Dallas, TX, Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freeman, the global leader in events, today released its newest Freeman Trends Report, The Pre-Event Edition: How People Find, Choose, and Prep for Your Event revealing that the value of an event starts well before the doors open. Based on a September 2026 survey of more than 3,400 attendees and exhibitors, the research finds that what organizers often interpret as late registration is actually late decision-making, and sharing more of the “why” earlier can help people commit sooner.
The report follows attendees and exhibitors through three stages before an event begins: Discover, Evaluate and Prepare. The findings show that people are looking for proof that an event will deliver against their goals well before they register, turning to trusted colleagues and vendors as well as new sources like AI to help make that decision. One in five attendees (21%) and one in four exhibitors (25%) have already used AI to find relevant events.
“The value of an event starts well before the doors open. Attendees are already asking who they’ll meet, what they’ll learn and what they’ll discover, often while they’re still deciding whether to attend,” said Ken Holsinger, EVP of Industry Research and Insights at Freeman. “The opportunity for organizers is to answer those questions earlier and give people a clearer reason to say yes.”
Key findings from the Freeman Trends Report include:
- AI is changing event discovery. Twenty-one percent of attendees and 25% of exhibitors have used AI to find relevant events. Among attendees who have used AI for event discovery, 53% say it has changed which events they consider worth attending.
- Attendees are planning before they commit. Fifty-four percent of attendees start planning what they’ll do onsite three or more weeks out, sometimes while they’re still deciding whether to attend. Flexible policies can also influence when they commit, with 7 in 10 attendees saying a strict cancellation policy would push their registration closer to the event.
- People remain the most powerful discovery channel. Colleagues and vendors are the sources attendees are both most likely to turn to and most influenced by when discovering events. Once registered, 58% of attendees encourage peers to sign up, even without an incentive to do so.
- Attendees and exhibitors want clearer proof of value. Only 18% of attendees approve their own funding, meaning most need to make the case for attending to someone else. Exhibitors are looking for a clearer picture of the audience, with 56% saying the types of organizations attending is among the information they most want to see, while only 16% say events are very or extremely effective at explaining the ROI of exhibiting or sponsoring.
The report translates the findings into nine actions organizers can take now, from making event information easier for people and AI to find, to sharing program and audience details earlier, creating stronger referral programs and giving exhibitors a clearer picture of who will be in the room.
The research builds on Freeman’s XLNC framework — eXperience, Learning, Networking and Commerce — and the “Unpacking XLNC” series by examining what happens before participants ever arrive onsite. Freeman’s next Trends Report will continue through the event lifecycle, exploring what participants expect and experience once they walk through the doors.
The full Freeman Trends Report is available for download.
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Contact: media@freeman.com
About Freeman: Freeman is a global leader in live events and strategically orchestrates every element of large-scale trade shows, conventions, and conferences for event organizers and brands. With unmatched scale, deep industry knowledge, and integrated delivery across Freeman Events & Exhibit Services and Freeman AV Production, Freeman provides end-to-end solutions that create moments that matter and drive results—powered by research, creative design, strategy, and innovative technologies. Freeman is part of The Freeman Company (TFC) collective of expert brands. Learn more at freeman.com.
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