Events are a great way to connect people within their communities. As technology gets better, so do the ways people plan and hold events. But, where did event management begin, anyway? What has led us to this point? The history of event management compares the then and now of event planning.
A brief history of event management
Cleopatra is the first known event planner, as we know it today. It is believed that Cleopatra’s meetings were intended to attract potential lovers. Her boat parties down the Nile filled with candles and perfume are a famous example. The events of Cleopatra would not have been possible without her servants and free labour. The communication was very limited, and messages were often delivered manually, which usually took weeks, if not months, to be delivered. The French royalty in the medieval period was well-known for their elaborate and fantastic events. It was not uncommon for them to throw huge costume parties with the finest musicians. With the Industrial Revolution, there was a need for events and connections beyond parties for the elite and royal families. Industrialization made the economy stronger by increasing manufacturing and causing businesses to grow, and people had to set up meetings and events to work together and grow their businesses. Even though language and fashion change over the years, the main idea of events stays the same.
Event planning became a popular profession in the early 1900s because of the investments of individuals or families who required their services. The complexity of events makes it essential for a professional hand to organize and handle a wedding, party, celebration, gala, conference, or meeting. Mobile phones have had a tremendous impact on event planning and communication methods since the introduction of the internet. The internet allows communication to expand on a global scale, 24 hours a day, seven days a week: creating, locating, registering, and documenting events that can happen in the palm of your hand.
Now, event and conference planners can use social media to obtain information from these platforms and create events based on the activities, interests, and engagement of digital media users. Individuals can seek out events that interest them, while event planners can use digital media to research and build their ideas from results and statistics.
The new reality and online events
The event management industry has faced a new reality since the COVID-19 pandemic: organizing events in an online space. Unlike a temporary need, online events offer numerous advantages and opportunities that will make them last for a long time. Professionals will be able to make more significant efforts when organizing an online event since they will be able to save on space rental costs, staff, and allowances. The event is also possible to expand its audience to as many attendees as desired, while also aiming to hire more demand-driven speakers. This is much easier to arrange via videoconference than in a face-to-face event. Online events such as videoconferencing are very popular in the gaming and gambling industry. The users are able to watch and participate in the entire process of the game through broadcast. In a live casino poker game, for example, there is a host who communicates with the audience online in real-time. To organize an online event, there are several points to concentrate on:
- Invest time into your strategy. We must decide what we want to accomplish according to the type of event we are planning. The tools required for each type of content are different.
- Make sure the audience is listening. During a virtual event, it is easier for our audience to lose interest. Our most immense challenge is keeping attendees interested in what is happening on their screens because they can follow the broadcast from their homes and have all kinds of distractions.
- Ensure that your webspace is secure and attractive. There are some events that can be held within a simple webspace, but other more complex events will require a more specific platform that adapts to its characteristics. Event organizers are increasingly demanding a secure environment with login access and greater privacy guarantees.
- Adding value to sponsors is important. A good sponsorship agreement goes beyond the inclusion of logos and the introduction of advertising breaks during broadcasts. One of the ways to do this is by creating virtual stands, which can be in page format or even as part of a 3D fair that can be visited virtually.
Conclusion
The event management industry is constantly changing, but the core stays the same. The era of the internet and new technologies, such as social media and virtual reality, is a big game changer. And if you want to get your audience’s attention, you should learn how to use all the benefits and tools of these technologies to your advantage. Thanks to virtual reality, it is now possible to interact with the 3D environment and experience an alternate land. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for online event planning.
