Face-to-Face Report : July 2010

New Reports Added to Library of Free CEIR Research Available for ABM Members

ABM members from around the globe continue to take advantage of the Association’s partnership with the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), designed to provide ABM members with important, timely information on the world of face-to-face – all at no cost.

The following reports have just been added to ABM’s library of free CEIR research available for members:

• Guru Report: A “Greener” Place for Face-to-Face
• Building Exhibit Results for the Not-for-Profit Government Exhibitor
• Guru Report: Space Allocation Methods for Exhibitions and Events

Other top-requested reports include CEIR’s 2010 Index report, an analysis of the 2009 exhibition industry and future outlook; The Power of Exhibitions in the 21st Century, which offers a wealth of insight into how new generations of attendees want to connect, learn and network at events; Effective Methods for Visitor Promotion, which analyzes the most and least effective tools for attracting visitors and reveals the average spending on pre- and post-exhibition promotion; and Digital + Exhibiting Marketing Insights 2009, a comprehensive analysis of the influence of digital media on the exhibition industry.  

Contact Kate Patton with your request(s), and the research will be e-mailed to you directly.

Remember to Fold Feedback into Virtual Events

Virtual events aim to provide an affordable and convenient experience that leaves attendees feeling that they gained beneficial insight and connections. But how do virtual event producers know when they've hit the mark? According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP), all you have to do is ask.

Last year, the government program hosted a “virtual improvement day” in an effort to gain insight about how to better itself, and the feedback proved so valuable that the BNQP is planning similar events throughout the summer. It is also leveraging business networking site LinkedIn's discussion group capability in order to solicit feedback.

But event planners and marketers don't have to go farther than their own virtual event provider to gain insight from attendees – most offer a satisfaction survey capability. And according to Dennis Shiao, director of product marketing for InXpo, they are key tools for any virtual event planner. Shiao advises crafting survey questions around the key elements of your event at every stage of the planning and execution process, and having the survey available to attendees during the event rather than sending it after.

“Use a combination of quantitative measures (e.g., a rating from 1 to 5) so that you can track particular metrics over time – and qualitative input, such as a free-form text box that invites submitters to leave feedback in the form of a comment,” Shiao writes in his blog, and he advises limiting surveys to about 10 questions.

Social Media Resources for Events Professionals

Blerts, Twubs, Twitterface – having trouble keeping up with all of the latest digital tools? Check out Engage365, an online knowledge community for events professionals to network and share social media strategies.

With articles like, “25 Ways to Use Social Media for Your Next Event” and “How to Use Foursquare for a Conference,” users can find information to help them increase attendance and engage attendees, market events, and identify thought leaders using social media without feeling self-conscious about not being in the know.

Here are four social media resources for events we learned about from Engage365:

1) Pathable is a social network community for conferences. Use it to help your attendees connect and stay connected post-event.
2) Tweetchat connects users via hashtags. Use it to monitor tweets from attendees using your event's hashtag.
3) UStream allows users to record and broadcast videos. Use it to post videos of speakers, panel discussions, and roundtables.
4) Double Dutch lets users create a branded location-based check-in application for iPhones. Use it to draw attendees to various events and exhibits.

FEATURED RESOURCE
The ABM Video Network

Have you checked out ABM’s new-and-improved ABM Video Library? Not only have the Association’s videos been uploaded and organized, but member videos produced for the public domain have also been included and sorted by format or topic.

The robust new platform offers a plethora of event-related videos. They include:

• 2010 Events Summit 
• Industry Roundtable Discussion: Part 1 & Part 2
• Virtual Events Workshop 
• 2009 Events Summit 

and many more!

Click here to tune in now. We also invite you to submit and share your own videos here using our fast and convenient uploading process, and we hope you’ll enjoy ABM’s new engaging, informative online video experience. 

Click here to access ABM's new strategic plan!

Click here to follow ABM on Twitter!

Click here to become a fan of ABM on Facebook!