Archive for the ‘events’ Category
The digital divide: business vs consumer publishers
Sunday, May 15th, 2011Business and consumer publishers are both grappling with the challenge of digital media, but their emphasis is very different, according to a new survey of 200 publishers commissioned recently for the Specialist Media Show. I’ve summarised below the five main divisions the research highlights between B2B and B2C digital publishing strategies: (more…)
Tags: digital editions, digital publishing, mobile apps, paid online content, research, virtual events
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events, news
Why live and online events are a priority for specialist publishers
Monday, April 11th, 2011Specialist publishers are increasingly realising that their business is more about gathering together a like-minded community than about creating niche content. So it comes as little surprise to see the emphasis placed on live and online events and networking in the research recently commissioned by the Specialist Media Show among 200 publishers, with a bias towards smaller, independent specialist markets. Below are my top five insights. (more…)
Tags: e-learning, live events, networking, new research, online networking, specialist media show, virtual events, webinars
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, events, news
How a small publisher launched a global virtual event
Sunday, March 27th, 2011Live trade events are great - and essential for cementing new business relationships, but for small media owners, they can be high risk, and in today’s busy world, getting people physically in one space on one day can be challenging. I’ve written previously on how virtual events can complement live exhibitions and conferences, and the extent to which they can provide inspiration, discovery of new suppliers, networking and peer learning, in “Can a virtual trade show replace a live event?“ This article prompted a very lively debate on the Specialist Media Network on Linked-in, with contributions from Ben Greenish, James Ormiston, Graham Ruddick and Ben Heald. The conclusion seemed to be that a multi-channel approach was the answer, with virtual events sitting somewhere between a good b2b website and face to face meetings. So I was very interested to chat to Neil Fagg at Confex about his recent innovative launch, Virtual Event World, and what he has learnt in its first few weeks: invaluable to any other media owners planning to test the virtual event waters: (more…)
Tags: Ivent, Neil Fagg, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show, StandOut, virtual event world, virtual events, virtual seminars
Posted in b2b, business strategy, events
Top tips for teamwork under pressure
Sunday, March 20th, 2011This weekend I crewed in a yacht race in the Solent, invited by some of the people featuring in the pics on this website, and it taught me some valuable lessons about teamwork under pressure that can be applied to many business situations. I knew half the crew quite well, having sailed on a range of boats with them, but the others were complete strangers before meeting up on the Friday night. By the end of the weekend we had achieved a creditable third place in the regatta on a 40-foot yacht none of us had sailed before. Yacht racing involves mastering complex maneouvres with heavy loads, highly variable winds and tides, plus the actions of competing boats, all under time pressure, and with the added stress of a hefty damage deposit in event of a collision. We made many mistakes, but there were a few factors that helped us, and these are the ones that I believe can be applied to any team working under pressure: (more…)
Tags: clear roles, decision making, dry runs, managing setbacks, observation, specialist media show, teamwork, yacht racing
Posted in events, implementation, people and culture
Building a global specialist community - Media Pioneer awards
Thursday, November 18th, 2010In a niche discipline, people are interested in the opinions of their international counterparts. Smart publishers recognise this and create opportunities for peers to share and collaborate and for key suppliers to reach an international audience. The latest Media Pioneer, Advanstars’ publications in the global chromatography market, has built a mix of integrated media and services to engage their audience of 140,000 chromatographers worldwide. I believe there are interesting lessons for other publishers targeting niche specialist audiences. Here’s how they put it all together: (more…)
Tags: Advanstar, digital magazine, elearning services, international publishing, Media Pioneers, specialist communities, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, events
Can a virtual trade show replace a live event?
Friday, September 17th, 2010As the organiser of the Specialist Media Show I am well aware of the practical headaches of live events - venue costs, choosing a date, stand and feature build and break down, not to mention the carpet! There’s also the task of persuading visitors to take a day out and travel for hours and convincing exhibitors that the extra costs of staff time and travel are justified. So the idea of virtual events is highly appealing - no venue cost, no shell scheme, no carpet or catering - and it should be easier to persuade visitors to attend for a few hours from their computer screen, and for smaller exhibitors to try out the environment.
But can a virtual show replace the thrill and spectacle of a live event? I think it’s unlikely in consumer events, where people want to touch and feel the product, but could be more interesting in b2b shows, where the products are intangible and exhibitors focus on lead generation. Some UK organisers are testing the water, but the US as usual is more advanced. Yesterday I attended Publishing Business Virtual Expo to road test the environment. Here’s my admittedly subjective view based on the main reasons visitors and exhibitors attend trade shows, with a star rating based on the quality of the experience vs live: (more…)
Tags: events, lead generation, networking, specialist media show, thought leadership, virtual event, virtual trade show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, events, opinions