Fork In The Road Blog

Events: Technology. Design. Strategy.

Benchmarking Event-Driven Non-Profit Social Media Campaigns

As the lead blogger for the Donate Life Utah campaign that ended on October 24, 2009 (National Make a Difference Day), I had the opportunity to participate in, as well as observe, how social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WordPress (blog) can be utilized to build an event-driven community.

Donate Life Utah was a campaign across Utah college campuses to generate the most organ donor registrations prior to the October 24 deadline. On the final day, campaign organizers held a 9K Race and .9K Walk to raise awareness and attempt a Guinness Book world record for the most organ donors to register in one day. The schools were each given $1,000 by the Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation to fund recruitment efforts. The winning school received $9,000 in scholarship money.

Our campaign kicked off on September 9. Our first blog was posted September 11. We posted daily (using a team of 4 individuals) and every post was tweeted via Twitter. A master tweeter tweeted several times daily. We also created a Facebook fan page.

In a campaign that lasted six weeks and started from 0 (0 blog readers, 0 Twitter followers, 0 Facebook fans), the final stats were as follows:

  • Twitter account reached almost 200 followers
  • Facebook page reached almost 600 fans
  • The blog had more than 50 posts, almost 1,000 unique visits, with over 350 of those in the final week alone.

The campaign steadily built momentum, reaching a crescendo during the final week. The deadline date, race and Guinness Book world record attempt helped to drive social media buy-in as volunteers and potential donors “tuned in” to social media platforms to get event details, check their school standings and obtain donor registration information.

The Takeaway: As event-based social media campaigns emerge, benchmarking among organizations and campaigns will be critical to gauging average vs. exceptional results. While all results are relative to the organization’s goals and incentives, the numbers of followers, fans and subscribers generated are less relevant than the rates of conversion (from Twitter followers to organ donors, Facebook fans to attendees, etc.). Live events and social media campaigns work well in combination. The sense of urgency created by a live event drives participation in social media platforms and is a critical component for community building.

A Meeting Planner’s Place in the Virtual World

What does a meeting, exhibition or conference planner have to do to get ahead these days? Whether you’re still employed, looking for a job or as so many career coaches say, “building your skill set,” you can’t ignore the phenomenon of virtual (online) events.

As a meeting planner myself, I can understand how some conventional planners would view online events (webinars, virtual trade shows, TelePresence experiences, MUVE environments, etc.) as competition. After all, who needs to know how to set a room theatre style or how many bran muffins to order for breakfast, when your attendees are spread throughout the country?

Planners are misguided, however, if they feel they can avoid the virtual movement or relegate all of the tasks to a technology provider. There is ample need for qualified planners on a strategic and logistical level when planning a virtual or hybrid event.

Meeting planners bring a unique perspective to online events including an understanding of the objectives and the experience that comes from planning live meetings and trade shows.  They are the conduit between senior management or the client and the virtual technology provider.

There is a niche that can be uniquely filled by meeting planners because virtual events are designed to emulate the face-to-face experience and not the reverse.

The execution of a virtual event requires much of the same acumen that a professional meeting planner or exhibition manager possesses including:

  • Content management (speaker selection, presentation topics, content capture)
  • Event registration
  • Pre-event audience promotion
  • Post-event attendee evaluations
  • Return on investment or objectives analysis
  • Selection and supervision of sub-contractors
  • Exhibit/sponsorship sales (trade shows)
  • Translation services (international meetings)

Planners of the future will need to know about the features, benefits, technology and execution of online events in addition to the elements of conventional meetings in order to keep pace with the profession. Some specific areas of knowledge will include:

  • Virtual meeting platforms (differences, features, functionality, suitability)
  • Blended meetings
  • Social networking integration (Twitter for Q & A, for example)
  • RFP preparation for virtual platforms
  • Internet/satellite connectivity requirements
  • Streaming/live content vs. archived content
  • Perceptions of virtual meetings
  • Production/staging of virtual events
  • Costs and potential revenue streams
  • Mobile device integration
  • Attendee guides

Where then does a meeting planner go to learn the ins and out of virtual meetings? MarketingProfs offers some great advice on virtual conference planning. Although the content is only available to premium members for a fee, they have a two-day free trial membership that is worth signing up for.  

Another resource is Julius Solaris’s EventManager blog. He has a couple of good posts there including “Job Title: Webcasting Manager,” which touches on the role of event managers in executing virtual events.  

Technology providers themselves are valuable resources. Vconferenceonline has recognized the value of educating meeting planners about online conferences. They will present a free webinar developed specifically for meeting planners on Thursday, October 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST.

Katherine Elliott of Vconferenceonline shared the content of the webinar, titled Virtual Event University, with me. Here’s the run down of topics that the speakers will cover (straight from her email):

1.    Meeting Planners and Virtual Events – an excellent combination

  • Why virtual events need a planner

2.    Why is a virtual event safe?  What’s in it for you? (financially and otherwise)

  • You be the expert/”savior”/cutting edge
  • Develop an “experience” for your client and their audience
  • Small learning curve – don’t have to learn new technology
  • Economical
  • Less risk and more control
  • All but the handshake–increased attendance, flexibility

3.    Obtaining and planning content

  • Content is still king
  • Securing speakers, high profile or otherwise
  • Contracting, considerations

4.    Marketing your event

  • Alone or with a physical event
  • How to present yourself and the event
  • Involve speakers and sponsors early

5.    Using the new media (digital media)

  • Where’s your place?
  • What about social media?

6.    Misc/best practices

  • How to work with other events
  • What kinds of events can you offer?
  • Can you charge?
  • Exhibitors/sponsors
  • Involving the CEO in marketing and/or keynotes

Virtual Event University is free of charge.  It will also be archived after the presentation on October 29th for a short time, for planners that want to view it in stages or refer back to it later on. I expect that Vconferenceonline’s main objective will be showcasing their technology in addition to providing great content, but I think it’s a fair trade.

The Takeaway: The economic turnaround may not be fully realized for at least another year. Many planners are struggling already with the loss of business from regular clients and the major cutbacks in the corporate and association arenas. At the same time, virtual events of all types are ramping up. Technology providers are moving into the space quickly. It is incumbent upon meeting planners–those with CMPs, CMMs, CEMs and those without–to learn all they can about virtual events and stake their own claim in the virtual world.

 

Money, Money, Money, Money, MONEY: Social Media Revenue Streams for Trade Shows and Conferences

You may not remember “For the Love of Money” by the O’Jays from listening to your own records, your parent’s or watching Soul Train on TV, but that’s what the quest for social media ROI reminds me of. Once the business model for social media provided event organizers with new revenue streams, it suddenly became more than a “shiny new object.”

For a cool multi-sensory blog experience, try playing the song in the background while you read this post. 

Smartphones

The Follow Me app from Core-Apps is a great example of the types of revenue opportunities available on smartphone platforms. There are two flavors of Follow Me. One is Web-based (an Internet connection is required but the app is free) and includes a show floor map, exhibitor search function, trade show alerts and local merchant/exhibitor advertising capabilities. 

An interactive, full-featured application that does not require an Internet connection costs $1.99 and includes all of the features of the Web-based application plus interactive scheduling, links to friends, interactive mapping and routing and the download of exhibitor brochures.

Follow Me offers revenue opportunities including application sales (downloads), exhibitor banner ads, click-through coupons, enhanced exhibitor information, local merchant advertising. Core-apps charges a one-time overhead fee but allows event organizers to recoup the fee at 50% of the captured revenue until the fee is recouped and 30% of the revenue after the overhead fee threshold is met.

ChirpE from A2Z, Inc., is another Web-based mobile application that offers revenue generation opportunities for exhibition organizers. It replaces the printed exhibitor guide eliminating some or all of the printing costs. 

ChirpE allows attendees to access exhibitor and conference session information, create a personalized itinerary, receive updates on event buzz (text messages posted on a ChirpE channel by a designated Community Reporter) and schedule changes.

ChirpE users can e-mail exhibitors directly and access exhibitor Web sites. Event details and personalized itineraries are synchronized in real-time between Facebook®, ChirpE and the event Web site. It also integrates LinkedIn® and Twitter® as well. 

A2Z, Inc. charges exhibition organizers a fee to access the premium version of the ChirpE platform, however a basic version is offered free to existing clients. Attendees can access both basic and premium services at no charge. Additional revenue can be generated through sponsorship opportunities and banner ads placed on ChirpE screens and notification emails.

Private social networking platforms 

It’s fair to say that most of the event-centric social networking platforms such as Zerista, Pathable, Crowdvine, TheSocialCollective and others offer revenue streams to event organizers. John Kanarowski of Zerista was kind enough to send me some specific information on the revenue options for his platform. “Keep in mind, these are incremental revenue opportunities that are not available to event organizers on general purpose social networks [such as Facebook and LinkedIn and YouTube],” he says. 

The primary revenue sources that Zerista offers event organizers include: 

  • Sponsorship of the entire networking platform for a specific event. Zerista packages custom banners, welcome messages, links within event related emails and data on exhibitor and attendee usage and interest patterns in the sponsorship offering. 
  • Exhibitor upgrades to a “virtual booth” within the event networking platform. The virtual booth is “an online space that provides additional communication and networking features,” Kanarowski says. Organizers can bundle the virtual booth upgrades into premium booth packages.
  • Access to conference content by virtual attendees. Zerista’s platform offers solutions for running a blended event (live and virtual) or virtual only event. Zerista’s platform allows the distribution of streamed and archived content as well as an ecommerce engine to sell and manage online access. 

Virtual Tradeshows and Conferences 

Aside from the usual sponsorship and advertising opportunities such as banners, sponsorship of the various components (speakers, rooms, networking, prizes, etc.) booths and other content that virtual events offer, VConferenceOnline is also offering a turnkey program to independent meeting planners. 

VConferenceOnline’s philosophy is that there are certain tasks that meeting planners have to do whether the conference is live or virtual such as coordinate speakers, manage content and handle registration. The company is developing an online conference called Virtual Event University scheduled for some time in October. The conference will define the role of the meeting planner in online event presentation and outline specific revenue opportunities such as a mark-up on the cost of the event. 

Twitter 

Twitter has infiltrated the minds of the entrepreneurial event marketing types with and without the use of third-party platforms. The Friday Pint blog highlights some of the Twitter-based revenue opportunities. “… at least two new sponsorship opportunities emerge: for starters, invite sponsorship of your tweetup. Forward-thinking trade shows have already benefited from displaying live tweets on a large screen at their event – offer sponsorship of the screen. Plus, a post-show write-up of the key themes emerging on twitter during the event sent to all attendees offers additional branding opportunity.”

The Takeaway:  If part of an event organizer’s social media strategy involves developing new revenue streams, there are seemingly unlimited ways to slice and dice the social media pie of offerings. Most of the opportunity lies with third-party event-centric platforms. Additionally, the limited ability to generate revenue streams from Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and others may make them less attractive even though the initial out-of-pocket costs are lower. Don’t blame me if the O’Jays song is stuck in your head now.

Why National Speakers Association Chose Facebook Over Private Social Networking Platform for 2009 Convention

When the National Speakers Association (NSA) considered social networking platforms to enhance their 2009 Convention, they compared private and public options. Platform features, cost and attendee preferences were among the top considerations.

The main goal for NSA was to build community. “Community is a huge part of our organization. We look for ways to learn from each other and connect. [A social network] was a way for our attendees to learn who was coming to the conference in advance and get to know people ahead of time,” says Cara Tracy, director of professional development for the Tempe, AZ-based organization.

The private platform that NSA reviewed was full-featured but relatively expensive (fees were based on the number of anticipated users). Because the organization had never used a social networking platform for a meeting before, it was difficult to predict usage.

The NSA compared the features and costs of the private platform under consideration to Facebook, a public platform with fewer event-centric features but free to use for the association, its members and conference attendees.

Facebook carried with it the added advantage that many NSA members and conference attendees were already on Facebook and would likely continue to use the platform long after the conference concluded (unlike the private platform that would eventually expire).

NSA’s IT department set up a Facebook group called “National Speakers Association 2009 Convention Attendees” several months in advance of the convention. 387 people joined the group. The convention was held in Phoenix from July 18-21. The most recent post on Facebook was August 22, 2009.

“People were using the Facebook group for things we hadn’t anticipated like calling for volunteers or searching for room mates,” Tracy says. Although NSA didn’t establish any goals for usage in advance, they were pleased with the outcome and plan to establish a group for the 2010 convention as well.

NSA also set up an “event” in LinkedIn asking attendees to RSVP for the convention even though formal registration was still required. “We used LinkedIn to get an idea of how many people were planning to attend the conference. It also gave us a way to communicate with those that responded on LinkedIn but didn’t actually attend. We think our members sometimes tune out email. This is another way to reach them,” Tracy explains.

For more immediate communication with attendees, NSA set up a Twitter hash tag as a way to communicate updates and reminders before, during and after the conference (for example, “the early bird registration deadline is coming up,” book your hotel rooms now,” “wear your name tags to the opening reception,” “the bus is leaving from the ballroom foyer” and “don’t forget to complete your evaluations”).

The Takeaway: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other public platforms are ways for associations and other non-profit groups to become acquainted with social networking at low cost (the manpower for setting up and monitoring the groups should be considered as a cost) and relatively low risk. Although private platforms provide many more benefits, for some associations such as NSA, the value proposition isn’t as solid as private platform providers would like it to be. It may be that once sponsorship opportunities proliferate on private social networking platforms and become low cost revenue streams for event organizers, that the return on investment of private platforms will become obvious and the adoption rate for more budget-conscious associations will accelerate.

How the Social Media Revolution Is Shortening Our Lives (In A Good Way)

I’ve been seeing a pattern for a while and some recent tidbits that I’ve stumbled across confirm my suspicions. Social media has changed the way we WANT to consume product/company/event information–from long diatribes about a company’s product to short and sweet bursts of flavorful info that spark an idea.

Twitter is the prime example. Natch! But there’s more and more coming from the face-to-face meeting world that points in the same direction. Here’s what I’m talking about…

Look at the TED Conference. Some of the most brilliant minds in the universe gather to deliver ideas that they are passionate about to an audience that has paid $2,000 to $6,000 to attend in person (less if you want to attend virtually). Speakers are allowed only 18 minutes each to present an idea that they believe will change the world.

Then you have Pecha Kucha Nights. Local groups all over the world that get together to listen to local artists, professionals and “ordinary” citizens give a PowerPoint presentation for 6 minutes and 40 seconds (20 slides x 20 seconds each) on topics they are passionate about. In Christchurch, New Zealand folks talked about guerilla gardening, the brain of a kiwi and “Hamster Squaredance” (not sure I want to go there).

Last year I attended the Global Events Partners Global Summit, a private event held by the company for it’s sales executives and clients. One day they presented a Destination Showcase involving 20-some of their partners/offices. Speakers from destinations that GEP represents walked onto a stage for 3 minutes each while a PowerPoint flashed a couple of slides behind them. There were no pauses between the speakers or the slides and as one presenter walked off, the next person in line walked on in this continuous flow of talk, jokes and even songs.

As I was checking out the run down for our monthly Salt Lake Social Media Club meeting, I noticed that it will be a joint meeting with group called Ignite Salt Lake. It sounds like a Pecha Kucha meets TED opportunity for local folks with ideas of all kinds to talk about their passions.

I realized how valuable the contribution of people’s seemingly disparate ideas are to my own thought processes at a session titled “An Industry in Transition” during the MPI World Education Conference a few weeks ago. Presenters Fiona Pelham of Organise This and Elizabeth Henderson of MPI presented a framework for problem-solving around the subject of creating a more sustainable meetings and exhibitions industry.

Toward the end of the session, Pelham posed the question to the group of 30 or so attendees, “What kinds of skills can you exchange with someone else to accelerate the learning process?” Audience members quickly threw out a number of skills including writing in British English, riding a motorcycle, becoming a locavore (slow cooking), canning (for consumption of food during the meeting) graphic design, participating in the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) program, calculating a renewable energy mix, and wine making. I walked away thinking about how to cram all of these “skills” into the mind box I created for myself called “how do these ideas help to make meetings more sustainable?” I also wanted to figure out how to re-connect with Fiona and Elizabeth.

So not only do we like to talk in short, truncated sentences on Twitter or the Facebook wall, we like to consume information in the same way. We don’t really like to be sold to (hence the popularity of the DVR and Tivo) but we love new ideas and would likely buy from someone that has a good un-related (to their product or service) idea just because we find him or her interesting.

Here’s the takeaway:  Social media is teaching us the value of short, rich and succulent ideas. In the context of conference content, besides being brief, the content has to be thought-provoking and perhaps only somewhat related to the industry or the product of the presenters.  Most definitely, overt product pitches are so 2006. But since, as TED espouses, all knowledge is related, there is some value in exploring ways to present great ideas about a wide variety of subjects and leave it to the audience to connect the dots about how it can apply to them, their companies, their jobs and their lives.

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