inclusive environment. Additionally, open-air setups and natural ventilation in outdoor events boosted air circulation and contributed to a more pleasant overall experience.

From my personal experience because of forced expansion, we found our event space has become easier to navigate, allowing for better pedestrian flow and preventing bottlenecks or congested areas. Prior to 2020 our 250 art, craft, food, and activity vendors were side by side with no additional space between the booths. Booth spaces are 20 feet wide by 10 feet deep. This created a long, continuous line of vendors. This layout made for beautiful pictures of our event and was very aesthetically pleasing. As we began to re-imagine the layout, we became aware that this layout only allowed for vendors to sell from one side. We recognized this as a problem though we had never received a complaint from vendors or attendees. When looking to re-open our event post shut down 2020, we were forced to either remove vendors or find a way to expand. We opted for a complete redesign of vendor layout and expansion of the festival grounds. Pre-COVID this expansion would have seemed impossible as we are restricted by two state highways that intersect in the middle of our festival grounds. Being forced to either expand or drastically reduce the number of vendors, it was apparent we had to get creative and find a way to expand the usable area. Today, our festival grounds have grown over 25%. We have utilized adjoining privately owned parking lots and worked closely with our city to expand on additional city streets. This allowed us to not only maintain the same number of vendors but have now added an additional 25+ since the expansion. Vendors currently have a 20 x 10 booth space with a minimum of 10 feet additional space on at least three sides. This allows for easy in and out of three sides of the assigned booth and more engagement. Vendors have more flexibility on layout, and they can determine how attendees enter, exit, engage or shop. Survey results from vendors and attendees overwhelmingly reflect the positive response we have received from this change. I believe this new approach to space utilization will likely continue as people become accustomed to more spacious and organized events. This forced expansion has led to many unexpected opportunities.

Flexibility in Event Planning & Revenues

The pandemic forced event organizers to adapt quickly to rapidly changing circumstances. As a result, a new level of flexibility and agility became ingrained in our event industry. As organizers we became adept at “pivoting” from in-person to virtual or hybrid formats, depending on the prevailing situation. This newfound adaptability enabled events to continue even during uncertain times and ensured attendees could still participate regardless of location or travel restrictions. Our team adjusted quickly to on-going changes and learned to be flexible. This included when making event plans to include plans B & C in case quick changes were needed. This did require additional upfront preparation but resulted in smoother events. Today we have implemented this preparation plan which has resulted in easier pivoting for unpredictable circumstances.

This new planning process also includes diversifying revenue streams and not relying solely on ticket sales. Adding additional revenue streams such as new sponsorships, merchandise sales and VIP experiences has added a whole new level of funding avenues to current events. The relationship building with sponsors has been elevated to a new level and is crucial. We have found that communication is key to not only acquiring sponsorship but maintaining it for future events. Sponsors post pandemic require additional data and ROI. We have found that many of our sponsors do not want a physical space at the event but prefer an on-line presence with promotion that creates an even larger audience reach for their advertising dollars. With the use of digital analytics creating a post summary event report for sponsors has become key to securing sponsorships and keeping them!

Technological Advancements and Innovation

The pandemic served as a catalyst for technological advancements in the event industry. Virtual event platforms, networking tools, and interactive applications saw significant improvements, enhancing the overall experience for attendees. For our largest event we were forced to rethink the way we charged admission. Previously a cash only at the gate event, now needed a hands free admission option due to the pandemic. This required a new on-line ticketing platform. Transitioning from cash-based ticket sales to online ticket sales for our festival had a significant impact on analytics and marketing plans. After 35 years of taking only cash at the gate for 50,000 attendees, this required clear communication and extensive education of the new procedures for attendees and volunteers. Prior to the pandemic there had been great resistance to an on-line ticketing platform but due to the circumstances this option was well received. Today on-line ticket sales account for two-thirds of the over 50,000 tickets sold.

This one change also catapulted analytics and data for our event. Some of the information we have gained through this platform include:

1. Data Collection and Analysis: Online ticket sales provide a wealth of data that can be analyzed to gain insights into customer behavior. You can collect information like demographic data, purchase history, and location, which can help you understand your audience better.

   Analyzing this data allows you to identify trends, such as peak sales periods, preferred ticket types, where attendees are traveling from, if they will be staying overnight in hotels, etc.

2. Personalization: With online ticket sales, you can gather customer data and preferences. This enables you to personalize marketing efforts, such as sending targeted email campaigns based on previous attendance or interests.

   Personalization can improve the overall customer experience and increase the likelihood of repeat attendance.

3. Real-time Reporting: Online ticketing platforms often provide real-time reporting tools. This allows you to track ticket sales as they happen, enabling you to make quick adjustments to marketing strategies if sales are slower than expected. With multiple entry points you can see which entries have high capacity and troubleshoot to alleviate long wait lines at entry.

4. A/B Testing: Online ticketing platforms make it easier to conduct A/B testing for marketing materials. You can experiment with different ad creatives, pricing structures, and messaging to determine what resonates best with your audience. With the real time reporting tools, you can see immediate response to ticket sales from on-line promotions.

5. Cost-Efficient Marketing: Online marketing can be cost-effective. You can allocate marketing budgets more efficiently based on the performance of various online channels. With the online analytics available you can receive a clear report of reach and trackable engagement.

6. Email Marketing and Remarketing: Online ticket sales allow you to collect customer email addresses. You can use this data for email marketing campaigns, including reminders about the festival, special promotions, and follow-up surveys to gather feedback for future improvements.

7. Inventory Management: Online ticketing platforms provide tools to track ticket inventory in real-time. This prevents overselling and allows for better management of ticket availability.

8. Social Media Integration: You can easily integrate online ticket sales with social media platforms, allowing you to reach a wider audience and engage with potential attendees through targeted advertising and social sharing.

• Access to Analytics Tools: Online ticketing platforms often offer built-in analytics tools or integrations with third-party analytics platforms. These tools can provide valuable insights into website traffic, conversion rates, and customer behavior.

The transition to online ticket sales empowered our festival staff with a wealth of data and tools to enhance our analytics and marketing efforts. Leveraging this data-driven approach has led to more informed decision-making, improved customer experiences, and ultimately, increased ticket sales and festival attendance.

Conclusion

While the COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to the event industry, it also spurred remarkable positive changes and transformations. The adoption of new event formats, increased focus on communication & relationship building and the embrace of flexibility and technology have reshaped the industry. These positive changes have not only ensured the industry’s survival through the pandemic but also positioned it for a stronger, more engaging & inclusive, and innovative future.

I think it is important that we reflect on how far we have come in the past three years and note the positive changes we have made in our personal events and as an industry as a whole. I know for me, working with my friends and colleagues through IFEA has been instrumental in navigating the changes. The network of support and sharing of best practices is a valuable tool. I relied on this team of support throughout the uncertainties of the pandemic and still do today.

John Maxwell once said “Change is inevitable; Growth is optional.” Thanks to this organization I can look at how far we have come post shut down and be proud of the positive changes we have made in our industry and events.

Tammy Gazzola wears many hats in Weatherford TX. Tammy serves as the President of the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has over 1,000+ members, serves as the Visitor Center for Weatherford and they organize the two largest events in the county! Event Co-ordination is a very important skill needed for all the roles Tammy serves in her community. She says it is definitely one of the funnest parts of her job!