The benefits of a year round event models are endless. Implementing a digital media platform with the right mix of technology, skilled personnel, consultants, vendors and “content” strategy prove extremely profitable. This approach enables the show organizer, attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, presenters and prospects to engage before, during and after a live event (including, education, operations, promotion, sales, content, data, social media, face-to-face).
Creating the 365 Day Long Conference and Expo 2014
1. Creating the 365 Day Long
Conference and Expo
March 10, 2014
3:15 PM– 4:30 PM
Hashtag: #ideas14 LE3
Barbara A. Myers, CAE, Vice President, Association
Services, IMN Solutions
Kevin Miller, President, Frost Miller Group
2. Learner Outcomes
• To learn benefits of a
year round event model.
• To develop a strategy for
transitioning an
event/exhibition to a year
round experience.
• To gain and share ideas
for specific tactics that
can be implemented.
3. What is a 365 Day Experience?
• IAEE Future Trends Task Force – White Paper: Future Trends
Impacting the Exhibition and Events Industry.
• Transitioning ―episodic‖ events to year-round communities
around specific content
• Implementing a digital media platform with the right mix of
technology, skilled personnel, consultants, vendors and
―content‖ strategy.
• Enables the show organizer, attendees, exhibitors, sponsors,
presenters and prospects to engage before, during and after a
live event (including, education, operations, promotion, sales,
content, data, social media, face-to-face)
4. Benefits
• Counters impact of digital media’s 24/7 competitive
interaction with fixed date F2F events
• Increases engagement (among all event
stakeholders which value/ROI)
• Expands reach and generates impressions outside
existing databases, lists, etc.
• Financial (revenue generation/cost containment)
• Addresses generation challenges and reaches
―online generation‖
8. Strategy
• Identify events to transition from ―episodic‖ to year-round
communities aligned with strategic priorities and growth goals of
the association
• Evaluate current digital media strategy and use
• Answer question - ―What kind of value should I be creating for my
audience year-round that makes the event the natural next step in
their buying process?‖
11. Marketing
• Clearly Defined Plan
• Describe Target Audience
• Tactics Align with Audience
• Maximize Registration Opportunities
• Use Social Media to Recruit, Engage, and
Retain Audiences
• Seek Ongoing, Persistent Relationships with
Audience
13. Execution
• Evaluate internal/external
resources
• Buy-in from organizational
stakeholders
• Roles and responsibilities
• Strategy/goals, goal oriented
tactical plan and time lines
• Budget
• Training
• Evaluate against goals
14. Engagement Tactics
Communication
• Digital content and media: streaming and downloads
• SEM advertising: banner and text
• Microsites and similar event-branded websites – content hub!
• Content sharing: Slideshare, iTunesU, YouTube
• Email: both email marketing and updates/advisory
• Twitter (or similar) as back channel during presentation
Participation
• Online/mobile gaming and sweepstakes
• Mobile-specific applications such as attendee networking/notification
• ―Virtual/Hybrid‖ events and content distribution (―remote‖ education, networking, etc.)
• Physical interactive touchscreens, interactive environments
• Augmented/reality,enhanced reality
• Tablet-guided discussion — animations, imagery, diagrams
• NFC, RFID — lead capture, measurement
• Gamification
• QR Codes — more info, check-in’s credential exchange
Propagation
• Blogs and similar one-to-many publishing platforms
• -Twitter, Facebook, association propriety social networks and other one-to-one engagement platforms
• #Hashtags
• RSS and other content syndication
16. Contact Us
Barbara A. Myers, CAE
Vice President, Association Services
IMN Solutions
bmyers@imnsolutions.com
Kevin Miller
President
Frost Miller Group
kmiller@frostmiller.com