Encouraging diversity at events: Strategies for inclusive engagement

Why is it important? 

Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in events is crucial for several reasons: 

• Enhanced creativity and innovation: A diverse group of attendees and speakers brings a variety of perspectives and ideas, leading to more creative solutions and enriching discussions. 
• Broader audience engagement: Inclusive events appeal to a wider audience, increasing participation and a sense of belonging among attendees from different backgrounds. 
• Positive social impact: By providing a platform for underrepresented voices, events can contribute to social change and help break down barriers in society. 
• Improved reputation and trust: Demonstrating a commitment to DEI enhances the event's reputation, building trust with stakeholders and the community.
   

To effectively promote diversity at events, it's essential to adopt a holistic approach that encompasses DEI. This means recognising and valuing the differences among attendees, providing equal opportunities for participation, and creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and respected. 

Leveraging design thinking
 

Design thinking is a user-centric approach that can be instrumental in creating inclusive events. By focusing on the needs and experiences of attendees, event planners can design experiences that resonate with diverse audiences and uncover insights that drive meaningful engagement. At MCI, design thinking encourages us to challenge assumptions and explore new possibilities for inclusion. 

Applying the principles of design thinking: 

1. Empathise: Engage with your attendees to understand their needs and perspectives. This involves active listening and open dialogue to gain deep insights. 
2. Define: Clearly articulate the challenges related to diversity and inclusion that your event aims to address. A well-defined problem statement guides focused solutions. 
3. Ideate: Brainstorm creative solutions to promote inclusivity, such as interactive workshops or networking opportunities tailored to different groups. Encourage out-of-the-box thinking without judgement. 
4. Prototype: Develop preliminary versions of event elements, like agendas or layouts, and gather feedback from diverse groups. Prototypes can be simple sketches or detailed models. 
5. Test and Implement: Trial your strategies and implement those that effectively enhance inclusivity. Use feedback to refine and improve your approach. 
6. Iterate: Continuously seek feedback and make improvements for future events. Design thinking is an ongoing process of learning and adaptation. 

The Seven Principles of Design, originally developed for universal design in architecture and product development, provide a framework that ensures environments and products are accessible and usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their age, ability or status in life. When applied to event planning, these principles offer a comprehensive guide to creating inclusive experiences: 

1. Equitable use: Design event experiences that are useful and accessible to people with diverse abilities. 
2. Flexibility in use: Accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. Offer multiple ways for attendees to engage and participate. 
3. Simple and intuitive: Ensure that event navigation and participation are easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience or language skills. 
4. Perceptible information: Communicate necessary information effectively to the attendee, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities. Use clear signage, audio announcements, and visual aids. 
5. Tolerance for error: Minimise hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental actions. Create a safe environment where mistakes do not lead to negative outcomes. 
6. Low physical effort: Allow efficient and comfortable participation with minimal fatigue. Consider seating arrangements, accessibility ramps, and rest areas. 
7. Size and space for approach and use: Provide appropriate space for access, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility.
    

By applying these principles, you can create events that are inclusive and accessible to all attendees. 

Harnessing Digital Marketing for Inclusive Outreach
 

Digital marketing offers powerful tools to reach and engage diverse audiences. By using data-driven strategies, you can tailor your marketing efforts to connect with underrepresented groups effectively. 

As Vini Apoena, Head of Data, Analytics & Marketing Services, MCI Canada, says "The real challenge is getting people to leave their houses in 2024 to attend an event. Sure, aesthetics and comfort are part of the experience, but what really sticks is the impact made by the people they connect with at the event. People come for the stories they want to hear, and those stories come from other humans – not tech, not AI. If we want the event to have a subsequent edition, it’s about bringing speakers and voices that bring emotions to the audience. Otherwise, they might attend once, but they won’t return." 

Vini offers the following tips: 

• Targeted advertising and audience segmentation: 
  Historical buyer data is a gold mine when our clients have it. It helps us build buying personas that represent real buyers. A campaign can have anywhere from one to hundreds of personas, and we typically focus on those most likely to convert or generate higher profits per transaction. This approach helps us be intentional in reaching diverse audiences, making sure we’re not just casting a wide net but truly connecting with underrepresented groups. 
• Promoting diverse voices: 
  "Sourcing and curating diversity is key. We don’t just want to check boxes for political correctness. It’s about finding the right people who can genuinely connect with historically marginalised communities and putting them in the spotlight. We often use micro-influencers – 99% of the time, they can drive event engagement without the need for huge budgets. We also suggest offering free tickets to women, people of colour, those with disabilities and students. These groups are essential, not just for today, but because they represent future growth and engagement." 
• Inclusive Tools and Accessibility: 
  "Regarding accessibility, all the websites and platforms we develop in Canada follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). In Ontario, we comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Inclusiveness isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s about getting and keeping more clients." 

Diversity in your own team
 

Creating diverse events starts with having a diverse team. Embracing different perspectives within your organisation leads to more innovative ideas and solutions. These strategies will foster team diversity: 

• Inclusive recruitment: Actively seek candidates from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to enrich your team dynamics. 
• Cultural competency training: Provide training programmes that enhance understanding and collaboration among team members from different cultural and social backgrounds. 
• Open communication: Cultivate an environment where all team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, feedback, and concerns without fear of bias or discrimination.
   

When we bring together people with varied experiences and viewpoints, we unlock the potential for truly groundbreaking ideas. Let’s collaborate to unlock the power of diversity and engagement to create events that resonate with a global audience.
 

Contact your nearest MCI office.