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The time is now – COP27 takeaways

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After a highly successful partnership with Giggabox for The Resilience Hub at Glasgow’s COP26 in 2021, The Events Hub’s Karen Bennie went across to Sharm El-Sheikh to deliver their programme at COP27. In this article she shares her reflections on the global event and what this year’s talks mean for future planning.

The Resilience Hub

Following a year of implementation, The Resilience Hub delivered its COP27 programme across a 12-day period. Headed up by the Global Resilience Partnership, the 5-6 daily events focused on the following themes:

  • Finance and Investment;
  • Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Management;
  • Food and Agriculture;
  • Resilient Infrastructure including Energy and Transport;
  • Cities and Urbanisations;
  • Water and Natural Ecosystems;
  • Oceans and Coasts;
  • Arts, Cultures, Antiquities and Heritage;
  • Health & Wellbeing

Ultimately, there were a number of wide-ranging topics in their talks, but all focused on action – and needing finance to secure action. There was also the key driver of community, and creating accessibility for diverse voices. Indeed, the fact that theirs was the ‘go to’ meeting space gave it a strong community feel: a true ‘hub’.

Ingrained in the structure of the programme was a sense of it being a safe space within what is quite an intense global event. With an inclusive mix of veteran COP attendees and new faces, the range of voices provided a number of different perspectives, experiences, and insights.

Growth and development since COP26

About a third bigger than the Glasgow summit, COP27 has been the largest of its kind. So, this year’s programme had to show growth and development. One of the ways The Resilience Hub achieved this was through its design: by using a hybrid model again, it opened the programme up to even more voices across the world, and across time zones. This enabled not only greater accessibility, but diverse inclusivity.

In turn, this contributed to the vision of building a neighbourhood together: a way of working together to bring the best for the Hub, despite challenges. The Events Hub, Giggabox, and the Global Resilience Partnership have developed their relationship over the last year to cement smooth systems and create highly impactful experiences. After all, that’s what’s crucial at an event of this kind.

Room for improvement?

One of the main frustrations causing concern is that a year on, we are still talking about the same issues. Money and action are needed. And they’re needed now.

“If there is one thing for those of you in the room that I want you to deliver to the rest of the world, it is that you cannot negotiate with Nature. There will come a time where no amount of dollars will be able to make up for what is lost and what is broken. We are in a critical time in history and we don’t have much left.”

Ayisha Siddiqa, Climate Justice Advocate

How can you be the change?

Events are a crucial part of business development for a large number of organisations. They’re also a place to begin making fundamental changes (big and small) so as to reduce your carbon footprint. Start with small steps or take the plunge – here are a few pointers to make an immediate difference:

  • Consider whether you need to hold a face-to-face event. Could it be online or hybrid instead? Moving to a virtual platform would reduce travel, consumption, and waste.
  • Look at your suppliers. Can you use local providers so as to minimise transportation and its effects on the environment? You’ll also be investing in the local economy at the same time.
  • Think about your catering options. Choosing a predominantly vegan or vegetarian menu reduces the environmental impact caused by animal product consumption.
  • Can you go paperless? Think about what printing you actually require (if any). Are there ways to get around creating unnecessary paper waste? QR codes and emailed resources in advance or post-event are easy wins.
  • Location-wise, opt for somewhere with quick and accessible public transport links to avoid attendees coming by car.

One of the best ways to deliver a sustainable, climate-conscious event? Ask The Events Hub to plan it for you. Get in touch to find out how we can help.

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How sustainable events can save you money and secure success

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Over the last few years, the term ‘sustainable events’ has been thrown about far and wide, with a lot of people assuming it just means environmentally-speaking. But sustainable event planning is much, much more than that. Find out all about the other aspects, and how you can implement them into your thinking, below.

What are sustainable events?

There are two main definitions to the word ‘sustainable’.

– Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level
– Able to be upheld or defended

In terms of the first meaning, this is more commonly what we mean when we talk about the environmental impact of events – conserving natural resources to maintain a balance.

When we look at the second meaning, however, it holds a number of other factors to consider. Ask yourself these key questions:

How many of your recent events were fully accessible to the broad spectrum of society? Were your choices made consciously to enable people with disabilities (seen and unseen) to feel fully welcome? This doesn’t just apply to in-person events either; virtual and hybrid events still require consideration of how accessible they are to delegates.

How inclusive were your recent events? Did you look to balance representation of a range of voices and faces in your speakers and delegates?

Did you consider the cultural or religious requirements of delegates? What about the time pressures of caregivers or working parents?

If you answered any of those with a sense of lacking, then that’s something to think about going forward.

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Why sustainability in events matters

The benefits of sustainable events are not just about a box-ticking exercise to make you look good. They’re not just about one-off choices, either. They need to be a conscious change, from a serious desire to make a difference in the way we interact with each other and the planet.

A happy by-product is, however, the effect on your costs and business performance.

By making certain choices, you can not only save money but improve the quality of your event.

Think back to the middle of 2020 when traffic was at a standstill. Face-to-face switched to hands, face, space. Leveraging technology, the switch to virtual events was vital for businesses to continue operating as close to normality as possible – and, for many, to survive.

Fast-forward two years, and despite the return to offices for many, the realisation that flexible and hybrid working is highly effective for staff wellbeing (and, therefore, retention) has meant that virtual and hybrid events still hold a crucial place in businesses.

Anna Whitehouse, the journalist, broadcaster and author, partnered with Sir Robert McAlpine to deliver their ‘Flexonomics’ report in Nov. 2021. It revealed that, at the time, the economic contribution of flexible working was a staggering £37 billion. On top of that, it forecasted that with a 50% increase of flexible working rates, there could be a £55 billion result in net economic gain, as well as 51,200 newly created jobs.

As of April 2022, data gathered by CIPD in their report ‘An update on flexible and hybrid working practices’ showed that 51% of employees say they have flexible working arrangements. When it comes to the key benefits of shifting to increased homeworking or hybrid working, respondents point to: improved work–life balance (69%), improved employee satisfaction (48%), improved business flexibility and improved employee wellbeing (41%).

So, it’s crucial to provide events which open the door to all manner of working arrangements, without hindering engagement and impact.

By opting for a virtual or hybrid event, you can do just that.

The benefits of virtual and hybrid events

Virtual and hybrid events are flexible and accessible for a large audience. Take your event online, and you can span timezones. This means you can open it up to speakers and delegates from around the world, elevating representation from a range of voices and faces.

With the cost of living crisis meaning a tightening of budgets, online events are a way of recession-proofing your business. It’s easier to justify business expenses when you don’t have the added cost of catering, venue hire, a larger support staff, printing, suppliers, deliveries and so on.

And, of course, going virtual or hybrid means sustainable events from an environmental perspective too. You don’t have the same production of physical items, amount of transportation being used, or wastage of leftover items – all reducing your carbon footprint.

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How to make an event sustainable

First off, sustainable events are planned long before you know who’s coming. In order to make an event truly sustainable, you need to factor aspects into your planning from the very start. That way, it opens up the event to a range of people who might otherwise be less likely to attend.

If potential delegates and speakers see resonating elements in place in the promotion of the event, it’ll be something that captures their attention and makes them want to be a part of it.

Think back to those questions at the start.

In terms of accessibility, how can you ensure people with seen and unseen disabilities feel provided for?

If it’s a face-to-face event, consider entrances and exits, ramps, provision and location of accessible lavatories, hearing loop systems, sign language interpreters, and the use of displays, sound and lighting in a way that is sensitive to sensory overload and vision or hearing impaired participants.

You could even provide a designated quiet room where the event is streamed. This could be somewhere that neurodivergent participants go to avoid sensory overload. Equally, this doesn’t have to only apply to people with disabilities. It could be somewhere that participants who are breastfeeding can go to express without missing any key information.

Accessibility for virtual and hybrid events also requires consideration. Is the software or hosting platform you’ve chosen easy to use and visually accessible? Is there the option to use captioning whilst your keynote speakers are presenting?

How can you ensure your events are inclusive?

As mentioned above, opening up a virtual or hybrid event across timezones means you can attract a much wider audience, so you’ll hear from a much wider range of perspectives. This is vital for boosting representation across sectors.

Consider your keynote speakers. Although you obviously don’t want to choose someone purely to pay lip-service to DEI, consciously including experts from a number of groups or backgrounds will again break down barriers and open up discussions to have more than one narrative being heard. The more people see a range of speakers, the more it will open doors and inspire ambitions, meaning we will benefit from a much richer society of varied experiences. Ultimately, this means a much stronger workforce of wider talent, and a boost to the economy.

How can you consider the cultural or religious requirements, or time pressures of delegates?

Often, in a Western workplace, the provision of food and drinks can be limited to dietary needs rather than cultural ones. Alongside the vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free options, add some halal and kosher choices, for example.

Think about the way you’re promoting the event. Is it highlighting free drinks or a ‘bubbly’ reception? Consider the fact that that may make it awkward or uncomfortable for people from certain cultural or religious backgrounds (or, indeed, just tee-totallers in general). Perhaps downplay that emphasis, and instead choose to focus on networking or personal development as the bigger bonus of that part of the event.

For an in-person event, can you provide a quiet space where participants who need to pray can break away for a short time?

Consider the timing of the event. If it’s straight after typical office hours, or during peak school run timings, or even later on at night, that could close it off to parents and people who are culturally expected to be at home during that time frame.

Of course, a virtual or hybrid event would get around a lot of those aspects in a way that would be inclusive to all members of your team, or a wide range of participants if open to the public.

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Sustainable from the start

Overall, creating sustainable events is all in the planning. The more you consider what would be beneficial and welcoming to participants from varying backgrounds, the more you’re likely to have a successful, impactful, fully inclusive event.

That’s why The Events Hub always works to certain sustainable events standards, so as to advise on areas you may not have thought of. We’re firmly committed to the NetZero Carbon Events Initiative, so we suggest circular economies and waste reduction methods for all of our face-to-face events. And we regularly advocate virtual and hybrid events as a means to scale and grow your business or organisation.

All of this makes your event affordable, accessible, inclusive, sustainable – and, ultimately, futureproof.

Want to find out more about how we can help you plan the perfect sustainable event? Get in touch here.

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3 Reasons why you NEED an event organiser

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‘So why do I need an event organiser?’

Many companies and individuals that we come across often ask us this question.

There are many reasons why a company will choose to delegate organising a corporate event to someone in their existing team instead of bringing in an events expert. Time and cost are the biggest factors, but often companies that don’t have an events manager end up asking their marketing or business development teams to pick up an event and run with it. These team members will have their own workloads to deal with and so running an event on top of their usual work can sometimes end up being a bit of a burden.

1 – TIME & COST SAVINGS:

It may seem as though bringing in an events company is costly but what about the time it might take one of your team to shop around and find a venue, or the number of hours that it takes to manually register guests onto an event? There are existing systems that automate many event processes and your events company will be aware of the most effective or have their own bespoke system. Running an event could take up a large chunk of your team’s time which they could otherwise spend doing their day job.

2 – EXPERIENCE:

Events companies consist of teams of people that have run hundreds of events in their time. Events people have past experience of coming up with creative ideas and tried and tested methods of ensuring things go really well – as well as foreseeing and preparing for what could go wrong. Experienced event managers can give you the confidence to run with your first event or if you’ve run events before, ensure that your event planning is as streamlined as possible to make it a success.

3 – RELATIONSHIPS:

Events organisers are great networkers. They will usually have a list of reliable suppliers such as venues, graphic designers or printing companies. Leveraging the buying power of your events company means that as the end client, you have your event manager negotiating a good deal on your behalf.

An external events organiser is the key to allowing you to save time and money within your busy internal teams without getting in the way of your daily activities. The result is an event that you’re proud of which achieves its objectives and delivers return on investment. There is no doubt that bringing in a dedicated events company to work alongside your team will help you to execute a successful event.

Want someone to save you the stress from start to finish? Then drop The Events Hub an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

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Ruby becomes a Small Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist

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You may have seen in recent months our news that Ruby is now a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, an achievement she was ecstatic to announce. Below is our press release, which tells you all about it.

 

West Lothian entrepreneur announced as Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2022 finalist

 

Livingston-based Ruby Sweeney has been recognised as one of the best in the business after being named as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Her company, The Events Hub, is an exciting Scottish organisation with a global reach. Creating memorable experiences for attendees, whilst saving clients the entire mental load from start to finish, they plan and run face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid events for any requirement. Their agile, expert team brings fresh insights and support delivery to small teams working at capacity without event knowhow, busy MDs or Directors wanting to delegate to an expert, and consultants looking to partner up to provide a high end service. In short, they help clients deliver fully accessible, futureproof, engaging experiences to transform their own businesses and relationships further.

Ruby is one of the shortlisted business leaders from across the nation to have been selected out of over 5,300 entrants – the most the awards has ever had.

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards, in partnership with Starling Bank, acknowledges and champions the hard work and uplifting stories of business owners across the UK, with an emphasis on their journey and resilience over financial achievements.

Twelve awards will be given out per region for categories including Disruptor of the Year, Entrepreneur for Good Award, and the Great British Entrepreneur of the Year. Notable winners from previous years include Social Chain founder Steven Bartlett, who went on to become the youngest ever investor on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.
Ruby said: “Being shortlisted for this award is a huge honour, especially given the number of entrants this year. I’ve worked hard to get to this point in my career – as a business owner, woman, parent, and person of colour: I’m over the moon to recognise how far I’ve come since starting the company in 2011. I strive to be a role model for people like me, so getting to this stage of the awards isn’t just for me, but for them too. Fingers crossed, I can see it all the way through at the Finals!”

This year’s awards will also feature a brand new award highlighting the organisations investing in the training and development of young people. The John Caudwell Blaze Your Own Trail Award looks to recognise outstanding examples of businesses offering apprenticeships, vocational training, and diversity and inclusion initiatives, all in the name of improving young people’s access to work.

The winners will be announced at a Grand Final, held at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on 21st November.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. The alumni has collectively generated over £30 billion in revenue and employed more than 450,000 people.

To mark the milestone year for the programme, entrants will have the chance to win over £30,000 worth of marketing support and a tree will be planted for every application submitted with the support of Ecologi.

Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Francesca James, said the quality of this year’s entrants exemplified the strength of entrepreneurship across the UK: “The quality of applications is consistently excellent year on year, but we have been especially blown away by the innovation, drive and determination demonstrated this year. Shortlisting from so many inspiring contenders has been more challenging than ever, with many deserving cases put forward and an ever-growing business community thriving across the country.

“From the pandemic to the ongoing cost of living crisis, business owners haven’t had it easy over the past few years, but it’s a testament to the tenacity and perseverance of these entrepreneurs that they have continued on their path and refused to give in.

“This year’s finalists should be so proud of what they’ve already achieved both in business and in being shortlisted for an award – we’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the Finals and unveiling the winners!”

Anne Boden MBE, Founder of Starling Bank, headline partner of the Awards, said: “Congratulations to all those businesses who have made the shortlist. It’s great to see the passion, resilience and amazing ingenuity from entrepreneurs across so many categories.”

To book your place at the Grand Final in London on 21st November, you can go to greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com

For the full list of finalists, visit greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com

To find out more about Ruby’s progress and what else The Events Hub has been up to (as well as expert insights and the downlow on upcoming events), sign up to our monthly newsletter here.

Want The Events Hub to manage your event or conference and transform your business? Get in touch!

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Summer scaling: growing The Events Hub team

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This year we’ve been busier than ever, and with a lot of upcoming events and new launches, it’s got to the point where we’ve needed to welcome new members to The Events Hub. We couldn’t be happier to be bringing these specialists into the team, and we know they’ll be real assets in developing our growth even further.

 
Even more Event Support

First up is Janet Rachman, joining us as Event Support. With a long-established career in sales (consistently named top salesperson and awarded the Special Achievement Award for three years running), Janet comes to us to help look after organisation and administration behind the scenes. She’ll be ensuring things run smoothly and consistently throughout the events. She’s in her element dealing with people and getting things done.

“It’s such a pleasure to be part of this dynamic team. We’re all very driven and strive for perfection; we bounce ideas off each other and collaborate really well. I really believe I’ve found my dream job with The Events Hub.” 

Delivering on Digital

After working together on a number of projects for about three years, Lachlan MacKenzie has taken on an official role to run Digital Marketing for us. Lachlan began his career in the summer of 2020 and now specialises in lead generation, email marketing, analytics and automations through his business, True North Digital. So, he’ll be overseeing all the technical side of our marketing going forward, creating campaigns, and working closely with our new Marketing Manager. 

“It’s always a pleasure working alongside Ruby and the rest of The Events Hub team. I’m delighted to be officially coming on board to help guide and implement digital strategy on the numerous exciting projects we’ve got coming up this year.”

Making the most of Marketing

Katharine Matthews has been copywriting for Ruby and The Events Hub behind the scenes since July 2021, and has now come front of house as our Marketing Manager. Following over a decade in English teaching, Katharine set up her copywriting business, The Absolute Word, during the pandemic. She’s going to be overseeing and coordinating all our social campaigns, blogs, and newsletters, amongst other marketing materials.

“Working with Ruby has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of the previous year, so I’m delighted to be helping her and the rest of the team in an official capacity. It doesn’t feel like work – just really fulfilling, fun projects with lovely people. We’ve got lots of exciting projects in the pipeline to grow and develop The Events Hub reach and engagement even further: I can’t wait to get cracking.”

To find out more about what The Events Hub can do for you and your organisation, contact events@theeventshub.com 

Don’t forget to sign up to our monthly newsletter, packed with expert industry insight and upcoming events – here.

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Which is the best platform for running virtual events?

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The most popular question we’ve been asked time and time again this year is ‘Which platform do you recommend for virtual events?’

In the same way that there isn’t one venue that satisfies all types of live events, there is no single virtual platform that works for every individual event for clients across sectors and industries.

We would go as far as suggesting that one organisation could use a different platform every time they run or host an event.

Choosing your virtual event platform is based on several factors:

1. The outcomes that you’re aiming to achieve:

What are the objectives of my event?  How are we planning on delivering value?  How do we measure the effectiveness of our event?

2. Who your audience is:

Are they staff, prospects, existing clients?  How will they interact with our chosen platform and how comfortable are they with using new technologies?  Are they in a particular sector that may restrict their access to certain platforms or functionalities?

3. The format of the event:

Is it a conference, summit, board meeting, AGM, business exhibition, awards event, celebration or gathering?

4. The experience that you want to give:

Does the event need to be immersive or educational?  Are you providing updates or facilitating discussions and interactions?

5.The expectations of your participants and stakeholders:

How has your event been marketed and pitched?  What do your attendees expect to see, hear and experience?  What are your sponsors or speakers anticipating from the event and throughout the campaign?  What are your post-event calls to action?

The variety of virtual event platforms that are out there right now can create fantastic experiences and interactions. The answers to the above questions can help shape the types of platforms that you would want to consider.

Next, look at your event budget and the price points of your shortlisted platforms.

Following this, work out how you’ll cover the costs of your 3 key event areas:

1. Virtual platform licence

2.  Event management

3.  Technical and production support

Once you’ve established this and have suitable platforms to look at – test, test and test!

Many virtual event platforms – like other software and apps – will give you the chance to demo their functionality for free.

Test out several platforms before making any commitment, so that you can experience first-hand how the platforms work, what technical support you need, what the event build looks like and what information needs to go into the system.

Better still, try and commit to your chosen software on a short-term or monthly basis – where you have the option.  Several of the newer platforms are offering this flexibility to encourage users.

Long-term commitments to platforms might initially seem like a sensible idea, but with the pace at which virtual platforms have disrupted the events industry – particularly in the second half of 2020 – you want to keep your options open so that you can switch between different platforms, allowing you to create different experiences for your participants for different events.

In Conclusion…

Virtual event experiences and platforms have evolved at an accelerated pace this year. The process of selecting an event platform is similar to choosing a venue for your live event.

Working through what your event needs to achieve, for whom and how, will help you to choose the ideal platform to create the best experience.

Would you like expert advice to help you shortlist event platforms for your next event?

Have you committed to a virtual platform and now need extra support to get your event off the ground?

Would you prefer to hand your virtual event over, rather than go through the stress and challenges of muddling your way through a process that feels alien to you and your team?

Then drop The Events Hub an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter, packed with expert industry insights and upcoming events to transform your business.

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Virtual Events – the Sustainable Future

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Innovative event and conference planning using the latest technology is helping organisations to respond to the climate emergency in a positive way, by creating new and exciting ways for delegates to participate from anywhere in the world, from the comfort of their own office. To turn this opportunity into a reality, our team is experienced in designing and hosting bespoke, interactive virtual and hybrid events online.

We are pleased to announce we are collaborating with Osbert Lancaster, founder of Realise Earth, a consultancy supporting social change in response to the climate emergency, with a view to holding sustainable events.

Time to re-evaluate the impact on the environment

2020 has been a year for re-evaluating how we communicate both professionally and personally. Technology has afforded us the ability to ‘feel’ connected in a period of isolation. The global nature of the pandemic has challenged us all to examine our values and our responsibility towards one another and has reinforced our need for community and a sense of belonging at a time when coming together is off the agenda.

What we have demonstrated over the past few months is that, when challenged, we are adaptable and innovative.

Not only have we been required to consider how we support one another, but also how we treat the environment. In the developed world one of the side effects of being at home has been the quiet – the lack of noise from traffic, the empty skies and cleaner air. We have a stronger appreciation of our environment.

As social beings, our need for gathering needs to be balanced with our responsibility for climate change by finding sustainable alternatives to current practices.

It’s time to re-examine the impact of events on the planet

The evidence supports the case for virtual events as a way of reducing our impact on the environment. Cisco’s virtual Global Sales Experience was attended by 19,000 employees, preventing an estimated 84,400 tons of carbon entering the atmosphere from eliminating travel and a reduction in more than 200,000lbs of waste.

Doing away with the need for accommodation adds green credentials to a virtual event. Conference centres and hotels are major consumers of resources. A virtual event provides significant energy savings, with no requirement for air conditioning, lighting and water.  Without the need for catering there is a significant reduction in food waste.

Technology and innovation in the events industry

Using the latest technology allows us to create a first-class experience for organisations and delegates who opt for the virtual or hybrid model.

Ruby Sweeney, Founder of The Events Hub, commented: “Our formula for a successful virtual event is rooted in its design. A virtual event may run to a different timetable from a traditional face-to-face event. It also provides multiple opportunities for delegates to interact with one another, the speakers, sponsors and exhibitors online, saving the need for time-consuming, in-person meetings and removing the environmental impact of travel pollution.”

The long-term benefit of virtual events

Traditional conferences require concentration over an extended period of time. Whilst exhilarating and inspiring at the time, retaining the information is challenging. With video recordings of the speeches and panel discussions, virtual events live on as attendees revisit the content.

Making a commitment to virtual events is not only sustainable but cost-effective and scalable with an unlimited reach and long-lasting impact. They give your audience the opportunity to build lasting relationships in a new, exciting way.

Looking for the perfect virtual event to scale and grow?

Then drop The Events Hub an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter, packed with expert industry insights and upcoming events to transform your business.

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What does the future of conferences & events look like?

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Following our last blog on ‘How to master online events’, we have been thinking about the future of conferences and events and what this might look and feel like.

After lots of discussions across our network, 5 key factors continually emerged and resonated with us, our partners, clients and colleagues as we considered the future of events. 

We believe the future consists of both virtual & hybrid events. 

The list below is not in any order of importance, but these are all led by one fundamental notion. 

If a precedence is not set – whether it’s for a virtual, hybrid or face-to-face conference or event – then the 5 points below will fall at the wayside.

This is content. 

Content is, and always will be, king.

If we are confident that the calibre of our content is what has always drawn the right stakeholders, and ultimately, delegates, then we can continue to uphold our quality content. 

We then need to ensure that the following 5 key components are an essential part of our virtual and hybrid event strategies:

  1. Interaction, Participation, Engagement & Contribution: Attending virtual events over the last few months has cemented the fact that every, single event needs interaction and participation – whether it’s an internal or external event; whether it’s networking, training, team meetings or conferences; whether it’s a business event or a social one. An engaging and dynamic format, resulting in contribution from AS MANY of the participants as possible is essential for every single event.
  2. Sustainability: What are the environmental implications of events from start to finish?  Conferences, events, exhibitions, and trade shows can cause large amounts of wastage – whether it’s physical such a conference food, graphics, banners or marketing materials or resource – people, time, travel, energy and cost.

Hybrid events or virtual events aren’t just good for the planet; they also mean that we can work in a more streamlined and efficient manner on a daily and weekly basis and the impacts of this on cost savings, job satisfaction, physical health & mental wellbeing can potentially be huge. 

Everyone is talking about ‘Green Recovery’ as the way out of this pandemic, so having the planet high on our agenda demonstrates how seriously we take the conference and events industry’s impact on the environment and how we can improve this in future.

3. Diversity, Representation and Accessibility & Inclusivity: In a virtual world, we have no excuse about not having diversity and representation of delegates, speakers, panellists, sponsors, and other stakeholders.

 For those that might have travel restrictions placed on them; those with accessibility issues; people living in rural communities; colleagues who are unable drive or access public transport; or those parents having to automatically discount events at certain times of day due to childcare – we now have access to some incredible events and global connections. 

The barriers of entry have come down dramatically and there is no excuse – being inclusive in this new way of working should be actively encouraged, embraced and championed.

  1. Community: Every event has a community built around it. We must change our thinking to see an event or conference not as a set occasion on a set date in a set venue, but as SO much more with far more longevity than it has ever had in the past.

How do we communicate relevant content regularly; build momentum and create a real movement around every event? Answering these questions can make a huge difference to those with a vested interest in the community built around each event.

  1. Creativity & Innovation: The world has changed so much in the last few months. For the planners amongst us, we have an opportunity to test those new ideas that we have never been able to, or we can introduce something new and disruptive because we don’t have to keep following the status quo – because who knows what the status quo is anymore!

As we have laid out, the future of conferences and events in the foreseeable future is both virtual and hybrid. 

When organisers can run in-person events again, virtual events will still be an integral part of our strategies.  Whether we embrace them or resist them, virtual events are here to stay.

What are your thoughts on how conferences and events have changed in the new world and how they might continue to evolve?

Have you had to cancel or postpone an in-person event and are you wondering what your next move needs to be?  We have some innovative solutions to help you migrate your conference or event to a virtual platform and our Technical Production Director is more than happy to answer your questions.

Drop The Events Hub an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

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5 ways to master online meetings & events

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The Coronavirus pandemic has transformed our working lives forever.

Over the last few months, we have all had to learn and discover effective ways of working whilst at home with our families and with our movements restricted. The boundaries between home, life and work have truly become blurred.

Making the most and the best of online communication technology is something that has been essential for us all, regardless of where we were on the adoption journey before the start of this process.

One of the biggest changes for business owners has been in attending, running, hosting, and speaking at in-person networking events, meetings, and training sessions.

Using simple and effective technology is the next best thing to meeting up, sharing, connecting, and learning in person.

Here are our top 5 tips for mastering online meetings and events:

1. Break boundaries

You can now attend online events with fewer constraints – such as time, geography, travel time and cost. Certain audiences that historically might not have been able to attend due to these restrictions in the past can now access, participate in and interact with certain training, events and meetings for the very first time.

For organisers, attendees are now more likely to be from a wider audience and geography so the content needs to be relevant and inclusive in order to be engaging.

The cost of many events, webinars and training sessions can be lower and therefore accessible to more people – the vast majority of networking events that have moved online are now free.  We now have the capability, flexibility and freedom to attend a larger number and variety of events with fewer boundaries.

2. Maximise time

Online events, meetings, training programmes and webinars can allow you to have a far more efficient and streamlined workday when there’s no travel time to factor in. Typically, online sessions are structured so that they’re shorter than offline events, so individuals and teams can fit more into their working week, and if they choose to and have the capacity, have far more chances to network, learn and share.  This opens up opportunities for both organisers and attendees.

3. Stay on point

We may find that our attention span is shorter when we network, meet or learn online.  Organisers and presenters need to keep online sessions on point, dynamic, relevant and interactive to keep engagement levels up. 

As a participant, try out new events and go back to the ones that motivate you or help you to work towards your goals. This unique opportunity that we have been presented with to test out new events from the comfort of our homes means that we don’t have to travel far to do so.

If you have committed to an online meeting, treat it like an in-person meeting or business event and be sure to show up. If it’s a new event, you might be pleasantly surprised by the session content and showing up and interacting helps to build your brand, reputation, credibility – and expands your existing network.

4. Keep connecting

By showing up at online meetings, events, webinars and training sessions, you demonstrate to your colleagues that you’re active, visible and focussed on moving your business forward in the current climate. 

As we are all confined to our homes during lockdown, not only does joining online sessions with other business owners increase our morale and confidence, but having online discussions or learning something new generates ideas that can help our businesses or us as individuals. 

Regular meetings and events with people we enjoy being in the company of, gives us a boost. In the same way that we continue to share with and build our networks on platforms such as LinkedIn, we should keep connecting and interacting through online meetings too. Online events enhance other online activities such as social media, email marketing and others – and vice versa.

5. Think about future events

By considering everything that came with traditional events – good and not so good, we have the unique opportunity to think about what we want events of the future to be like.

What are the elements that we could change or remove? How do we make one event, conference or meeting achieve various objectives for a whole host of different stakeholders? Is an event the right solution? How can we merge the convenience of online with in-person interaction? What outcomes are we looking to achieve from every event that we attend, host, speak/teach/exhibit at, sponsor, or engage with when we spend so much time, money, resource and effort on them? What is the environmental or social impact of every event?

Questions such as these might be better reserved for event planners and the events industry as a whole, but this unique chance that we have to consider, offer feedback, discuss, evaluate and influence events of the future is just as imperative for attendees as it is for organisers.

Wrapping up…

Online and hybrid events are here to stay.

As we’ve discussed, online events allow organisers and participants to reach a wider audience as well as maximising time during our working days.

Most online meetings are shorter than their offline counterparts, but it’s crucial that they stay on point, offering value and exceeding expectations. As participants, regularly showing up to online events helps to build our brands and credibility as well as allowing us to continue expanding our networks.

The future of events is being shaped now and will evolve as we go through this process.  As an attendee, organiser or both, we all have a part in creating this.

What other online networking, meeting or training tips can you share?

Have you had to reschedule or postpone events, or are you thinking about moving your events online?

We have some fantastic ways in which we can support your plans so if you would like to chat them through, drop us an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

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How SMEs can exhibit effectively on a budget

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The Events Hub team have been involved in a huge number and variety of B2B business expos, trade shows & exhibitions of varying size and appeal across the UK over many years.

Looking around exhibition halls of B2B shows up and down the country, the surroundings are so familiar that you could be anywhere at any point in time – the clothed trestle tables, chairs tucked behind them and a variety of pull-up banners displayed along the back.

From the provider’s point of view, there’s nothing wrong with this but as an exhibitor, could you be doing more to be more creative?

These opportunities are presented to us to showcase our services so how can an SME stand out at these exhibitions without blowing the events budget?

Here are some of The Events Hub’s top tips:

1. Plan your objectives 

What are you aiming to achieve by being an exhibitor? What added value do you get in comparison to being a regular show visitor? Do you have measurable objectives in terms of the number of leads you hope to gain or is it less tangible – such as raising your business profile or using the event as a PR or marketing exercise? Communicate your objectives clearly to all of those working or helping on your stand and have a process in place to capture interest, leads and follow-ups – even if it’s just an exercise for yourself.

2. Dedicate time to think about and plan your space

Do this based on your objectives. Why are you attending the show? What feelings do you want to evoke from stand visitors when they approach you? How will you make your stand eye-catching or memorable? What approach will you use to speak to passers-by and how will you walk them through your stand experience? How much money do you have available to spend on your stand and how can you maximise your budget? Map out or talk your stand process over and see if there are any other touch points that could be added to the process to make it memorable and enjoyable for your visitors.

3. Think creatively 

Do away with the table and chairs! Sitting on a chair behind a table automatically creates a barrier between you and the attendees and if you or your staff are not fully engaged or are distracted, this gives the feeling of you being unapproachable or disinterested. Ideally, that’s not the first impression you want to give to visitors of yourself or your business so how can you change things around to personalise your stand experience? At a recent business show, we removed the trestle table and chairs completely, opening up the floor to demonstrate that we are open, personable and approachable. Use the opportunity to be photographed, take photos of your stand and those of other stands to share on social media to extend your reach.

4. Welcome varied conversations and keep an open mind 

It’s very common at small to medium-sized shows for exhibitors to network with one another. Often, networking with the other exhibitors is just as fruitful if not more than the networking opportunities that you get with your visitors. Try not to restrict yourself by only speaking to people you know, those in your industry or with the same interests as you. Just as it is in day-to-day networking, you never know where conversations lead to and who people’s networks are made up of. Invite and welcome the varied conversations that you have on your stand or at other people’s stands and keep an open mind.

5. Follow up immediately 

Once the show is over, an immediate follow-up is as important as your pre-show build-up and being present on the day. As a result of the expo, you might have come across potential suppliers, clients or collaborators. Aim to follow up right after the show so that you’re still fresh in people’s minds and to demonstrate that you really value the fact that you are now connected with each new contact – an opportunity that has come about thanks to the event. Although sometimes it might not be possible to reach out directly after a show, particularly if you’re the sole person in your business, try and reduce the lag time that you leave before sending that follow-up email or making that call.

As a small business owner, exhibitions can be an extremely cost-effective way of telling others about your business and sharing your story. You can and should maximise the opportunities that arise – from the pre-show activity to your stand on the day,, and all the way through to the follow-up process.

If you’d like to speak to The Events Hub Team about exhibiting or your future event plans, drop us an email at events@theeventshub.com or call us on 01506 300277.

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