Synch-Up: The GetSynchronicity Blog

Nikki Lazuka, GetSynchronicity’s newest account executive, reflects on HCEA 2010…

What an experience!  Last week I attended HCEA’s annual meeting.  It was a lot of firsts for me…my first time in “NOLA”, my first physical contribution towards the relief effort of post Katrina and my first HCEA annual meeting. 

The people of New Orleans are so rich in soul, pride and ownership of a city that was almost washed from existence.  They are so welcoming and accepting of anyone and everyone open to the experience of the heart and soul of this prevailing city. 

81 Volunteers, 6 Cleared Lots - HCEA/Beacon of Hope Community Service Project

 As for the community service project, I will do one anytime it is offered.  To see all the people ready and willing to work, heightened my faith in humanity.  When I stepped back and looked at the work we had done, I was proud.  When I turned to get back on the bus and saw what still needed to be done, my heart sank.  Then I thought, “Who, in this group of 81 volunteers, doesn’t also participate in at least one other organization, church group, social group, etc?  If each volunteer was able to get one of their groups to participate, that would be 81 additional groups bringing their teams of 81 to help organizations like Beacon of Hope help to restore New Orleans.  The buzz of the community service project lasted the entire conference, leaving those who participated wanting to do more and those who were not able to participate, wishing they had.

Needless to say, one learns from experiences.  I work with brands every day to create personally relevant and impactful live event experiences.   So, I sat back, opened my eyes wide and took in as much as I possibly could. HCEA did not disappoint.  As a “first timer” to the event, I was warmly welcomed by everyone I met. There was always a smiling face and an open seat waiting for me. I look forward to serving on committees and paying forward the welcoming nature of the HCEA in the years to come.  The annual meeting was an experience to remember.

The latest figures released by American Business Media show a mixed bag of economic reports. Trade show revenue is down 8.4% in Q1 2010 year-over-year. Disappointing news. Until you compare it to last years’ 19% drop and suddenly, the future looks rosy again.

Up-again-down-again stories like this make it difficult to pinpoint just where the economic recovery is headed, but new realities are emerging. Here are five trends that savvy event marketers will want to explore.

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Twitter’s recently-announced ad model has the social media world buzzing. How will brands use the ads to promote products and services?

With access to the ads currently limited to a select group of marketers, the debate amounts to little more than speculation. Based on what we do know, here’s a primer on what to expect from the new model. With these simple strategies you can  start promoting your own event with #greatsuccess!

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Back to our two-part interview with Sue Tinnish, president of Seal Inc., and a member of the American delegation to the International Standards Organization conference on sustainable meetings and live events. This week, Sue explains the mechanics of ISO and shares some ideas to help us all get involved.

GetSynchronicity: Let’s take ISO. How does it reach some of its decisions about what they will advise? How does an organization reach these voluntary standards?

Sue Tinnish: Well, the structure is, we have a project committee that different countries belong to, and in ISO, every country has one vote. Each country involved in the process has what’s called a technical advisory group and (it’s through them) that we disseminate the ISO standards throughout the industry.

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If you’re a regular Synch-Up reader, your knowledge of social media in event marketing is likely a cut above the pack. But how big of a cut? To find out, take our Get-Synch Social Media Recollection Test, aka the Get-SMRT. It’s a quick and easy way to gauge your awareness. It also might win you a free GetSynchronicity social media consultation, if you’re the first person to answer all eight questions correctly! To enter, submit your answers to jmnix@getsynchronicity.com with the subject line “Get-SMRT”; the first respondent with a perfect score will receive a free GetSynchronicity social media analysis for your next live event!

We’ll post the answers later in the week in a separate entry. In the meantime, sharpen your pencils, warm up your browser, and let’s get to it!



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Last week, Mashable wrote an excellent article on how to make ordinary presentations more engaging with social media. In fact, Get-Synch liked the suggestions so well that we decided to expand on Mashable’s pointers and add five additional tips of our own, aimed specifically at live event presentations. Have any tips of your own? Let us know in the comments, or on Twitter at @GetSynch!

Create Anticipation through Every Channel You Have Available

You have a frequently updated Twitter page, a solid Facebook hub, and a sizable email list. Now start using those channels to promote your conference keynote, session presentation or trade show demo in advance of the event. If you don’t, you’re limiting your audience before you even get started. Connect with every piece of social media relevant to your presentation, and then network with gusto. Mashable’s reminder to use services like MeetUp is smart, too, as is creating a custom hashtag, so that the conversation can keep itself well-organized and so that outside readers can jump in mid-stream.

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Welcome back to part two of our Study of a Study on Social Media. If you were here last week, you already know some of the numbers from our Social Media in Event Marketing study. This week, we’ll look at the meaning behind those numbers.

Numbers like a 66% adoption rate and a 74% positive growth rate indicate just how vital social networks have become. Marketers choosing to ignore the cutting edge are only delaying the inevitable. It only takes a token Facebook page or an event blog to get .some experience in this brave new world. To learn some lessons from the early adopters who participated in our survey, read on.

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Regular readers of Synch-Up know that earlier this year we collaborated with Exhibitor Magazine to sponsor a study on Social Media in Event Marketing. We’ve had a few weeks now to dig into the data and we’ve uncovered some fascinating insights; insights that indicate social media isn’t just a vital part of daily life for millions of internet users. It’s fast becoming an important tool for event marketers.

We’ll take a look at the data in two installments. In this first part, we’ll discuss some of the key facts and figures from the study – what is being used and who is using it. Part two, posted here next week, will provide an analysis of the data – what the data means and where it goes from here. If you’d like to read along, get your free copy of the Social Media in Event Marketing PDF here.

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We don’t usually promote any one company or concept on Synch-Up, but today we’re going to do just that. Unisfair, the leading provider of virtual events, recently announced the release of version 9 of its platform, enabling customers to create a virtual event in an hour and effectively changing the game for the virtual events industry.

Until now, building virtual events required considerable time, expertise, and support. Production times were measured in weeks and months. Today, it’s as easy as setting up a Google Adwords account because Unisfair’s advanced communications platform simplifies the steps in creating virtual events.

The Unisfair Virtual Business Center offers the industry’s only three-tier data model. Organizers can leverage content and design across multiple events in multiple venues. Previously, each event was a silo and customers had to start from scratch when they produced a new virtual event. In addition, attendees can now register just once and keep their profile and briefcase content throughout all events of the host company. Navigation is supported in 16 different languages and adjusts to the attendee’s time zone and language preferences automatically. The platform translates live chat in 50 languages, removing language barriers in global events. Today’s technology is making it easy to host multiple virtual events and communicate with geographically dispersed prospects, customers, employees, and partners.

In the past, virtual event providers needed a “freeze period” of weeks before a live event because the process to build a venue was cumbersome. Now with a WYSIWYG interface and real-time changes, the Unisfair Venue Builder is raising the bar for virtual event platforms. A gallery of high resolution templates offers compelling imagery of real-world venues. All locations can be easily configured to reflect a company’s brand and event theme.

The Unisfair Webcasting Studio lets companies produce their own webcasts — easily and cost-effectively. What previously required a studio of expensive staff and equipment can now be done from the office. The studio supports self-recording of audio and video directly from the desktop, with video sources ranging from a simple webcam to high definition camera input. Unisfair lets the host or speaker upload content, including slide decks, polls, links and media files. The host can pass camera, microphone and slide control to any speaker at any time during the recording or broadcast, which enables multiple presenters during a single webcast. Unisfair’s Q&A management includes tagging and prioritization of questions, allowing speakers to focus on their answers.

Unisfair Smart Reports help sales teams gather rich customer intelligence from virtual event activities – across all venues and events – from a single, web-based dashboard. Smart Reports track each individual participant’s demographics, activities and interests, allowing the organizer to gain unprecedented understanding of their audience.

Unisfair continuously aggregates registrant activities into a single metric – the Unisfair Engagement Index. Each attendee is assigned a numerical rank, indicating the level of engagement over time. The Engagement Index can be customized by the organizer or sponsors to reflect a model of the ideal participant. Leads sent to the sales team now include a clear indication of their maturation level and interest, effectively putting an end to dead-end leads. The index can also be used to track engagement in training or recruiting events.

Interested in learning more? Be sure to check this week’s GetSynch eTip, where you can order your complimentary copy of the Unisfair Virtual Event ROI Kit.