The new normal for live events due to COVID-19
The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused attendees and exhibitors from traveling. This has put a pause on traditional events as we know them. King Hood Media & Consulting has a Plan B.
Face-to-face interactions are no doubt the best way to engage with people, however sometimes – such as now during COVID-19 – it is best to have an alternative.
Online Marketing Company King Hood Media & Consulting was started in 2013, a level 1 BBBEE agency that produces imaginative, efficient and cost-effective campaigns that deliver a great return on investment for clients.
“Our business is to help our clients create a virtual presence and increase online sales. We understand the value and benefits of Face-to-Face meetings, but as the world changes, so should we. Since moving their businesses online some of our clients are seeing three times more inquiries than they normally do.
As a Premium member of the Fourways Community Chamber of Commerce (FCC) we took the invite to participate in the world class online Virtual Trade Fair during SA’s National lockdown. This aligned to our online strategy which COVID-19 propelled businesses to adopt online in such a short space of time.” – Dee Mdeka – Management Consultant at King Hood Media & Consulting.
Opportunities presented by the Virtual Trade Fair.
1. Network with thought leaders, speakers and educators.
Opportunity to feature as a guest at the virtual event was available. First we realized that, some speakers might be reluctant to share their content on a livestream or recorded session, so they won’t be able to incorporate them into virtual event. We created our own unique content, which is key!
King Hood Media & Consulting created an interactive video called “Meet Vanessa” this was done exclusively for the Virtual Trade Fair. The video follows the journey of Vanessa a Marketing Manager who needs help rolling out a campaign. The interactive video allows you to take control of Vanessa’s decisions.
Second, people are generally nervous about being on camera, however hosting webinars is one of the best ways to engage with current and potential customers during this time, A quick conversation and rehearsal is how one can help speakers to get rid of any fears.
2. Have a story.
Customers are more loyal to brands that have a story that they can relate to and believe in. “To get customers, you need to go from the heart to the brain to the wallet.” – Gary Vaynerchuk
This is why King Hood Media & Consulting helps companies develop relatable stories that are informed by analytics, data and psychology.
3. Retarget and Remarket.
“Once we chose to be part of the Virtual Trade Fair we created content and special offers for the event. We now have to market the event. We use online marketing tools such as Facebook Ads to target individuals that attended our live events/conferences in the past. Any engaged audiences that click on any of our content are retargeted.
4. Go live!
The day of the event has arrived the trick here is to keep up the moment online by using social media to build excitement about your stand and the event itself. Share animated promo videos via WhatsApp and encourage your friends and colleagues to share it with their networks. A competition is also a great way to get people to engage.
After the session it is important to thank your guests for attending the event. Using the database that would be collected during the RSVP process an email to a free guide or e-book is sent with the thank you note.
What is the Virtual Trade Fair?
“Virtual Trade Fair is a classic ‘in every crisis lies opportunity’ story. Recognising the devastating impact of the National Lockdown on all businesses (in particular, the expo/exhibition industry and the retail mall sector, both vital marketing platforms for many businesses), business members at Fourways Community Chamber of Commerce set about identifying member resources to develop an innovative stop-gap measure for all businesses to utilise ASAP.” – Irene Klue – DC Dzines
Sources: Bizcommunity