In this episode of Event Experience, host Rachel Moore chats with Nicole Nichols, a veteran event and meeting planner at ISG with over 20 years of industry experience. Nicole shares how today’s most effective events are intentionally designed to be transformative, not just transactional.
She emphasizes the importance of understanding attendee needs, gathering real-time feedback, and crafting meaningful experiences that extend beyond the event itself. Nicole also explores how AI can be a powerful amplifier, helping planners analyze data and personalize journeys, while reinforcing the human connection that defines successful events.
Her advice for fellow professionals? Stay curious, keep leveling up, and embrace continuous learning to prove the lasting impact of events.
Key Highlights:
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[00:00:09] Welcome to Event Experience by Bizzabo, the podcast where we bring the best and brightest event experience leaders together to share stories, tips, and lessons learned from creating some of the world's biggest events.
[00:00:20] I'm Rachel Moore, your podcast host. This episode might be the best pitch we've had in a while for why people should dive into event planning.
[00:00:29] Nicole Nichols, events and Meeting Planner at ISG is my guest, and together we're about to explore the creation of transformative experiences for attendees. We'll also dig into AI and how we're all feeling about it as a tool to varying degrees. In this profession, we have around event experience.
[00:00:56] Rachel Moore: We're back here on Event Experience for a new episode and a new guest.
[00:01:00] Rachel Moore: Our guest is tapping in with over 20 years of experience in the industry. It's one of my favorite things to share is when people can, like, when I can come on and share the breadth of someone's knowledge that they're about to drop here in the episode.
[00:01:12] Rachel Moore: But she has benefited brands like the New York Academy of Medicine, and she was recognized on the 100 Blacks in Events for giving back into the industry. She is currently serving as the Events and Meeting Planner at ISG, Information Services Group.
[00:01:27] Rachel Moore: I am so happy to welcome Nicole Nichols to Event Experience.
[00:01:30] Rachel Moore: Nicole, thanks for joining me on the podcast.
[00:01:32] Nicole Nichols: Thank you Rachel. I am so happy to be here with you today.
[00:01:35] Rachel Moore: All right. You're about to spend the whole day on the ground, several hours at an event. What shoes are you going to be wearing to make sure you get through it?
[00:01:44] Nicole Nichols: I'm wearing, I, they're not sneakers. I'm gonna call them the hiking shoes.
[00:01:48] Rachel Moore: Ooh.
[00:01:49] Nicole Nichols: I know, and I have a pair and my friends know like, you really need to give those up. And I'm like, no, I won't. No, I won't.
[00:01:57] Nicole Nichols: No, No. They are just so comfortable. I love them to death. They are my go-tos, you know, when I'm having a 14 hour day?
[00:02:08] Nicole Nichols: Yeah.
[00:02:08] Rachel Moore: Mm-hmm.
[00:02:09] Nicole Nichols: Those bad boys are on.
[00:02:11] Rachel Moore: Awesome. Awesome. That's great. See? Every event planner can relate. They're like, oh yeah, no, I gotta think about that.
[00:02:16] Nicole Nichols: Oh, yes.
[00:02:17] Rachel Moore: That's right. what are you listening to, watching or even reading these days that you can't put down, and it does not have to be related to events?
[00:02:25] Nicole Nichols: I am reading right now "Let them."
[00:02:27] Rachel Moore: Hmm.
[00:02:28] Nicole Nichols: "The Let Them Theory" by Mel Robbins, which I'm highly enjoying. And listening wise, I do a lot of listening to meditation.
[00:02:37] Rachel Moore: Nice.
[00:02:38] Nicole Nichols: Online. I have to keep my mind, you know what I mean?
[00:02:41] Rachel Moore: I do. I know.
[00:02:43] Nicole Nichols: You know.
[00:02:44] Rachel Moore: Listen to this podcast, but that, that's only gonna get you part of the way there. But
[00:02:47] Nicole Nichols: Right, exactly.
[00:02:48] Rachel Moore: You've gotta like give that mental break. I love that you bring too.
[00:02:50] Rachel Moore: that up too, 'cause. to woosah.
[00:02:52] Rachel Moore: Hell yeah. That's great. love it. No, that's good. That's good.
[00:02:57] Rachel Moore: I might spring this question on you. You might be the first person I ask this. 'Cause usually I ask people if there's a hot take or a social post or piece of media that that's been on their mind lately, and we can go to that if this question doesn't work.
[00:03:07] Rachel Moore: What is your favorite AI prompt you're using these days to help you plan events?
[00:03:13] Nicole Nichols: I just go to ChatGPT. That's my go-to.
[00:03:16] Nicole Nichols: At first I was leery, and not leery because of the platform,
[00:03:22] Nicole Nichols: but leery just because I'm like old school. I'm like, what? Something's gonna like think for me? What are you talking about? What, what is, what is what's happening here?
[00:03:31] Nicole Nichols: You know? And I started getting into it and I was like, okay, I could see how this is a really great thing. On the flip side, I could also see some of the cons. But it, yeah, ChatGPT right now is my, is my go-to.
[00:03:51] Rachel Moore: That's partner in crime there. That's awesome.
[00:03:53] Rachel Moore: I'm excited to learn. I can only cram your whole 20 years in your bio into like two sentences at the beginning, so I, I never stop there.
[00:04:03] Rachel Moore: I am now going to ask you. Uh, could you tell us a bit more about you, what your day-to-day is like at, at ISG, but just, just who, who's joining me across this microphone today?
[00:04:13] Nicole Nichols: Sure. Oh wow. Okay. Um, um.
[00:04:17] Nicole Nichols: Well, currently, as you mentioned, I am the Events and Meeting Planner here at ISG. I handle all of our budgetary needs. Yes, all of that. So you can imagine for each event.
[00:04:29] Nicole Nichols: I source for all of our venues. And that's across the country, so it spans the gamut. I am in charge of vendor management. So, cultivating those relationships, maintaining those connections. Um, and everything that falls in between that, as you can imagine, being an event professional.
[00:04:50] Rachel Moore: Well, I think our audience is right now going "Yeah, huh?" I'm reading between the lines, I'm seeing all the things you described. But all the nuances and logistics and everything in between all that, uh, that fills in the gaps, the brick and mortar as, as it were.
[00:05:05] Rachel Moore: Absolutely. Being an event professional. That's so, the budget thing freaked me out for one thing.
[00:05:10] Rachel Moore: I, um, if my husband were on this podcast, he'd be telling everybody, no, keep her away from all that.
[00:05:15] Nicole Nichols: Oh, no way.
[00:05:16] Rachel Moore: Oh, yeah. yeah. So I, I already am very much in awe of your experience.
[00:05:22] Nicole Nichols: Well, thank you.
[00:05:23] Rachel Moore: Of course. And we're gonna share a lot more here too, because, um, when we were prepping for this episode, and, you know, kind of excited about the topics we're gonna get into today.
[00:05:31] Rachel Moore: We were talking about should we talk about attendees, and this show is, it's by event planners, it's for event planners. And event planners are all focused on mostly one singular thing, and that would be attendees.
[00:05:44] Rachel Moore: Those folks decide if our event meets registration and attendance goals. They decide if we meet revenue goals. They decide if we generate brand awareness or not.
[00:05:54] Rachel Moore: I'd love to ask you, how would you describe the event attendee of today, and what event planners, need to be mindful of in your, in your opinion? How we need to be mindful of those attendees of today as we plan for their experiences?
[00:06:09] Nicole Nichols: Great question. I've sort of have termed it, or maybe this term is out there. but it's the "next level attendee."
[00:06:17] Nicole Nichols: What that means is that the attendees of today and moving forward are very intentional. They are very intentional with their time, Okay. So, it's not just about content anymore, it is about the total experience of what they're walking into.
[00:06:36] Nicole Nichols: And that's the moment that they walk in the door, even before they hit registration. That's the moment an organization decides that it's gonna have an event.
[00:06:45] Nicole Nichols: and it starts promoting the event.
[00:06:48] Nicole Nichols: When you put out a save the date, when you put up your registration platform, it starts. Those are all crucial touch points. It doesn't start the day of the event. It starts months before. It starts at conception. So our attendees are now requiring much more from us. They're requiring us to be, again, intentional, mindful, and thoughtful into what we are asking of them. We're asking them to give their time to us.
[00:07:21] Nicole Nichols: So we have to make sure that we are capturing all of these touch points for them. What is that experience when they walk into the space?
[00:07:30] Nicole Nichols: We've all heard about this. You know, registration, as I say, is the first line of defense. It's that first tone that is set. When someone is coming to an event, what's that experience like?
[00:07:42] Nicole Nichols: Is it cumbersome? Is it easy? What are we capturing there?
[00:07:46] riverside_nicole_nichols_raw-video-cfr_bizzabo_podcast_0199: Everything is an opportunity at an event, and I don't call an event an event. I call it an experience.
[00:07:53] Nicole Nichols: I sort of compare it to this as my own comparison.
[00:07:57] riverside_nicole_nichols_raw-video-cfr_bizzabo_podcast_0199: It's like when you invite someone over to your house for dinner. You want them to have one
[00:08:01] Nicole Nichols: heck of a great time. You want them leaving saying,
[00:08:05] riverside_nicole_nichols_raw-video-cfr_bizzabo_podcast_0199: oh my God, this was, when are you having something else, Rachel? You've got to let me know. This is fantastic. that's how our attendees should be leaving
[00:08:15] riverside_nicole_nichols_raw-video-cfr_bizzabo_podcast_0199: Our events That they have been so tantalized that they're like, oh my God, please make sure, I need to make sure I'm your on your mailing list so I know when your next events are coming up. I'm not sure if I can make it, but if I can't, I will be there and I will let my people know as well.
[00:08:31] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:08:33] Nicole Nichols: That's that next level attendee that is bringing more to the table than just their presence. They're bringing their whole entire selves into the space. And that's why it's just not about the content. It is about the total experience.
[00:08:51] Rachel Moore: There's a couple things I wanna dig in there too, because. Almost kind of reverse engineering it from what you said too. Because it's like, if you are, you're talking about they're bringing more, they're expecting more.
[00:09:01] Nicole Nichols: Yes.
[00:09:01] Rachel Moore: But they're also bringing more. This isn't merely transactional. You're not setting up an event to say, hey, wallet come into my door and I know that I'm gonna be a budget line item, you know? That's my goal.
[00:09:13] Rachel Moore: They're bringing more than that, and that's
[00:09:15] Nicole Nichols: Yes.
[00:09:15] Rachel Moore: as an event planner, you're like, okay. I loved how you said that, that was a moment there too, where you were like, I want to be on your mailing list so I at least know what you're gonna be planning next. 'Cause this was such an amazing experience, like you said. Thanks too for the little shout out about our name of our podcast, Event Experience.
[00:09:34] Rachel Moore: I did not pay her to do that, y'all. but, uh, how often do we see people, you know, I, I'd love to, like, if I could poll our audience right now, how often have they had people saying, how do I get on your mailing Nobody wants to get on mailing list
[00:09:47] Nicole Nichols: No.
[00:09:48] Rachel Moore: and hand over that email address, let alone some of your budget and stuff for things that you're, you know, the wares that are, are going on and, and things going on,
[00:09:55] Nicole Nichols: Absolutely. Mm-hmm.
[00:09:57] Rachel Moore: you mentioned that too, that they're bringing that more. They're coming in the door and they're bringing, like you said, their whole selves. That's gotta be transformational too for the event itself.
[00:10:05] Nicole Nichols: Totally.
[00:10:06] Nicole Nichols: And it's requiring the event professional or the event organizer to level up, as call it.
[00:10:15] Nicole Nichols: As I like to say, being good is great. Being great is even better. There's always room to look for, for new ways of doing things. New ways of reaching your target audience. It's so important to, you know, I dated myself, but I love a good survey. I still
[00:10:35] Nicole Nichols: love a good survey.
[00:10:36] Nicole Nichols: Not even at the end, but even like in the middle, especially if you have a, if you have a very large conference. Don't wait till the end, because there's, there's been so much, you have so many sessions, there's so much going on.
[00:10:48] Nicole Nichols: You have the exhibit component, you have the content component, you have the networking component. These are all things that are data points. That's a whole nother realm there, those data points. Because for me, in my mind, those data points justify our existence.
[00:11:07] Rachel Moore: That's for real.
[00:11:08] Nicole Nichols: ' Cause the numbers don't lie. The
[00:11:10] Nicole Nichols: numbers talk And they
[00:11:11] Nicole Nichols: will always keep it real with you.
[00:11:13] Rachel Moore: Oh my gosh, right? love that you're talking too about not waiting until, okay, it's the day after or let's wait until, you know, especially people traveled for it. Let's wait until they get home and get settled in. No.
[00:11:24] Rachel Moore: Doing it in the middle, when they're in the midst and immersed in the experience that you're giving them, and give the, so, okay, real time, lemme tell you how this is
[00:11:32] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm. It's so important, because what may be important to us and what we think is important to our target audience may not be what's really important to them.
[00:11:45] Nicole Nichols: So you always wanna make sure you do a temperature check, as I call it.
[00:11:49] Nicole Nichols: And there's nothing wrong with reassessing: okay, are we hitting the mark?
[00:11:54] Nicole Nichols: Because we're in an ever changing environment, especially nowadays. Every single minute it's changing, so it's finding those sweet spots that attract that audience for us.
[00:12:06] Rachel Moore: Yeah, I like too that you relate it, who can't relate with this, right? Even if you're like an introvert.
[00:12:12] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:12:13] Rachel Moore: You probably have family or friends that are gonna come over to your home at some point. Yes. we all know how, like even if you're like, okay, I don't really clean, do deep, clean all the time, I'm gonna clean before they come over Mm-hmm. Or you're like, I'm preparing meal, or, you know, uh, a spread of food or drinks in, or drinks for them to have and or I, I really wanna show off this part of my house and I wanna make sure when they walk up they know how to get in.
[00:12:37] Rachel Moore: And know how to, where, you know, the facilities are and all, all those aspects and the same thing. You explode that out to where it's the event that you're putting on for the brand that you work for. That same level of TLC needs to happen and they need to feel it.
[00:12:51] Nicole Nichols: Absolutely. And they'll see it. They will see it in the event itself. The intentionality, the attention to detail of thoughtfulness, of mindfulness, even right down to having quiet spaces built into your event.
[00:13:09] Nicole Nichols: The world doesn't stop because they're attending our event. It keeps going on. We have to acknowledge that. So that needs to be built in.
[00:13:18] Nicole Nichols: As we're seeing in the events industry now. Very heavy on talking about the health and wellness of our attendees, but also the event professionals too. 'Cause, you know, long, early, early mornings and late nights,
[00:13:35] Nicole Nichols: we know how that is.
[00:13:36] Rachel Moore: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
[00:13:39] Nicole Nichols: We're talking about so much here. You know, there's so much to, you know, so many nuggets. We're, we're, we're digging up here, so.
[00:13:47] Rachel Moore: Absolutely. It really does speak to the profession itself. There are so many aspects to, it is not just one train or one, you know, track of, uh, of expertise. You really do have to have all put all those things to work.
[00:14:01] Rachel Moore: You're talking about health and wellness, you're talking about intentionality, and I think, I wanna ask you this question because, ugh, with all the things we're doing, it can be tempting
[00:14:13] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:13] Rachel Moore: can be easy sometimes to say, all right, well, I'm just gonna kinda wash, rinse, repeat.
[00:14:20] Rachel Moore: I've got a formula that we do for our event. If you're doing an event year over year, same event. And you're like, well, I'm just gonna keep, keep rolling with what I know has worked. We're looking at the data points. But we're considering this next level attendee, maybe that's not the way.
[00:14:36] Rachel Moore: I would like to ask you: like, how can event planners today avoid falling into that rut of, hey, I'm just, I'm building this over and over. I build it every year. I'll build it again.
[00:14:47] Rachel Moore: And maybe they still are thinking: this is merely transaction of information, it's not more than that. How do we help them maybe think more about that Maslow's hierarchy of needs? Like, nah, you gotta go deeper on this next level attendee?
[00:15:00] Nicole Nichols: Absolutely. It's not just transactional,
[00:15:06] Nicole Nichols: it's transformative.
[00:15:07] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:15:08] Nicole Nichols: As event professionals, I would think we're always looking for that next thing. Even if it's the smallest thing, just to make it a little bit better.
[00:15:19] Nicole Nichols: No one is saying that, you know, every single year you have to totally morph your event into this brand new entity. You know, that's a lot of heavy lifting. We understand that.
[00:15:29] Nicole Nichols: But it goes back to really assessing if you are hitting your target marks with your audience. Because if you're missing the marks with the audience, you really don't have an event or you will end up not having
[00:15:47] Nicole Nichols: an event at the end of the day.
[00:15:49] Nicole Nichols: Because we're not just, we're not just asking financially from our attendees. Again, we're asking for their time, we're asking for their energy.
[00:15:59] Nicole Nichols: because they need to be present in the space.
[00:16:03] Nicole Nichols: So, we need to be looking at always, how can we enhance the experience for them?
[00:16:10] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:16:11] Nicole Nichols: The enhancement, again, doesn't mean that we have to spend additional X, Y, Z amount of dollars.
[00:16:17] Nicole Nichols: That's not what it means. It could just mean a small little change. But we have to level up to match where our attendees are at.
[00:16:26] Nicole Nichols: and it's so important to really, again, really do that assessment of who are audiences,
[00:16:33] Nicole Nichols: but not just who. What are their needs? What are their wants? What keeps them up at night, and how can we then turn around and help take some of that weight off of them?
[00:16:47] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Wow. That is transformative. I mean, I think about that.
[00:16:52] Rachel Moore: You've had 20 years in event the events industry, I've had 17 in marketing. And it, it all the other stuff aside, you really are trying to say what is the thing that kept you up last night? Exactly. wouldn't turn off. You probably were feeling anxious about it, and you're still, even if, if you've compartmentalized it away, it's still lingering.
[00:17:14] Rachel Moore: What is that thing and how do I help you not feel that way anymore?
[00:17:18] Nicole Nichols: Exactly. How can I make your job a little bit easier?
[00:17:23] Nicole Nichols: By coming to this event, What sore points am I making a little softer for you that you can take back to your boss, to your company, and look like a superstar, maybe? Be like, oh, I went to this event and you know, they were talking this up and I know we've talked about some of these things.
[00:17:42] Nicole Nichols: and you know, that's how you keep the, the shelf life also of an event going.
[00:17:48] Nicole Nichols: Events just don't end when the event ends. We have to keep remembering that.
[00:17:53] Nicole Nichols: these of our events have shelf life. And that's how the increase in attendee, the growth of the attendee happens.
[00:18:01] Nicole Nichols: Not just the numbers. Because again, we're talking about transformative attendance. So, it's not just the numbers, but it's also what people are walking away with
[00:18:13] Nicole Nichols: from attending.
[00:18:14] Rachel Moore: Absolutely. Just thinking about that too,
[00:18:17] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:18] Rachel Moore: they have no shortage of other events they could be spending their time and energy
[00:18:26] Nicole Nichols: Exactly.
[00:18:27] Rachel Moore: on, and you have to, and this gets a lot into the pre-event stuff, but
[00:18:33] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:33] Rachel Moore: then of course, proof is in the pudding during your event, but, you have to be able to convince them and be like, no, I know you've got alternatives, this is the
[00:18:42] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:43] Rachel Moore: This is the one that's gonna solve that pain point, that's gonna make you sleep better at night, that's gonna make you shine at your job, save your budget, all the things that are mattering to you.
[00:18:52] Rachel Moore: That's a huge undertaking for event It is
[00:18:55] Rachel Moore: To tap into that before they even say, yeah, I'm gonna register.
[00:18:59] Nicole Nichols: exactly. And you hit on something, Rachel. you know, because the, as I call it, the landscape is vast.
[00:19:07] Nicole Nichols: Now, and the reason it's so vast. In my opinion is because what the attendee now is calling for are these micro communities. It's no more of just the large types of conferences where it's like a, a high level content discussion sort of thing. No. It is very micro.
[00:19:30] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:19:30] Nicole Nichols: Very central to different sectors within the industry and that is where it becomes so important to really look at, okay, what are we trying to drive here? What's our driving force here?
[00:19:48] Nicole Nichols: Because the attendee is like, well, listen, I play in this lane here. I don't play over to the left. I don't play the right. I'm in the center.
[00:19:56] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:19:57] Nicole Nichols: So, why is this important to me? Are you talking my language? How is this gonna impact my daily activity, my daily job activity? How can I add value by coming to your event? How can I add value to my job?
[00:20:12] Rachel Moore: That's right. That's right. These are the gold. I knew. See, I was like, see?
[00:20:19] Rachel Moore: And the, these are the things that are so front of mind for our audience for Event Mm-hmm. you know, some of this we might inherently know or realize, but other things, it's like we just need that reminder. And the intention has to be there.
[00:20:31] Rachel Moore: This is gonna segue a bit because we're talking about transforming people. We're talking about being intentional. Talking about micro communities. Making those one-to-one, one to small group experiences happen that are going to matter in the long term.
[00:20:49] We'll be right back with more event experience after the break. Behind every great event organizer is software that makes managing the small stuff easy, so you can focus on crafting events that matter. From seamless registration and onsite solutions like the BizzaBox, to powerful dashboards and the Klik smart badge, Bizzabo's Event Experience Operating System is your all-in-one solution to planning conferences that captivate and experiences that elevate. Visit bizzabo.com. That's B I Z Z A B O dot com to learn more.
[00:21:25] We're back with Nicole Nichols to delve into the two vowels that are evolving how we approach events. Well then we enter the machinery, shall we say.
[00:21:36] Nicole Nichols: Oh, yes, okay.
[00:21:37] Nicole Nichols: Okay this industry and not just this industry, everybody. And their brother and their sister, and their mother and their niece, and everybody Mm-hmm. with this. Ugh, y all know Let's, Let's say it. let's say it, AI, There you go. those alphabet, those two vowels.
[00:21:55] Nicole Nichols: Yep.
[00:21:55] Rachel Moore: Risen
[00:21:56] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:57] Rachel Moore: four. And we, we're all having to, whether we're doing it with cringe or we're doing it joyfully or
[00:22:05] Nicole Nichols: Yes. Mm-hmm.
[00:22:06] Rachel Moore: embracing starting to utilize AI.
[00:22:09] Rachel Moore: Coming out of all this, you obviously are very intentional in your planning
[00:22:13] Rachel Moore: for humans. But we know, you gotta be using AI, right?
[00:22:17] Rachel Moore: Can you share with us how you are using AI in your planning and strategy with all this intention in mind, right?
[00:22:24] Nicole Nichols: Absolutely. I see AI as being an amplifier. It's not a replacement for human connection.
[00:22:33] Nicole Nichols: Let me, let me say that. Okay.
[00:22:36] Nicole Nichols: My own personal opinion. It is a tool that can help us analyze. Those micro communities that I just mentioned.
[00:22:45] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:22:46] Nicole Nichols: Okay. That's how I view AI. That's how AI could help event professionals. Again, it's not a replacement for human connection. I don't think you can ever replace human connection when it comes to events specifically.
[00:23:01] Nicole Nichols: How I use it or strategize about it is just that. how can it help me enhance the experience? Whether it's,
[00:23:14] Nicole Nichols: digital components or digital elements. I also always think of any new tool that comes on the scene
[00:23:22] Nicole Nichols: as
[00:23:23] Nicole Nichols: how is this going to speak the event for me, if that makes sense.
[00:23:29] Rachel Moore: Yeah, it does.
[00:23:30] Nicole Nichols: What does it look like, I always take myself out of the event professional seat and sometimes this is a bad thing. 'Cause even personally, I can go into events and I start like, oh no, the this is, this is not, this shouldn't be like this.
[00:23:43] Nicole Nichols: Seriously, and my friends are like, would you stop for a minute? Can you? can.
[00:23:47] Rachel Moore: Just be, here.
[00:23:47] Nicole Nichols: Can you just take that hat off for a second? I'm like, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
[00:23:51] Nicole Nichols: You know, help it. That's what you do, right? You're it's, That's how you know when you are living your purpose and passion,
[00:23:59] Nicole Nichols: Because it's just with you.
[00:24:00] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:24:01] Nicole Nichols: Wherever you go. Even my son is like, "Can you stop trying to plan every single thing?" I said I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
[00:24:09] Rachel Moore: Like I can't, I I can't. I really can't. I'm sorry. I can't. But, um. But no, AI is definitely part of the event strategy. Again, it's not a replacement, it's an addition.
[00:24:23] Nicole Nichols: I see it as, okay. I ask myself, how can it add value? And
[00:24:27] Nicole Nichols: this is not to say that it's in every single event. It doesn't mean just 'cause it's the, it's the hot topic, hot thing on the scene, if you know what I mean.
[00:24:37] Nicole Nichols: That it needs to be in every single event. It has to make sense at the end of the day. Because if it doesn't make sense, it'll fall flat in your event. And we
[00:24:47] Nicole Nichols: all know that, you know, there's, there's a, a budgetary aspect to, to all of these things.
[00:24:53] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Yep.
[00:24:54] Nicole Nichols: Okay.
[00:24:55] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:24:56] Nicole Nichols: So, I say don't let AI drive you. You drive AI.
[00:24:59] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yep. That's the soundbite of the episode right there. It's like, well, and I'm gonna go back to what I, I confessed at the beginning that accounting is not my purpose, not my my reason for being on this planet.
[00:25:16] Rachel Moore: But I can use a calculator. I can use an Excel spreadsheet, sure can tools that'll be like, look, I got all these numbers and if I change this up here, I need it to do stuff and let me see that down there.
[00:25:31] Rachel Moore: Sure I could pull out a pencil and paper and go scratch all that out, but instead I can use a tool and that's what AI is. Is it, like you just said, you've got the data points and you can say, "Hey, help me with this and what does this tell me?
[00:25:47] Rachel Moore: I've got an idea, but I wanna make sure I'm not missing anything. Shout out, let's go. What is it giving me?"
[00:25:53] Rachel Moore: And you absolutely can use it for stuff like that. And it can make that happen faster for you.
[00:25:57] Nicole Nichols: Exactly, and it gives you, as to your point, it drills down more. It peels the layers back even further. so that you could really get a clear line of sight into who your attendee base is, what's, the journey that we're trying to take them on. 'Cause
[00:26:16] Nicole Nichols: it is a journey. So what are all of those things that we are trying to achieve? Because we each have goals.
[00:26:22] Nicole Nichols: You have the event goals, and, but then you also have attendee goals.
[00:26:27] Rachel Moore: Yep.
[00:26:28] Nicole Nichols: Okay, and we won't know every single solitary attendee goal, but we can have a pretty good sense based on what we are providing through the event as to why they are attending, why they are in this space for this particular amount of time.
[00:26:44] Rachel Moore: Yeah, it's, it's super key and, and even I'll say too, you know. Obviously this podcast is put on by Bizzabo. I mean, we've got the thing, the click badge, where that's giving some very real time Mm-hmm.
[00:26:55] Rachel Moore: And, but exactly, you can absolutely go in and be like, "okay, well tell me what did it mean when this many people took this journey through the event versus this group that maybe deviated over here, right?
[00:27:08] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Yeah. and I wanna address this too, and this'll hopefully kind of bring this full circle because everybody's got an opinion about AI. And all of that is valid. There are so many aspects to it. Good, bad, middle. On one of our prior episodes, I'd love what a guest pointed out, um, who's an event planner.
[00:27:26] Rachel Moore: But they said, you know, AI's not gonna fill those swag bags for me, right?
[00:27:32] Nicole Nichols: Listen, and they are a thousand percent right on that.
[00:27:35] Rachel Moore: Well, and I was like, it was a great analogy to
[00:27:39] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:27:39] Rachel Moore: Well, yeah, ChatGPT not gonna pop out of its window and form arms and start like putting that pen and that brochure and that,
[00:27:47] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:27:48] Rachel Moore: in there for me or lanyard. It's not gonna do that.
[00:27:51] Rachel Moore: And I don't know if you might have your own example of where AI cannot practically extend beyond you and into the power and agency of a human event planner. But I would like, when I talk about those opinions and the perspectives people have
[00:28:04] Nicole Nichols: Mm-hmm.
[00:28:05] Rachel Moore: event planner's perspective on AI. What's something you can give our audience to take away with them, as they continue to form that perspective as, as it evolves.
[00:28:14] Nicole Nichols: I think the takeaway is, is that our industry is evolving. Always at Its foundation will be that human connectedness.
[00:28:28] Nicole Nichols: But I almost wanna say the interconnectedness of AI and all of these other different components. The intentionality, the mindfulness, the thoughtfulness, all of those things are interconnected.
[00:28:43] Nicole Nichols: One thing does not operate outside of the other ones. You need each part to make the collective whole and to make it run. always realizing that we, we are evolving. but at its core, we're all, it's that human connectedness
[00:29:01] Nicole Nichols: that will keep us.
[00:29:03] Nicole Nichols: It's like when you, ah, I'm going into my scientist mode now,
[00:29:08] Nicole Nichols: but it's almost like when the veins or when the electrodes are lit and they're buzzing, that's that interconnectedness. that's that human connectedness.
[00:29:18] Nicole Nichols: Think about when you're an event and your senses are just going off. It's like, oh my God, oh my God. It brings to mind like Disney World, the first time you went to Disney World. And
[00:29:29] Nicole Nichols: it's like, oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Like there's just so much and you wanna take it all in all at once. You're like, oh my God. It's almost like overload.
[00:29:37] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:29:38] Nicole Nichols: That is what will never go away with events.
[00:29:41] Rachel Moore: Hmm.
[00:29:43] Nicole Nichols: No matter how technologically we evolve in the space. That is what we'll never go away because as human beings, it is our five senses that drives us.
[00:29:56] Nicole Nichols: So I don't think, I don't think there should be a fear necessarily of AI or any new technology that comes on the scene.
[00:30:05] Nicole Nichols: I think it's just how we embrace it. And the placement of it. The proper placement of it.
[00:30:12] Rachel Moore: Yeah. Like where to not try to overdo it.
[00:30:14] Nicole Nichols: overuse it.
[00:30:16] Nicole Nichols: Exactly,
[00:30:17] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:30:17] Nicole Nichols: Exactly.
[00:30:18] Rachel Moore: Can be easy to, it's tempting, right?
[00:30:21] Nicole Nichols: It's very tempting when new things come on the scene. It's the sexy thing.
[00:30:26] Nicole Nichols: You know, it's like, ooh. It's like, it's the new toy. how can we utilize this? And that's great. And we should look for ways to enhance the experience, the
[00:30:35] Nicole Nichols: attendee experience, making the journey that much more exciting
[00:30:40] Nicole Nichols: for them, you know?
[00:30:42] Nicole Nichols: And it's, whether it's through content, whether it's through networking opportunities that's there at registration. The first point, the fi first line of defense, as I call it, you know? As long as the placement is in the right place.
[00:30:59] Rachel Moore: Yeah.
[00:31:00] Nicole Nichols: It'll add value.
[00:31:02] Rachel Moore: Absolutely.
[00:31:03] Nicole Nichols: But when you know, we have to be realist in understanding at its core, events is the human connection. So, anything that we use, anything we look to to add value, has to enhance that connectedness.
[00:31:22] Rachel Moore: It's interesting because, before we wrap and kind of get to some of the reg, you know, and toward the end of episode questions. But it's almost like too for people who are in what I've actually been contemplating. Because as we get into the questions, I typically ask our, uh, our guests, I always ask the same questions, but now I'm like, I think I'm gonna have to swap one out, because one of them will be like, what's your favorite AI prompt to help you do your job?
[00:31:44] Rachel Moore: But you almost could, even, even on that vein, you could prompt the AI tool you're using to say, "I need you. At all times to remember that the human connection. is You know, just like you're telling it what style of voice you wanna use, what your tone, what are the goals, you know, you can give it all this guidance, but you can actually tell it human is the point, and to remember that in anything it, you know, kind of coughs up for you. But, good stuff.
[00:32:09] Rachel Moore: Maybe we'll have you back, uh, in about a year's time too, and be like, So, How's it going? Where are we now? You know, and
[00:32:17] Nicole Nichols: I'd love to come back.
[00:32:19] Nicole Nichols: This has been great.
[00:32:20] Rachel Moore: Easiest question of all, where can our listeners find and follow you online?
[00:32:24] Nicole Nichols: I am right on LinkedIn. I am not hiding.
[00:32:27] Rachel Moore: You should. Like, I am here.
[00:32:29] Nicole Nichols: I am right there. Yes.
[00:32:42] Nicole helps us level up with her advice about constantly learning and remembering why we do what we do
[00:32:48] Nicole Nichols: Be a consummate learner. No matter how long you've been in this industry, there's always something new. Always something you can take away from, whether it be from another event, another event professional.
[00:33:03] Nicole Nichols: always look to up
[00:33:05] Nicole Nichols: again, as I call it. Look for those small ways to justify the importance of events in general. It's so important. Because it really, events really are an experience. It's not just, it's not just an event.
[00:33:24] Nicole Nichols: people will even now say, oh, it's just an event. I'm like, oh, stop it. No, it's not. Please don't. It is so much more than just. It's literally an entire experience. So,
[00:33:38] Nicole Nichols: what I say to, to professionals is make. that experience the best experience that you possibly can.
[00:33:45] Nicole Nichols: Listen to your attendees. Be a consummate learner. Always looking for ways to level up. If you're good, that's wonderful. Look for ways to be better.
[00:33:58] Nicole Nichols: The best, the bestest. There's always room for advancement in general.
[00:34:06] Nicole Nichols: And we're not just talking about, you know, the conferences and, you know, workshops. No, we're talking about the gatherings. We're talking about live events. We're talking about this right here. This isn't an event, this is
[00:34:19] Rachel Moore: I know.
[00:34:20] Nicole Nichols: you know, at the end of the day.
[00:34:22] Nicole Nichols: So, when you look at it from that standpoint, you're like, oh, wow! It is not just. It's the experience of it.
[00:34:30] Thanks again to Nicole Nichols for joining us on Event Experience, and thank you for listening.
[00:34:35] If you're enjoying the show, we'd love to hear it.
[00:34:38] Connect with us on social and Subscribe, Rate, and Review us wherever you're listening.
[00:34:42] Also, don't forget to share the show with your colleagues and friends. You can find transcripts of each episode and key takeaways on Bizzabo.com/podcast.
[00:34:51] On behalf of the team, thank you.[00:34:53] We'll gather again soon for a new episode of Event Experience.
