By Becky Vance, Digital Manager
As official sponsors of the
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) press office, the Wildwood team was out in
force at ISE 2020, from the 10th to 14th February. We
have several clients on the show floor, so the team were busy accompanying
media to stands, talking business, and making new contacts. But for me, one of
the most satisfying parts of ISE was seeing the turnout and value gained from
our client’s networking events.
To give context, ISE is the
world’s largest audiovisual show, with 52,000 individual visitors stepping foot
on the show floor over four days in 2020. With a range like that, it would be
foolish to overlook the potential that networking can bring.
Networking can start
conversations
When I say networking, I’m not
talking about a reception with nibbles and drinks – although this method can be
effective – I’m referring to a higher level of networking to attract new people
who may not have heard of your brand before.
For example, at ISE 2020 we
worked with one of our clients, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience
Association (AVIXA™) to arrange their Women’s Council event on the Wednesday
of the Show, which consisted of two panel discussions, a guest appearance from
Hon. Ms Chacon, the Minister of Enterprise and Knowledge, Government of
Catalonia, and information on partner Women in AV’s (WAVE) mentoring scheme.
This was followed by an hour-long networking reception to end the day.
With the programme focused on
diversity and inclusion, our two panels discussed their route into AV, how
they’ve developed their roles and what they’re doing to encourage younger women
to get into the industry.
The event was hosted on ISE’s
Main Stage rather than the clients stand, making it feel less about a brand and
more like an education offering, which in turn attracted a brilliant turnout.
There was only standing room available even before the event started!
The audience were engaged in the talks,
asking questions to the panel and sharing their own experiences. Timings worked
brilliantly too – hosting an event like this near the end of the day means
people are relaxed and willing to stick around for a bit longer to network.
How it could work for you
These types of events work well
in a conference setting, where people are already gathered for business and
looking to learn new things. It’s an opportunity to talk about wider ventures
and build a network, rather than push product. It helps to be seen as a company
that cares about its community.
Ideas for event focus’ could be:
- Professional development workshops – motivating
sessions for mindfulness, presentation skills, productivity etc. - Feedback sessions – new product feedback or industry
trend analysis - Workforce development – how to attract new
skillsets and diverse workers to your company - Creative day – asking attendees to meet and mix
minds on a topic with ‘yes, and’ - Quiz night – a way to bring friends of and new
people together to make connections without business talk
Wildwood can help
At Wildwood, we have close
contacts across the AV, Technology, Housebuilding and Design industries. We
often source speakers and notable industry influencers for clients that will
attract a crowd.
Our team also has a lengthy
experience in event co-ordination and management. We’ll help you book in space,
source speakers and organise the programme, and when it comes to the day, we can
make sure the logistics all run smoothly. Plus – with a PR team at your
disposal, we have links with media to make sure your turnout is a roaring
success.
Sound good? Get in touch with us to discuss your next event.
