Freeman’s latest event organizer trends report defines “innovators” as a new group of event planners who recognize the need to reach and design for Gen Z attendees.
Innovators focus on non-attendees, the report says. They focus on their own needs. By understanding this audience, they can more thoroughly address the issues that are keeping them away. They see non-attenders as an untapped market.
Furthermore, they are not afraid to change their activities from one to the next. Currently, 27% of event organizers are innovators, the report said.
“Innovators understand transformation and do things differently,” said Ken Holsinger, senior vice president of strategy at Freeman. “You’re kind of like an echo chamber, you’re talking about the event with people who were at the event, rather than why people didn’t come to the event and who wasn’t there? It’s harder, but it’s a different perspective, but it’s important to look at the problem.
Gen Z reinvents the attendee experience
Targeting a large group of people? Generation Z
According to a Glassdoor analysis of Census Bureau data, this generation has officially surpassed baby boomers in the workforce, and within the next five years, Millennials and Gen Z combined will make up 75% of the workforce.
“The rise of Gen Z in the workforce is not only reshaping attendee expectations, but also redefining the industry’s view of the value we provide,” said Freeman CEO Janet Dell.
These attendees don’t attend an event just for the sake of attending. There must be a compelling reason.
Engaging with these new audiences requires new approaches. For example, 65% of organizers insisted on a traditional classroom format, but 56% of attendees preferred interactive, hands-on learning for a more collaborative experience.
“Despite the ominous generational shift, most organizers haven’t actually changed their events,” Holsinger said. “Two-thirds of event plans are on hold. They haven’t changed.
Why? Event organizers felt they had no authority to do so. Data shows that many event organizers face inconsistency not only with attendees and exhibitors, but also with leadership, limiting or preventing event growth.
The Fall 2024 Event Organizer Trends Report is available for download here.
