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What is the Greatest Challenge Facing Event Marketers?

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Social Media Community Manager

Event marketers love data. Analytics provide insight into customer behavior which ultimately improves business strategies. According to a recent report by the Exhibit and Event Marketers Association (E2MA) and the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, most respondents to a recent survey of tradeshow exhibitors reveal that shows are important to their businesses. Some recognize the need for better measurement of event ROI. Additional tools are needed to fully maximize the value of events and integrate them into the overall marketing strategy.

According to the survey, 89% of respondents find business value in tradeshows and an additional 31% recognize tradeshows as essential to their overall business objectives. The issue is trade shows and events remain disconnected from overall business strategy. 45% of respondents find it difficult to explain and justify the business benefits of tradeshows and 19% were unsure how to handle and act on leads.

Additionally the report suggests events are perceived primarily as revenue-driving opportunities. 64% of respondents use them to source new prospects, 62% hope to gather and cultivate leads, and 61% seek face-to-face meetings with clients and potential customers. 

How can event marketers improve event measurement? Developing standards for measuring ROI from face-to-face meetings and events can bridge the gap between underutilized data and business objectives. “The exhibit and event marketing medium needs to develop generally accepted practices for measuring outcomes from face-to-face marketing efforts,” said the E2MA Executive Director Jim Wurm in a statement. “It is imperative for marketers to obtain and employ exhibit and event marketing analytics to inform the value of their spend and guide them on their future investments.”

The CMO Council reports new technologies, however, are changing the game and adding to the face-to-face engagement experience at events. Personal technologies and mobile, both high on the list, were once feared to rob live events of some value.

Now is the time to begin developing better tools to better measure and track the value of events and experiential marketing.

Tell us your thoughts on this report by engaging with us on Twitter!

The report is based on a survey of 260 brand marketers between Q4, 2012 and Q1. 2013 along with interviews with 21 senior brand marketers and 11 event and trade show industry experts. The full study is available for sale on the E2MA website.

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EIBTM Online Education Week – Hybrid Events Tweet Chat

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Social Media Community Manager

Back by popular demand! Taking place from April 22-26, EIBTM Online Education Week provides event professionals the opportunity to virtually view some of the best-attended sessions from EIBTM, read blogs about the latest trends in the industry and even participate in Twitter discussions on a variety of topics. 

EIBTM organized a Twitter chat earlier today on hybrid events, led by Paul Cook of Planet Planit Ltd. Paul is a member of the Global Speakers Federation and he offers talks about the practicalities of making hybrid events happen and he trains people on managing risk especially in relation to hybrid events.

During the one hour session, we were excited to engage with many of our industry peers and collaborate on best practices for hybrid events. Questions varied from what exactly is a hybrid event to what are best practices to engage attendees during hybrid events.

Juan Diaz offered one particularly interesting insight regarding attendees and hybrid events: “Hybrid as the industry defines is just an electronic layer on top of the event but for attendees it has a different meeting. Attendees will rule how the experience is driven.  As I see it, events have several layers and the onsite is just one.” Content for hybrid attendees must be ripe for virtual sharing. To ensure that engagement remains high during your event, you must keep in mind which types of content attendees are likely to share.

At the conclusion of the chat, Paul Cook offered three final tips: 1. Never leave the planning of a hybrid event until the last minute. 2. Only plan a hybrid event if it makes sense in your overall communication strategy 3. Plan your program with your different audiences (on site and on line) in mind

Check out a few highlights from the Twitter chat below! And don't forget to check out all the offerings from EIBTM Online Education Week here. 

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Webinar Recap: eSelect Version 2!

By Lauren DuBois, etouches Event Marketing Associate

Experience is everything. Here at etouches, we put high priority on improving the customer experience by enhancing our platform’s user interface and adding key features based on customer feedback.

Next up, following the updated eMobile UI, comes eSelect: Version 2 with a whole new look and feel!

So what is eSelect? eSelect is one of the 15 event modules in the etouches lifecycle. It features its own submission capture and review system to allow external reviewers and comities to easily evaluate submissions. Administrators can then convert chosen submissions into sessions and submitters into speakers. This is a great tool to have for your event portfolio! eSelect is part of the etouches Plus Program and can be added individually to any Quad or Pro package.

One new feature offered in version 2 is the option to have more than one round of submission and review within the stages section. Currently, eSelect is distributed to the public as version 1 with a few individual customers testing the alpha program. The beta program is projected to begin around the end of April to early may. The full release is scheduled for the end of May to early June, after taking in feedback from the alpha and beta programs.

To view this webinar in full and get a sneak peak of eSelect Version 2, register here: http://bit.ly/XBnah4

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To Ticket or Not to Ticket: Choosing the Right Event Software Solution

With so many choices on the market, which event management software should you use? Solutions range from comprehensive, robust platforms to quick and easy ticketing engines. Are the larger platforms nimble enough for smaller events? How far can the ticketing solutions be stretched? Here’s your guide to get clarity on our event management software and new ticketing solution, Pinkee. Ask yourself these questions to decide which platform best matches the type, size and lifecycle of your events.

Logistics:

Do logistics represent more than 25% of my budget? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Does my event require coordination with more than 3 logistic vendors? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Do I need RFPs to find a venue? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Do I have an accurate estimation of my attendance? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Event Structure

Does my event have multiple categories interacting with each other? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Is my event on multiple days with multiple locations? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Does my event require managing multiple areas (budget, social media, marketing)? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Do I need to handle registration and budgeting in multiple languages? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Event Cycle: Do I need to market my event? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Am I managing a niche event and do I know all the contacts? Yes = Ticket No = Platform

Am I dealing with a recurring and/or morphing event year after year? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Do I expect my audience to network during the event? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Business model: Are my attendees financing the event? Yes = Ticket No = Platform

Are my sponsors financing the event? Yes = Platform No = Ticket

Am I financing the event and expecting ROI through attendee engagement? Yes = Platform No = Ticket 

Whether you need a robust event management software or a simple registration platform, etouches has the solution for you. Register for the recorded version of our webinar, "To Ticket or Not to Ticket" if you are interested in learning more!

http://www.etouches.com/ehome/etouches/engage

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9 Ways to Get Some Action at Your Next Event

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Content Marketing Associate

etouches hosted our friend and industry expert Liz King of Liz King Events for a webinar discussing ideas to better connect attendees and create a viral content sharing nature around your events. Here’s a recap of the 9 ideas to make your events the most popular and action-packed events out there!

Before delving into the nine ideas, Liz explained the three step approach to the social strategy: TAG- target, audience, gadgets.  Target: set your goals and objectives for your event marketing campaign. Audience: know your target audience’s social behavior. Gadgets: decide which social tools are right for your goals and audience.

1. Create picture perfect memories

2. Create videos – and have your attendees do the same!

3. Get social – Twitter

4. Get social – Facebook

5. Get social – Blogging

6. Socialize your names badges

7. Be purposeful about content sharing

8. Get your speakers to pre-script shareable content

9. Engage remote attendees through live streaming or pre-event Google hangouts

Get more details on each tip and learn about different tools to use to enhance your pre, during and post event marketing strategy! Register for the recorded version of the webinar through our engage page: http://www.etouches.com/ehome/etouches/engage/

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The Golf of Business

By Adam Michalek, etouches Sales Director

Upon starting my first corporate position this past October, I found myself equally nervous and excited for the opportunity to sell. It is truly a great accomplishment to procure a job as a college graduate and I felt positive about the energy I would bring to my team. Everyone I have spoken with that has been around before the millennial generation promotes taking on a sales role for a first job because no matter where I end up--I will be selling myself my whole life.  The position is a challenge, but if I work hard I can be rewarded with emotional and monetary results. At first I thought if I made 100 calls a day from a list that I would start seeing results. But as I quickly learned, there are overlying factors that contribute to one major internal force:  my “sales personality.” This trait defines my work ethic and influences the success I want and need in order to become an accomplished sales professional.

The Link Between Sales and Golf

This idea truly came full circle when I found myself on the golf course with my brother and father late last season. Golf is a game that requires proficiency at every phase…much like sales. My father is an accomplished golfer, just like his father, which is why I have genuinely grown to appreciate the sport. Great golfers are patient, strategic and put a lot of preparation into their game off the course. Just as there are unlimited sales techniques in the world, the same goes for golf swing fundamentals. I have learned that it is up to me to put in the preparation while utilizing my resources to create my sales personality and my swing. Both are something I create on my own, and both exact a constant battle to add and subtract the elements that create fluidity.  

Preparation "If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf." –Bob Hope

I’ve found that making 100 calls a day is the same as going out to the driving range and whacking 100 balls with my driver. It is not time well spent unless I prepare with a purpose. The more time I spend working out, stretching, reading articles, practicing new shots to develop my swing, working with my putter, and studying courses, the better I will prepare myself for executing all my shots.   

In my new sales role I spend time actively exploring industry trends and sales techniques, learning the ins-and-outs of my product, collaborating with colleagues and researching target prospects. By practicing a call with a coworker, I am preparing for any and all questions during a discussion with a lead. As with golf, the same tactic helps when I find my drive is in the rough and I have to adjust to the terrain. If I spend 8 hours a day calling, emailing, and working my tail off, it will not matter if my work ethic is not targeted.

Drives & Demo’s “There's a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball, be the ball.” - Chevy Chase in Caddyshack 

The distance and accuracy of my drive is evidence of the practice and preparation I put into my swing at the range. The biggest advantage is my long ball--the shot that gets me closer to the hole, making up as much initial progress that I can. While the drive can be the defining aspect in one’s game, it can also be the shot that gets a golfer into the most trouble.

The first attempt at engagement with a prospect is equal to my drive. I could ineffectively give a basic product demo to a prospect but if I use my preparation time to qualify my target, then I avoid hitting my drive out of bounds into the woods. Recognizing my prospect’s needs and presenting a directed conversation or demo is the launching point for a sale. I have their interest, my ball is in the middle of the fairway with the pin in clear site...so I swing away with everything I have prepared for in the back of my mind.

Approach Shots & Conversations "The most important shot in golf is the next one."  –Ben Hogan

The stronger I position myself after my initial demo/conversation, the more likely I will be able to close the deal. This is the approach shot. There are always challenges on the course as well as within conversations with a prospect. I may face someone who is unsatisfied from a previous competitor’s service or product. Now I am dealing with strong winds and I know I must adjust. Other times the prospect loves the solution immediately and I find myself on a flat lie in the fairway ready to chip in and close the deal. With a more complicated deal, my preparation and strategy come to fruition. I’ve been working on that punch shot but I realize the flop shot is what will ultimately get me closest to the hole.

Putting & Closing “Happy, the ball has its own energy or life force, if you will. It's natural environment is in the hole. Why don’t you send him home? His bags are packed. He has his plane ticket. Bring him to the airport. Send him home. Send him home.” –Kevin Nealon in Happy Gilmore

Tiger Woods is considered the best putter in the sport. Very few people have the same gift, talent and passion for golf as Tiger. With that in mind, I should not aim to become the best putter in the world, but rather the best at getting my ball closest to--and ultimately in--the hole. Of course sinking a 50-foot putt results is always a win-win, but I cannot rely on that.

As with closing the deal on a sale, putting should be the last concern. Hitting the fewest number of putts should always be the objective. There is no need to nag a client to sign a contract because I already know that they are confident and eager to begin business with me. They are not always tap-ins but I am confident in my ability to acquire a deal because of the tactical steps I took from my demo to my conversations: my drive to my approach shot. The better I position myself on the putting green, the higher my conversion percentage will be. The same goes for sales opportunities.

Final Score

If I work hard and target my work properly, if I prepare and make the necessary adjustments to my initial conversation/demo, then I consistently have a tap-in when it comes to closing a deal. If I continue to think critically and apply myself to each aspect, I learn how to find my style, my swing, my sales personality and the numbers will reflect that. I may not have the best score at the end of a round, or the highest quota for the quarter, but it’s the trial and error of each hole/sale that provides me with the insight and experience to be just as successful on the next outing.

In the end, golf and sales require excellence at every stage of the game. Taking this into consideration, I know that like my swing the sales process is something I create internally. Just as I find the fluidity of my swing, I create a personality that becomes my own style as a salesperson. Lucky for me, I love where I work. Every day I learn something new as I am surrounded by brilliant people. One day when I look back to where I began, I know that every tool in my arsenal will have strong roots from my first job. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60PQRpo9T-Q

“Watch how he settle himself right into the middle of it, feel that focus... He got a lot of shots he could choose from... Duffs and tops and skulls, there's only ONE shot that's in perfect harmony with the field... One shot that's his, authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose him... There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us...” –Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance

Have any questions or feedback? Feel free to engage with us on Twitter @etouches or email Adam! [email protected]

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Millennials: Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Content Marketing Associate

Conference and Incentive Travel reported a new study conducted by George Lancaster, a student at Leeds Met University. The study revealed that almost 80% of first-year event management students envisioned a career in the industry after graduation but after a year-long internship, this figure dropped to just over half.

As a recent graduate, statistics like this always strike a chord with me.  I still share the pain of recent graduates /college students as they search for their first job /internship as I experienced my fair share of internships and various career-aspirations since beginning college. After a year as Peace and Conflict Studies major, I somehow ended up interning at a global investment firm. In typical Millennial fashion, I left unsatisfied and fully convinced the industry wasn't for me. The next summer I interned in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya and with fierce disposition decided to pursue a career in the non-profit industry. Quite the dramatic shift for a few indecisive years pondering the question, what do I want to do with my life?  I imagine the 30% of event management students who switched career-goals after an internship asked themselves the same question as me.

During senior year I applied relentlessly to various non-profits, spending many nights skipping over homework assignments to craft a one page representation of my experiences and expertise, aching for a chance to enter the industry. I experienced a few interviews, a lot of rejections, and even more response-less applications. 

Hopping from private equity to non-profit in just one year, I laugh as I look back at my naivety in beginning my first professional experience.  As I reflect upon my path that led me to a career in event management, I find that I acted eerily stereotypical of our generation. I was closed-minded, stubborn, and most importantly--unwilling to expose myself to various career options. I tried it out once and it wasn’t for me just as a toddler would toss away a brand new shiny toy after becoming bored after few moments.

In defense of Millennials, no one can trump the determination and ambition of our generation and I attribute these characteristics to how I landed my first job.  The summer after graduation I interned at a non-profit and albeit my hard work, I was not offered a job. Unsure of where to go next, I stumbled upon an opportunity to take part in an innovative hiring method, eCruit. 

eCruit was borne out of the need to identify exceptionally talented individuals to work at etouches while growing jobs in the state of Connecticut. Envisioned by Leonora Valvo, CEO of etouches, eCruit identifies top talent and provides real-world scenarios to allow both the candidate and etouches to understand if the individual will thrive in the etouches' climate. Through eCruit, I fell in love with etouches and was offered.

Although I did not end up in the industry I envisioned myself in, I channeled my ambition into pursuing all opportunities available for career development. I jumped on the chance to participate in eCruit, eager to  I know this characteristic is inherent in all Millennials. We crave opportunities to advance our careers and turn weaknesses into strengths. Perhaps the event management students who changed their minds about the industry after an internship were right, the industry isn't for them. But the one thing I know for certain is Millennial determination will ultimately lead us in the right direction. 

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Love the Virtual: Generating Value for Your Attendees, Sponsors, and Associates

Last week etouches presented a webinar with our partner Onstream Media on how to effectively deliver highly engaging content with webcasting and virtual events.  Not only do we love collaborating with our partner, but we love talking virtual event solutions and integrations.

Virtual. We hear this term all the time as face-to-face events increasingly incorporate virtual components, such as a webinar or live stream.

So why is everyone talking about virtual events? According to a new report from Market Research Media, the virtual events market is projected to reach about $18.6 billion and expected to see an annual growth rate of 56% through 2018!

Virtual events extend your reach by removing geographical limitations of attendees, incorporating them into a virtual destination. Driving visibility and ROI through behavioral data and comprehensive reporting metrics, virtual events have the potential to extend content reach and visibility.

Event marketers use multimedia to drive event attendance and generate new revenue streams from paid attendees, exclusive content and sponsorships. Leveraging virtual event components enhances attendee engagement pre, during and post event. Reducing travel and logistic costs, virtual events promote sustainability as they are a truly green event.

With rapid growth comes rapid change. Should we prepare for virtual event takeover? Any fear about virtual events dominating the live event space is unnecessary.  According to the IAEE Virtual Event Study in July 2011, “event technology or digital line extensions extend the reach of physical event brands, either to complement them or serve as a product line extension.” We should begin to see virtual events as an opportunity to enhance the live event experience. Embracing new hybrid technologies can lead to events with a higher ROI, increased attendee engagement, and much more.

One way to begin participating in the virtual event space is through an Onstream Media product, MarketPlace365. An online destination to support all types of virtual events, MarketPlace365 streams live webcast and videos and creates animated exhibition halls. This product can set up a virtual auditorium with keynote speakers, learning centers, media library, and even a social lounge.

One question raised during the webinar was “When creating sponsorship programs for virtual events, what should and should not be offered? What do you think is the most beneficial?”

The three most common sponsorship opportunities associated with webcasting are banner ads at the top of the page, a companion ad that sits off to the side of the media player or a pre-roll video advertisement that runs anytime somebody uses that media player.

So what are you waiting for? Join the event technology evolution now! Click here to view “Love the Virtual” webinar

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Are Your Speakers Selling Your Event?

Speakers and presenters are being asked to do a lot more than just shine up and show up at the time you have scheduled them in your program. Hopefully, your speakers will increase attendance because your prospective attendees recognize their names or are interested in their topics. Why not take it a step further and ask them to help you promote your event and increase engagement at the event?

Prepare your speakers before you even choose them. Starting with the call for proposals, ask potential speakers if they would be willing to record a video before the event and if they would be willing to be recorded during their session. Ask for twitter handles and other social media profiles to see which ones are accustomed to engaging attendees with these platforms.

Short videos from speakers and presenters provide great content to help you promote the meeting or event. A great speaker will start conversations with attendees via social media channels (groups and hashtags) before the event so they can get to know the audience and start answering their questions. Invite them, individually or a few at a time, to a Google+ hangout where you can interview them. Potential attendees can participate, view live or watch an archived version later.

If you are planning a virtual or hybrid event, then clearly, your speakers will need to give their permission to be recorded or broadcast. However, depending on the level of engagement you wish to create with a virtual audience, you’ll need to find out how much experience they have speaking to a virtual audience. You’ll want to consider adding a virtual audience liaison to field questions from the virtual platform or social media channels.

Whether or not you provide your speakers with a template for their presentations, you can ask them to include the conference hashtag on their slides. This helps encourage attendees to share what they are learning during your event. If you have someone monitoring the hashtag from each session, it could also be used for questions from the audience. Your introverts in the audience will appreciate a way to participate without raising their hands. An audience response system can be implemented if you have several presenters who are willing to work with you on polling, Q&A and surveys.

List your speakers’ twitter handles wherever you have their information listed in your program, mobile app, etc. Your savvy tweeters will want to use proper etiquette and give your speakers credit for the good information they are learning from them. The easier it is for them to find this information, the happier they will be.

Your speakers and presenters can be a great asset when it comes to promoting the meeting or event and creating an engaging environment for your attendees. Make sure that you communicate your goals and objectives before and during the contract phase of the relationship so that they are prepared to help you instead of doing you a favor.

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Millennial Engagement: Building a New Roadmap to Success

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Content Marketing Associate

etouches is the proud sponsor of Event Alley Show, a free internet radio show produced by event industry experts Liz King and Lindsey Rosenthal. Airing weekly on Tuesdays at 1 PM EST, Liz and Lindsey interview event industry leaders as well as subject matter authorities on the latest trends and tools. Last Tuesday's program centered on Millennials. I listened and called in.

Curst Steinhorst, Speaker at the Center for Generational Kinetics and George G. Fenich, PhD, Professor at East Carolina University gave insights on creating engaging content for the millennial generation. Curt explained that a reputation of entitlement sets Millennials apart from other generations. With huge professional goals and aspirations, Millennials have adopted a mindset of deserving positions for which they are not qualified. Wow, this really struck a chord! I called-in and asked what Millenials should do professionally to be viewed as motivated rather than entitled. Curt explained that Millennials need to set a goal, then, work backwards from there, instead of jumping ahead to the senior position. This advice strongly resonated with me.

The day I left for college, my father ingrained a principle into my mind. “Go to class and do the work,” he said. “It’s as easy as that.” So, I did. I thought I knew the roadmap to success. Growing up as a Millennial, I was told that if you work hard, you yield results, i.e. a job upon graduation. So I worked hard: spent countless hours studying for exams, applied for internships (albeit unpaid) and before I knew it, was searching for my first job. Upon graduation, I entered one of the toughest economic climates in history, competing for a small number of entry-level positions. My roadmap to success wasn't exactly a straight line, not only for me, but, for other Millennials as well. One-third of recent graduates are unemployed or underemployed. A job upon graduation is no longer a guarantee. Furthermore, the rate of college graduates filing for bankruptcy increased 20% over the past two years.

As the most educated generation in history, we feel our efforts should bear fruit. Yet, we're frustrated and disappointed that, somehow, we let ourselves down as well as our families because we struggle to land our first jobs. A characteristic of our generation that I think goes unnoticed is the ability to capitalize on opportunities. We're eager to get ahead in the face of uncertainty. We work internships in fields we know nothing about. We make risky career moves—going with our gut and working hard to make it pay off. We're searching for places where we feel valued, challenged and included. I can tell you I don't feel entitled.

Entitled or not, I'm motivated and ambitious. I want the same success as my parents, grandparents, professors and mentors. I have dreams. Big ones. Can you truly criticize Millennials' ambitions when our grandparents grew up fueled by the American dream?

To all the Millennials out there. I think Curt's backtracking suggestion is a good one; plan the steps to get where you ultimately want to be. Channel your ambition and build a new roadmap to success. Use the entitlement label to motivate you. Don’t give-in to the criticism. We want the next generation’s burden to be lighter. We want technological advances to continue. We want the market to improve. Just like the generations before us.

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Event Camp in the Desert

Photo courtesy of Event Camp Middle East

By Steve MacKenzie, etouches Chief Revenue Officer

Event Camp Middle East 2013 took place in Abu Dhabi this year, one of the most exotic and up-and-coming destination cities. Event Camp is an innovative forum within an event where visitors and buyers can experience, learn and interact with like-minded professionals live or online. This year's show was strategically held in conjunction with Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), an iconic event attracting event professionals from the Middle East and all over the world.

Josh Dry of Showgizmo and Paul Cook of PlanetPlanit spearheaded this edition of Event Camp. Kudos to both of them for making it happen! Both Josh and Paul are veteran Event Campers and are great at at putting together an impressive panel of speakers and engaging attendees. Since its inception in 2010, etouches has supported Event Camp and in many cases was the registration and website platform. We are very proud sponsors of this groundbreaking movement

Having Event Camp Middle East in conjunction with GIBTM was a great idea by Josh and team. Not only did this increase on-site attendance but also facilitated an increase in the virtual attendance. As always, the educational content was leading edge, focusing on fresh and innovative ways to manage events and utilize new event technology. The Event Camp movement is well known for providing cutting-edge content and this year did not disappoint. The Event Camp hybrid format included seminars focused on technological advances impacting the meetings industry. The sessions were broadcast from the show floor and were streamed online to destinations as far afield as the US and Australia.

Saville Audio Visual provided the live streaming of the event in HD. Gotta love technology! Making hybrid events an engaging and innovative experience for remote attendees, new technologies play a core role in the future of event experiences. As the fastest growing region for twitter users, 2.1 million recorded in June 2012, the Middle East is a strategic location to promote hybrid event concepts.

I was scheduled for a speaking slot at the end of the first day. It was a bit surreal. I presented from my Saint Louis, Missouri home with 12 inches of snow on the ground, while the local audience was sweltering in 100 degree plus heat! During my session “Event Marketing Conversion,” I discussed the future of event data convergence. Tying together data from systems such as email marketing, event management and CRM provides event organizers with really granular information about their customers versus viewing data via separate media. This is truly the way of the future—using your data to really know your clients. 

Now I'm looking forward to the next Event Camp installment in Darwin, Australia, Event Camp Down Under in May—see you (virtually) there! 

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Event Marketing. Marketing Events. Is there a difference?

Actually there is, but like many other terms, they are used interchangeably. Are you marketing an event? Or are you using an event as a marketing tool for your organization?

Many meetings and events require marketing to increase attendance at the event (unless the attendees are required to attend). Marketing the event involves a separate set of tasks from marketing the organization. However, the branding elements should be similar so that the stakeholders identify the event as being connected to the organization. Planners may refer to the marketing tasks they are using to promote their event as “Event Marketing”.

In other segments of our industry, the term “Event Marketing” means that events are part of the organization’s overall marketing plan. They are using events as one of many tactics to increase sales, improve clients’ perception of the brand or bring customers together.

What is the goal of your meeting or event? If it is to increase awareness of your organization or brand, then that would be a marketing objective. Do you host an event to increase sales of your product or service? If your meeting or event is for your customers, then that would also be a marketing objective.

 “Across thousands of corporate event marketing departments around the world… change is happening. Strategies are being strengthened. Objectives are being fine-tuned. Campaigns are being integrated. And your live experiences are getting refined and reinvented.” – Event Marketing Summit 2013 (http://emsummit.eventmarketer.com)

If you are not getting a positive return on investment for your organization, why are you still hosting events? Knowing what to measure is important. Implement tools before, during and after the event that help you show how much sales increased from participants or how much their perception of your brand improved. You may not actually make any money from the event itself, but if it is integrated with other marketing initiatives and you can show that it is worth doing, then you have succeeded.

Don’t host an event because it is a tradition or just because that is the way it has always been done. Have conversations with the appropriate colleagues about how to transition your events into the marketing department if you feel that is where they truly belong. Even if the event is profitable, you need to tie it into the goals and objectives of the organization.  Revenue generation alone is rarely justification for holding an event. What is the event’s impact on your stakeholders?

Whether your job is “Event Marketing” or “Marketing Events”, looking at the event’s role within the organization is a great place to start. The goals and objectives of the meeting or event should support the goals and objectives of the organization hosting it. The return on investment doesn't necessarily need to come directly from the event’s revenue and expenses, but show an increase in the organization’s revenue because of the money invested in the event.

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The Live Event Experience: Confex 2013

etouches EMEA Sales Director Carsten Pleiser and UK Sales Director David Slaughter met with new etouches client, James Glavin from the British Society of Rheumatology

By Colleen Donnelly, etouches Content Marketing Associate

etouches was proud to exhibit last week at International Confex 2013 at ExCel London.  Confex is without a doubt a must-attend show for global event professionals, an inspiring and creative three days.

Pre Event Prep: Pre show research of exhibitors and attendees facilitated a jam-packed schedule over the three days, learning and sharing with other event professionals and presenting live demonstrations of the software platform to prospective clients.

Booth Design: We noticed our hot pink “love your event software” booth really stopped visitors in their tracks. Attendees and exhibitors alike were naturally drawn to the energy and enthusiasm of our space providing a natural seque, “event management software designed by event professionals.” We’ve experienced their pain points many times before. Our booth design spoke volumes without us having to.

Holographic Showcases: As events become increasingly hybrid and virtual, Confex addressed the importance of integrating virtual participants with the live event experience. Musion Systems, who famously brought Morcambe and Wise and Tupac back to life, presented their holographic projection technology. Using High Definition video projection and 3D content, holographic technology allows you to connect to your audience in a way never seen before. Attendee buzz was all about how conferences of the no-so-distant-future might use the technology. 

Hot Questions: 1.) Does etouches integrate with other event software? As the event space becomes increasingly digital, flexibility in the industry becomes imperative. We’re proud of our many partner integrations and attendees valued our customer-centric thinking.

2.) With so many event software platforms out there, where does etouches fit into the market and how do we match up against our competitors? Our software is one of the most comprehensive tool sets on the market today, managing the complete event lifecycle for event professionals all over the world. One of the many reasons we’re the most loved event software out there.

Attendee Engagement: At the center of the venue, Confex sported a streaming Twitter board with a live feed of tweets including the hashtag #Confex2013. This literally brought virtual relationships to life as twitting attendees dropped by the etouches booth to get know us and to see the platform in action. Integrating digital with live events creates new relationships and strengthens client bonds. The Twitter board was also a powerful tool for promoting the event sponsors, displaying advertisements and sponsored tweets.

We value face-to-face interaction with attendees, industry peers and event professionals. For forming and strengthening relationships there’s nothing better than the live event experience. We’re proud to exhibit at Confex and 2013’s tradeshow was a great success!

Check out video highlights from the show here: http://www.international-confex.com

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Social Media Concierge Teams

Many meeting planners have started to see the importance of hiring social media moderators or social media concierge teams for their events. However, there’s no line item in the budget for on-site social media logistics because this is a relatively new set of skills required to produce a successful conference. Unlike marketing efforts where you may be able to substitute social media for a traditional marketing tactic that you used in the past, we are talking about customer service for the event and content marketing so it will need to be discussed within your organization what the benefits of these activities are to the organization and brand.

Social Media Strategy for an event has three parts: promoting the event, customer service at the event and content marketing to help your event reach stakeholders who are not physically there. These will involve lots of different platforms and sometimes different platforms for each step. Don’t just assume that because your attendees aren’t active twitter users, that they won’t be using it at your event. The hashtag is the great equalizer.

Social media concierge teams became more popular in 2012. Because it takes at least a handful of people to be physically available for all of your attendees, it is understandable to want to keep costs low here. It is the objective of the team to encourage your attendees to share what they are learning with their online networks. Some of your attendees may not be currently using social media for professional purposes and need someone to explain the benefits of doing so. To increase the number of active community members online, you need social media teams who are active in online professional communities.

The power of social media lies in other people talking about you, not you talking about you. You already have influential attendees. What are you doing to acknowledge and appreciate them? You also have attendees who would benefit from using twitter, but they haven’t been shown how it will benefit them. Having the right people and environment where they can learn/practice is a win/win for you and for them.

A proactive, customer service minded professional can create conversations with event attendees and help them share their positive experiences. If your attendees share their positive experiences, anyone in their network who sees those messages gets a good impression of your organization. If your attendees have a complaint or feedback for you, and it is handled graciously and promptly in a public way, their network will still have a good impression of your organization.

Check out our webinar on Social Media Concierge Teams for more details on how to put a team together and pros/cons to using different types of people. Register for the recorded version here! http://bit.ly/WHireC

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Making the Ordinary and Extraordinary Sponsorship

By Nancy Largay, etouches Vice-President Global Services

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m an event junkie.  Even more so, I am an event sponsorship junkie. With many years of my career focused on identifying new sponsorships, I've always hoped a customer would say “that was THE best sponsorship I've ever invested in!”   

It’s like the show “American Pickers”… I look at what is in front of me and no matter what someone says, I’m for that special experience that can’t be found anywhere else.  When someone tells me their event sponsorships are “sold out,” I challenge any of them to find something else that can not only generate revenue, but also create an exceptional experience for the customer! 

I challenge you to leave the “ordinary” sponsorships behind and look for the extraordinary to engage your customers and raise the bar above and beyond the status quo.   Can it be done?  Of course it can, but we have to take an idea the extra mile. The idea is to create a greater value for the customer (and this does not mean you have to charge them more money) to in turn maximize their exposure and increase the ROO/ROI value.  I know the proof is in the pudding so let me give you a few examples:

Belly band on the event directory

We all know customers buy them and we also know they often end up on the floor, torn up, and spilling out of the garbage cans near registration. 

Traditional-company: Puts ad on bellyband which wraps the event guide and is then torn off and thrown away

Extraordinary-company: Also puts ad on the bellyband but with call to action to fill out your name and info on the inside of the bellyband, then bring to their booth to enter your name to win (also creating a qualified lead.)

Coffee Breaks

Wonder why nobody buys them?  Because as the status quo, they don’t provide real value to the sponsor! 

Traditional-company: Includes company name on napkins with easel sign recognizing sponsor

Extraordinary-company: Provides the hot cup coffee wrap on each cup, plus napkins and a special give-away that prompts the attendee to go to the booth to qualify to win a prize! 

Floor Decals

We know they are fun, but do they really drive value? 

Traditional- company: Creates floor decal with company name and booth number

Extraordinary-company: Provides creative graphics, adheres them to floor with a “wow” factor in the image. Even better, you can use the same adhesives on table tops and put personalized “placemats” on the top of every table where everyone will be eating lunch.  Same product, same production costs, much better impact! 

You don’t want to be ordinary.  Anyone can do that!  It’s easy to do the “same old same old” and just let the sponsorship machine chug along the same old track.  OR you can leave your comfort zone, add new value and experience to the event and improve the ROO and ROI for your sponsor.  This will bring your sponsor back year after year, engaging with your customers and investing in your bottom line which makes for a happy event manager!  Nothing is better than when a sponsor thanks you profusely for allowing them to invest in your event! 

Happy Selling! 

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What is a Meeting Planner?

By Elizabeth Glau, CMP, Building Blocks Social Media

Is your job dramatically different than it was ten years ago? How will it look ten years from now?

Our industry has always struggled to show the value of meetings. Meeting planners can be found in marketing, human resources, procurement and in rare cases we find them in a centralized meeting department. Meeting planners are increasingly outsourced and not found within an organization at all! How do you get “a seat at the table” if you are not even in the building?

Recently, we have heard a lot about how meeting planners need to be more strategic. The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification has made a transformation from a logistics focus to a strategy focus. The CMP has always asked us to consider the goals and objectives of the event when planning every detail. Now, the assumption is the meeting planner should be involved when choosing the goals and objectives of the event. Meeting planners will be able to recommend whether or not the event should even take place!

Instead of defending your profession and your job, do the research. Analyze the results and provide the data to your stakeholders about the return on investment (ROI) or return on objective (ROO) for each of your events. Be brave enough to admit the meeting you have been planning for ten years just isn’t a good business decision if you cannot come up with a way to turn it into a good business decision. Regardless of where you find yourself in the organization or even if you find yourself outside of the organization as a contractor or vendor, you have the opportunity and the obligation to initiate the conversation.

Meeting and event design is a different set of skills than logistics. We think attendees need to eat three times a day, we add in a keynote speech and break-out sessions and make it work within the confines of the venue we have selected. Can you plan a great event if you do not attend events like the one you are planning? Meeting design makes the attendee experience and objectives the priority. Design requires the vision to create the feeling of the event while tying in the branding elements and story the organization needs to tell.

A strategic planner can see the effect of logistics on marketing or human resources on operations when a change is being considered (and vice versa). Understanding financial implications and providing valuable data on why a decision should be made in one direction or the other are the traits of a strategic planner. Maybe the staff position becomes more strategic and the role that is outsourced is the one of logistics and operations. Or does it make more sense to do the opposite?

How do you see the role of meeting planner changing? Is this shift going to come from meeting planners taking the lead or will we be forced to change our priorities?

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Women at the Podium

Leonora Valvo Presents at etouches Asia-Pacific User Conference 2012

By Leonora Valvo, etouches CEO

Our Community Manager suggested that I contribute my voice to the trending conversation about Sheryl Sandberg's new book, Lean In. My initial reaction was twofold. 1.) I have never been a trend follower and 2.) What insights could I add to an already saturated topic?  Then I read a recent Harvard Business Review post by Nilofer Merchant, a corporate director at a NASDAQ-traded firm, a lecturer at Stanford and formerly the founder and CEO of Rubicon.

"Sandberg could have also mentioned that women represent less than 20% of speaker and panel spots that help confer recognition as experts in their field, or that women receive less than 3% of venture capital funding. Or that even in movie crowd scenes meant to depict "the general population", the film industry shows only 17% of crowds as female, compared with the 51% that they actually are. Women are seemingly invisible. Without visibility, consideration is absent, opportunity is lost, and access is denied."

After a significant number of years in the event space, and more recently, experience in the world of VC funding, this paragraph struck a chord. Why are there so few female keynote speakers even though women are generally much more populous on panels? Of course, like any socio-political topic, the answer is complicated. Since I am not an anthropologist, sociologist, or any other qualified ologist I will stick to my experience. For a number of years in my role as CEO of an event management company, I made it my personal mission to coach my clients about the importance of securing women speakers for their events. I am happy to say that in all cases, my clients were not only open to the idea, but, genuinely pleased. “Great Leonora! Go forth and gender balance our event.” Well, perhaps not a direct quote, but you get the idea. 

So why wasn't my recruitment as successful as I hoped? Again, complex. A number of women we asked to speak at events had these responses,  “Isn't there a panel or workshop I could participate in?” or “I don't think my company will give me approval.” or “I have a really hectic work life, I travel for my job, and I have kids. I don't accept speaking engagements because it means more time away from home.”  

There is no argument against the third response. Spending as little time away from kids and family is really important. And any of us (women) who travel extensively, especially to overseas destinations, can relate.  

But what about the other two responses? In my experience recruiting speakers, I found that successful men have a stronger desire to be the center of attention than successful women. This is an incredible “lean in” opportunity missed and, in my opinion, a major contributor for the lack of women at the podium. We need more interesting, successful, smart women to stand in front of audiences and deliver their views and opinions without having to be “more perfect” than their male counterparts. Unfortunately, many women are not big fans of “good enough,” especially those who actually have been “more perfect” to achieve what they have. 

For all of our customers programming speakers for events — go for the gold. I guarantee if you get more women on the main stage at your event, the result will be memorable.