Coffee shop conferences
March 2017 Measure of Success 5
Capturing the legacy
Coffee shop conferences
ABPCO board member and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau ’ s head of conventions , Aileen Crawford says measurement and extending value are keys to success
Legacy : a word we ’ re all familiar with , but what does it really mean and , more importantly , how do you demonstrate it ? You worked for months , preparing your association ’ s annual meeting and , to all intents and purposes , it was a success – your delegates gave rave reviews about the content , the venue , the destination and the social programming . Now your attention turns to next year ; but have you captured the full impact of your previous congress ? The knowledge exchanged or generated , the research initiated , the business deals cemented ? Did your meeting foster collaboration ? Was it a catalyst for change ; did it break down trade barriers ? Was there a tangible effect on the local community ?
Global standard Last January the Joint Meetings Industry Council ( JMIC ),
Smelling the coffee with keynote speakers in Glasgow
together with ICCA and the University of Technology in Sydney , began an initiative to develop global standards for how associations can measure and report these impacts . The same principles underpin our ‘ Tomorrow ’ s bureau , today ’ campaign looking at the next generation of conventions measurement . Globally , destination marketing organisations and convention bureaux have traditionally validated the benefits of a conference in their city through delegate spend and the direct financial impact on the economy . However , the business tourism industry is increasingly recognising the need to delve deeper and demonstrate the wider legacy benefits that conferences return . At GCMB , this has included interviewing clients and conference ambassadors , analysing quantitative and qualitative data and conducting evaluation research . We also report our findings to JMIC . We believe that legacy goes hand in hand with planning . Be clear not only about the objectives of your conference , but how you will measure them . And don ’ t be afraid to take your meeting outside the walls of the convention centre . Academics or medical professionals , for example , are always looking for ways to record the impact of their research and engaging with the local community does just that . It has the dual benefit of highlighting their research to a wider audience while informing local residents about the congress taking place in their city . An example of this was Glasgow ’ s hosting of the sixth Europaediatrics Congress , in 2013 , which brought child healthcare specialists to the city .
Our collection of ‘ coffee shop conferences ’ saw keynote speakers from the congress meeting with Glasgow families in local coffee shops to discuss early years learning . Another example was our hosting of Diabetes UK ’ s conference . We supported Diabetes UK with the delivery of a ‘ Know Your Risk ’ roadshow in the heart of the city , which helped 250 people find out their risk of Type 2 diabetes , with 33 % of those subsequently being referred to their GP . Organisers can play their part in the ‘ beyond tourism ’ benefits of conference measurement by working with clients to :
• Ensure meetings have clearly defined objectives ;
• Look to leverage additional benefits around knowledge transfer , innovation and societal impact ;
• Encourage or even fund evidential documentation of the KPIs and actively promote the outcomes .
Showcasing the legacy that our industry has will ultimately enrich our understanding of the true impact of meetings – going beyond the economic to include scientific , academic , societal , industrial and destination profiling outcomes , which , in turn , will further position our industry in the context it deserves .