#EventProfs Summer Party: How to build an event community. Lessons learned from #eventprofs

On Thursday 28 August, London Event Professionals Network invites you to attend our special summer party at the Google Campus, Shoreditch. We will be enjoying summer drinks and networking, while discussing best practices of building event communities with a panel of event experts.

As event organisers we are more often talking about creating and nurturing communities around our events. What are the benefits of creating and sustaining a community? How do you measure your efforts and ROI? How do the communities evolve and change over time? How can technologies help you build a community and maintain the buzz throughout your event production cycle?

Let’s enjoy summer drinks together as a community of event professionals!

Agenda

6:00 - Networking and drinks

7:00 - Panel discussion with experts and Q&A about "How to build an event community. Lessons learned from #eventprofs"

8:00 - Tech City style networking (beer, wine and pizza)!

Moderator:

Jane Baker, VP Client Development International at FreemanXP and VP Education at MPI

Having spent more than 15 years building client relationships, designing innovative solutions and executing flawless event experiences for 2 to 20,000 attendees worldwide

Panel of experts:

Jim Curry, Deputy Director, Association of Event Organisers (AEO)

Has worked at the Association of Event Organisers for the last six years supporting and servicing UK based exhibition organisers

Ben Sharples, Senior Conference Producer, C5 Global Communications

An Australian qualified solicitor working as a senior conference producer in the legal division of C5 Group, developing a bespoke portfolio of events tailored for senior level executives, in-house legal counsel and private practitioners across Europe, US, and the Asia-Pacific.

Martin Cheung, Business Development Manager, Informa Life Science

Has been selling sponsorship and exhibition solutions for over 7 years in the European life sciences community, building relationships with event partners to maximise business development opportunities at over 80 conferences.

 Alex Evans, Programme Director, UBM

Is developing a community of excellence around Alumni of winners and finalists to inspire UK plc. With a remit that includes engaging and re-engaging Britain's best businesses of all sizes as entrants; identifying and managing nearly 100 specialist judges each year; and managing an Advisory Board of business leaders.

Media Partners

Location

Google Campus at the heart of the London Tech City!

Limited space to 100 attendees, register today.

About us

London Event Professional Networks is a diverse community of event organisers, technology innovators, event media and professional associations. We run monthly informal meetups to discuss, connect and learn.

We welcome all event professionals who would like to learn more about #EventTech and network informally with other event peers.

Join the conversation (#eventcommunity)

Jose Bort

Posted Fri 29 August 2014 16:29

1. How can we really engage the audience so they come back to the discussions after the event?
I think it's a matter of being conscious about building something takes time! Just because we write one comment doesn't mean that people will go crazy and start talking and sharing it. Attendees need to believe in us as well.

2. How do you start? How do you get sponsors?
I agree with Alex that a successful strategy begins with being focused first on bringing value to your stakeholders (attendees, sponsors, speakers,...) rather than looking for just achieving our own goals

6. Does, in your opinion, adding interaction to events as conferences or performances, risk to distract the audience?
Like in Education, there is no good or bad training, it really depends on if it is the right fit or not. A technology can be fantastic if it's well used, sometimes we just don't know how to use it properly and then we think that is not useful, and when other people say that it's great then we give it another chance and we realise that it's actually great.

8. Besides TED, what other event communities do the panelists see trending in the future as the 'the next big thing'?
Thanks Alex and Jim for introducing www.awesomenessfest.com & http://www.thedolectures.com/events/do-usa-2014, I really like how awesonessfest conveys its message through the site and how they have integrated Facebook as a forum. Reply

Alex Evans

Posted Fri 29 August 2014 15:17

On sponsorship, start by reviewing your proposition and assets, what distinguishes your event / community, and try to value it - maybe with some external advice from an agency (invite a few to pitch for business and pick their brains). It's important to find a brand or sponsor that aligns with yours and your objectives so you retain the integrity of the event. You can co-create content to help achieve those objectives, but don't sell your show to a sponsor. It has be a partnership. Once you're clear on proposition and assets, an agency can help find sponsors - commission only probably better than retainer as a motivator. Otherwise, do some desktop research into similar events and sponsors and look at who's spending. Read newspapers and advertising, sponsorship press to see who are investing in brand. Every industry has a group of influencers who know everyone and everything - get them on your advisory board and encourage them to refer sponsors.

On the next big thing I think unconferences will evolve or elements of this will be adapted for events ie more spontaneous debate less structured education. I also think platforms like www.awesomenessfest.com/ will become a model for community / tribe building - but maybe not in rainy, grey cities ;)

A x Reply

Jim Curry

Posted Fri 29 August 2014 15:08

And in answer to some of the questions...

7.
a) Best piece of advice - nobody owns a community you merely serve it. Hold on to that truth and you're be a crucial part of that community.

b) Avoid at all costs forcing your individual agenda or business objectives onto the community. A two way exchange is what is required not a product/service/initiative/event that is being forced through.
8. I know that TED are the ones that everyone talks about. But for me the do-lectures absolutely rock star how a information/content based event should be. 100% consistent in branding, event qualities, content and delivery. Check them out. Reply

Posted Fri 29 August 2014 11:53

All questions raised by you last night:
1. How can we really engage the audience so they come back to the discussions after the event?
2. How do you start? How do you get sponsors?
3. What do you think of hybrid/online events? What will happen to live events in the future?
4. How important is having the right venue to creating a successful event?
5. Our social media conference #smlondon will happen in November and it is challenging to sell tickets 3 months in advance. Any tips?
6. Does, in your opinion, adding interaction to events as conferences or performances, risk to distract the audience and to make the cultural/art message weaker?
7. What is each panelists best piece of advice to give for a successful event community and what is the one thing to avoid at all costs?
8. Besides TED, what other event communities do the panelists see trending in the future as the 'the next big thing'?
Give your opinion! Reply

EventsCase Admin

Posted Tue 26 August 2014 22:00

We reached an amazing 140 registrations for this event. Last 10 tickets left! Click on the above button "Magic Share" and invite other interested #EventProfs Reply

Posted Fri 15 August 2014 07:51

Tired of train/bus? Share a cab with other #eventprofs !! via http://t.co/XZl1OUosss @CabpalTeam Reply

Posted Wed 13 August 2014 23:08

We reached today over 93 #EventProfs registered to the event, it looks we will have another great turnout.
Last 27 tickets left! Reply

Posted Fri 8 August 2014 11:37

Thanks to cvent and Get Me Connected for sponsoring this event and letting us all enjoy some free drinks and food!!!

cvent is a leading event management software with over 1,100 employees worldwide. Having met them personally, we can say that their service is outstanding and the price range makes it affordable for any size of events.

We just love Get Me Connected, they just make possible that we enjoy a great WiFi service for indoor and also outdoor events! Reply

Posted Thu 7 August 2014 23:24

Amazing start, 59 registrations in just two days after 1st invitation has been sent out.

We have just published the amazing panel of experts from leading organisations such as the Association of Event Organisers, C5 Global Communications, Informa Life Science and UBM.

With Jane Baker from CWT Meetings & Events and MPI as our Moderator.

We are so looking forward to learning from the discussion. Reply

#EventProfs Summer Party: How to build an event community. Lessons learned from #eventprofs

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