Nearly 400 professionals who attend events told 360 Live Media about what makes them trust \u2014 and distrust \u2014 events.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Author:
\n Jack Macleod \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Events](\"https:\/\/www.pcma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/event-trust-engagement.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEvents offer something professionals are craving: credible, experience-based insights they can actually use.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Every day, we are flooded with information. Newsletters, articles, reports, and social-media updates compete for our attention. Most of it blurs together. Very little breaks through \u2014 and even less earns real trust.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where events stand out. Industry events are more than just opportunities to network, learn, and stay ahead of trends. They\u2019ve become one of the last places where people trust the information they receive. Trust plays a critical role in determining whether someone attends \u2014 beyond practical considerations like cost, location, and format \u2014 and how engaged they are once on site. And it\u2019s not just a nice-to-have. It\u2019s what drives people to register, engage, and come back again.<\/p>\n
Trust is Scarce. Events Are the Exception.<\/h2>\n![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/www.pcma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Jack-Macleod-headshot.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u201cEvents offer something professionals are craving: credible, experience-based insights they can actually use.\u201d <\/p>\n
Jack Mcleod, president, 360 Live Media<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Trust in American institutions is at a historic low. Pew Research Center reports that only 16 percent of Americans trust the federal government to do what\u2019s right most of the time, down from 77 percent in the 1960s. Gallup reports only 32 percent trust the media. Even interpersonal trust is eroding, with fewer than one in three people believing that most others can be trusted, compared to nearly half in the 1970s.<\/p>\n
But in our recent national survey of 383 professionals who attended a major industry conference within the past year, nearly 73 percent said they trust what they hear at in-person events more than what they get from peer discussions, email newsletters, or news websites.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a signal. Events offer something professionals are craving: credible, experience-based insights they can actually use.<\/p>\n
So, What Builds Trust?<\/h2>\n
Trust isn\u2019t built through flashy keynotes or a slick website. It\u2019s built through assets that professionals notice and remember. When people walk into a session, scan the agenda, or hear a speaker for the first time, they\u2019re making quick judgments. Is this credible? Is this useful? Is this for me?\u00a0In our research, professionals told us exactly what earns their trust:<\/p>\n
\n- Credible speakers <\/strong>\u2014 Nearly half of the respondents said that speaker credibility is a primary reason they trust event content. It\u2019s not about name recognition. It\u2019s about hearing from people with real-world experience, who know what it\u2019s like to be in the room, who solve problems, and can share what works.<\/li>\n
- Reputable host organizations<\/strong> \u2014 45 percent said the reputation of the host organization or sponsor boosts their confidence in the information. Associations have a unique advantage here, but only if they make their mission, values, and standards visible.<\/li>\n
- Live interaction <\/strong>\u2014 58 percent indicated that opportunities for direct interaction with speakers, such as sessions that include Q&A, boosts their confidence in the information shared. About 44 percent of professionals trust content more when they can ask questions during the event, and 42 percent value the ability to engage with speakers directly. Trust grows in those moments where attendees feel like participants, not just observers.<\/li>\n
- Transparency<\/strong> \u2014 Professionals are wary of spin, selective data use, and biased narratives. Endorsements from reputable associations, which 45 percent of respondents cite as increasing trust, carry significant weight. Transparency about data sources, research methods, and speaker affiliations can further reinforce trust. The more organizers are open about the \u201cwhy\u201d and \u201chow\u201d behind the content, the more credible your event becomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Trust Leads to Engagement. Engagement Drives Results.<\/h2>\n
Trust isn\u2019t the end goal; it\u2019s the starting point. When professionals believe in the value of the event, they\u2019re not just more likely to attend. They\u2019re more likely to use what they learn. Those who trust the event are more likely to engage deeply, return in the future, and recommend it to others.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what happens after attending high-trust events:<\/p>\n
\n- 46 percent share what they learned in conversations with colleagues.<\/li>\n
- 45 percent lead informal or formal training back at their organizations.<\/li>\n
- 41 percent give internal presentations.<\/li>\n
- 41 percent follow up with contacts or leads they met onsite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These aren\u2019t passive behaviors. They reflect ownership and application. Building trust is not a one-time effort. It\u2019s earned through consistent, high-quality experiences, and clear communication over time.<\/p>\n
The Flip Side: What Breaks Trust<\/h2>\n
Just as certain elements build trust, others can erode it quickly. And once trust is lost, it\u2019s hard to recover. Professionals won\u2019t spend time or money on events they don\u2019t believe in, so they scrutinize whether an event is worth it.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what stops them from attending:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n\u201cEvents offer something professionals are craving: credible, experience-based insights they can actually use.\u201d <\/p>\n
Jack Mcleod, president, 360 Live Media<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Trust in American institutions is at a historic low. Pew Research Center reports that only 16 percent of Americans trust the federal government to do what\u2019s right most of the time, down from 77 percent in the 1960s. Gallup reports only 32 percent trust the media. Even interpersonal trust is eroding, with fewer than one in three people believing that most others can be trusted, compared to nearly half in the 1970s.<\/p>\n
But in our recent national survey of 383 professionals who attended a major industry conference within the past year, nearly 73 percent said they trust what they hear at in-person events more than what they get from peer discussions, email newsletters, or news websites.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a signal. Events offer something professionals are craving: credible, experience-based insights they can actually use.<\/p>\n
So, What Builds Trust?<\/h2>\n
Trust isn\u2019t built through flashy keynotes or a slick website. It\u2019s built through assets that professionals notice and remember. When people walk into a session, scan the agenda, or hear a speaker for the first time, they\u2019re making quick judgments. Is this credible? Is this useful? Is this for me?\u00a0In our research, professionals told us exactly what earns their trust:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Credible speakers <\/strong>\u2014 Nearly half of the respondents said that speaker credibility is a primary reason they trust event content. It\u2019s not about name recognition. It\u2019s about hearing from people with real-world experience, who know what it\u2019s like to be in the room, who solve problems, and can share what works.<\/li>\n
- Reputable host organizations<\/strong> \u2014 45 percent said the reputation of the host organization or sponsor boosts their confidence in the information. Associations have a unique advantage here, but only if they make their mission, values, and standards visible.<\/li>\n
- Live interaction <\/strong>\u2014 58 percent indicated that opportunities for direct interaction with speakers, such as sessions that include Q&A, boosts their confidence in the information shared. About 44 percent of professionals trust content more when they can ask questions during the event, and 42 percent value the ability to engage with speakers directly. Trust grows in those moments where attendees feel like participants, not just observers.<\/li>\n
- Transparency<\/strong> \u2014 Professionals are wary of spin, selective data use, and biased narratives. Endorsements from reputable associations, which 45 percent of respondents cite as increasing trust, carry significant weight. Transparency about data sources, research methods, and speaker affiliations can further reinforce trust. The more organizers are open about the \u201cwhy\u201d and \u201chow\u201d behind the content, the more credible your event becomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Trust Leads to Engagement. Engagement Drives Results.<\/h2>\n
Trust isn\u2019t the end goal; it\u2019s the starting point. When professionals believe in the value of the event, they\u2019re not just more likely to attend. They\u2019re more likely to use what they learn. Those who trust the event are more likely to engage deeply, return in the future, and recommend it to others.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what happens after attending high-trust events:<\/p>\n
- \n
- 46 percent share what they learned in conversations with colleagues.<\/li>\n
- 45 percent lead informal or formal training back at their organizations.<\/li>\n
- 41 percent give internal presentations.<\/li>\n
- 41 percent follow up with contacts or leads they met onsite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These aren\u2019t passive behaviors. They reflect ownership and application. Building trust is not a one-time effort. It\u2019s earned through consistent, high-quality experiences, and clear communication over time.<\/p>\n
The Flip Side: What Breaks Trust<\/h2>\n
Just as certain elements build trust, others can erode it quickly. And once trust is lost, it\u2019s hard to recover. Professionals won\u2019t spend time or money on events they don\u2019t believe in, so they scrutinize whether an event is worth it.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what stops them from attending:<\/p>\n
- Reputable host organizations<\/strong> \u2014 45 percent said the reputation of the host organization or sponsor boosts their confidence in the information. Associations have a unique advantage here, but only if they make their mission, values, and standards visible.<\/li>\n