Charles River Laboratories

Susan Desmond

Why is customization for your digital events key for more opportunities? Decreased travel plans.

In February 2022, Charles River surveyed over 300 clients on their event/travel behavior, and found that 55 percent  have decreased business travel plans from pre-COVID for the upcoming year. What does this tell us? More than half of our clients will have to make the decision on which in person events they plan to attend versus what virtual events they will participate in.

In addition to decreased travel plans, screen fatigue continues to grow as a major obstacle to clients joining our digital events. Stanford University has identified a Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale-Image fatigue being so prevalent that they have even developed a measurement tool. This study documents the importance of decreasing “zoom fatigue” with suggestions such as:

• Provide camera breaks: after all, who wants to constantly see their own face for endless hours?

• Reduce full screen videos: smaller faces will be less intense for the viewer

In addition, an article in Forbes recommends limiting screen time to improve job productivity and avoid computer vision syndrome.

“Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a condition in which you experience one or more of eye symptoms because of prolonged working on a computer. It can result in headache, eye strain, eye watering, eye redness and blurred vision.” 

“Remember to never stop researching; digital tools are evolving constantly!”

“Students who used computers for more than 2 hours per day experienced significantly more symptoms of CVS.” 

Two hours? Over the course of a normal workday, most of us are clocking significantly higher totals than that, and to attract clients to our digital events, we have to be mindful of their health and wellbeing, making sure that our event is more than worth their time. Forbes also recommends implementing the 20-20-20 rule.

“The rule says that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, you take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away, which relaxes the eye muscles for 20 seconds and gives your brain a much-needed respite.”

Decreased travel plans, added to screen fatigue, tells us clients will be more selective with the digital events they participate in. How do we plan to compete? By customizing our digital events more than ever. These are 10 areas for increased customization we see in the coming year:

1. Tailor the content: do your homework, do your best to understand your clients needs and address those needs directly in the program, make it relevant

2. Provide clear objectives: define the goals of the event

3. Share expected outcomes: communicate what the audience will walk away with

4. Make their online experience as engaging as possible: polls, Q&A, Chat…use it all!

5.Respect clients time; a shorter program (45 minutes) will entice your client to commit to your program vs a full day program. Perhaps your program can be on demand, which allows your client to view the content at a time that works for them.

6. Implement screen fatigue deterrents: use camera breaks

7. Limit attendance: this will give your clients a more personalized experience as well as communicating to others that your program is in high demand

8. Personalize invites: give them the VIP treatment

9. Use a 1:1 approach: partner up an internal team member with your client to join the digital event, this will make your client feel more valued

10. Leverage dedicated follow-up: continue that 1:1 personal touch

Remember to never stop researching; digital tools are evolving constantly! What was hot yesterday may not be Best in Class tomorrow-

“It’s all about you” + tailored content = new opportunities