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CEOs Final Blog: September 2010

I've been asked to write my last blog as Eventia's CEO so here goes...but wait... before I start let me just remind you that I'm not leaving entirely, I'm just shifting my focus from running the association to supporting from a purely strategic perspective as Industry Ambassador and consultant.  So I am still very much in the Eventia community and will continue to work towards a united voice for the industry as I have done for the past 5 years alongside my colleagues on the board and the committees who all give their time tirelessly for the cause.  Yes my time with Eventia has been that long and I do have a few white hairs to prove it! 

But rather than reflect on what the association has achieved over those years I'd rather take this time to look into the future and see what the upcoming months and years may bring for the industry and what I see as the key challenges for us moving forwards. 

Collaboration, it’s got to happen, association boards must be asking themselves 'are we fit for purpose?' and if not, how can we become a sleeker more effective machine to support our members into their future, yes I did say 'their future' as that's what it’s all about, our members businesses succeeding in this climate, that's all we exist for, to support and protect our members interests.  I believe it’s so important right now for associations to talk to each other and see where they can collaborate for the best interests of the industry.  

The term collaboration is also relevant for agencies right now, find partners who have complimentary skill sets and start working together for the good of your clients and your balance sheets.  A great example of this is the current collaboration of TRO and Smyle, friendly rivals who have worked on different parts of events for years who now have sat in a room and put their smart and creative heads together to pitch for business as a collaboration and they won the launch of the new mini.  Well done Rob and Rick, you are both truly leaders paving the way for others to follow your example. 

The same can apply through the supply chain, rather than bombarding the industry with so many supplier hosted networking events why not band together with appropriate partners to deliver something of value for your clients that delivers to all stakeholders requirements.  The cost saving benefits are immediately realizable, as is the increased value for attendees, if designed and executed correctly of course. 

One of the biggest issues I hear from suppliers is how to get enough of the right people to attend their events. So my first comment is, let's stop having canapés for canapés sake... if content is king for our clients then we should be reflecting this in our supplier events. Why not deliver something of value to attendees whilst allowing them to network with new contacts.  After all, no-one attends an event to sample the food or see the room (maybe rarely on new openings or major refurbishments) however most are there to meet someone of value to them, to learn something new or increase their knowledge in some way so let's start giving them this value and we might just start seeing a higher level of quality attendees at supplier events.   

Public sector cuts will most certainly affect us and this is rearing its head across the industry as we speak, unfortunately what is thus far reported in the press is only the tip of the iceberg.  Hopefully there won't be many who rely too heavily on this sector alone, spreading your risk is key to survival in any business so let's hope we don't see too many casualties. 

The rise of hybrid events is a great opportunity for us, embracing the role of technology in events has been on our agenda for some time now.  Don't just think virtual or social media instead let's consider how to integrate these channels into the overall marketing communications plan.  There are so many fantastic uses for technology to support the event process and to track the delegate journey more effectively delivering measurable returns on investment.  This was by far the most popular topic at Summer Eventia this year and will continue to be foremost on our minds over the coming months and years as technology continues to develop. 

Just on that note we are developing a series of Tech seminars with our partners at Active Events to help educate our members on the best that's out there so watch this space for upcoming events. 

As summer draws to an end and we pack away our beach gear, the memory of crashing waves and golden sand fading into the crisp days of Autumn I do hope that you enjoy the coming months and dust off those cocktail dresses and black tie for the glitz and glamour of the awards season.  Don't miss out on the early bird rates for the Eventia awards 26th November at Hilton Park Lane.  I'm starting to consider the options this year, muted golds and green or the highly seasonal cerise pinks and purples...hmmm decisions decisions! 

Yours,

Izania