The landscape of professional events, from intimate workshops to large-scale conferences, is a complex ecosystem where attendance numbers are only one facet of success. As demonstrated by the enduring legacy of the Thinking Digital conference and the nascent journey of the upcoming Work Beyond Walls event, the true challenge lies in cultivating genuine audience engagement and delivering content that resonates deeply, particularly outside the dense metropolitan hubs. This exploration delves into the strategic considerations and inherent difficulties in curating impactful events, drawing parallels between established successes and emerging initiatives, and examining the critical elements that elevate an event from a mere gathering to an indispensable experience.
The Early Hurdles of Event Creation: A Tale of Two Conferences
Herb Kim, the driving force behind the Thinking Digital conference held annually at the Glasshouse in Gateshead since 2008, offers a candid reflection on the precarious beginnings of his now-acclaimed event. He recalls the inaugural year as a precarious tightrope walk between disaster and success, admitting, "The first year was probably on the knife edge between disaster and success… it was badly undersold." This sentiment underscores a universal truth in event management: the initial struggle to attract attendees, even when faced with the allure of free entry, catering, and prominent speakers.
Terry McStea, a seasoned observer of the North East’s event scene, regards Thinking Digital as one of the region’s two genuinely unmissable events, emphasizing its significant impact: "If for whatever reason Thinking Digital was cancelled, it would leave a huge hole." This high praise stands in stark contrast to Kim’s recollection of the early days, where the primary objective was simply to avoid an "embarrassingly empty" venue. This stark admission, which lent its title to the second episode of the "Work in Motion" documentary podcast, "Not Embarrassingly Empty," highlights the fundamental challenge of event viability: ensuring sufficient attendance to justify the investment and effort.
The "Work in Motion" podcast, a six-part series commissioned by Gateshead workspace business Workpattern and presented by Ian Ellison, meticulously chronicles the unfolding narrative of "Work Beyond Walls" – a new two-day event scheduled for September 9th and 10th at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop. Unlike traditional post-event analysis, this documentary offers a real-time perspective, capturing the event’s creation as the story develops. When episode two was recorded, just five weeks prior to the event, registrations for "Work Beyond Walls" stood at a mere 51, a significant shortfall against founder Paul Glaister’s ambitious target of 500 attendees. This scenario echoes Kim’s early struggles, illustrating the persistent difficulty of audience acquisition.
The Content Conundrum: Quality Over Quantity in Regional Events
Kim’s observation provides a crucial insight into the differential dynamics of event success across geographical locations. He posits that in densely populated areas like London, the sheer volume of people can often sustain even "fairly mediocre events in terms of content." The proximity and availability of a large audience mean that footfall can be generated through convenience and a critical mass of professionals, even if the programming isn’t groundbreaking.
However, he contrasts this with the situation in the North East, stating that "the content does need to be good in order to give people a reason" to make the journey. This elevates the stakes considerably. While fewer people might seem like the obvious challenge in a less populous region, the more profound hurdle is the elevated expectation for content quality. This places immense pressure on event organizers to deliver programming that is not just informative but genuinely compelling and unique, offering a distinct value proposition that justifies the time and travel commitment of attendees.
Expert Perspectives on Content Curation
The demand for high-quality content sparks debate among those who professionally curate events. Katie Richardson, who has seven years of experience curating the official talks programme at Clerkenwell Design Week, emphasizes the shift away from purely product-focused presentations. "I don’t want to get someone to stand up and say, here is my chair, this is how I made the chair," she explains. Instead, she prioritizes narratives that delve deeper: "I’d rather hear the backstory of a designer."
Richardson’s approach is to identify speakers and themes that organically foster discussion. She believes that by selecting the right individuals, core themes such as sustainability naturally emerge and are explored through their work and business practices. "If you bring in a new designer, they’re gonna talk to you about how they’re weaving that into their work or developing their business," she notes. This strategy aims to create a more engaging and insightful experience, moving beyond superficial presentations to explore the underlying ethos and innovation driving creative professionals.
Herb Kim’s experience with Thinking Digital further reinforces this notion of content strategy. He found that while paying for keynote speakers in the initial years yielded positive feedback, the impact on the event’s overall success was limited. Attendees found the keynotes good, but "they didn’t make the event." Moreover, relying on big names can create unsustainable expectations for a nascent event, making it difficult to consistently meet the bar set by a prominent figure. Kim’s advice is pragmatic: "If you can get a big name, make sure they can actually deliver the goods." This highlights the importance of speaker selection not just for their reputation, but for their ability to connect with and engage the audience.
Darren Richardson, the creative director whose agency coined the name "Work Beyond Walls," introduces another critical element: the unexpected. He advocates for bringing in individuals whose presence might initially seem unconventional, citing graphic designer turned public artist Morag Myerscough as an example. "It’s like, why is Morag there?" he muses. His philosophy is about identifying individuals with unique perspectives that can elevate an event beyond a simple exhibition. "It’s finding the right people who’ve got interesting perspectives that can elevate it out of a simple expo that has a bit of furniture stuck in a room, that takes it to something that has an opinion on the world." This approach suggests that surprise and intellectual diversity can be powerful tools in creating a memorable and thought-provoking event.
The Structural Challenge: Bridging the Brand-Visitor Divide
Beyond content, a significant structural challenge in event organization is the inherent interdependence between exhibitor commitment and attendee numbers. Darren Richardson bluntly describes this as "a bit of a closed loop, isn’t it? You have to show the brands that you’re gonna get your visitors." This presents a classic chicken-and-egg scenario: brands invest in exhibiting based on the expectation of attendee traffic, while attendees are drawn to an event by the presence of reputable brands and engaging content.
Curiously, "Work Beyond Walls" appears to have approached this dynamic in reverse. Paul Glaister has secured over 23 brand partners before significant public registration has occurred. This suggests a strong foundation in terms of industry support, with the "brand" half of the equation largely solidified. However, the "visitor" half – persuading people to attend a free event in their own region – remains the bottleneck, with only 51 registrations at the time of the podcast’s recording. This inversion of the typical development path highlights a potential disconnect between industry buy-in and public engagement.
Learning from Success: The ‘Sticky’ Event Model
The potential for success in building attendee numbers, even at a smaller scale, is demonstrated by Dave James and his studio Blokka, the creators of ClerkenWales. Four years ago, they launched this event in a converted chapel in Cardiff. It has since grown from supporting six or seven manufacturers to 23, boasting a waiting list and, crucially, generating sales orders for exhibitors. Despite this success, an early lesson from an exhibitor still resonates: "if you want 20 people to show up, you need to sell about 40 to 60 tickets." This anecdote underscores the persistent challenge of converting interest into actual attendance, a phenomenon often referred to as "no-shows."
A unifying concept that could define the success of events like Clerkenwell, Cardiff, and hopefully "Work Beyond Walls" in Newcastle is the notion of "stickiness." This refers to creating an environment where attendees don’t just pass through but are encouraged to settle in, engage, and linger. Will Easton, the very first registrant for "Work Beyond Walls," articulates a clear metric for its success: "if it feels like I am going into an immersive exhibition at a gallery or a museum, then within seconds I’ll know it’s worked." Conversely, he identifies failure as seeing "a name badge on somebody’s branded polo shirt," implying a desire for an experience that transcends a typical trade show format.
The Unrelenting Push: Sustained Promotion as a Key Strategy
With the "Work Beyond Walls" event drawing nearer, Terry McStea offers practical, if unglamorous, advice to Paul Glaister: "To not stop promoting it right until the day before. Don’t let up." This emphasis on sustained and consistent promotion is arguably one of the most critical, yet often overlooked, aspects of event marketing. The goal, as McStea articulates, is to create an aura of desirability: "making it look so incredible that they’d be crazy to miss out."
This relentless promotional effort aims to build momentum and maintain awareness in the minds of potential attendees. It involves a multi-channel approach, leveraging social media, email marketing, partnerships, and public relations to continuously communicate the value proposition of the event. The objective is to transform passive interest into active registration and, ultimately, attendance.
Broader Implications for the Events Industry
The challenges faced by "Work Beyond Walls" and the lessons learned from Thinking Digital offer valuable insights for the broader events industry. In an era of increasing competition for attention and a growing demand for authentic experiences, event organizers must move beyond simply filling seats. The focus must shift towards curating compelling content, fostering genuine connections, and creating environments that are both engaging and memorable.
The success of regional events hinges on their ability to offer a unique value proposition that transcends geographical limitations. This requires a deep understanding of the target audience, a commitment to high-quality programming, and innovative approaches to audience engagement. The "sticky" event model, which prioritizes immersive experiences and attendee comfort, appears to be a promising direction for creating events that not only attract but also retain participants.
Furthermore, the reliance on sustained promotion highlights the importance of a robust marketing strategy throughout the entire event lifecycle, from initial announcement to the final day. The ability to generate excitement and maintain visibility in a crowded media landscape is paramount.
The ongoing narrative of "Work Beyond Walls," as detailed in the "Work in Motion" podcast, will undoubtedly provide further lessons and case studies for the events industry. As the event unfolds, its success or challenges will offer tangible proof of the effectiveness of different strategies in navigating the complex terrain of event creation and audience acquisition. The story continues to be told, with the hope that it culminates in an event that is not just attended, but truly unmissable.
Work in Motion from Workpattern, series one: The inside story of Work Beyond Walls is available now wherever you get your podcasts, written and presented by Ian Ellison and produced by Dave Crackles. Episode two, Not Embarrassingly Empty, also features Workplace Insight’s own Mark Eltringham. Work Beyond Walls takes place at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle on 9 and 10 September; registration is free at workbeyondwalls.uk.
