Technology correspondent Joe Gallop speaks to Event Footprints founder and director Rob Curtis about how businesses can measure and optimise their event strategies to drive significant ROI improvements.
In the evolving event technology landscape, capturing and analysing data is essential. Event Footprints was established to leverage event data and offer empirical insights throughout the event lifecycle. The event tech consultancy’s journey began in 2019 with the introduction of Klik Smart Badges to the UK, which highlighted a sharp rise in data capture quality and quantity.
“The pandemic gave me time to think carefully about the direction of measurement with event tech, anticipating the return to in-person events, and how event organisers could benefit from more robust and integrated measurement strategies and practices,” says Event Footprints founder and director Rob Curtis.
The pandemic provided a moment for reflection, allowing industry experts to consider the future of event measurement and the benefits of integrated strategies. This led to a meeting in 2022 with Adam Sharp and Nick Burrell, co-founders of Clevertouch Consulting and Martech experts. Together they identified a significant gap in the market: the need to deliver actionable data tailored to event marketers, strategic planners, and CMOs. “Adam and Nick instinctively understood this opportunity too, and with Clevertouch Consulting behind me, Event Footprints was born,” says Curtis.
ROI measurement challenges
One of the most significant hurdles businesses face is measuring the ROI of their events. The vast amounts of data generated can be overwhelming, leaving organisers unsure of what is valuable and how to interpret it.
Curtis adds: “Event Footprints has built a measurement methodology that allows the construction of a narrative that articulates the impact of live events, whether they are hosted or industry events.”
Last year, Event Footprints worked with Deloitte Experience Analytics to meticulously analyse the attendee journey. The agency provided insights into the event’s impact, with its data and insights team creating detailed business information dashboards. Event Footprints captured 20,642 data points, utilising 22 demographic filters for thorough analysis.
Looking ahead
Curtis says one of Event Footprints’ areas of exploration is the use of conversational AI to analyse data patterns and offer marketers deeper insights into customer and prospect behaviour.
The pandemic’s shift to virtual events highlighted the potential of digital data capture. With the return to in-person events, Event Footprints has applied the digital insights to physical settings, capturing vast amounts of raw data. According to a recent Forrester report, data and measurement are now the top priorities for event marketers, with 95% emphasising the need for better ROI measurement. Curtis says Event Footprints’ approach aligns perfectly with these industry trends: “During the pandemic, when events all went virtual, it enabled marketers to really appreciate just how much data could be captured on these digital systems. With the return of in-person events, we are able to capture similar amounts of data from these digital platforms but in an analogue environment.”
