CREATE & INSPIRE M E E T I N G S , E V E N T S A N D C O N V E N T I O N S CREATE & INSPIRE M E E T I N G S , E V E N T S A N D C O N V E N T I O N S Thanks to digital tools and communities, it’s common for events today to have “started” well before organizers actually swing open the doors. As Swapcard’s 2025 State of Event Engagement report suggests, a huge chunk of engagement may be happening earlier than many of us realize. Analyzing over 1,000 events, the report found, “Networking and lead generation peak before the event, with 67% of networking and 40% of leads occurring before the event begins.” For planners, that warrants a second look at pre-event engagement. For advice, we turned to Mike Greenwood, president of Ottawa-based Oxygen Events and Cassandra Holmes, director. of conference and events, at Toronto’s Proof Experiences. Greenwood feels building pre-event buzz has become “absolutely vital.” Perhaps announcing an event and hoping attendees signed up worked before, he says, but today it’s about proactively reaching out to people and illustrating why they need to be at your event. “Make a compelling argument, and then constantly push right up until the event, throughout the event and post event, for engagement.” Every touch point, he says, “is a chance to engage your audience, whether these are stakeholders build the buzz Pre-event engagement is no longer optional. From early networking to teaser content and smarter tech, here’s how to build momentum—and meaningful connections—before attendees even check in. by Connie Jeske Crane Buzz-building in action • Holmes likes video content teasers or reveals pre-event. “Whether that’s a theme, or you reveal an agenda, reveal a keynote or special entertainer, some sort of announcement a few weeks or months prior, to kind of start building that buzz.” • Budget permitting, Holmes says teaser gifts are great for getting “everyone excited...so if you’re doing something like a destination conference where they’re travelling, give attendees something that’ll be useful for the trip.” • Getting attendees’ input in advance, says Greenwood, can grow interest and buy-in. Besides polls, he suggests saying, “Hey, we’re doing this event that’s coming up. We want your input.” • Engaging local vendors and artists also helps spread your message creatively, Greenwood says, adding that because vendors have their own following, “They can also help promote your event.” • Increasingly, AI tools are helping event professionals engage in much more personalized ways. With a conference, for example, Greenwood says you could show prospects three upcoming presentations based on their individual preferences. “We’re seeing the ability for event professionals to actually do customized engagements to each particular participant.” → Spring 2026 | Ignitemag.ca | 41
