This article was based on the interview with Travis Cushing, CPO at RainFocus by Greg Kihlström, AI and Marketing Technology keynote speaker for the B2B Agility with Greg Kihlström podcast. Listen to the original episode here:
The buzz around artificial intelligence is deafening, and it can be difficult to separate hype from reality. While generative AI has captured the imagination of marketers with its ability to create content, agentic AI represents a significant leap forward. This emerging technology moves beyond generating outputs and empowers marketers to automate actions, personalize experiences, and gain deeper insights from their data. For event marketers, this shift presents both a challenge and a massive opportunity to reshape how they engage with attendees and measure the impact of their efforts. This article explores the potential of agentic AI in event marketing, drawing insights from a conversation with Travis Cushing, Chief Product Officer at RainFocus, a leading event marketing platform.
The rapid pace of technological advancement requires marketers not just to react but to proactively experiment and adapt. This agility is essential for harnessing the power of agentic AI and transforming events into truly personalized experiences. It demands a willingness to challenge existing processes and embrace new ways of thinking. As Cushing aptly points out, “You have to be able to let go of how you’ve thought about things in the past… I think that’s one of the biggest challenges we’re all facing.” This willingness to adapt is crucial for unlocking the potential of agentic AI and creating truly exceptional event experiences.
Agentic AI: Taking Action and Personalizing Experiences
Cushing defines agentic AI as “this next wave of AI… the ability to take action.” Unlike generative AI, which focuses on creating content, agentic AI can automate tasks and personalize experiences in real-time. This has profound implications for event marketing, where attendee engagement is paramount. “Agentic really changes your ability to get down to the individual and take them to a much deeper level of personalization than we’ve ever been able to do,” Cushing explains. Imagine an event where every attendee has a personalized itinerary, tailored recommendations, and seamless support, all powered by an AI-driven concierge. This level of personalization can significantly enhance the attendee experience and drive better outcomes for event organizers.
Data-Driven Insights and the Shift to Customer Journeys
One of the most promising applications of agentic AI lies in its ability to analyze and interpret event data. Events generate a wealth of information, but traditional analytics often fall short in providing actionable insights. Agentic AI can change this by identifying patterns, surfacing hidden trends, and helping marketers understand the impact of their events on the broader customer journey. As Cushing notes, “AI and the ability to consume and process large amounts of data to make it understandable” is a game-changer for event marketers. This data-driven approach allows for continuous improvement, optimization of event strategies, and a deeper understanding of attendee behavior.
“You still need to hold true to some of these basic principles of just like, why am I running this event? What am I hoping to get out of it?” reminds Cushing. This advice is particularly relevant in the age of AI, where it can be tempting to get caught up in the technology itself and lose sight of the underlying business objectives. By anchoring their strategies in clear goals and asking the right questions, marketers can leverage agentic AI to unlock powerful insights and drive meaningful results.
The Future of Event Marketing: Accelerated Experiences and Connected Systems
Cushing envisions a future where agentic AI accelerates every aspect of the event experience, from attendee engagement to data analysis and interoperability with other marketing systems. “I get really excited about the future and the ability for us to bring people together… through these tools, these events,” he shares. This vision extends beyond individual events to encompass the entire customer journey. By connecting data across various touchpoints, agentic AI can provide a holistic view of the customer and enable marketers to create more personalized and impactful experiences. This interoperability between systems is a key differentiator of agentic AI and promises to revolutionize how marketers engage with their audiences.
The rise of agentic AI presents an exciting opportunity for event marketers to create more personalized, data-driven, and impactful experiences. By embracing this technology and adapting their strategies, marketers can unlock new levels of attendee engagement, gain deeper insights from their data, and seamlessly integrate their events into the broader customer journey. However, it’s important to approach this new era with a clear understanding of business objectives and a willingness to challenge existing processes. The future of event marketing is here, and it’s powered by intelligent action.
