As a showcase for new thinking, industry technologies and a platform for innovation, conferences and exhibitions have come a long way from the days of the overhead projector and the captive audience.
Video might well have killed the radio star but live events are far from being done in by the webinar and conference call and are embracing new technologies to reach out beyond the confines of the conference theatre. This is having a huge impact on how businesses portray themselves on this very public and international platform.
We at Pelican believe that you cannot simply replace personal communication with email and the internet. Giving your business a human face and the opportunity to demonstrate your competencies in person has always been the major attraction of exhibitions. Far from hampering this, new technologies can allow businesses and individuals to effectively prepare for an event, by communicating during that event and continue to grow the relationships that they have begun on the return to the office.
Preparation has always been instrumental in getting the most out of an event; twitter hashtags, discussion boards and webinars, give attendees the tools they need to plan their time and network effectively.
Whilst at an event, exhibitors and speakers can make sure that their business really stands out through the use of new technologies to effectively communicate their business to other attendees.
And once the show is over, a strong online presence allows organisations to continue the discussion, through webcasts and by building relationships on social networking sites such as LinkedIn.
Live events remain essential in any business calendar and by utilising online and digital technology, businesses are able to make sure that those opportunities to meet with industry experts really count, bolstering strong business partnerships and creative development.
