Above : Carsten Holm
customers . “ Providing people with clear answers and developing a clear plan has been extremely challenging , with the situation continuing to change on an almost daily basis . It ’ s been particularly hard for our teams , whether sales , marketing , or operations , who have been utterly amazing during these past 18 months . It ’ s been so tough on them , not just because of the daily challenges they have had to deal with , but also with fewer resources than we have had in the past . They have put in an incredible amount of work and time
to make sure we deliver the events to our usual high standards , and I am just so incredibly grateful .”
Digital ambition We go on to discuss that apart from the challenges of running physical events in a constantly changing environment , we have also accelerated our digital ambition and learnt a new vocabulary including ‘ hybrid events ’ – although Holm points out real-life senses cannot be replicated online . “ As our food events are all about products , inspiration , personal relationships , and appealing to senses such as taste , smell and touch , it ’ s incredibly difficult to transfer the exhibition experience to a virtual platform . In fact , I would go as far as to say impossible , and based on the experiences we have seen from similar events , we decided early on not to go down the full hybrid route , as we were concerned that it would be more likely to disappoint our customers , than help them . I think it was the right decision , but it is such a difficult call , particularly on these types of events . “ However , I do see a place for virtual for events which are more content , and seminar led , where we have has some notable successes . But as for replacing the live event as the most effective trading platform for products such as food , I still don ’ t think we , as an industry , have found the right solution , and I wonder if we ever will . Indeed , I think this is the main reason why exhibitors are still so supportive of us ; you just can ’ t replace face-to-face .”
Will they come ? It is fair to say that certain sectors will find challenges in hybrid and given the unique nature of food and hospitality I can fully appreciate Holm ’ s point , although confidence in face-to-face has understandably taken a hit – how is he convincing his community that it is safe to attend ? “ You can ’ t ignore the elephant in the room , that ’ s for sure , so we are providing frequently asked questions and Covid-safe guidelines both on our websites and through other communication . “ However , I also think it ’ s important that we keep a balance in our communication , and don ’ t put people off through providing too many guidelines . We want people to be assured that we are running a safe event , and we will be asking them to help with that , but we also want to make sure that people have a good time when they attend .
“ We have also carried out several surveys amongst visitors , where generally around 80 % of previous attendees say they intend to visit the event , which is extremely encouraging bearing in mind what everyone has been through .” Holm concludes by making the perfect case for why our events will come back stronger . He knows his community intimately , is a passionate advocate for the sector and is not afraid to challenge the accepted norms and practices . He has built a great team at Diversified and together they will ensure their events are a great success .
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