Forum Group Events https://forumgroupevents.com.au Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:46:36 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Forum Group Awarded ‘Best Event Agency’ at the MEA Awards https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-group-awarded-best-event-agency-at-the-mea-awards/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=forum-group-awarded-best-event-agency-at-the-mea-awards https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-group-awarded-best-event-agency-at-the-mea-awards/#respond Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:46:36 +0000 https://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=7905 Forum Group Events & Marketing are thrilled to have been awarded the prestigious Meetings and Events Australia (MEA) award for ‘Best Event Agency’ for 2021/2022.

For over 30 years, MEA has been recognising excellence in the events industry through its awards program. It is the only awards program that encompasses the entire breadth of the Australian events sector.

Lauren Hayward, Director, was thrilled to accept the MEA award at The Star, Gold Coast, recognising the company’s outstanding provision of services to the Australian conference, meetings and events industry, saying the announcement was welcome recognition of the dedication of Forum Group Events & Marketing’s team.

“After a tumultuous few years for the events industry, we are thrilled and so honoured to see our hard work and dedication be recognised in this way. We would sincerely like to thank our clients and suppliers for all their support, and we are excited for events to be back, bigger and better than ever”, says Lauren Hayward, Director.

In addition to receiving the national award, Forum Group Events & Marketing were also thrilled to be awarded ‘Best Special Event’ at the MEA NSW state awards for the South African Tourism ‘Beat Your Bucket List’ activation.

Held in March 2022, this was one of the first public events to be held in Martin Place since the pandemic. The design aimed to transcend the digital space, by making people connect with the culture, people and one of South Africa’s most desired bucket list experiences – ‘a Safari’.

 

For more information on how Forum Group Events & Marketing can assist you with bringing your next event vision to life, please contact us.

     

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How to Include Corporate Social Responsibility In Your Next Meeting or Conference https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/include-corporate-social-responsibility-next-meeting-conference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=include-corporate-social-responsibility-next-meeting-conference https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/include-corporate-social-responsibility-next-meeting-conference/#respond Tue, 06 Aug 2019 04:57:30 +0000 https://www.forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5426 As part of Forum Group’s ‘Legacy’ blog series we take a look into what it means to be socially responsible via an event platform and we showcase a charity event we delivered in collaboration with our client – Classic Finance. From exploring simple ways to incorporate CSR into your event program, to demonstrating our delivery of the ‘In the Black Ball’ which met key objectives of raising awareness and funds in support of the Human Kind Project and the Barefoot College charities, the team at Forum Group have hands on experience in presenting events that help organisations improve the world in which we live.

So, what is Corporate Social Responsibility and how does it relate to events?

Simply put, CSR is about how companies enhance the world. The concept of CSR has undergone an evolution since its widespread uptake in the 1990’s. Initially focused on environmental sustainability, it has evolved to become inclusive of humanitarian issues and philanthropy. Today, CSR is about balancing fiscal, social, environmental and employer responsibilities.

Top ways to include CSR into your event program

Perhaps your corporate event is not related to a charity or social cause, what are some simple but effective ways to incorporate CSR into your future events? Here we outline some easy to implement suggestions.

  1. Include a donation in the registration fee

As a part of the registration or ticket booking process for your conference or function, why not provide delegates the opportunity to donate an amount to charity or provide a donation to an organisation that can offset their carbon footprint? Alternatively, you could incorporate a donation into the total cost of the registration.

  1. Make a donation rather than provide a corporate gift

Avoid wastage and make a donation to a charity on behalf of the attendee instead of providing a corporate gift. This is a good way to contribute to a local charity, a charity aligned with your event/brand or a sustainability initiative and prevent unwanted items ending up in landfill. From as little as a few dollars per delegate, you can make a considerable difference to a charity or initiative in need.

  1. An environmentally friendly event

Social responsibility is not just limited to donating to charities.  It also applies to the contribution to sustainable development of the economic, social and environmental community.  So you could make an important contribution to the environment by making your next event more environmentally friendly. For some practical ideas on how to reduce your carbon footprint whilst hosting your event – see our blog post from June 2019 on sustainable events.

From having a paperless registration process to energy-saving lighting and recyclable items, there are many ways to make your event more sustainable.

Event in focus: an event rich in CSR practices – In the Black Ball

The ‘In the Black’ Gala Ball was held in Port Stephens at The Anchorage Resort & Spa on 7 September 2018. Held for the fourth consecutive year, Classic Finance sought out Forum Group’s event marketing and management expertise in managing the event from marketing campaigning, concept development, fundraising strategies and on the ground event management. The funds raised from the event were committed to the Human Kind Project (HKP) and the Barefoot College.

Objectives
In less than 3 years, the ‘In the Black’ Gala Ball has raised over $100,000 for projects that helped to fund micro-finance, education and empowerment programs in Africa’s Malawi. In 2018, the aim was to exceed the efforts of the previous years. Funds raised from the evening were donated to support the work of two amazing partners of HKP, being The Hunger Project in Malawi, as well as the Barefoot College which provides education to young girls in rural villages across India.  Further to this, the objective of the Gala event was to raise awareness for the charities and the community needs that they are aiming to address.

Format of the event
The Gala Ball was set up to encompass pre-dinner drinks, canapes and a sit down gala dinner. The evening began with guests watching the sunset on the terrace. We served canapes and champagne on arrival.  Guests were treated to a sumptuous 3 course dinner which comprised of locally sourced produce. We selected Brokenwood and McWilliams Hunter Valley premium wines and Peroni beer to complement the menu.

Forum Group arranged for live music to entertain guests while they were invited to bid on auction prizes or enter the draw to win an amazing raffle giveaway. Guests were invited to wear dazzling black tie / evening wear as the theme and concept for the event was “Diamonds by the Sea”.

Strategic response
Our response to the brief gave the event a wow factor and helped raise much needed funds for the charity. Services included:

  • End-to-end event marketing campaign services. We targeted prospective sponsors, attendees, and donors directly. To track registrations, we set up registration portal via Eventbrite.
  • Strict event budget management; seeking competitive quotes and keeping a close eye on the bottom line.
  • We promoted the event to our own contacts and in combination with the database list from our client.
  • Monitoring and logistics of the donations of prizes for the raffle and the high value auction items.
  • Sourcing and managing third parties including event MC and live entertainment.

Stellar Results
In 2018 the In the Black Gala Ball raised $33,000.  This was a great achievement in support of The Human Kind Project.  The impact of the In the Black Gala Ball and the funds raised for the charities will have an enormous positive impact on the communities in Malawi and India where the funds will be put to good use.

Charity recipient 1: The Hunger Project in Malawi

In Africa, The Hunger Project works to build sustainable community-based programs using the Epicenter Strategy. An epicenter is a dynamic centre of community mobilisation and action, as well as an actual facility built by community members. Through the Epicenter Strategy 15,000-25,000 people are brought together as a cluster of rural villages increasing a community’s ability to collective utilise resources. The Hunger Project funds this strategy and others with the aim to empower local villages and improve the living conditions of those in the community.

Charity Recipient 2: Barefoot College in India

The Barefoot College encourages rural people to gain practical knowledge and skills. Funding from events such as the In the Black Gala Ball go towards funding training of semi-literate villagers as ‘Barefoot Solar Engineers’ (BSEs), to install and maintain solar photovoltaic lighting systems in their communities.

“I now look back at my childhood where I always dreamt of doing something big for my society. My mother laughed at me. Now my family and even the village elders respect me and value my contributions.”  Ritma, a Barefoot Solar Engineer

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New Sustainable Event Management – Forum Group’s Guide to Green Meetings https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/new-sustainable-event-management-forum-groups-guide-green-meetings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-sustainable-event-management-forum-groups-guide-green-meetings https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/new-sustainable-event-management-forum-groups-guide-green-meetings/#respond Tue, 09 Jul 2019 05:22:01 +0000 https://www.forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5415 Welcome to Forum Group’s ‘Legacy’ blog series. Inspired by positive trending requirements to create events that are sustainable, socially responsible as well as high impact, we set out to provide a practical insight on creating events that are truly rewarding.

For years marketers and corporate planners have been put off delivering sustainable events as this implied additional, significant costs for an event budget. Here we break down the myths surrounding sustainable events and provide practical strategies to delivering green solutions.

Let’s transform your meetings to make a real difference and help you take advantage of our experience delivering green events.

So, what constitutes Sustainable Event Management? 

According to international standard ISO 20121, sustainable event management is the process of integrating environmental and social responsibility issues into event planning. Sustainable event management requires us to balance the needs and values of different stakeholders that are impacted by your event. On the one hand, you take steps to reduce significant negative impacts, or harm, such as waste products or carbon emissions. While on the other hand you also seek out opportunities for events to leave positive legacies that benefit communities, including philanthropic and volunteer projects. Let’s take a look at the benefits of sustainable events for your main stakeholder groups.

Stakeholder 1: Event attendee

Convenience: Sustainable events can be more convenient because they adapt technologies to help attendees get outcomes more efficiently, for instance through mobile apps and multi -channel hybrid events (e.g. webinars and face to face programs).

Rewarding: Sustainable events can be satisfying and interesting because they make it worth attending in person because the planner has taken steps to connect participants to a destination or the program in a meaningful way, perhaps through the authentic cuisine, local entertainment or a community service project.

Social consciousness: This matters to a large proportion of your current or potential attendees. If you can’t meet this expectation, they may be less likely to come along or to return to future events.

Stakeholder 2: Event Organiser

Increases goodwill towards your brand: Sustainable events can reduce risk from a planner’s perspective because you’re proactively anticipating the effect of your event on the environment, hence, creating a green meeting could help avoid wasteful representations of your brand to attendees, which might be adversely reviewed in the post event media.

Better for the bottom line: Making your events environmentally friendly benefits the environment but can also save money for your business or event budget. By implementing simple changes, it can make a difference to your bottom line.

E.g. accurate, seasonal and locally sourced food and beverage planning and design-for-reuse branding.

Unique Selling Proposition: Promoting your environmentally friendly methods can set your event apart from your competitors and attract new attendees who buy into your approach.

Attracting Revenue: By planning greener events you could increase your chances of investment from sponsors when you meet their CSR objectives or procurement criteria.

Stakeholder 3: Sponsors and Supporters

Increases goodwill towards your brand: Supporting and funding sustainable events can not only reduce risk from a sponsor’s perspective because you’re supporting events that are actively aiming to reduce their effect on the environment, but you are also helping attendees and other stakeholders make a connection between acts of sustainability, corporate social responsibility and your brand. Your support of the event and the way it links to sustainable approaches will be noted in the marketing material produce prior to the event, onsite and in the media following the event.

What do we know about waste generated at events?

On average, a single guest discards 1.89 kg of waste per day, of which 1.16 kg is landfill materials. To put this into perspective, that’s the equivalent of 2.6 (or 3480 kg) weight of compact cars for a 3-day 1000 person event going to landfill each time.

What we can do to reduce our carbon footprint at events?

Depending on your event type, your carbon footprint can vary. A local conference will have far fewer air travelling attendees, but car or train journeys could be most highly represented. Our suggested ways to reduce carbon footprint include:

  1. Providing remote or virtual event program for attendees.
  2. Choose an event location central to most attendees and participants to reduce the overall travel for most delegates.
  3. Select venues and hotels with strong green initiatives and programs in place.
  4. Why not consider incentivising carpooling for attendees?

Reduce Your Landfill Slice

The biggest problem is that approximately 41% event waste will go to landfill. We suggest ways to reduce this percentage by:

  • Selecting a destination, venue and caterers with good recycling and composting programs.
  • Provide waste stations, signs and monitors to help exhibitors and attendees sort their waste.
  • Take advantage of and improve donation programs particularly for food and exhibitor materials.

Reuse Wherever Possible

Re-purposing and up-cycling are big trends right now which should help with these initiatives. Ensure that when you are considering different elements you are thinking about their longevity and ability to be reused in the future.

Our team suggests we reduce, reuse, recycle:

  • Recycle plastic bags. They can be the bane of our planet but initiatives with supermarkets are meaning higher quality options are available that can be reused.
  • Reuse non-personalised items. You can reuse lanyards, badge holders, ribbons, signage holders, furniture and other materials so long as we avoid personalising them during an event.
  • Design your own food stations from an up-cycled piece of furniture, or repaint worn props to spruce new life into them. Our event managers have often hand crafted props and other event decor from re-purposed materials!
  • Keep signage generic. Use phrases such as “this way” or simply use arrows that can be used in any event rather than themed phrases or ideas.
  • You can use fancy chalk artistry that allows you to change the message without discarding the sign.
  • Recyclable materials. Whenever possible use signs that can be reused or portions of them that can be recycled or even make them yourself by up-cycling some old shelves into a rustic wooden sign.
  • Use biodegradable materials for items such as cutlery and plates.
  • Clearly label. Don’t assume that all attendees will know what to do with their recycling. Add cool graphics with examples of what goes where to help them out and avoid any confusion which saves resorting later.
  • Offer an incentive such as freebies or digital swag if attendees bring their recycling to you and sort it accordingly.

Extend Your Event Legacy

Share your success with the world and the people you serve. Let them know what you’ve waste you have reduced, what savings this represents, and how you will be using the difference. People want to share in your incredible moment. It may feel a little self-serving to demonstrate your sustainability success, remember you are modelling what can be achieved in this space and this will in turn inspire others.

How to spread the word about your green initiatives:

  • Post local initiatives you are working with on social media which not only markets yourself but raises awareness for the cause.
  • Include green symbols and compliance logos on marketing materials to be validated.
  • Link your posts back to your green policy to demonstrate how your practice is tied into an official approach.
  • Work with sponsors and partners to promote your shared initiatives to widen reach.
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Forum Group Makes a Big Impact Taking Home Two MEA Awards https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/meaawards2019/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meaawards2019 https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/meaawards2019/#respond Wed, 10 Apr 2019 05:25:41 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5241 Forum Group Events & Marketing has taken out top honours at the prestigious Meetings and Events Australia’s (MEA) national awards with the agency winning two accolades including ‘Corporate Event of the Year’ and ‘Event Manager of the Year – Agency’.

Forum Group, an Australian integrated events and marketing agency, has delivered engaging events and business results for their clients for over 20 years. Their team and network create end-to-end marketing experiences for a diverse client base including South African Tourism’s 5-city roadshow which was selected by an independent panel of judges as the MEA Corporate Event of the Year. The award was accepted by Director, Lauren Hayward at the awards gala held on 2nd April at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Stephanie Vercoe, one of Forum Group’s most experienced event professionals was announced as MEA’s Event Manager of the Year – Agency. Stephanie is renowned for her dedication and creativity when delivering integrated event campaigns such as the Department of Industry’s NSW Training Awards, Citrix 8-City Roadshow and Dell EMC Tech Summit.

Lauren Hayward, Director, said, ‘To win two national awards is a wonderful recognition of our team’s efforts and the immense passion and energy that they have poured into showcasing our client’s brands via their chosen event platforms.  The last 12 months have seen the Forum Group team extend ourselves professionally as we maximised local and global partnerships further refining our ‘hub of connection’ approach to delivering events. Our clients benefit from our hub which includes exceptional partners, suppliers, our processes, technological resources as well as our experienced in-house team of event professionals.”

Forum Group was presented with the top awards in addition to being selected as a national finalist for ‘Government Event of the Year’ for the Department of Industry’s NSW Training Awards. The awards come off the back of a year of innovative, stand-out event work for clients as well as new business wins, including securing Infomedia Tech Day, RegTech Conference and In the Black Gala Ball.

 

     

 

 

 

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Staff, Customer and Channel Partner Incentives https://forumgroupevents.com.au/events/public-events-australia-2019/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=public-events-australia-2019 https://forumgroupevents.com.au/events/public-events-australia-2019/#respond Thu, 28 Feb 2019 22:22:16 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5206 Capitalising on major events through Incentive travel programs is a highly engaging way to encourage employees, customers or partners to boost sales and drive targets or engage with your brand.

In a recent survey held in 2018, the Incentive Travel Industry Index powered by SITE Index, IRF Outlook and FICP provided unprecedented, consolidated insights into the current state of incentive travel and where it is headed. The survey had With over 1,000 respondents from 80 countries. Key findings include:

  • Over half (54 percent) of buyers report an increase in budgets year over year with the median per-person spend remaining stable at USD$4,000. Corporate users report a higher median spend (USD$4,550) versus incentive agencies (USD$3,500).
  • Sixty-five percent of buyers are increasing the number of incentive program qualifiers, fueled by company growth and optimism in the economy.
  • Sales and profitability remain the top reasons to run an incentive program, but more importance is being given to building relationships between management and employees, increasing productivity and employee engagement.
  • Almost 70 percent of buyers say their programs are effective at achieving business objectives. However, only a quarter always measure ROI/ROO.

We’ve researched key public events around Australia occurring in the second half of 2019 and listed them below.  Take a look and see if there are any major events that have synergy with your brand and we can work with you to devise an incentive program for your high achievers..

EVENT CATEGORY DATE STATE
Brisbane Times Good Food Month Food & Beverage July QLD
Watpac Townsville 400 Sporting 5th-7th July QLD
Birdsville Big Red Bash Music 16th – 18th July QLD
Regional Flavours Food & Beverage 20th-21st July QLD
Winter Reds Weekend Food & Beverage 26th-28th July SA
Ipswich SuperSprint Sporting 26th-28th July QLD
Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival Art & Culture 12th-14th July TAS
Revelation Perth International Film Festival Art & Culture 4th-17th July WA
Manchester United Tour Sporting July WA
Bledisloe Cup Sporting 10th August WA
Melbourne International Film Festival Art & Culture 1st-18th August VIC
Darwin Festival Art & Culture 8th-25th August NT
Audi Hamilton Island Race Week Sporting 17th-24th August QLD
Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo Sporting 9th-11th August QLD
Tasmanian Whiskey Week Food & Beverage 12th-18th August TAS
Cinefestoz Art & Culture 28th Aug-1st Sep WA
Emirates Australian Open Sporting 5th-8th Sep NSW
AFL Finals Series Sporting September National
Melbourne Fringe Festival Art & Culture 13th-30th Sep VIC
Spring Racing Carnival Sporting September VIC
Alice Desert Festival Art & Culture 30th Aug-13th Oct NT
NRL Grand Final Sporting 6th Oct NSW
Birdsville Races Sporting 6th-7th Sep QLD
Brisbane Festival Art & Culture 6th-28th Sep QLD
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month Food & Beverage 1st-31st Oct NSW
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Sporting 10th-13th Oct NSW
Orange Wine Festival Food & Beverage 18th-27th Oct NSW
Australian Motorcyle Grand Prix Sporting 25th-27th Oct VIC
Melbourne Festival Art & Culture October VIC
V8 Supercars Gold Coast 600 Sporting 25th-27th Oct QLD
Melbourne Cup Carnival Sporting November VIC
Queenscliff Music Festival Music 22nd-24th Nov VIC
Coates Hire Newcastle 500 Sporting 22nd-24th Nov NSW
Taste of Melbourne Food & Beverage November VIC
Margaret River Gourmet Escape Food & Beverage 8th-17th Nov WA
Feast Festival Food & Beverage 9th-24th Nov SA

 

STUDY: Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), and Financial and Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP) released of the first joint study of the global incentive travel industry. Incentive Travel Industry Index powered by SITE Index, IRF Outlook and FICP

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Discover How You Can Take Your Events Strategy To New Heights With Forum Group’s Innovative B2B Event Marketing Ideas https://forumgroupevents.com.au/event-ideas/discover-can-take-events-strategy-new-heights-forum-groups-innovative-b2b-event-marketing-ideas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=discover-can-take-events-strategy-new-heights-forum-groups-innovative-b2b-event-marketing-ideas https://forumgroupevents.com.au/event-ideas/discover-can-take-events-strategy-new-heights-forum-groups-innovative-b2b-event-marketing-ideas/#respond Thu, 04 Oct 2018 03:58:14 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5163 Here at Forum Group we understand that an overwhelming majority of C-suite executives (87%) believe live events will become increasingly important to their organisations and are planning on investing in them more in the future. What are the options to effectively market your brand in a business to business environment via effective event campaigns?

This month on the Forum Group blog, we have compiled our tried and tested list of innovative B2B event marketing ideas to inspire your event strategy.

1. Organise a Hackathon

Host a Hackathon for your customers rather than a traditional summit. Your clients team up with your employees for a 24-hour hackathon to create brand new tools or feature enhancements. This type of event helps corporations engage their customers and serves as an intimate networking event for your participants.

2. Pick an Interesting Venue

Imagine organising an event on an island off Sydney Harbour! That would be memorable! There are so many options for unique, special venues on our doorstep. Think sunset cruises, museums, rooftop bars, private dining experiences, casinos, the zoo and you can’t go past purpose built convention centres for that architectural wow factor and convenience.

3. Design an Interesting Venue

Following the last point on selecting interesting venues, if you can’t hire or find a suitable venue, design the space that works best. Forum Group has worked with many clients to brand, design and style venues that start out as a blank canvas and finish as a customised space equipped with all the requirements for your event scope.

4. Invest in Exciting Event Goody Bags

Surely you’d want your attendees to leave your event with amazing memories and experiences. But a little take away bag can help create a lasting impression. Consider offering attendees the latest device that hasn’t hit the market shelves yet or a wonderful, eco friendly tote is bound to leave a lasting impression. While you might not be able to hand out a piece of technology before it hits the shelves, interesting freebies can generate buzz and positive feelings towards your event and brand.

5. Host a Talent Show

How incredibly engaging and memorable would your event be if your employees or stakeholders deliver a stand-up comedy set or perform a song with their band? This fosters a connection with the attendees by allowing them to be part of the event.

6. Customised Event Branding

By investing in the overall event branding, organisers stand to create something truly unique and targeted. Do not restrict yourself to marketing an event solely through your own company brand engage a designer to create a brand for your event to stand alone. Set up a hashtag online for your event to track the event on social media.

7. Engage Partners for Collaboration

This includes sponsorships, speakers and exhibits. Work together with those at the top of your industry to engage them and their knowledge. Finding appropriate sponsors lets you tap into their customer base as well as their brand to entice new attendees at your event.

8. Use Event Management Software

Nobody said running an event was easy. But it could be easier if you used event management software to help you manage your contacts and data generated from your event.

From networking to keeping track of the agenda to lead generation functionalities, these tools can set your event apart from the rest. Forum Group offers clients access to our in-house event management professionals and tools to keep your event on track.

9. Immerse them in technology

With recent advances in technology, augmented reality and virtual reality have become valid options for keeping attendees engaged at an event. Consider using VR headsets, holograms to showcase your brand, event apps and wearable tech as part of the event experience. Use these technologies at your exhibition booth or reception to leave a lasting impression on your attendees.

10. Plan a Live Demonstration

When it comes to B2B product and services, it’s difficult to get your target audience to listen to your demonstrations or try your product out. In-person events can help you get your product in front of prospects and clients.

11. Host an After-Party

Events are often packed from start to end with keynote speeches, live demos and learning sessions. An event after-party for exhibitors, attendees and speakers of your event is a great way of ending your event on a high note and can also provide a networking opportunity for attendees.

12. Organise an event Kick-Off

You can begin your event with an ice breaker or a kick off party. Similar to an after-party, the aim of a kick-off party is to give attendees the opportunity to connect with people prior to the actual event.

13. Event Live Stream

There are many people out there who might not be able to physically attend your event but would still love to learn and be a part of what your event has to offer. Consider live streaming your event, or at least the keynotes or highlights of it.

14. Set up an Event App

Attendees can use an event app for one-on-one messaging, learning about event sessions, sponsors and speaker and engaging in live polls and surveys.

15. Experiential Activities

Experiential marketing is all about giving your attendees an experience that they’ll never forget and associate that with your brand. Why not set up face painting, creative workshops, games and innovative technologies for attendees to experience and play with or set up a photo booth. Consider what the attendees can see, hear, touch, eat and play with as they move through the event space.

16. Social Media Tags

Social media is an effective channel for promoting an event and facilitating discussion among event attendees. One method commonly used is the hashtag to create a virtual “library” of outsourced media and comments from attendees.

17. Organise Live Music

Include different musical performances planned throughout your event campaigns. Why not entertain guests with R&B, acoustic jams, pop or a DJ set performances throughout the day? Karaoke for attendees to participate in is a memorable, fun and engaging way to incorporate music!

In closing…
Explore your options and let your creativity flow in allowing your event to enhance and showcase your brand, business model and influences. Think outside the square where possible. For professional event management services, contact Forum Group to discuss your event brief.

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Forum Group Recognised as a Finalist in Two Categories in Australian Event Awards https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-group-recognised-finalist-two-categories-australian-event-awards/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=forum-group-recognised-finalist-two-categories-australian-event-awards https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-group-recognised-finalist-two-categories-australian-event-awards/#respond Tue, 25 Sep 2018 05:36:36 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5158 Forum Group has been recognised for their outstanding contribution to events as a State Finalist in the category of Best Small Event and National Finalist for Clare Dawson’s entry as Event Producer of the Year in the awards program for Australia’s events industry.

Forum Group’s delivery of Buzzfeed’s customer appreciation event has been confirmed as amongst the Best Small Events in NSW. The Buzzfeed Prom was the ‘must attend’ event for their customers and partners. Forum Group was tasked with developing the concept and creatively producing the elements all within a strict budget.  Entries for Best Small Event are judged on all aspects of event management including best practice, innovation, marketing, stakeholder engagement and management, sustainability and event legacy.

Clare Dawson is one of Forum Group’s most experienced event professionals who brings professionalism to every end-to-end integrated event campaign she manages. Taking an agile approach to managing events, she tackles projects holistically from the initial concept to completion. Clare is an integral member of our Forum Group team and highly sought after by their clients. Entries into individual achievement categories are judged on all aspects of personal contribution including innovation, best practice and role in the growth of the industry as well as the difficulties encountered along the way.

Forum Group’s Director Lauren Hayward said, ‘This announcement is welcome acknowledgement of the hard work, creativity and professionalism of the Forum Group team. We’re thrilled that our delivery of Buzzfeed’s end of year customer appreciation prom has been selected by industry experts as a finalist. To also have one of our key team members, Clare Dawson, selected as a national finalist is a wonderful testament of her dedication and flair for delivering events.”

Co-chair of the Event Awards Judging Panel Sandy Hollway AO said:

“The diversity of Australia’s events industry continues to amaze me, as does the ability of the Awards to put a spotlight on not just the incredible events and achievements which take place each year, but to draw out the challenges event organisers manage to overcome through determination, innovation, collaboration and resourcefulness.”

Winners will be announced at the lavish Australian Event Awards Ceremony on 21 November at Novotel Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

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Conferences and Events in 2018+: Trends https://forumgroupevents.com.au/conferences/conferences-events-2018-trends/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=conferences-events-2018-trends https://forumgroupevents.com.au/conferences/conferences-events-2018-trends/#respond Fri, 31 Aug 2018 01:04:00 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=5140 The team at Forum Group presents the trends for corporate events and conferences for 2018 and beyond. By reviewing research collated by industry associations, we reveal the latest strategies to get the most out of your upcoming event.

HOT EVENT TRENDS

#1 – Host more events with fewer resources

#2 – Marketing and promotion will account for the bulk share of event budgets

#3 – Top social media strategies for corporate event planners

#4 – Artificial intelligence will lend brands and planners a helping hand

#5 – Gamification and engagement with your brand onsite creates memorable experiences

#6 – Wellness is featuring more readily in events programs

Events Trend #1

Hosting more events with fewer resources – Creative event planners work around budget restrictions

Conferences and corporate event planners have found ways to deal with their budget constraints. We are expecting event budgets will remain stable until the close of 2018. Despite flattening budgets, the events industry shows no signs of stopping with most research reporting that business is best conducted face-to-face and locally. We expect a majority of corporate event hosts to stage even more events next year.

From a review of industry research, most respondents said their team will remain the same size, while others look to hire more staff in 2019. Agencies like Forum Group Events & Marketing offers event planners a proven solution for managing event budgets of any size and a way to instantly scale project teams with professional, experienced events and marketing personnel. Creative event managers will identify ways to reach objectives without adding pressure on budgets; e.g. strong benchmarking practices, in-house capabilities and leveraging broad networks to produce value adds for corporate event hosts.

Events Trend #2

Marketing and promotion will take majority share of event budgets again
When asked what they’ll increase budgets for in 2018-2019, a majority of those surveyed in the industry research said marketing and promotion. A high percentage of respondents reported that event promotion was their largest expense in 2017. When it comes to event promotion, conferences and corporate events have a lot of tools available in their toolbox. Although the number of marketing tools may seem endless, we have found that the internet’s oldest technology isn’t just the marketing tactic most used to reach attendees — it’s also the most effective.

What makes email so effective for conferences and corporate events? Compared to most promotional tools, it’s the least expensive and most effective. Since it costs 7x more to acquire new attendees than to retain past ones, email invites to past attendees — whose email you captured from previous events produce a higher return on investment (ROI).

However, events see the most success when they avoid sending generic invitations. Research shows that relevant emails drive 18x more revenue than broadcast emails. The team at Forum Group can help you with the design, copywriting, strategic calls to action, scheduling, database segmenting and targeted email campaigns to best promote your event.

Events Trend #3

Social media and Facebook ads drive the most attendance

Social media has become the ultimate event promotion channel. More than two billion people from around the world — including most Australians (79%) regularly use social media. And a quarter of traffic to ticketing and registration pages come from social media. But out of the various social media engagement strategies to choose from, which of them drive the most registrations? From recent research, the most used and most effective social media tactics were contests and Facebook advertising. Social media algorithms surface only the most relevant content for their users. And because contests can incentivise likes and other engagement, conference and corporate event marketers are effectively getting their events in front of more potential attendees. Forum Group’s events marketing managers also recommend Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for events marketing campaigns that provide a measurable ROI.

If you use Facebook event ads to promote your event, you need to include your registration link to use their event-specific advertising features. Talk to FG’s team about the best way to advertise your event based on the demographic of your attendees.

Events Trend #4

Artificial intelligence is here to help

For years, Forum Group has predicted that AR and VR will become the next big thing for conferences and corporate events. But according to recent research, AR and VR are poised for mass application in 2018and beyond. AI is probably a part of your life already. If you have a smartphone with a virtual assistant, like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant, then you’ve already experienced a form of AI. Forum Group’s team can guide you through the maze of how to use AI and VR for progressive conferences and corporate events.

Take advantage of robots at your event
Almost 90% of conference and corporate event creators said that reaching new attendees will be an obstacle to their success in 2018. If this is a concern for you talk to Forum Group about automating your event operation and promotions to work more efficiently.

Events Trend #5

Gamification increases engagement for attendees

In 2018 gamification is set to peak in the world of events! Attendee engagement, both before, during and after the event, in addition to gamification activities incorporated into the event experience drives richer insights into attendee behaviours and allows event organisers to make more informed decisions about their business.
Forum Group’s event and marketing managers recommend setting up a gaming corner, networking / ice breaker games, event app games and incentivising engagement through games.

Events Trend #6

Wellness features in event programs

Wellness is an emerging trend to watch as we move towards 2019. Enhancing the attendee experience is not limited to the business program content. It now includes planning elements that increase attendee wellness. Increasing numbers of companies and their meeting owners are looking to appeal to attendee wellbeing throughout meetings and events. Corporate planners are recognising the value of employee and attendee wellbeing and this will shape meetings and events programs. Think about the program, catering, event styling and infrastructure implications this trend will have on your planning.

Don’t let your event be left behind…
Whether you’re hosting a conference or a road show across multiple cities, Forum Group can provide you with the right team to manage your event requirements and quantifiable metrics to gauge your event success. Find out how the right partner can help you future-proof your conference or event, reach more attendees and streamline your operation.
Contact Forum Group on (02) 8302 5523 or email: info@forumgroupevents.com.au.

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Forum Group’s Star Leadership Duo Announce Joint-Ownership https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-groups-star-leadership-duo-announce-joint-ownership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=forum-groups-star-leadership-duo-announce-joint-ownership https://forumgroupevents.com.au/blog/forum-groups-star-leadership-duo-announce-joint-ownership/#respond Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:30:15 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=4862  

Lauren Hayward has officially come on board as joint owner and Director of Forum Group Events & Marketing. She joins Leanne Constantino current owner and Director in driving the award winning integrated events and marketing agency forward.

Leanne is delighted to provide an opportunity to formalise Lauren’s significant contribution to the business.  Lauren Hayward (formerly General Manager) has been instrumental to the success of the company over the past 10 years and the step up is a natural progression in her career. Lauren was recognised early for her passion and leadership having been named the recipient of the Australian Event Awards Young Achiever of the Year (2013), NSW YMEA Future Leader Award (2012) and MEA’s Event Manager of the Year (2013).  Under the new structure, Lauren will focus on the operational delivery of the company’s event campaigns.

With over 20 years’ experience in the events industry, Leanne Constantino is widely recognised as an industry leader.  Over the years Leanne has built a sound reputation for providing strategic event management, production and integrated marketing communications. Under her direction, Forum Group Events & Marketing has experienced strong results and developed an impressive portfolio of events for a range of clients.   As joint Director, Leanne will focus on sales and client relations.

Hayward says of this time of company development, “These are very exciting times at Forum Group. I am proud to confirm an expansion of the company’s ownership. As well as continuing to deliver outstanding event and marketing campaigns for our clients, I am now in a position to formally partner with Leanne on the future strategic plans for our business. We have a creative, professional and positive team at Forum Group Events & Marketing who will continue to work passionately with Leanne and I to drive our company forward in this remarkable industry.”

Forum Group Events & Marketing
Trusted by global Fortune 500 companies for over 20 years, Forum Group Events & Marketing is a multi award-winning integrated events marketing and management organisation.

Forum Group has a national network alliance of innovative professionals that strive to deliver world-class events. We create end-to-end marketing experiences that connect, educate and inspire whilst driving business results for a diverse range of clients.

Our integrated campaign approach offers a complete solution to meet event and marketing objectives. The Forum Group team excels at event strategy, event management, event promotion, audience acquisition and extending the life of an event whilst always maximising ROI.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Lauren Hayward
Director
Forum Group Events & Marketing
T: 02 8302 5523
E: lauren@forumgroupevents.com.au

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Spice Hot 100: Services and Suppliers https://forumgroupevents.com.au/event-company/spice-hot-100-2017/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spice-hot-100-2017 Mon, 10 Jul 2017 04:20:57 +0000 http://forumgroupevents.com.au/?p=4831 Forum Group Events have been recognised as one of the top 5 event management companies in Australia in the Spice Magazine Hot 100 for 2017.

We would like to thank our valued clients and event partners for taking the time to vote for us.

Hot-100-Services--Suppliers-Finalist-M-REC

You can check out all of the winners in the August edition of Spice Magazine.

If you would like more information on how Forum Group Events can assist you with your event management requirements, please call us on (02) 8302 5523 or email info@forumgroupevents.com.au.

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