ongress Reality TV has more in common with Big
Brother or The Voice than a conventional turn of the
Century association meeting. A daily live show,
it can feature conference speakers, exhibitors,
delegates, even caterers and other service providers as well as gamification technology. In fact, for those who can’t be there in person, Congress Reality TV is the next best thing to a face to face meeting – what’s more, it’s also must-see viewing for those lucky enough to see the real thing.
C
ll this is a great example of how the traditional
‘meeting planner’ role is being revolutionised. They
are responsible for the learning environment at
conferences today and
this can be challenging, involving knowledge of subjects like psychology, sociology, neurology and cognitive change and even musicology.” Understanding exactly how your customers tick is key to helping them achieve more; planners need to develop a certain synergy with their stakeholders in order to roll out competent and appropriate solutions.
C
isk taking is now par for the course, thanks to social media. “Congress Reality TV would obviously be a risk, but I believe it’s better to embrace that risk than to sit on the side lines and wait for someone
else to make something of it,” said Ben.
T
his was Ben’s vision of a ‘conference with a difference’ and of course, it’s not really very far from reality at all. In fact, modern communication tools and computer technology have pushed the
boundaries of the imagination for meeting planners and today’s delegates have higher expectations than ever before.
alculating the impact of a conference and its ROI is
also a more sophisticated science today. The typical
questionnaire asking you to rank everything from
speakers and programme to food and facilities on a
scale of one to five is rather dated. Cross analyses of behaviour are now preferred which include feedback from sponsors’ sales data, monitoring of delegates’ visits to stands and anecdotal information. “I’d also recommend using third party market researchers to carry out in-depth qualitative and quantitative research over a minimum of a three year period as the results will be more objective,” said Ben.
R
A
en is all for change and moving forward with
technology, but does warn against technology
overkill to the point where it can alienate the
audience. “Not everyone has jumped on the
mobile technology band wagon. As conference organisers we have to get the balance right between not disappointing the Generation X and Y tech-savvy people and having paper and pencils at the ready for the baby boomers. Our audiences include a wide cross-section of age ranges.”
B
eing different and innovative always adds value and
attracts interest and support. People are drifting
away from dull, dry, formal congresses. Stakeholders
want something new
and bright that has more in common with a stimulating academic retreat than a stuffy business event. Innovation can raise the profile of your organisation and increase the Return on Investment (ROI).”
B
ssociation conferences should be a learning
experience for delegates; the event should create a
response and change in behaviour. But according to
Ben these complex reactions are
notoriously tricky to measure. The impact of events can be assessed in terms of engagement, brand recognition and member loyalty. “Little by little associations are providing a more meaningful educational experience for delegates and achieving improvements in quality of care standards, but this is being monitored over a longer time frame of a number of years,” adds Ben.
A
I
n a high tech mobile world face to face contact is just
about the only thing people can’t get online. Which is
why networking has become a valuable Unique
Selling Proposition for associations. “Face to face meeting is unmeasurable and intangible,” said
Ben. “But today’s technical solutions could change that. Automated networking solutions and apps can mean more structured networking. People are making contact with each other online, then arranging to meet in person at events and after.”
W
hen it comes to measuring the business impact and
ROI of an event, Ben introduced a new analogy – the
wedding cake. “I picture the ROI as a massive
elaborate multi-layer wedding cake that is hard to dissect and digest. The wedding cake has a different
significance for each guest or stakeholder – there’s something in it for everyone: the ROI is different for conference owners, organisers, delegates, sponsors and suppliers. It’s a long term phenomenon that means a lot more than simply sales and cost reduction.”
Ben Hainsworth
Executive Director for Associations
World LP Gas Association
K.I.T. Group
Hear Ben speak from the International & European Associations Congress 2014 on:
Positive outcomes of new and differentiated programme features
Increasing congress revenue with a hybrid element
Remaining on the right side of the regulation while being creative with sponsorships