B2B festivals are growing successfully throughout the world as more brands and industries lean towards a new generation of corporate communication – from the well-established Cannes Lions and London Tech Week to the grocery industry’s Barcode Festival and the recruitment industries RecFest – the ‘festivalisation’ trend is still on the rise. This is certainly good news for tech suppliers like Noba, as a rock-solid WiFi network is now very much part of the new B2B festival landscape and WiFi consultancy services are often required to understand the capabilities of the chosen venue.
This new approach to corporate events, which principally puts the customer’s delight at heart, seems to have successfully merged the traditional formats of business forum and exhibition with an awards dinner with a new concept that combines a brand experience with product demos, information sharing, relationship building and good old fashioned fun!
Overall, B2B festivals offer a multifaceted platform for businesses to communicate with stakeholders, build relationships, showcase their offerings, and stay abreast of industry developments. As such, they have become an increasingly popular and effective communication strategy for companies across various sectors and have in fact, turned out to be a great format to instil more experiential elements into a business event.
Exhibitions also get a new lease of life at festivals as exhibitors move from a standard, shop window style stand to a more creative presence; from renting yachts to organising fringe events in unique venues, there seems to be no limit to what the brand experience can look like, and as such our festival connectivity consultancy challenges have never been more interesting!
The end result of a successful B2B Festival is a true community-building event that makes participants feel connected. We all get excited at the prospect of attending a music festival (despite the mud, crowds and loos!), and no surprise then, that the B2B festival experience has helped promote excitement around business festivals, where audiences can stop dreading the boring obligatory lectures and choose from a multitude of experiences from which they can learn, connect and enjoy!
Emphasis on Brand and Product Experience Design:
This transition from traditional conferences to B2B-style festivals has, however, brought about significant changes for event professionals, where the emphasis is now on experience design. Event organisers have to now focus on creating immersive and engaging experiences for attendees, including interactive sessions, networking activities and live entertainment options to ensure participants have a memorable and valuable experience beyond traditional conference formats. This means that as stands get more technically complex, exhibition stand holder access to a rate card for network and WiFi consultancy services is crucial.
Integration of Technology:
B2B festivals leverage technology to enhance the event experience and streamline operations. Event management platforms, mobile apps, and digital tools are used for registration, ticketing, session scheduling, attendee networking, exhibitor management, and data analytics. Integrating technology into the event management process requires careful planning, coordination, and investment in IT infrastructure to ensure seamless execution and optimal user experience. Venues often do not have sufficient infrastructure to service the event, and this is where WiFi consultancy services will be required to recommend a temporary overlay solution.
Collaboration with Partners and Sponsors:
B2B festivals often involve collaboration with a diverse range of partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and vendors to create a compelling and comprehensive event experience.
Event organisers work closely with these stakeholders to develop customised sponsorship packages, experiential activations, and promotional opportunities that align with the festival’s objectives and target audience. An in-depth understanding of the network infrastructure is, therefore, essential to ascertain whether complex technical integrations will actually work.
Venue Selection and Design:
B2B festivals require unique venues that can accommodate a variety of activities, from keynote presentations and panel discussions to product showcases, networking receptions and main-stage artist performances. Event organisers carefully select venues based on factors such as location, capacity, layout, amenities, and branding opportunities. The design and layout of the venue are also important considerations, with an emphasis on creating distinct zones for different activities, optimising traffic flow, and enhancing attendee engagement. What is often overlooked or not understood is the venue’s network infrastructure and its capability to cover all areas of the event. A WiFi consultancy service will help you understand the existing design and how to add bandwidth to ensure your site is completely covered.
Logistics and Operations Management:
B2B festivals involve complex logistics and operations management to coordinate various aspects of the event, including registration, accreditation, attendee services, security, catering, AV production, transportation, and on-site staffing. Event organisers employ project management tools, event technology platforms, and dedicated event staff to ensure seamless execution and minimise logistical challenges. This site hub will need a glitch-free network to ensure the event’s smooth operation.
Overall, the transition from traditional conferences to B2B-style festivals has revolutionised the way business events can communicate with their audiences, but the reliance on technology to facilitate nearly every aspect of your festival means that the level of upskilling required for organisers to do everything in-house is simply unrealistic.
Using consultancy services or outsourcing key elements of an event has always been an accepted requirement, but using the expertise of a professional event WiFi company for WiFi Consultancy to help understand network infrastructure and any overlay requirement at the design stage of your event is something that not many organisers currently consider. However, with 50% or more of an average festival’s operations and attendee interactions reliant on technology, which in turn relies on a fast, stable, resilient and safe internet and WiFi network, it is surely a savvy investment.
Call the team to discuss your next project WiFi on 0345 612 3008
