Don’t Go Dark

I just got back from (surprisingly not so cold!) Columbus, Ohio, where a colleague and I were for PCMA Convening Leaders. Though we are still right-sizing from the pandemic, you wouldn’t know it from attending this conference. The event was at max capacity, the content was rich and engaging (Allyson Felix, Adam Grant and Daniel Pink, anyone) and the talent headliner was top-notch (John Legend!). A descriptor like “B.C.” (Before COVID) even comes to mind. 

At least that’s what we want to believe, and that’s what many people I spoke with last week would have me believe based on what they shared. “Business is great!”, “we’re back to 2019 numbers finally!”., and the ever-sunny outlook “we’re on track!” I heard on repeat from friends and colleagues. 

I truly hope for everyone I spoke with that their positivity was based in reality and not only optimism. Everyone who knows me knows I’m a glass-half-full person, even in tough times. But something tells me we have more work to do to take our foot off the gas pedal and celebrate a return to pre-pandemic times. 

Media headlines have been warning of a recession for months, and although by text-book definition we are not technically in one, our economy has responded as though we are. We are ALL feeling the consequences of hedging, no matter what industry you’re in. Experiential marketing is no different.

Have you ever turned off your heat before leaving on a vacation only to come home to a freezing cold house where it took hours (and $$$$) to get it warmed up again? How about trying to get back on that treadmill after taking a week off? That ramp back up period is painful, and can be expensive, figuratively and literally. 

It is the same with experiential marketing. We learned from the pandemic (and frankly the previous recessions) that NOT meeting is harmful to the business of the future, regardless of the bottom line of the moment. I must give credit to my friend Julius Solaris, for a recent LinkedIn post about live events that shined a light on this stat from Bizzabo’s Event Marketing report: “In 2019, 41% of mid-to-senior marketers from all sectors ranked in-person events as the most effective marketing channel”. It is STILL the most effective, recession or no recession. 

Live experiences offer a chance for people to meet in person, develop rapport and chemistry, talk face-to-face about important topics, and close business. Not only is it easier to read people’s emotions in person, it is foundationally essential to developing trust. Trust leads to closed deals. I’ve been in the industry for 20+ years and can attest to this, as we’ve had over 100+ repeat clients; something is working!! 

Don’t be tempted to give in to doing nothing while we all ride it out together collectively. Friends, I encourage you to continue investing. Don’t turn off that heat just yet. We’ll weather this just like we did during the pandemic as long as we don’t go dark!

Need some strategic insight for your next brand activation? We’d love to hear from you.