25 Feature
GUESS WHO ?
Louisa Daley explores how audience profiling can positively impact events – from gathering insightful data to creating more inclusive experiences
hen it comes to events , the most important aspect to consider is the audience . After all , almost all decisions made by event organisers are for the attendee ’ s benefit . Eventprofs are constantly exploring what makes a great event experience .
But how is this achieved if you don ’ t truly know your audience , more specifically , who they are , or what they ’ re looking for ? Luckily – audience profiling can take out the guess work and be an event planners secret weapon .
I chatted to Bruce Rose , head of audience , Live Group ; Emma Grant , global events strategist , Moodys ; Lauralee Whyte , founder , Spectrum Speakers and Entertainers ; and Priya Narain , co-founder , Diverse Speaker Bureau – to find out how audience profiling can be utilised for events in 2023 and beyond .
Power to the people “ Audience profiling is a really powerful tool ,” says Whyte . “ By collecting data via questioning , you can understand and segment the different types of ‘ characters ’ in your audience and then tailor your content based on their shared behaviours , needs or interests ,” she explains .
“ Audience profiling demonstrates that event organisers actually care about the attendees and their event experience . It helps individuals feel valued , heard and respected ,” says Narain . “ It ’ s almost like , why haven ’ t we been doing this already ?,” adds Whyte .
This is especially important when looking at audience profiling from a Diversity , Equity and Inclusion ( DEI ) perspective . “ By not making assumptions about your audience , you can make your event fully inclusive and accessible ,” says Narain .
“ For example , one in five people are neurodiverse , that ’ s a large proportion of attendees who potentially cannot engage with your event . What about those with hidden disabilities , will these attendees need additional visual or audio support ? Make sure those kinds of questions have been asked pre-event , and that this information been gathered ,” she says .
Whyte echoes Narain ’ s sentiment and adds : “ We all want the same from an event , but there are different nuances and perspectives as to what that might look like . You can tap into those and ensure that everyone has something that they can experience and / or takeaway .”
Data is king Tapping into our audiences has never been more important , especially in a post-pandemic world . “ People ’ s behaviours have changed ”, says Rose . Therefore , event organisers can no longer www . conference-news . co . uk