Today’s highlight goes to Omayra Escobar, a Dallas based Digital Event Strategist (DES) and Marketer!
How’s the transition been for your role as trade shows move to virtual events?
The transition was lighting fast. When we first went into quarantine back in March I think the industry as a whole was expecting a quick bounce back and then the reality started to sink in that live events would not be back in 2020. Many event specialists lost their jobs and the lucky ones like myself were able to continue in our roles by pivoting to virtual events.
Digital events were going to be an adoption for our industry but it was going to be a slow change. Think of it as having speed warped over a decade of technological advances for the events industry.
How big/competitive do you think the digital event strategist role will be after COVID?
Very competitive. You will stand out if you are able to produce digital hybrid events. Digital is here to stay. We are going to start seeing a shift from large events to smaller more inclusive gatherings. For a broader reach, event producers will incorporate the hybrid component and that’s where you will be able to stand out from the competition.
I saw your post on “are you a marketing generalist or specialist” and wanted to see your thoughts on the pros/cons of each during a climate like this?
From what I’ve seen, the marketing industry as a whole has not been affected negatively through COVID. There are still many roles within marketing in which you benefit from being a specialist (like marketing analysts). For event marketers like myself, who typically wear multiple hats as the event producer, planner and project manager, being a generalist is a plus.
