In a previous article we talked to Marius Blajut about the design of a teambuilding experience, But, #theUNIVERSUMexperience means Teambuilding, Corporate Parties, Company Days, Sports Competitions, Organizational Culture Campaigns, Activities, Conferences or any combination of them.
The market has evolved a lot, Corporate Conferences are no longer just a hotel conference room, a coffee break, a 4:3 screen, a power point presentation with reports and a lot of content. We talk about how things have improved with Sabina Poparlan, Event Manager in the M.I.C.E team.
Q: What is the biggest challenge you face when designing a conference?
Sabina: The biggest challenge, which is actually the “driving force” of an event organizer is to always come up with something new and WOW! To understand who is the audience present at the event and to manage to surprise (pleasantly) everyone with the elements you bring.
On the other hand, we are in the process of educating ourselves, let's say, about the concept of an event. And here I am not referring to the fact that a conference needs a name, but to the fact that the impact increases considerably when there is unity in all the elements, and the concept is declined on stage, in the decor, in the activations, including the buffet set-up. But we are on the right track and with each passing year the market becomes more and more competitive, which makes us more aware and attentive to all these details.
Q: How do you take the pulse of an organization?
Sabina: Research, research and more research.
Especially if you have no previous experience it is important to know your client and what is important to them. Who is he, where does he come from, what does he like, what has he done before? When you go to the meeting you try to pay attention to everything around you - how the offices are set up, the atmosphere, how technologized the environment is, how colorful, etc. Every detail helps you to understand which direction to go in.
Q: Taboo or not - what is the impact of the budget?
Sabina: It's a very big impact. Depending on the size of your budget you can choose very well what you go forward with. Definitely a bigger budget allows you to do a lot more things in the event - from decorations to international activations, but that doesn't mean you can't do things
extraordinary and with smaller budgets. Somehow, I think that's where you see the difference in the market. It's a saying that I believe in quite a lot - if it was easy anyone could.
Q: How do you see the transition from a 4:3 projector and screen to scenes, activations and projections?
Sabina: Similar to going from black and white TV to full HD. A complex technical set-up gives you tremendous freedom, provided you know what to do and how to put it to good use. There's no point having a room dressed in LED, let's say, if from a content point of view you only have static visuals and presentations.
Q: How do you measure the impact of a conference?
Sabina: The standard method of measuring post-event performance indicators is certainly very accurate. On the other hand, you can easily get warm feedback during the event if you pay attention to the participants. How do they react, how attentive are they, how active? What do they talk about during the coffee break? If they talk about how spectacular Andreea Runceanu's moment was or how the graphics on the screen were synchronized with the dancers“ movements, then you know you've ”hit the jackpot".
Q: How is the digital impact being felt?
Sabina: I think it's felt as much as in other areas. Fortunately, digitization has helped us and is helping us every time to increase the quality of our events by implementing digital activations, developing the attendee registration system which has led to a more fluid flow of traffic in events, using live voting systems during conferences. It is strongly felt, but in a positive sense for sure.
A corporate event involves a lot of back work - checklists, planning, phone calls and emails with suppliers, rehearsals and double-checks. Sabina, what is the most rewarding thing for you at the end of a conference?
Acel moment cand in timpul evenimentului sau imediat dupa clientul si participantii vin sa-mi stranga mana, sa ma felicite si sa-mi multumeasca.
