View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm. The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), UBM Studios (a UBM company), and the Virtual Edge Institute (VEI) combined efforts to survey marketing professionals in order to get a pulse on the work-related uses of events, expositions, virtual engagements and the motivations and behaviors surrounding physical and online event participation. Michael Doyle, Executive Director of Virtual Edge Institute, and Kathleen Connolly, VP Sales & Development, West for UBM Studios, presented a webinar on how in-person and virtual come together.
Webinar Slides: Striking Similarities of In-Person and Online Events
1. Business Motivations and Social Behaviors for In-Person and Online Events A Research Study Conducted by: UBM Studios Virtual Edge Institute The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Presented By: Kathleen Connolly VP Sales Development West UBM Studios Michael Doyle Executive Director,Virtual Edge Institute View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
2. Overview The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), UBM Studios and the Virtual Edge Institute combined efforts to survey marketing professionals in order to get a pulse on: the work-related uses of events, expositions, virtual engagements and the motivations and actions surrounding physical and online event participation. View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
3. Methodology The survey was conducted amongst 479 North American marketing and event professionals during May 2011 About 60,000 email invites went out across PCMA, VEI, UBM and an independent list Twitter Two iPads were offered as incentives Survey was open for 30 days View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
4. Key Findings Business Travel to Conferences, Conventions and Tradeshows Generally Remain The Same Content is Valued Before, During and After the Event All Participants, Both In Person and Online, Are Easily Distracted People are Social Creatures – Both In person and Online People Seek the Same Information Exhibitor Goals Seem to Align with Attendees’ Needs Content and Ease-of-Use Motivates Online Attendance Networking and Collaboration Motivates Physical Attendance View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
12. All Participants Are Easily Distracted Online In person View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
13. What do Exhibitors at Physical Events Want View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
14. What People Want from an Exhibitor View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
15. What People Want from an Exhibitor View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
16. People Seek the Same Information View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
17. What Could Make an Online Exhibit Compelling “Where I can see the vendors presentation and see their product in action and being able to ask questions and examine the pros and cons.” View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
18. Poll: Have you created a formal plan for driving exhibitor/attendee interaction? View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
20. Conclusion There are many similarities in the way people behave during online and in-person programs We were surprised by how many multi-tasking activities were the same for both People attend events for Content – the differences between virtual and in person is the fall off in networking in the online experience Digital event producers need to create structured networking activities People are equal in their comfort level in making new acquaintances and chatting with strangers online and in person Attendees from both want to stay up-to-date on what is new, and want to learn from subject matter experts Attendees want to gain knowledge to help them do their jobs better Exhibitors want brand and product exposure, new business opportunities and ability to educate the market Virtual environments are enhanced with video, demos, rich content and interactivity View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
21. About the Sponsors About PCMAThe Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) is the source for education, professional resources and advocacy for the meeting, convention and exhibition industry. Founded in 1957, PCMA represents more than 6000 meeting management professionals from associations, non-profit organizations, corporations, independent meeting planning companies, multi-management firms, and association executives who recognize the importance of meetings to their organization. PCMA provides members with the tools they need to succeed as meeting professionals and to promote the value of the industry to their organizations and the general public. Headquartered in Chicago, PCMA has 17 chapters throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. For additional information, please visit the PCMA Web site at pcma.org. About UBM Studios UBM Studios leads the industry in world-class user engagement for virtual environments, social networking and gaming. A global marketing service, UBM Studios delivers content, audience and in-depth analytics driving deeper award-winning user engagement paired with vision, process and execution. Visit UBM Studios at www.ubmstudios.com. About The Virtual Edge Institute The Virtual Edge Institute is an organization dedicated to advancing the development and adoption of digital event and meeting technology and best practices for collaboration and marketing. Founded in 2008 by Michael Doyle, the Institute does this by supporting and contributing research, education, thought leadership, promotion, and professional networking. Learn more at http://www.virtualedgeinstitute.com. View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
22. Contact info for questions, please contact: For UBM Studios, Kathleen Connolly 949-223-3611 or kathleen.connolly@ubm.com. For Virtual Edge Institute, Michael Doyle925-600-1001 mdoyle@virtualedge.org. For PCMA, Mary Reynolds Kane 312-423-7243 or mkane@pcma.org. View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm
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24. Segment Content by Audience: Attendees are expecting more customized information that fits their specific business needs and industry. This is an opportunity for virtual event platform providers to enhance capabilities to match content based on attendee profiles or behavior within the environment. In lieu of this, exhibitors should evaluate audience demographics to categorize content by business need and industry.“I think there should be more interactivity, virtual demos and videos. Downloading documents is good but there should be a lot more in the booths.” View the webinar at: http://pcma.org/PCMA365.htm