I think the era of the PowerPoint presentation is over. Now no one wants to sit in a business meeting and listen to someone lecturing at length, accompanied by a series of slides. Perhaps people never did. This generation demands interaction and participation. Lengthy, transmit-only monologues are dead.

I couldn’t agree with him more.  Both as a conference organiser and a delegate I’ve sat through countless presentations and I can’t recall any more than a handful.  Some of those which stick most clearly in my mind are the ones from International Media Management, which in its time was a truly innovative residential conference cum training course where senior media executives were thrown together for a mixture of quick-fire presentations and competitive business tasks (and 20+ years from its inception it is still going strong).  While there were a small number of slide presentations (shows how old I am!) they were very few and far between.

You need only look at your own reading and viewing habits to understand just how expectations have changed.  Skimming through posts on Facebook, slimmed down blog posts, video clips on YouTube illustrate our need to get information quickly and in bite-sized chunks.  When was the last time you read a business publication from cover to cover uninterrupted, or sat relaxed at an event unperturbed by the buzzing of the smartphone that ties you constantly to your office and at everyone’s beck and call?

Audiences have become increasingly precious about their time and are want to interact with the experts at events and meetings rather than sit passively in a darkened hotel function suite.  Social media has democratised the conversation and it is only right that conference producers and membership organisations in particular pay attention to this trend.  Sessions where there is active participation and freedom of information exchange are far more meaningful and memorable than diatribes delivered from the podium.

For organisations that already have a strong publishing and event strategy the utilisation of new technologies such as Wavecast Pro can open up vast new opportunities.  By presenting existing knowledge and influence via niche interactive webcasts, these short interactions can deliver long lifetimes.  Events such as The Economist’s Good Bank show how the conversation with the audience can start well in advance of the live event, which itself facilitates the full participation of both in-room and on-line delegates to produce a positive, creative and progressive forum which doesn’t dissipate forever once the doors are closed.

Social media change crept up behind many organisations, pushing them roughly aside once the momentum had grown and the audience had a taste of self-determination. The signs that the same could happen to the events and conference market have never been clearer for all to see.  Time to embrace the change and develop the online meeting delivery strategy that will future-proof your business.

Content Marketing Association (CMA) adopts Wavecasts® to extend reach of Digital Breakfasts

Leading professional organisation the CMA announced today that it will be using Wavecast® Pro to enable its membership outside of London to access their high profile Digital Breakfast events.

“We have been running our Digital Breakfasts very successfully for some time now,” explains Amanda Burrell, Digital, Events and Marketing manager at the CMA.  “With top names from high-profile digital media companies such as Adobe, Social Bakers, Outbrain and MIG guiding the audience through best practice and innovation in the digital arena they have proven very popular events.”

Members of the CMA were able to access the Innovating through digital media event which was held on Wednesday 8th May via a Wavecast® for the first time.  The audience of 70 leading industry professionals gathered in VENUE was joined by online participants from across the UK.

“This is not the first time we have used the team at Wavecast® Pro to create our digital delivery,” adds Amanda.  “Following the successful online broadcast of The International Content Marketing Summit in 2012 they have proven themselves to be a digital delivery partner we can rely on.  It’s a great solution that has already produced impressive results for our organisation. ”

All of the CMA’s scheduled Digital Breakfasts for 2013 will now be available online as Wavecasts® creating an outreach opportunity to the organisation’s entire membership and anyone else interested in accessing the latest digital developments and trends. More information can be found at the-cma.com/training/digital-breakfasts.

“We are delighted to be working with the CMA once again,” comments Alex Bridges, founder of Wavecast®Pro. “By embracing an online event strategy alongside their live event portfolio they are truly practicing what they preach.”

The next Digital Breakfast is due to take place on Wednesday 5 June 2013 and will cover User centred design – new approaches to putting users first. More details can be found at www.the-cma.com.

Nick Kingsley, Senior Editor at Railway Gazette tells the story…

“Railway Gazette is a brand with a strong lineage, dating back to the very dawn of the railway in the mid‑1830s, and today our print titles retain a reputation for unparalleled technical coverage and in-depth analysis of a rapidly-changing market. However, like many B2B businesses, we have sought to broaden our portfolio, and over the past decade we have seen substantial growth in online revenues, readership and social media engagement.

Online events perfect for a diverse international industry

“We tried offering physical conferences to build our brand, but event management is complex, costly and time-consuming. It was also difficult to choose venues to suit a diverse international industry, particularly when travel budgets are constrained.  A flexible, simple and contemporary means to reach a global market: that was the philosophy underpinning our decision to work with Wavecast® Pro to develop our online interactive debates. Wavecast® Pro offered us a radically different choice, far better suited to our needs. Using its online event platform, we offer themed panel discussions streamed online in real time from the high-definition broadcast studio at the London Stock Exchange.

Viewers must register to watch expert panel debates

“We have staged five debates over the past two years, ranging from high speed trains to recruitment, environment and urban railways. Each debate lasts approximately one hour, with a panel of four experts typically chaired by Editor-in-Chief Chris Jackson. The format has proved very successful: the debates are free, but viewers must register to watch.

Global companies sponsor events

“Our revenues are generated through sponsorship; our backers to date include global rail and aviation supplier Bombardier and engineering software specialist Bentley Systems.

Editors moderate interaction between industry professionals and analysts

“A Wavecast® integrates the visual broadcast with a comment stream function and social media. Viewers can post comments as they watch, reacting to remarks from the panel and putting questions in return, either via an in-stream ‘comment box’ or on Twitter using an event-specific hashtag. An editorial moderator, usually Senior Editor Nick Kingsley, manages the interaction, filtering comments from viewers before they appear in the stream, and forwarding the most relevant questions to the panel. This enables a truly dynamic debate between expert analysts and industry professionals.

Worldwide reach and approval from industry

“This interaction with a worldwide audience is at the heart of Railway Gazette TV. Although our flagship magazine Railway Gazette International is read in 140 countries, the debates provide further proof of our global reach. Each has drawn participation from far and wide, typically attracting representatives from railways in around 40 countries as diverse as Iran, Mozambique, China and Brazil. The debates are scheduled to start at 13.00GMT to coincide with the working day in as many markets as possible, but we have attracted live viewers as far apart as Chicago and Sydney, despite the time differences. Wavecast® Pro’s ‘watch again’ function enables us to reach more viewers after the live debate.

“Perhaps most gratifying has been the response from what is sometimes perceived to be a conservative, engineering-led industry. Typical registration numbers far exceed what we could expect at a traditional conference, and as a result both sponsors and panellists have given our innovative concept a definite ‘thumbs up’. “

However, sponsorship revenues remain a cornerstone of many event budgets. By recognising the core deliverables required by sponsoring organisations, it is possible to not only protect existing income but also reach out to new revenue generators.

What do sponsors expect you to deliver?

• Data: not just new leads but also updated information on existing customers.
• Push-marketing: their message in front of your audience on a regular basis.
• Analytics: not just who is attending your event but what they are particularly interested in.
• Traffic: quick and easy mechanisms to drive people to specific information.
• Influence: delivering their expertise in an expert forum

How can a Wavecast® help you achieve this?

Delivering part or your entire event, i.e. as a hybrid or pure online, via a wavecast® creates a much longer lifecycle.  Our existing client research shows that this creates engaged participants pre, during and post event giving sponsors many more opportunities to see (OTS) and, more importantly these actions can be measured and recorded.  A wavecast® delivers on sponsors expectations in the following ways:

• Data: low friction registration process which delivers reliable core information.
• Push-marketing: using the platform’s unique activity feed enables sponsors to be included in the conversation, offering real-time interaction opportunities and high brand visibility among the key audience
• Analytics: detailed information about the individual’s interaction with the event as a whole.
• Traffic: simple selection tools enable the audience to segment the conversation they want to interact with, allowing sponsors to interact in very specific discussions.
• Influence: the ability of a wavecast® to target and segment within a live discussion enables sponsors to deliver more effective and relevant expertise rather than broad branding.

These mechanisms put sponsors at the heart of the event rather than the periphery, adding value and importance to their presence.  The ability to disseminate content, calls to action and expertise in real-time allows them to drive traffic to their brand in a meaningful way.  Plus, as a social media centric platform Wavecast® makes it easy for them to monitor and interact with the conversations that surround the event, lowering their effort and costs and improving tangible ROI.

The future of event sponsorship

To maintain and grow existing levels of revenue, event companies must demonstrate and deliver real, tangible benefits to their sponsors.  Wavecasts® can deliver this by enabling them to embed and participate seamlessly within the extended event conversation.  Backed up by measurable data both the organiser and the sponsor’s marketers can demonstrate real marketing ROI.  Everyone’s a winner.

Velocity, the first in a series of one off events presented by Digitally Sick, in partnership with PMLiVE today announced that it will be live-streaming the conference as a Wavecast®.

Velocity will bring together a programme full of high-profile digital representatives from a range of industries who will be explaining how they have addressed many of the specific problems faced by the pharmaceutical industry.  These include the complexities of innovation, community development, content creation, user experience, social business and customer service.  The conference aims to bring together pharmaceutical marketers and other pharmaceutical professionals from across functions who want to add demonstrable value to their businesses through the innovative application and integration of digital channels.

“Our primary aim is to create a proactive digital pharma conversation which has both shape and structure, but which is not confined by the number of individuals that can be accommodated in a single room, “ explains Andrew Spong, one of the Digitally Sick team members involved in the development of the Velocity programme. “Working with Wavecast® Pro means that we will be able to push the debate beyond the walls of the physical venue which will add depth, value and longevity to the debate.”

“The benefits of enabling an online audience access to a live event have been proven beyond any doubt,” remarked Hellen Beveridge, Marketing Director at Wavecast® Pro.  “Digitally Sick are part of a growing number of organisations who are embracing the value of drawing all of their audiences into a single destination, enabling them to talk and interact with one another before, during and after a live and online broadcast.”

Velocity will take place on Thursday 23rd May 2013 at the Wellcome Collection in London and will include presentations from IBM, Adobe ,Google, GlaxoSmithKline, IDEO, QuBit, Creative Nerds, Silence Media, Livity and SoMazi.

About Digitally Sick

Digitally Sick is a podcast-driven through leadership blog co-founded by Faisal Ahmed, Alex Butler and Andrew Spong with a primary focus on sharing their, and other guest speakers’, opinions on the Pharmaceutical industry’s digital activities.

www.digitallysick.com

For further information contact:

Andrew Spong
STweM                                                                   e. Andrew@stwem.com

Doing Business in India will feature presentations from leading experts covering all aspects of working within this burgeoning economy: from finance to HR; cultural considerations to manufacturing capabilities.  These will form part of a wavecast® which will be broadcast online and then made available in the long-term on-demand. Uniquely, UKIBC will be able to take advantage of the rich activity feed to draw participants into the debate surrounding each of the presentations enabling the same peer-to-peer learning opportunities as a physical event but with a much larger and wider geographical audience.

“UKIBC are joining a growing trend for creating bespoke online events or Wavecasts®” remarked Hellen Beveridge, Marketing Director at Wavecast® Pro.  “Not only will this enable the opening up of access to existing content and expertise beyond the confines of geographical constraints, but it will also create a much longer ‘conversation’ than would be possible at an event within a physical venue.”

Doing Business in India is scheduled to take place in April 2013 and will be available free of charge to any individual or company in the UK interested in creating commercial links with partners in India.

About UK India Business Council

UK India Business Council is the premier business-led organisation promoting bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Our mission is to facilitate an increase in trade between the UK and India through business to business dialogue.

UKIBC plays an influential role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free-trade and investment flourishes. Through the facilitation of partnerships, and with an extensive network of influential corporate and individual members, UKIBC provides the resource, knowledge and infrastructure support vital for UK companies to make the most of emerging opportunities in India.

www.ukibc.com

In order to give you an insight into the figures, we have created the generic case study which you can download from the link below.  All of the results are based on a live Wavecast® which delivered for a client, who for confidentiality reasons is not identified in the document.

Wavecast Pro – multi-session case study – March 2013

The case study illustrates very clearly a number of important, and unique, features of an online event:

• Internationalisation of the audience
• Engagement of the participants over a period well in excess of the actual conference broadcast
• Shortened marketing timeframe
• Big Data potential of audience behaviour measurement

There are a number of other direct comparisons which can be made with venue-based conference-type events.  For example the number of registrations which were well in excess of the specified target before the event and continued during the on-demand period.  Also the fact that 65% of these registrations converted into online participants.

However, rather than using this data as a stick to beat traditional events with we believe it should be seen as proving online events as the missing link in the triumvirate which also includes publishing activities. Executed well they can deliver content and expertise beyond the flat page and PowerPoint presentation.

When transferring or expanding activity into online/hybrid events it is important to remember that participants will be attracted to specific content and your communications strategy should reflect this.

Here are our top ten tips for marketing an online event:

1. Create a micro marketing plan for each session of your online event.
2. Segment your database.
3. Create your content messaging plan for each segment – avoid the ‘one-size fits all’ approach.
4. Use plenty of detail – with a single session focus you need to focus on the specifics.
5. Create your marketing pathway for each segment; i.e. are you driving potential participants directly to the registration gateway?
6. Research and plan social media channels: e.g. LinkedIn for placed articles and announcements, Twitter for more ad hoc activity.
7. Use your blog to stimulate interest and discussion about the session topics in advance.
8. Shorten your marketing timeline: four weeks of concentrated effort, any more and you may not get your registrations back for the actual event.
9. Use any comments posted in the rich media feed prior to the event as a springboard for more marketing activity.
10. Follow up theliveevent with marketing of the on-demand content to maintain momentum.

When combined with great content and effective delivery, we have seen these marketing techniques deliver above expectation registration and participation levels.

Participants: Formerly known as your audience

au-di-ence The assembled spectators or listeners at an event

par-tic-i-pant  A person who takes part in something

The difference in the definition couldn’t be any clearer.  One group of individuals is there to be talked at; the other wants to take an active role in the discussion.  Of the two types of interaction, which will be more memorable?

Research shows that knowledge and information is most likely to be remembered and acted upon where it is delivered in a multi-dimensional form which involves the participation of the learner.  Best practices are the result of an idea which has been developed through input, discussion and consultation rather than dictats delivered from a lecturn.

Our own research shows that the individuals who sign-up to be part of an online event are looking to be more than just an audience.  They want to join the conversation well in advance of any actual presentations, offering their own perspective and asking the other participants’ views on specific topics.  The chart below is from a wavecast and shows how the conversations started simultaneously with the online registrations a month in advance, reaching a peak on the day of broadcast but then carrying on after the live broadcast was finished.

What this clearly shows is that individuals are ready and willing to engage with your content in ways other than sitting in a conference room while speakers talk at them with an agenda they cannot influence.  They want to be participants in a longer conversation with the speakers and each other rather than an audience to your agenda.

Critically, rather than reducing your influence in a peer-to-peer learning environment, online and hybrid events are already creating new and larger markets which you could be taking advantage of.

Be more innovative.  

Stop wasting people’s time.

Be more successful.

Not my words but those of Eric Ries, the author recognised for pioneering the Lean Startup Movement. It’s a mantra that could (or should) be applied to any and every organisation that wants to adapt and grow in today’s fast-paced global business environment.

We’ve adopted the principles of The Lean Startup for our own business because it makes sense for a technology company.  We have to learn from everyone we interact with; from our developers to our broadcast engineers to our clients, because that’s how we can improve everything we do.  Because that’s how we will get better and create an ever-evolving sustainable business.  It enables us to discover what works and what doesn’t in a very short space of time, and drives us continually forwards. And it’s nice to be operating in the same way as companies such as Intuit and DropBox.

Enough about us.

Now we are encouraging our clients to adopt the same principles.  It shouldn’t be hard, but for large publishers, conference organisers, event companies and associations, doing something new with all the inherent uncertainties is a big scary prospect.  In many corporate environments it’s also difficult to go into a management meeting and say ‘I’d like to try this: quite a bit of effort, some investment, not sure of the outcome’.

But while they procrastinate, smaller organisations, used to having to innovate, are saying ‘let’s give it a go’.  Their criteria for success is more realistic, the opportunity for growth understood and the potential for something really big appreciated.  In our world, rather than saying ‘online isn’t the same as face to face’ or ‘it will take away our live audience’ these guys are saying ‘I can create a new audience’ or ‘now we can take our content global’.

Where do we fit into all of this?  Well we are trying to educate our existing and potential clients that they don’t necessarily have to divert all their resources, create high revenue expectations, or even draw up a six month plan to test out whether an online or hybrid event will work for them.  We’re encouraging them to start small.  Find a little niche in which to put some content, create a micro marketing plan and pursuade one of their clients to join in as a sponsor.  We support them by keeping the costs low (baked beans for supper tonight again – Ed.). Then we light the blue touch paper and see what happens.

So far, so good.  We’ve had (optimistic) registration targets smashed by over 60% and on-demand views delivering a four-fold increase in attendees to a single conference session.  There has been a purely online event where the audience began their conversation two weeks before it started and another where the international audience are still chatting away three months later.

So stop trying to plan something big and being frightened by the prospect of failure.  Try something small and watch it succeed and grow.