Live Event Economies

Sitting in on Master Class Series at the recent RSVP Event Showcase held at Sydney Convention Centre is truly one of my favourite things to do!  It is always refreshing to hear new perspectives on where the Event Industry is headed, who has done what and what their perspective is on the ever changing event experience.

One talk that really peeked my interest was from leading consultant & expert Matt Jones, Founder & Consultant at Better Happy. Matt's talk focused on what's next in terms of strategic, creative, and design opportunities that will keep live event experiences as relevant as ever.

With the increasing use of technology in society it is becoming pretty obvious that in order for a live event to gain maximum impact with its audience, that new tactics and strategies need to be considered to ensure that 'the experience' is timeless. The gamification of events & experiences, the rise & rise of mobiles, the death of physical interface and the content/data cloud that surrounds us. Live event experiences are still that "LIVE' but people are expecting so much more from this  now. They want to be able to be there in the moment, take the memory with them, but also photograph it, speak about it, film it and instantly share the occasion through various social media platforms. Everyone wants to share or tell their story through some form of social media platform to gain a sense of purpose as well as an event experience.

According to Matt Jones from Better Happy, there are three new emerging economies:

1. Social Economy:

• SHARE - As soon as you walk into an event most people check in with Facebook and tag people they are with. They can't wait to tell people where they are, what they are up to and share the experience to a large and diverse audience in an instant. This instant sharing builds status amongst their peers and makes them feel good for sharing an experience that they are enjoying right at that moment.
• STATUS - Social media platforms enable you to share and gather status measurements amongst your peers, colleagues and family members
• Always remember that to make an impact you need something different that will drive this social media chatter.

2. The Experience Economy

• SHARE - Social media has created a demand for the experience where everyone wants to share their story.
• VISUAL - Pictures, stories and visuals are shared via social media: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Blogs,
• PURPOSE - People want to do something so they have a story to tell and need to innovate the experience which then gives people a sense of purpose associated with the experience.

3. The Content Economy

• SOCIAL CONTENT - YouTube, Pinterest - and any social media platform that enables you to load your experience on line - makes it 'wired' so everyone can google and see what it is.
• WIRED CONTENT - Content is king - what can you can get out of the event, the experience, the physical social interaction and 'wired' social interaction.
• VISUAL CONTENT - You're sharing not just what you see but how you feel about it - this is powerful storytelling!

So when we are planning our LIVE events today how are we going to create value and how is this event going to change behaviour?

1. Create sense of purpose to the event and create social currency
2. Load the event with experience, immediacy, intensity to maximise the experience content
3. Fill the event with plenty of personal engagements & interactions that create emotions and reactions for the audience, and deliver the content legacy.

"I discover, you discover, you share over discovery"

Cheers - Jo Kane
Make Your Event a Breeze™
B.Bus Tourism

consultancy for individuals and organisations.

Better?
Let's make things better.
Better thinking, strategies, and ideas.
Better stories, visions, and communications.
Better experiences, cultures, and outcomes.
Happy?
Above all, let's make people happy.

About: Matt Jones Better Happy