Conference News Winter 2023 | Page 5

5 Editor ’ s Letter

WINDOWS TO THE SOUL

ost of you reading this will know how to interpret the information that a face displays . Expressions , both deliberate and subconscious , are all data points that we naturally process mid conversation and analyse after an interaction to assess the success of the ‘ back and forth ’.
Now , if that sounds like the driest description of a conversation you ’ ve ever read , it ’ s because it is . However , the point is that we already intake and process data in our everyday lives , so why is it we so rarely do it at events ?
That ’ s not to say no organisers collate data , many will look at number of tickets sold , revenue generated , attendance on the day etc . But that tells us dramatically little about how our events impact our communities .
Those doing it right are analysing the sentiment of audiences onsite ; taking that data and investing in continuous improvement post event ; and then remembering those learnings for pre-event insights in future projects . It ’ s that data cycle , combined with innovative new technologies , that will be the defining factor for the next generation of events .
In this issue , we ’ ll be covering how data can impact pre- , during- and post-event cycles , alongside insights on platforms that are moving the needle for technological innovation in events . We ’ ll also cover how AI is being used in marketing , what community means for event success alongside a raft of opinions from some of the industry ’ s most prominent thought leaders .
I wonder what your expression will be when reading this issue , whilst we ’ ve not invested in the technology to analyse how you feel through the page , I hope you ’ ll let us know how you ’ re investing in tech and what you thought of the issue , either in person or in the virtual world . CN
Cameron Roberts Editor Conference News www . conference-news . co . uk