More than just a buzz word or a selling point to get people to attend your events, community building can bring you to a tribe of people who understand the challenges you face. Especially within the unpredictable world of events, having a community of like-minded professionals can be a great source of seasoned advice for your roadblocks and connections for thrilling new opportunities.
Understand the challenges
Every event is unique, but many challenges are shared among peers. Sure, your company’s accounting and sales teams might not understand the depth of problems you face, but events are a global billion dollar industry. There are many event profs out there who also have to deal with the pain of mobile apps integrations, exhibitor management and catering planning. You are not alone. By engaging in the event industry communities you can share your experiences with people who truly understand.
At a community dinner we co-hosted with Splash in Cannes, the evening was described by one event marketer as “therapy for event professionals.” When you take time to listen and talk with your peers, even for just a couple hours in a relaxed environment, it can do wonders for your mental state and sense of connection.
Offer advice
Beyond just understanding, connecting with those in the events community can be a quick route to helping you solve the challenges you’re facing. Every event may be unique in some way, but many companies use the same venues, registration systems and support agencies. Tapping into your event community connections when you need to do some quick research can help you narrow down choices and make more efficient decisions. Being involved in the event community can also be a great outlet for you to share your learnings and mentor starry-eyed event managers newer to the industry.
At CEMA Summit 2024, one of the attendees was bemoaning the pains of their meetings management tool over lunch. At the table were a handful of event marketers who had similar pains, and found solutions for them. It sparked a lively discussion on integrations, complexity v. flexibility, and a shared feeling of “at least it’s better than spreadsheets.” At the end of the day, this person is beholden to the tools that procurement/security deem allowed, but they left armed with ways to improve their processes.
Connect with future opportunities
You never know what the future holds. Staying involved in the events community will attune you to opportunities you may have never even dreamed about. And a warm introduction is always better than a 1 in 1000 pdf application. Conversely when you are looking for talent to fill gaps on your team, having a community can help you find the right people with the right kind of experience and skills.
The event community is relatively small but generous. Leading influences like Brad Gillepsie, Chloe Richardson and Chris Smith frequently reshare event related positions they come across.
Now this may all sound great, but how does one just join a community? It’s a blend of putting yourself out there and being in the right spaces at the right time. Say yes to those invitations that pull you out of your bubble. Be on the look out for spaces you can be in to grow connections and thrive within the event community.
Resources for connecting
Events/ Conferences– Going to a conference as an event planner may feel a bit meta, but it’s a great opportunity to gain a fresh perspective. There are plenty of events specifically targeting event professionals and event marketers. Here’s our short list for the industry!
- SISO
- PCMA
- Experiential Marketing Summit
- Event Tech Live
- IMEX
- Bizbash events
- International Confex
- Cvent Connect
- Swoogo UnCon
- Rainfocus Insight
Hosted Dinners & Happy Hours- There are quite a few event tech platforms, agencies and event associations that host frequent dinners and activations. If this is something that you would like to get involved in, reach out to your event tech point of contact for more details.
LinkedIn Groups– Looking to begin your digital community building? Why not start with different linkedin groups?
LinkedIn Influencers– If you’re looking for community, consider following one or more event influencers. They frequently post engaging content and have great conversations in the comments.
- Nick Borelli
- Allison Crooker
- Will Curran
- Dahlia El Gazzar
- Nicole Kastner
- Kate Patay
- Adam Perry
- Chloe Richardson
- Julius Solaris
- Rachel Wimberly
Membership Communities- If you’re really ready to take your networking up a notch, consider joining a paid membership community. You will meet so many amazing event professionals who are also committed to expanding their industry knowledge and making new connections.
Webinars– Beyond groups, be sure to follow your favorite event agencies and technologies on Linkedin. There is a lot of great content in webinar format AND you may just find a kindred spirit in the comments.
If you have any questions, or would like to build community with BW Events Tech please reach out to [email protected].
