6 Event Stats To Blow Your Mind (& Change the Way You Plan Events)

85% of marketers report that sponsoring events is a priority for their company (Splash That)

Good news, event planners! Event sponsorship is not only a high priority for you - it’s also a pivotal priority for many companies and their strategic endeavours.

This trend shows a big change in how businesses think about and use events. Instead of seeing events as gatherings, they now see them as powerful ways to achieve many goals. Companies realise that events are an opportunity to connect with their target audience more deeply. This helps to increase brand awareness, build loyalty, and influence what people buy.

The focus on event sponsorship also shows how event planners and companies work together. Event planners make experiences that match a company's values and goals. By creating events that fit the company's style, event planners add to the bigger story the company wants to tell its audience.

This change also points out how company strategies are evolving. Companies now see events as more than just one-time things. They're important parts of long-term plans. Events are not just standalone activities - they’re key pieces of a bigger plan for marketing and engaging with people. 

As an event professional, you can make sure events fit well with the company's overall vision with personalisation, careful planning, good execution, and thorough evaluation.

Globally, 61% of Gen Y and 63% of Gen Z say they’ll be at more events in 2023, compared with 52% of Gen X (eventbrite)

In times when prices are rising and more people are watching what they spend, it’s unclear whether intent will turn into action. However, we know that Gen Z is likelier to invest in experiences over stock-standard events or escapes.

As an event professional, you can capitalise on this by creating an immersive experience for guests, taking them on a journey of your event from their very first interaction, to long after the event has ended. Nailing the art of creating and delivering an event experience is a real skill. If you want to succeed, it’s important to stay in touch, keep the conversation going, and build a community where attendees feel comfortable to jump in and join the action.

As usual, tech is ahead of the game, responding to a demand for continual engagement and content creation with platforms to host communities, forums, and regular virtual meets.

To target your attendees throughout the entire event journey, download our free customer journey mapping template here.

59% of event planners see sustainability as a challenge for their businesses (ICE benchmarking report)

Did you know a three-day, 1,000-attendee event produces a staggering 5,670 kilograms of waste? That’s equivalent to the weight of four compact cars!

Although issues of sustainability aren’t new to the industry, event planners around the world are gearing up to tackle concerns with greater dedication and seriousness. Anticipated trends include a surge in climate reporting related to events, wider adoption of best practices in sustainability, such as the deliberate selection of venues and destinations that champion environmentally friendly practices.

From an event-day point of view, this encompasses incorporating recycling into event logistics, curbing the usage of disposable products, distributing eco-friendly incentive gifts or swag bags, and embedding sustainability requirements into event contracts.

As an event professional, stay ahead of the game and champion change! Create goals, set sustainability best practices in place, and share both your goals and successes with attendees and stakeholders.

Almost 80% of all virtual events have free registration (Bizzabo)

Since virtual events usually have cheaper registration fees, they often rely on sponsorships to handle the costs. But to really make it work, you've got to have good attendance to make the sponsorship money worthwhile. Making sure sponsors are happy is a big deal for measuring how well the event went. It's also a way to figure out if you'll probably get more sponsorships down the line. 

To see if sponsors are happy, you can use surveys, NPS scores, or just have a chat after the event. Take the time to listen to what your sponsors have to say – ask them what they thought worked well and what parts they think could use some adjusting. 

Download your free hybrid event checklist here.

According to 85% of event professionals, personalised experiences and tailored content are essential for the success of events (marketsplash)

in today's world, we've all got our unique brand. One-size-fits-all events are behind us. Successful event planners are ditching the old generic approach and diving headfirst into personalised experiences.

However, personalisation isn't just about adding a name to an email invite. It's a full-on journey. Imagine receiving an event agenda that's tailored to your interests, recommendations for sessions that resonate with your preferences, and even spot-on suggestions for activities you'd enjoy. Tech's playing its part too. Thanks to data analysis and AI, event planners can be mind-readers. You can uncover attendees’ likes, dislikes, communication preferences, and so much more. It's pretty darn impressive, like having a digital co-pilot.

But this isn't just about surface-level satisfaction. Personalisation forms a deeper connection between attendees and your event. Attendees feel like you’ve gone out of your way to make their experience truly special. This connection translates into memories that stick around and transform attendees into enthusiastic advocates for your events.

However, let's not forget the tightrope walk. Too much personalisation can be overwhelming, and safeguarding privacy is a big deal. No one wants their details compromised. Bottom line: it's all about treating event-goers as the unique individuals they are, crafting experiences that truly resonate. 

Find out what your attendees really want to hear about with our free event survey template - download here.

98% of consumers are more inclined to buy related products or services after attending an event (marketsplash)

Events aren't just gatherings; they're turbocharged engines for boosting sales and creating unforgettable brand experiences.

When people step into an event, they're not just stepping into a physical space; they're stepping into an immersive world. With the right mix of decor, interactive displays, and mind-blowing presentations, you can create an atmosphere that makes products and services truly shine.

Attendees aren't passive spectators; they're active participants who are getting hands-on with products, meeting the faces behind the services, and forming real, emotional connections that make them far more likely to open up their wallets. Whether it's a product they've interacted with or a service they've learned about, the impact of your event lingers long after the last chair is stacked.

But here's the real magic: the ripple effect. Attendees who've caught the event bug become ambassadors, spreading the excitement far and wide. Their friends, family, and social media followers get a taste of what they've experienced, generating buzz and curiosity that can lead to a surge in sales. It's like turning one attendee into a megaphone for your client's brand.

Turn this statistic into your secret weapon. Craft events that dazzle, engage, and leave a mark that can't be ignored. You're not just planning events; you're creating experiences that have the potential to turn curious onlookers into dedicated customers. It's time to harness the power of events and watch those sales figures soar.