PLANNING FOR THE NEW NORMAL

In the new normal we are facing, the VIRTUAL SE Classic will provide information on sponsorships in the age of social media (and COVID-19), driving attendance to your next physical and next online event, and bridging the physical and virtual event gap on how event professionals can reimagine events in new and virtual ways. Our thought leaders will offer insights into these areas with the aim of helping you hone successful strategies to move your event forward. Then, we will round out the day with a virtual HAPPY HOUR where you can meet and talk with your peers in the industry!

The VIRTUAL SE Classic will be held Thursday, July 23 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., with breaks scheduled between the speakers. We encourage you to register for the entire Classic, but if your schedule only allows for you to attend part of the day, we have options for that too!  Click here to view the detailed program.

Be sure to invite your team to register and join us. You will not want to miss it!

Registration Fees:

• Members: $120 full classic or $50/session
• Non-Members: $150 full classic or $60/session
• Sponsor a furloughed member: $120

Schedule of Events

11:00am - 12:00pm

#Money: Sponsorship in the Age of Social Media (and COVID-19)
Alex Plaxen, vice president of experience strategy, Nifty Method Marketing & Events

Sponsored by  

Whether you're planning a conference, trade show or event, there's a good chance that you'll have to get sponsors in order to be profitable. Your sponsors are your customers, and it's important to make sure you're selling them the best products. Social media marketing is valuable because it allows companies to directly engage with their customers, build brand presence and ultimately sell more products. Learn what options you have to develop killer social media sponsorship packages that mutually benefit both your sponsors and your organization. Now, more than ever before, social media enables core business objectives and provides so many different metrics and new data streams about customers and their behavior. With the rise in new platforms like Snapchat and new live streaming capabilities, authenticity and shareability have new clout. Learn how to create innovative sponsorships that will appeal to your attendees and show an increase in ROI to your sponsors.

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Attendee Acquisition: Driving Attendance to Your Next Physical Event
Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes, chief marketing strategist, mdg

As COVID-19 changes the world in significant, unprecedented ways, attempting to revert to ‘business as usual' could have devastating consequences on trade shows and conferences. Event marketers who make the necessary pivots (and investments), however, have an opportunity to expand their reach, capture market share and increase loyalty and engagement. In this session, you'll learn to minimize lingering concerns about travel and mass gatherings and maximize the pent-up demand for the commerce and community associated with live events

Attendee Acquisition: Driving Attendance to Your Next Online Event
Jacquelyn Wells, vice president, mdg

Creating an audience for an online event requires a specialized approach. Learn how to customize the right strategy, tactical plan, creative and messaging to attract a sizable and relevant audience to your virtual offering. From awareness to consideration to conversion and participation, you'll learn how to achieve the ROO and ROI you desire.

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Bridging the Physical and Virtual Event Gap: How Event Professionals Can Reimagine Events in New and Virtual Ways
David Saef, chief instigator, Freeman
Ted McGregor, senior business development manager, Freeman

• Discover how a digital-first mindset underscores value of face-to-face
  Now that events have had to shift to digital, it has put the spotlight on how important and valuable face-to-face events are in the overall marketing strategy. Digital can complement that experience.
• Apply data-driven decisions to inform what's next
  Event strategies will be re-evaluated to determine what events continue digitally and what programs extend to omni-channel. The new standard will integrate digital into the overall strategy. Data-driven decisions will inform cadence, event formats and content development, as well as digital and physical components.
• Create a purposeful event strategy will drive the reimagination of events
  Gone are the days of “what we've always done.” Event professionals will make conscious decisions on what to do and when, based on the overall business objectives versus a date on a calendar. For those that have been hosting the same event for years, it is an opportunity to rethink, and reinvent.

5:00pm - 6:00pm

Virtual Happy Hour

Join us for a virtual HAPPY HOUR where you can catch up with friends and meet and talk with your peers in the industry!