Tag: events

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Using video to promote an event, have you tried it yet?

Videos on social media are users’ favourite content and are twice as popular as photos and four times more popular than text posts. A report from the US video company Animoto has revealed that video content has the best return on investment for marketers on social media. 88% of people surveyed were pleased with the ROI of their video marketing efforts and 93% percent said that they gained a new customer or client thanks to a video on social media.

Many event organisers still haven’t tried video, but it’s a good idea to build it in to the marketing strategy, in the following ways:

  • Launch video: this will drive awareness and create excitement – let everyone know what is happening and when.
  • Run-up to the event: share details of speakers, the programme, exhibitors and any additions to the event
  • About the event: answer the key basics – what time is the event starting, where is it and how to get there, what they should expect, things to remember or bring
  • Afterwards: relive the excitement and successes for attendees and let people who didn’t attend know that they missed out. Invite people back next year and thank everyone involved.

Video formats

In social media feeds, square videos are most popular as they take up to 78% more space in a mobile feed than horizontal shots. Instagram stories uses a vertical format of Instagram Stories and as a result vertical video is growing. So, make your news feed videos are square to get the most screen coverage. Also look at Instagram Stories for tips. Instagram is deisgned to be instant and personal, so it’s not necessary to have expensive, professional videos and content filmed on a phone works fine.

Video is getting shorter and shorter, because of the power of Instagram Stories which encourages stories to be told in moments. By making a video short, viewers are most likely to watch all of it. Between 10-30 seconds is ideal, using 2 second clips to get the message across quickly. There’s only a second or two to capture a viewer’s attention as they are scrolling down a page.

Check for news about your event, industry information, the speakers, attendees and react to it quickly. Use anything relevant in a video summary to keep promoting your messages.

Use a mobile phone to collect quick clips immediately and try to get the right shots, some of the ones you’ll need are:

Close-up shots that capture emotion — people having fun, cheering, concentrating, networking
Crowd shots – showing the volume of people, as well as the venue and what’s happening
Shots of performers, speakers, presenters on stage — try to capture questions, applause or laughter from the audience
Testimonials and soundbites from attendees sharing what they get out of your event
Shots from the stage, showing the audience from the presenter’s view
Use a drone to capture aerial shots of the entire event, but make sure you are insured if you are flying over people.
Product and merchandise clips, which can be used to set the scene

Create the video

You can either use a template or create the video from scratch. Firstly, decide the order of the clips, but don’t use a logo at the beginning. Use the first few seconds to capture the viewer’s attention with something exciting and stop them scrolling further.

Tests show that text at the top of the video clip work best on opening clips. Think about asking a question to keep people watching. Put your call to action in the middle of the video, as well as other places, in case viewers don’t get to the end.

Build your video promotion strategy

Facebook and Instagram prioritise video in their algorithm, which means that your organic posts will reach a greater audience. If you are paying for ads it should result in more sales.

Facebook

There are more than 1.47 billion daily users of Facebook and can be used successfully if you:

  • Target a defined market
  • Have a Facebook Events page
  • Use Facebook’s targeted advertising options
  • Avoid a hard sell because Facebook is a personal space for friends, conversation, not sales pitches
  • Create square videos, which appear bigger in the news feed
  • Make videos that work without sound, because 85% of viewers scroll through their feeds with sound disabled

Instagram

This site is about images and stunning visuals to build your brand. It’s good if:

  • Your audience is young and your event imagery visually enticing
  • You can work with influencers who have a big following on this platform and can help you cross-promote
  • You have more than 10,000 followers, which means that you can use the “swipe up” function of Instagram Stories to connect to your registration page
  • Include a call to action button to convert interest to sales.

As well as the social media platforms, videos can be used elsewhere too …

  • On email: if you use the word “video” in a subject line it will increase open rates.
  • Website: make sure the latest video is embedded on your Home Page.
  • YouTube: it’s the world’s second-largest search engine (after Google), so posting a video there increases your chances of being seen with little effort.
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Planners want employers to reduce work stress, survey shows

Event planners want their employers to do more to make their work less stressful, according to a new survey.

A survey sent to attendees of De-Stress Fest, the event industry’s first free well-being festival at The Royal Horticultural Halls in May, returned with a very clear message, as 100 per cent of respondents said that they want employers to do more to make their work less stressful.

Laura Capell-Abra from Stress Matters, one of the festival’s partners, said “It’s no surprise that organisers are desperate for their employers to recognise their plight, however it’s not asking the impossible. By taking time out to hear their needs and give them tools such as going on our Mental Health First Aider Workshops, employers will be able to put systems in place to avoid stress getting out of control, thereby achieving a happier and more productive work force.”

80 per cent acknowledged that the job itself had become more stressful in the last five years, with some saying that their workload had doubled. When asked about the kind of wellness initiatives they’d like to see in the workplace there were a wide range of responses to aid mental and physical well-being including taking the Stress Matters pledge, talk therapy, meditation, re-balancing, massage, yoga, workshops and Access Bars which ‘de-frag’ the brain.

Three quarters took away useful tips from the festival to help them de-stress at work and home, with one in four recognising the need to take a break to re-energise body and mind to be more productive in the long run. Breathing techniques were also a big hit as were re-balancing and posture re-alignment.

Lorraine Thorne, venue sales manager at RHH, said “I’m glad De-Stress Fest served people well, and many took something valuable away with them. The survey also showed that there is a need for events like this and everyone wants De-Stress Fest to happen next year. We are currently in discussion, so watch this space.

“Throughout the Royal Horticultural Society we now have Wellbeing Champions who can point staff to the appropriate person to help their situation. We are also promoting walking at lunchtime and we will be offering yoga, massage and meditation in the near future.”

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Virtual conferencing platform raises €4m for UK expansion

Virtway, the world’s largest 3D virtual world conferencing platform, has raised €4 million to launch in the UK, marking its first expansion outside the company’s native Spain. The funding was led by Virtway Invest AB and was driven by high demand for the platform in the UK and the USA.

Founded in 2014 by Spanish entrepreneur Jose Antonio Tejedor, Virtway is an immersive platform that provides online 3D virtual experiences such as conferences, fairs and training sessions. Users choose their own avatar and can present, talk and network with each other in real time, simulating the feeling of direct contact.

Virtway boasts that it enables organisers to create events that can go beyond the limits of the real world. It expands the attendee list to more countries while reducing the carbon footprint through reduced travel, amounting to a more cost-effective and greener alternative to physical events.

Jose Antonio Tejedor, founder and CEO, said: “This investment will be a great boost to what we hope will be a successful expansion in the UK following increased demand from English speaking countries. It’s a really exciting time for the company with a huge amount of interest in the product from companies and universities.

“We have an exciting and unparalleled product and are constantly working to improve the UX (user experience). There is no other platform that is offering the level of connectivity and experience that Virtway is currently bringing to the marketplace. The funding will be used to further improve the product and increase our footprint outside of Spain. It has come at a great time and we are looking forward to the next stage of our journey.”

With its in-house developed 3D engine, Virtway can be accessed through computers and both iOS and Android mobile devices. Events cost between £1,000 and £10,000, depending on the size of the event and their platform permits an infinite number of users to connect allowing 500 avatars to be present in the same virtual room not only from tablets and computers but also from mobile phones. In addition, Virtway attendees can talk, chat and network with other attendees from any device.

The platform can be used for a wide range of activities including conferences, careers fairs, training and remote learning. The wide range of applications has seen it being used by companies such as AstraZeneca, Accenture, Everis and Manpower.

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New Gastronomic Space in Madrid

La Quinta del Jarama, a unique venue located just 10 minutes from Madrid, has opened a new gastronomic space, The Living Room.

This space is ideal for presentations, meetings, show cooking activities or tastings. This is a friendly space designed by Natalia Casco de Kuboene that combines technology and latest trends in decoration, as well as a very creative gastronomic proposal.

La Quinta de Jarama is a space designed to accommodate singular events. it spreads out over 15.000m2, consisting of a 4,000m2 construction and gardens designed in a Spanish-Arabic style. The venue can accommodate meetings from 30 people to up to 1,000 seated guests.

La Quinta del Jarama
The Living Room
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Italy sees International events on the rise with 8.1 per cent increase in 2018

Italy has seen a jump in the number of international events, which have a significant proportion of overseas participants, increase from 7.9 per cent in 2017 to 8.1 per cent in 2018.

Most conferences and events (59.5 per cent) are local in dimension – with participants (excluding speakers) mainly coming from the same region as the host venue.

Overall, conferences and events held in Italy increased by 5.8 per cent in 2018, with participant figures slightly down (-2.4 per cent).

The decrease in growth figures was due to a fall in conferences promoted by international associations.

As a result, the recommendation was that Italy needs to undertake more promotional activities to combat competition from other destinations.

“Internationalisation, planning and quality are the three elements Italy needs to compete and get out of the impasse we have observed in the associations markets,” said Alessandra Albarelli, president of Federcongressi&eventi.

“Internationalisation means strengthening Convention Bureau Italia’s role in promoting the country as a MICE destination, in partnership with national tourist board ENIT; planning consists of implementing, together with all the institutions, particularly the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and Tourism, long-term, targeted strategic activities for the sector.”

The latest results are from the Italian Survey of Conferences and Events, the research project by Italy’s meeting industry association Federcongressi&eventi.

Professor Roberto Nelli, who headed up the survey made some recommendations: “A first attempt at mapping events and conferences hosted in Italy shows that, given the current situation in which most events are hosted in places that can be described as part of Italy’s ‘Great Beauty’, it is possible to identify meeting industry development strategies that leverage the strengths of certain regions: for example, those with vast potential in their cultural and natural heritage that has not been fully exploited.”

Hotels and conference centres were the best performers. Conference hotels play host to most events: 80.6 per cent of the total, +6.9 per cent versus 2017. Conference centres also performed well, accounting for 3.2 per cent of total events (+3.9 per cent) but also registering the highest average number of events per venue: 156.3.

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Global meetings and events industry set to converge at The Meetings Show

Meeting and event professionals from around the world will be coming together this week for two days of inspiration, education and networking at The Meetings Show, which is preparing for its biggest show to date.

Taking place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June at Olympia London, The Meetings Show will bring together more than 4,500 industry professionals, including over 700 exhibitors and more than 900 hosted buyers already signed up.

Following the hugely successful launch of a new two-day format in 2018, this year the show has seen significant growth in mid to long-haul destinations exhibiting, its education programme has been revamped with exciting new formats for sessions, and for the first time the show is offering dedicated initiatives to support young and up-and-coming talent in the industry.

To help you plan your visit, here are some of the highlights of The Meetings Show 2019.

Pre-Show Conference

Focus on this year being a sell out. A sell-out success in 2018, the Pre-Show Conference returns on Tuesday 25 June to offer exclusive educational opportunities to attendees of the three-day Hosted Buyer programme. Held this year at the Olympia Conference Centre, the conference will be opened with a keynote from one of the UK’s leading economists, Gerard Lyons, then followed with dedicated streams for agency, corporate and association buyers.

Hosted Buyer Welcome Reception

Hosted buyers will be getting into the swing of networking at the Tuesday evening Hosted Buyer Welcome Reception, taking place at hi-tech mini-golf venue Puttshack. Attendees will be able to vie for their place on the leaderboard for the night, while catching up with industry friends old and new ahead of the main show opening on Wednesday 26.

Inspiring exhibitors

With more than 700 hotels, venues, destinations and suppliers to the industry in attendance, visitors will be able to find all the inspiration they need for planning their next event. Walking the show floor, you’ll notice an increased international presence – 18% greater year-on-year – thanks to a whole host of new exhibitors, as well as many familiar faces from last year returning with bigger and better displays. You can see the full list of exhibitors here.

Engaging education

This year The Meetings Show is shaking up its education programme with sessions including expertise from outside of the industry and insight shared in a variety of unusual formats, including a courtroom trial, a dramatic performance and a live teambuilding pitch exercise. The Technology Tour will offer speed meetings with innovative suppliers and campfire sessions will provide the chance to participate in small-group discussions to get to the bottom of any burning issues.

Tomorrow’s Talent

The Meetings Show is celebrating and championing the rising stars of the industry with its Tomorrow’s Talent initiative. Launched in December 2018, Tomorrow’s Talent has sought out the 10 brightest under 30s from event agencies, associations, venues and suppliers to the industry to offer a platform for furthering their careers. The 10 winners will be in attendance at the show, and meeting with fellow event professionals at the MPI Foundation Cocktails for Charity event at 5pm on Wednesday 26.

The Future of Meetings

Once again, The Meetings Show in partnership with the Meeting Design Institute has selected the five most promising start-ups in the meetings technology sector to be shortlisted for The Future of Meetings Award. All five nominees will be exhibiting on the MDI stand and the winner will be announced on Wednesday 26 at 16:30.

The Meetings Show takes place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June at Olympia London. For more information and to register as a visitor, visit www.themeetingsshow.com/register. Join in the conversation and find out who else is attending by using the hashtag #MeetYouAtTheShow.

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VisitScotland launches Legends Legacy Network

VisitScotland Business Events has launched Scotland’s “Legends Legacy Network” – an evolution of its award-winning Legends marketing campaign.

The initiative was announced at a dinner hosted by The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and Heritage Portfolio, attended by 15 organisations across Scotland.

The Legends Legacy Network will bring together Scotland’s innovation centres, industry representative organisations and research hubs. It will utilise Scotland’s business events to enhance the country’s inward investment, inclusive growth and global profiling ambitions.

The evening welcomed a variety of sectors including technology, data science, creative, food & drink, marine, publishing, sensors & imaging and life sciences. These groups are represented by internationally renowned institutions such as The Data Lab, The Scottish Association for Marine Science, The Roslin Institute, Creative Scotland and many more.

Focus was on the importance of legacy and collaboration, both nationally and internationally, and how the country can connect with international businesses through business events. It aimed to promote Scotland as “a place where new #ideasbecomelegend.”

Rory Archibald, Associations and Sectors at VisitScotland Business Events said: “Legacy is much more than a fun run or a one-off public event as part of a conference programme.

“It is key to work closely with Scottish expertise, so that event organisers and delegates can see Scotland as a destination with world-class knowledge, which can create lasting partnerships, secure mutually beneficially investment and help discover the next idea that will become legend, the next idea that can change the world.

The Legends Legacy Network will continue to push and develop on the outstanding work that has already been achieved through the Legends campaign and continue to show that Business Events are a critical tool for economic and social progress.

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ICC Wales launches recruitment drive for ambassador programme

With the imminent opening of ICC Wales (International Convention Centre) the Ambassador Wales programme is aiming to expand to attract national and international association conferences to Wales.

Most recently, the Ambassador Wales programme held a recruitment drive at Swansea University to inform academics about the programme and how they can get involved.

Andrew Rhodes, registrar and chief operating officer at Swansea University said: “We were very pleased to welcome the team from ICC Wales to Swansea University and it was great to learn more about the venue we have all seen take shape as we drive past along the motorway.

“This conference centre is a very important new facility for Wales and we were excited to hear about how we can best work together to benefit from this fantastic opportunity, and the part the university and its faculty members can play in attracting and hosting new events.”

Much like other ambassador programmes in the UK, the Ambassador Wales programme aims to bring together a leading network of professionals, often academics, who believe in championing wales as a conference, event and business event destination.

Recruitment drive speaker and Manchester ambassador, professor Jackie Oldham, director of strategic initiatives, Oxford Road Corridor, shared her experiences of being an ambassador, while at the event.

“I used to think the role of ambassador was only for famous people like Brian Cox but I realised I was travelling to lots of conferences and making lots of connections, and that I could make a difference by promoting Manchester to these audiences. Not just the city as a destination but the expertise Manchester has developed within my own field of healthcare.

“Being a destination ambassador is a win-win from my point of view because it’s fantastic to bring colleagues you have met all over the world to Manchester and show them all that we have to offer, and it’s also of huge benefit on a more local level to work and network with my fellow ambassadors and achieve more by working together.

“The best example for me was bringing the inaugural World Healthcare Congress Europe to Manchester this year. That was something I never believed we would be able to achieve.”

When it opens this year, ICC Wales will accommodate more than 5,000 delegates and include a 4,000 sqm pillar-free main hall, a 1,500-seated auditorium, 15 flexible meeting rooms, a double-height glass atrium with views of the surrounding Coldra Woods and a 2,500sqm outdoor plaza.

The ICC Wales team will be visiting more universities in the coming months to further promote the benefits of joining the Ambassador Wales programme.

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8 reasons why EDGE Venues wants to #MeetYouAtTheShow

EDGE Venues is planning to make a big impact at this year’s Meetings Show, on 26th and 27th June at Olympia London.

The Meetings Show marks six months since EDGEvenues.com, innovative meetings technology, launched. And the team behind it has loads to share with show visitors.

Whether you’re an agent, a corporate or a venue, here are eight reasons why you should meet us at the Show:

1. Our technology

During our years of experience in the meetings and events industry, we’ve listened. We’ve listened to bookers and venues on what they needed to improve the simplicity of venue-finding. And we spent the last 18 months developing a new meetings platform that allows fast searches, intelligent comparisons and easy bookings everyone involved in the booking process. Want to know more? Then we’ll #MeetYouAtTheShow and show you first-hand how easy EDGE is to use.

2. See venues on the big screen

We’re going big at The Meetings Show – so big we’ve got a 86 inch screen to show you how great venues look on EDGE. And if you’re from a venue, we’ll go through your page with easy steps to improve your profile to achieve a spot in our 100% Club – because improving your searchability helps bookers match your property with their needs!

3. Central hub of information

New features, articles, venue news, special offers, commission deals, fam trips – and much more – are uploaded to EDGE Venues on a daily basis. So, it’s easy to find out what your favourite venue is doing, or with what’s happening across the industry. You can access many of the updates and all of our members’ amazing special offers by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Not only that, these offers are shown by city and destination – so pick your location and see what offers we have available there.

4. Be part of our booker prize draw

The Meetings Show wouldn’t be doing its job if there wasn’t a prize draw thrown in for visitors. Our first prize draw is for bookers (don’t worry venues, we’ve a got a treat in store for you as well), and it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t draw on the influence of our MD, Jacqui’s, to offer something with a real Irish Experience.

Dublin Weekend Experience for 2 to include:

Return Flights to Dublin from the UK.  2 nights bed and breakfast with a fabulous dinner each evening for 2 – with golf and lots of other treats at the wonderful 5 Star Carton House Hotel – sponsored by Visit Ireland and Carton House Hotel.

Visit our stand to enter and meet with our Irish friends to hear all about what Dublin and Carton House have to offer your event. 

5. Understand how to compare and share venues in your searches

One our key features is venue comparison and share options. Let us take you through some simple searches to compare some of your favourite venues. Then save and share this comparison with your colleagues or clients with a personalisation and your own insights on the venues offered. Whether you’re in need of a specific meeting room layout, or a hotel with capacity for overnight accommodation, our search function lets you easily compare your options. What’s more, where a venue has a special offer or a ‘buy it now’, it will be visible in the search so that you can take immediate advantage.  

6. Capture our destination knowledge

EDGE Venues is more than just a UK hub of venues, we’re global! We have profiles of more than 125 destinations over 45 countries. We’ll tell you the average flight time, the currency, whether Visas are required and how you can get value for money whilst you’re out there.

So why don’t you come and test our knowledge and let us show you how easy it is to find a venue in your chosen destination?  

7. Venues opportunity to win a fantastic prize

We promised that venues would also have the chance to win one of our fabulous prizes… Fancy winning a 3-night stay in Glen Cottage including one dinner for two people at Michelin star pub restaurant – The Olive Branch wand why not drop into the office and meet the Trinity / EDGE team on route whilst enjoying the delights of the Historic town of Stamford.

8. Meet the team behind the magic

We’re a relatively small team here at EDGE Venues, but we’re a team who is passionate about making a difference to the meetings and events industry. We always want to put a face to a name, so stop by stand D500 and let us show just how passionate we are and how we can help you make a difference to your bookings.

Our final call out to Agents/Corporates – Find out why EDGE Venues should be your first point of call for all meeting and event bookings – come and see us on stand D500.

Our final call out to Venues – Find out why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to showcase your venue to its maximum potential which will increase number of enquiries into your property – come and see us on stand D500.

Register for The Meetings Show here.

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Networking is key to success in events, The Meetings Show reports

A survey of meeting and event planners carried out by The Meetings Show has found that the majority of event planners think networking is vital in their jobs, with millennials valuing it the most highly.

Overall, 59% of participants in the survey regarded networking events as an important part of their job, but this figure rose to 85% among 18-30-year-olds, who cited making new contacts (80%) and raising their profile in the industry (71%) as the key reasons for attending.

While the younger generation clearly see the value in networking, the majority – 85% – were averse to attending on their own, preferring to go with a colleague or group of colleagues.

More experienced event planners were happier to go it alone, with over a third (36.4%) of 31-45-year-olds preferring to attend by themselves.

Motivations for attending differed among the older generations too, with generating new business leads and meeting with existing industry contacts and friends being cited as key drivers by more than 50% of respondents over 30.

The survey also looked at the logistics which make the ‘perfect’ networking event and found that midweek events were most popular, with 69% preferring events held on Wednesdays, while more than half (52.2%) said they would be willing to travel no more than an hour to attend an event.

When it comes to the format of events, paired or group activities was the most popular option, chosen by 53% of respondents, although for the 31-45 age group appointment-based networking was preferred, while for planners aged 46 and over, seat rotation at a dinner was chosen by 70%.

David Chapple, group event director of The Meetings Show, said: “Networking is one of the core pillars of The Meetings Show, and so we are always reviewing the way we facilitate networking to make sure it’s of the most benefit to our exhibitors and visitors. The findings of the survey have reinforced just how important it is, especially for younger event professionals looking to grow their networks and raise their profile within the industry.

“Walking into a room full of people you don’t know can be daunting, which is why this year we have introduced a new initiative specifically aimed at helping junior event planners. If they have a senior colleague who is attending the show as a hosted buyer, then on the second day of the show the junior colleague will be able to join them for all of their appointments, as well as having access to the hosted buyer lounge, for a less intimidating introduction to the industry.

“With networking at The Meetings Show being provided in a number of different formats, all either on the show floor or within easy reach of Olympia, we hope that all of our attendees will benefit from the opportunity to come together at the show.”

The Meetings Show

Throughout The Meetings Show, networking opportunities will take place in a variety of locations and formats, making it the ideal opportunity to meet new contacts as well as catch up with industry friends.

For hosted buyers, the networking will get off to a swinging start with the Hosted Buyer Welcome Reception on Tuesday 25 June. This year attendees will have the chance to tee off at one of London’s top alternative venues, Puttshack, where a friendly – or ever so slightly competitive – round of mini golf will help to break the ice.

When the doors open to the show on Wednesday 26, networking opportunities will be on offer throughout the show, including on-stand receptions hosted by exhibitors, a charity party hosted by MPI and dedicated networking for young event professionals.

Hosted buyers will also have exclusive chances to network in the Hosted Buyer Lounge at the show, and can apply to join post-show fam trips to the West Midlands, Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol or Paris to discover all the destinations have to offer on a fully-hosted tour, departing when The Meetings Show closes on Thursday 27.

For more information about The Meetings Show’s hosted buyer programme, which offers one, two and three-day attendance options, visit https://www.themeetingsshow.com/visit/hosted-buyer-programme.

The Meetings Show takes place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June at Olympia London. To register, visit www.themeetingsshow.com/register.