Freeman Report Reveals Late Event Registration Reflects Delayed Decision-Making
Event summary
- Freeman's September 2026 survey of 3,400 attendees and exhibitors found that 'late registration' is often due to late decision-making.
- 21% of attendees and 25% of exhibitors have used AI to discover relevant events.
- 54% of attendees begin planning their event activities three or more weeks in advance, sometimes before registering.
- 56% of exhibitors want clearer information about event audiences to assess ROI.
The big picture
Freeman's findings highlight a broader industry shift toward earlier engagement and data-driven decision-making in event planning. As AI adoption grows, organizers must adapt by providing clearer value propositions upfront to capture attendees and exhibitors sooner. The report underscores the strategic importance of pre-event marketing in an increasingly competitive events landscape.
What we're watching
- AI Influence
- How AI will continue to reshape event discovery and decision-making processes.
- Early Engagement
- Whether event organizers can effectively shift decision-making timelines by providing earlier, more compelling value propositions.
- Exhibitor ROI
- The pace at which event platforms improve audience transparency to boost exhibitor confidence.