It’s the season for making lists. Here are my top three trends that will shape event marketing in 2013:
1. Instant Information. Digital has re-shaped expectations. Consumers now seek the same immediacy in the live event arena that they currently enjoy from on-line experiences. Delivering on-demand data that’s personally relevant to each individual is now the gold standard for live events.
2. Aggressive Indecision. Everyone waits till the last possible minute to make a decision. Time compression narrows to the nth degree. All of which makes the ability to deliver personally relevant, on-demand information (see trend #1, above) doubly difficult. Sure, it’s a Catch-22 but isn’t that why marketers are paid the big bucks?
3. Brand Advocacy. As social platforms continue to gain prominence, consumers increasingly trust other consumers for purchasing recommendations and decision-making. Events will continue to gain prominence as the primary vehicles to build brand awareness, preference and loyalty.
