Welcome to the second edition of the B2B influencer marketing chat series. Today, we have a great guest from ICCA and associations world in our podcast. Let`s dive into the discussion with Anna Gorska and find out how international associations can benefit from social media and marketing.
Who is Anna Gorska
Anna Gorska has been involved in the meetings industry for over 20 years. Since May 2019 she is part of the Advisory Board in the leading Polish association called PCO Symposium Cracoviense, where she is responsible for relations with the international associations. In March 2019 Anna became the Vice President of the SKKP Polish Conference & Congress Association. She is a passionate lecturer at universities promoting the importance of the meetings industry to the young generation. In October 2020 she was elected as a Board member for ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association). Anna was also chairing the ICCA Central European Chapter for 6 years.
We talked with Anna Gorska about:
- News from the World; an initiative that was created during the lockdown to keep in touch with associations.
- The 59th ICCA Congress that was held in November 2020 and gathered more than 1500 participants online.
- The role of the different social media channels; why Facebook is more popular in Poland than LinkedIn for associations?
Have you missed the live episode with Anna Gorska?
In case you missed our live session with Anna Gorska, listen to our conversation on your favorite podcast channel. We uploaded the whole interview to the following podcast channels:
Do you prefer reading over listening? You can read most of our conversation with Anna Górska below. Enjoy listening and reading.
59th ICCA Congress 2020
Mariska: It`s clear from your CV and from your background that you have a huge passion for the MICE industry. So I can say that you are true advisor or ambassador and perhaps even better said, a true influencer for the destination of Poland. I suppose the majority of the readers know ICCA, but can you share something about your role in ICCA and also about the ICCA Congress that took place in 2020? Can you share any insights why this congress was also so special?
Anna: Yes, of course. ICCA means International Conference and Congress Association. Right now, ICCA has over 1000 members from all over the world. In my opinion it is the most important organisation dealing with the meetings industry in the world right now. ICCA organises its’ congress every year and it takes place in a different part of the world every year. And in fact, every year, many cities try to bid for it to be the host of this event, because it’s a very prestigious event. So every year ICCA Congress gathers up to 1000 people from the meetings industry and from the top management of the members.
This year, the title of the congress was “Transforming Events Together“. It was scheduled to take place in Kaohsiung in Taiwan. But due to the COVID, the Board of ICCA decided to organse it for the first time ever, in a different form, in a hybrid format. So besides Kaohsiung, there were seven other regional hubs chosen in a different parts of the world, where the members could meet face to face. For example, in Europe, we had hubs in Luxembourg, and Malaga. The hubs were chosen so that delegates from all over the world didn’t have to travel to Asia, and could choose the nearest hub to their destination.
The attendees also had option to participate virtually. And thanks to that, the event hit a record number of attendees. There were 1500 participants.
ICCA also offered a six week educational program before the actual start of the congress. So for the registered participants, there were sessions every day on the topics like storytelling, macro and micro trends. And the sessions are still available on demand until the end of the 2020. So I think it’s the future of the meetings – the hybrid way, because it gives you an opportunity to participate either face to face or virtually, in case when you don’t have time, money or other sources to travel far away.
The 2021 ICCA Congress wil be held Cartagena, Colombia. So we all hope that we will be able to travel freely until November 2021.
Challenges for associations in the era of Covid-19
Mariska: You’re also very passionate about education. You were telling also in your introduction that you’re teaching students, so I think education is very important also for the ICCA community. So I hope that there will be more education about associations, about bidding or any other related topics. So I think it’s a great way forward and I’m really curious how the conference or in what way the ICCA congress in 2021 will take place in South America in Cartagena.
You are very passionate about associations. Associations in our industry are also known as an audience that is difficult to reach, difficult to get in touch with. You have a lot of experience about the association market. Can you give any insights about this particular market, about this particular audience?
Anna: Yes. First of all, I think that for many associations the annual congress is the main source of their income. So, during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, when the event has to be canceled, or postponed, it’s a problem for the association. In many cases, the leaders of the associations work voluntarily. So they have their own business issues to deal with, and it’s hard to concentrate for them on the associations market. I think this is the biggest challenge all associations are facing now.
And of course, uncertainty is the main problem, we don’t know when we’ll be able to meet face to face again, and travel again freely. So this is also a very big challenge. Others are like remote work and organise virtual meetings for associations. Others do not have experience and digital skills. So I think it would be reasonable for them outsource this and use sometimes experience of the PCOs to help them organise virtual meetings.
In my opinion, right now, the most important is to stay connected with the members, and to offer them an open communication and just examine their needs. Just ask them what they need right now. Because all of our priorities have changed. And what was good for the members last year, probably is not good right now. We need to learn to adopt to the members needs. I think it’s the most important right now for all national, for medical and industry associations.
An academy for meeting planners and event professionals
Mariska: I think you’re absolutely right, associations have a very fragile structure. And like you said, they’re based on volunteers, those volunteers perhaps may run their own company or employees. Also there has a lot of things changed, we’re now working from home, perhaps also personal situations have changed. And your working environment has changed. So we are facing a lot of challenges, of course, and it has a huge effect on the on the quality and also on the role of associations.
And the second, what you mentioned is the online experience. Yes, if you are working as a volunteer in an association, that doesn’t mean that you’re directly an online event strategist or online event planner. And also, as we’re living such an ever changing environment, what we need now today is perhaps different than we would need in a week or in a month’s time. So it is really a very, very challenging, not only for us, and as we’re speaking here, a very challenging world. But of course, yeah, an ever changing environment. And you say you reach out to members, you get the advice to reach out to your members. And just pick up the phone and call them or send them a message. Do you have any other advice? How can you stay in touch with your members or people that are related or connected with associations?
Anna: I can give you an example of the project we introduced in our Polish Conference and Congress Association (SKKP). The main goal of SKKP is to educate the members. And last year we introduced a project called SKKP Academy.
SKKP News from the World
But, of course in March this year, it was obvious that we could not organise any face to face trainings or educational products. So we introduced something new, the project called SKKP News from the World. It is a series of articles in which we write about case studies, reports, new promotional campaigns, showing how the world is reacting on this unusual and unexpected situation. And we make it available to our members and to other MICE industry representatives in Poland. The goal was to help the members to deal with an unexpected crisis by showing them the good examples from the world. Because we all know that information is crucial to conduct right decisions and to create recovery plans. It also allows members to react quickly and to implement changes in their strategies.
The project was very simple, the articles were spread throughout the social media and received a very positive feedback. The Polish MICE industry media also helped us and they distributed articles through their channels on social media, and in their newsletters. The project was also one of the finalists in the international awards, organised by association executives. We know that MICE professionals read it, because I can see how they use it in their campaigns, how they use it when they speak to others, so it’s very positive for us. And it motivates me even more. And I decided to continue the project also next year, and keep on writing the articles.
Mariska: Could you please share with us, because you’re saying you’re sharing case studies or articles. Were these articles also about associations and case studies from MICE companies? Can you say something about the type of content that you shared within that new initiative?
Anna: Yes, we shared the reports that appeared in the MICE industry. For example we distributed the reports issued by ICCA, or the other associations. And we also wrote about good positive examples of the different campaigns. I can share an example of the campaign in England, it’s called, ‘It’s time to meet again‘. During the campaign the employees of the industry took pictures with their smartphones, in their workplaces. And then they share it through their own social media channels. So to show that positive and personal way of how to organise event in their region.
Mariska: This is important for anyone who’s creating a new initiative or building up a community. So you really concentrate on content from the industry, from the meetings and events industry, and to share it with your members. You didn’t share any information from outside the meeting and events industry?
Anna: No, we share mainly information of the meetings industry. We read articles in the international newspapers, social media, different channels, and we choose what in our opinion could be important.
How to share news with your audience?
Mariska: You know the challenges of your audience, that you were the right person to choose the right articles that were relevant or could be informative for your audience. Also, how did you share those articles with your audience? Did you create a newsletter? Did you create a company page on Facebook? Or what platform did you use, and how frequently did you share the news with your audience?
Anna: Okay, so first, we started to write articles twice a week. And right now, I write articles once a week. We have created the webpage of SKKP section called ‘News of the world’. Other than that I posted on my personal Facebook profile and LinkedIn profile. As SKKP we also distributed the content on our Facebook page. And as I can see the others also share our articles on their personal profiles. The Polish MICE media such as: Meeting Planner, Think MICE and MICE Poland, also joined our initiative. So all these actions give an opportunity for the wider audience to read about it.
There is so much information and not many people have the time to read it all.So this is helpful as that what we choose, of course, from our point of view, what is really important, and share it, so they the have real knowledge all in one place.
Facebook or LinkedIn?
Mariska: Yeah, but I think it’s important because you have so many years of experience in the industry. You know what your audience needs, and they trust you as a person. So therefore, I think you are the right person to choose that information and to share it because you are authentic, you are trustworthy, and I would say the influencer within the world of associations. And going back, because you shared the content also on your private channels and on your Facebook and on your LinkedIn. And what is then your preferred channel, if you would choose between LinkedIn and Facebook? Or where did you get more reactions on Facebook or on the LinkedIn page?
Anna: Well definitely on Facebook, we get more reactions. And I use my personal Facebook profile only for business related matters. You know, I don’t use it for private reasons. I mean sometimes I do, but only when I want to promote the destination Poland. So I don’t show the birthdays of my children. I see that in Poland, Facebook, at least for the industry associations as MPI Poland Chapter, SKKP, or SITE Poland, is used more frequently than LinkedIn. And although I also share the articles on the LinkedIn, I see much more reaction on Facebook, and also much more shares on Facebook than on LinkedIn. I don’t know why, it shoold be the opposite page.
Mariska: Is it also to do something, for example, with cultural differences, or perhaps with the preferences of your audiences, and perhaps associations in Poland, are more active on Facebook instead of LinkedIn?
Anna: I think that Polish associations are more active on Facebook than LinkedIn. And just my friends from Facebook and LinkedIn, they’re more active on Facebook, I can see it and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a Polish thing. Maybe not.
Choose the right channel to communicate with your audience
Mariska: Yes, can be. But it’s important to know because we’ve spoken with many people, during our live webinars with different people from around the world. And a lot of people underestimate the cultural differences that are in each country exists. And also the rules and regulations, of course, but also cultural differences that in some countries. For example, Twitter is much more used and common in the UK, than it would be for example, in the Netherlands, although we use Twitter, but it’s not our place to go to. And, and sometimes it also depends on the industry. So it’s good to know if I would work for a Polish association I would know that I would invest more time and effort in Facebook than on LinkedIn.
Anna: I think it would be a good idea to do that. And I know you are involved in so many social channels and profiles, you have so many of them, especially Jaro . But me personally, I use only two of them only Facebook and LinkedIn because I just don’t have time. And you know, it’s not so easy to post the right content on social media, you have to think about it. And about the content and it just takes time. So I chose to have only two of them.
Mariska: I think it’s a very wise decision to only choose one or two platforms, maintain those and build the community then to have five or six profiles, where you don’t have the time. My preference is LinkedIn. For some people, for Jaro, of course, it’s Instagram. I think it’s a very wise decision to focus only on one or two social media channels.
Associations in 2021
Mariska: Is there anything else that you would like to share with us concerning associations, or any predictions or suggestions that you would like to share with us for 2021?
Anna: Yes, maybe two things, I would like to encourage everyone to get involved in associations. I know, it takes time. But it also gives you a very positive things, and to do something good for the others. That’s why I’m so passionate about associations. And that’s why I get involved in working with them.
Let`s talk about predictions, I think the meetings in the future will be smaller. And unfortunately, because a big part of them will be organised virtually. We will need a lot of time to feel safe to travel again, including long distances. The meetings will be smaller, and probably more local, and then regional. And we need to learn. That’s why I think we need to learn new digital skills, to be able to move freely in the virtual world.
This would be my advice, to learn new skills, and I’m also speaking about myself, I need to be more proficient in a virtual world. It’s not easy, but I think what we will learn now, it will give us fruits for the future.
Mariska: Indeed, I think you’re absolutely right. And also thanks for your advice to get involved in associations. I always have been very involved in MPI, which also gave me a lot of confidence. And from my perspective, I totally agree with you, Anna. I think for a lot of people has been a learning curve, not only for event planners, but I think also for a lot of other industries how to deal with online meetings, online conferences, and anything else.
Anna: Well, I think all of us are influencers in some way. And especially now when we all use social media and we live in an online world. So my final remark would be just to be cautious what you post on your social media.
Mariska: I think it’s a very good piece of advice for all of us. Indeed, think twice before you post something on social media because you might harm your reputation amongst your followers. So thank you very much, Anna, for sharing your insights and passion about meetings and events industry.
Connect with Anna on LinkedIn and Facebook.
How to set up a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign
Word of MICE founder Mariska Kesteloo and Alessia di Raimondo discuss all about destination marketing.
Introduction
Mariska: Welcome to the first edition of the B2B Influencer Marketing Chat series, I’m very proud to launch this new series of chats, which you can listen to every week on our podcast channel. I’m not doing this alone. I’m together with Alessia Di Raimondo. Welcome. She’s our regular host every week. Alessia, welcome.
Alessia: Thank you, Mariska. Hello, everybody. My name is Alessia Di Raimondo. I`ve teamed up with Mariska from Word of MICE. I’m a freelance marketing and sales consultant for destinations, planners and suppliers, professionals in the meeting industry and I’m also the vice president of communication at the Italian Chapter of MPI.
Mariska: Thank you very much for the introduction that reminds me that I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Mariska Kesteloo and I’m the founder of Word of MICE. We create B2B influencer marketing campaigns for hotels, destinations, venues and many other suppliers in the meetings and events industry.
This is our first edition and the first edition is all about destination marketing. I would say a very current topic because due to Covid-19, a lot of destinations and other suppliers, but mainly destinations are, of course, struggling. How do you stay in touch with your audience, but also what is the right tone of voice and with all the uncertainties that might still come up. We don’t know how to proceed.
Challenges for a destination in Covid-19 era
I’m happy to talk about this particular topic with Alessia because you have worked actually for a convention bureau in Sicily in the past. Could you describe what are the biggest challenges for a destination in these challenging times?
Alessia: Nowadays the biggest challenge for a destination is keeping clients’ attention high, save and replacing their wish lists and priorities and what will be, of course, to start again our business and to travel again and go back to our normal life and work. They have to save their brand protection and do not lose competitive advantage, even online on the site.
We are all online these days. I mean, those destinations which are creative as well as honest transparent with its communication, and they are communicating weekly or even daily with followers. They are getting lots of exposure, especially now. Many are working on building up trust, increasing the attention, creating and delivering spontaneous confidence by using their team members which have time nowadays and they don’t need any budget to produce to create such type of content. So why don’t you do it. For a destination as well for the companies in the supply chain the biggest challenge is to keep the staff motivated and involve the employees to collaborate all together to generate ideas and create new content. Not copying competitors, but being original.
Find the right tone of communication
Mariska: It’s easier said than done because it’s not easy to find the right tone of voice. What can we post, what not, what is appropriate. Some destinations are owned by the governments or some people are not allowed to work, even they would love to work. Despite that, they would love to continue with the communication, so I think that’s also a huge challenge.
Alessia: Some people think that being silent is sort of a way to show respect, considering the challenges we are facing together. But actually, it’s not because this creates a distance between the brand and the company, of course, on the users and suppliers on the other side. So there’s a way to continue communicating also in these times, but in a soft way, with the right approach. You just have to find what is the right message you want to share with your users and you will find the proper way to do it.
Maintaining relationships with your audience
Mariska: If you talk about the proper way we cannot talk about sales or promotion. You mentioned already earlier in one of your comments that you’re saying it’s about trust. Indeed, it’s like a marriage you also don’t stop communicating from one until the other day you keep the relationship, to keep it open and ongoing. So I think a lot of people think stopping is better than pulling out content. That is not right. But I totally agree with you. You need to maintain your relationship with your followers, despite it’s not easy to find the right content or the right topics. There are many things in our industry we can write about.
Alessia: The most important thing is to talk about authentic things at work, about the values which represent your brand. There are some destinations that are doing a great job. They are producing videos, wonderful videos, so very unconventional content as well. But if you don’t have the budget to work on a video, you can also use bottom-up content coming from your employees and use those contents on your channels – a website, blog, the social media to reach your users. They will be in the city as well as an original and fantastic campaign, which maybe would cost much more, but you don’t need to invest in it now.
Mariska: I think you already mentioned engaging your employees. That’s also a great way to create more exposure without using external influencers or external people to create content.
LinkedIn – personal profile and company page
Mariska: We’re talking about tips and suggestions you already mentioned. What else destinations can do? You mentioned already continue being out there to remain top of mind. Can you give us concrete steps that are on a low budget, of course, or with the possibilities of the convention bureau?
Alessia: A good idea and a good strategy would be to invest in your LinkedIn personal profile and company page. Why? LinkedIn, especially for the B2B market, is a very useful channel. They are improving the platform. There are many new features and also ads on LinkedIn work very well. You can work on the digital PR and on your personal branding and also your branding as an employee of a specific company, at no cost. Why don’t you invest your time in your profile, on your company page, on LinkedIn, on a group, on a LinkedIn community? We have time to do it now. We don’t need anybody to do it and that this is a different channel to reach the target audience.
Mariska: I think LinkedIn is a must for every company, especially if you work B2B. I mean, I’m a huge fan of LinkedIn, which I have been using for many, many years. LinkedIn still remains the number one platform to do business and to get in touch with people.
Alessia: The engagement on LinkedIn is very high. You have to consider also a KPI to choose the channel to work on. I would like to ask you Mariska if you can explain why influencer marketing now is more important than ever.
Influencer Marketing in B2B
Mariska: When I talk about B2B influencer marketing in general, I would say to stay and to remain top of mind amongst your target audience, that is for me the best description, what influencer marketing is. Why now?
We’re all in lockdown or some people might not be in lockdown yet, but we’re all restricted to travel. We are at home. This is the ideal time to reach out to influencers, even if it’s your employees. People who are from the same industry, you have the passion, the knowledge, the experience and more importantly, the followers to reach out and to remain top of mind. Because you cannot talk about sales, you cannot talk about promotion because no one knows how long it will take or it will last. Therefore it is important to remain top of mind and to be there online and like you said, and to continue also that communication.
A negative perception of Influencer Marketing
And a lot of people underestimate the value of B2B influencer marketing because they have a negative perception because they think it’s only the millennials. You don’t go to your neighbour if you have pain in your tooth. I mean, you go to dentists because they have the expertise. That’s the same with the influencer. Unfortunately, the bad perception that we have can be caused by the “Fire Festival”, a lot of campaigns managed wrong or used the wrong influencer. Because of that a lot of people have also the wrong perception in our industry. In the MICE industry, it’s more about the experience, about the knowledge that people have, and less on the number of followers.
The second thing is we do campaigns for the long term, six months, a year or even longer to connect with the specific sort of audience. I prefer to use the word ambassador, content creator, expert, or a mix of all those things. It is our role to find the right tone of voice and to remain in touch with the audience.
Planning Influencer campaigns
Alessia: You talk about influencer marketing campaigns. How to set up a good influencer campaign? What are the most important elements to think about and to include in your project?
Mariska: If we do a campaign, first of all, I think it stands and falls with a good briefing.
- What is your target audience?
- What would you like to get out of the campaign?
- And of course, if you have a budget, if you don’t have a budget, let us know as well because we are living in challenging times, people are willing to do something for free.
- What is the time frame?
- Which channel would you like to focus on?
If you find an influencer who’s focusing on LinkedIn and doesn’t mean that he or she is an expert or has the same followers on Twitter or on Instagram. So a good briefing about the company, about what would you like to get out of it?
What are your values? Because it’s not just someone picked on expertise and on the right followers, but also if he or she respects the values, the philosophy of the company. So I always call it’s more like a dating agency what we do. We need to find the right match, the person that respects your company and also the values, but also on a professional level. That is the first thing.
The second thing is that you have a clear briefing. As soon as you work together that the influencer receives a contract, knows what I’m allowed to do and I’m not allowed to do. Working towards an outcome and that is can be really challenging in these times or you need to modify or adapt. It’s constant collaboration, constantly in touch with the influencer of what can we do, or can’t do.
We planned the video for two or three weeks’ time and perhaps we need to change the content or it’s not appropriate anymore. It’s outdated already. So it’s constant communication, collaboration.
Please don’t forget the leverage, the experience, the knowledge that influences have. You work with the influencer because he or she knows her followers, he or she has the creativity and passion. So use it and ask the input. And don’t say you need to do this or need to do that. Now, it’s a collaboration and I say creating content together.
So I think those are the most important elements. And remind yourself that you will create a collaboration that will last hopefully not only during the campaign but even after the campaign.
B2B Influencer campaigns case studies
Alessia: Thank you Mariska. Do we have some best practices of clients who are already working with influencers and they are doing a great job, according to you?
Mariska: I think on a B2B level, specifically for our industry, it’s quite rare and we’re quite new, I would say. There are some interesting examples. I mean, you could also, as you said, you could also use your employees as your influencers without using or calculating a huge budget. There are great examples.
International Women’s Day
National Geographic did a fantastic campaign on International Women’s Day. It was not about sales, not about promotion. It was just about awareness. How can we motivate women and young ladies and girls to choose a profession in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Taking pictures of women working in these different professions all around the world and launching that on International Women’s Day was a major campaign. Just by creating awareness because we know that we will have a lack of women and a lack of workforce in the specific sectors. So that was a very interesting B2B marketing campaign and even some of the ladies were asked to do a presentation and talk about their professions offline.
Microsoft or National Geographic didn’t gain leads or bookings out of it. So this is actually a very strong example of how to work on awareness. And also for a long term goal. So how to motivate, how to change a certain perception or the changes in behavior.
I think that is also why it is a great example, especially now, because we can’t sell anything we can’t say come to my destination or join the fam trip because people are not eager to travel, and which I totally understand. Including myself, I’m also not eager to travel now. We need to find a campaign where I would say awareness is the focus. I mean many are hopefully during this crisis, many inspiring examples will come up. I think you can do a lot with a very I would say a very small or shoestring budget.
How to choose the right influencer?
Alessia: We talk about the employees as the first influencers we could involve for an influencer marketing campaign with no budget. But if we need to choose a professional influencer for a dedicated campaign, what are the things we have to consider when choosing the influencer to work with.
Mariska: Choosing the right influence is one of the biggest challenges for companies. With whom are we going to work, how do we select the criteria, etc. I think you have two ways.
Of course, you can choose your employees, but you also need to find someone who is active on social media, who is already perhaps creating or is a fan of graphic design or perhaps has his own website. I mean, there are many people who have side projects or perhaps have a side business where they already write a blog post or get involved in perhaps any charity or a good cause as a volunteer. I think there is a huge potential as far as being an employer, but you might not have discovered that yet. So I think you should first look inward in your own company what is the potential over there.
And I think now more than ever, everybody is eager to keep their job and hopefully, we can say going through this pandemic together. I think before you will recruit someone, an external person was not able to travel, was not able to come to your product or doesn’t know your product or is not familiar with it.
Internal or external influencer?
I would prefer to work with someone who is trustworthy because that’s what it’s all about now. An employee is already familiar with your product or service. Even an ex-employee could also be interesting or someone else related to your company or stakeholders or partners or board members and your advisory board you might have. So there is a lot of potential, not only within your expertise, but I would say also your circle around your company that you have and without using the budget and starting with an influencers campaign.
I hope the companies do have a dedicated influencer marketing budget. I can only imagine that you make now different choices and you hope you can keep all your employees. So why don’t you involve and engage them more and perhaps their perception would also change their product and by doing them something different within the company. So I think it’s an underestimated part of influence and marketing employees, partners, speakers, anyone who is related to your company.
Alessia: Thank you for this overview, which is actually an introduction to enter into the world of the influence of marketing, especially in the B2B and in the MICE industry.
Mariska: You are absolutely right. In the next episodes, we are going to talk more about different topics related with B2B influencer marketing, laws, about regulations. We’re going to talk with influencers themselves and we’re going to talk with Julius Solaris as one of the major influencers in the events industry. Many more interesting episodes are coming up. Thank you all so much for listening. I hope you enjoyed listening to our podcast. Thank you so much for being our host Alessia and see you next week.
Alessia: Thank you. Bye, bye
Welcome to the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series where we talk about B2B influencer marketing in the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events). We speak with people from all around the globe about the role, the meaning, impact and possibilities of B2B influencer marketing. Hosts: Mariska Kesteloo & Alessia di Raimondo.
You can listen to us and our guests on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts.
The second season of B2B Chat Series
We launch the second season of B2B Influencer Marketing chat series in November 2020. Follow us on Eventbrite and signup for coming chats with influencers, CVB`s representatives and many other interesting guests from the MICE industry and Social Media world. We start the second season with Instagram Influencer – Phil Gonzalez.
Hear Me, See Me, Include Me
What I absolutely have to tell you about is the video Hear Me, See Me, Include Me. From the moment I first saw it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Its creator Megan Strahle, who has been working in the MICE industry for many years and is primarily focused on sustainability in the meetings industry. Mariska and I had the opportunity to work together with Megan, and we both never noticed that Megan had a disability.
Only after watching her video, I really understood how important her voice is. I don’t want to summarise the whole video and I encourage you to watch it for yourself, but do want to point out a few things that particularly caught my attention.
Hear Me, See Me, Include Me
In the video Megan talks about invisible disabilities, disabilities that at first sight can lead to misunderstandings, negative perceptions or judgments of a person. Just because a disability is not visible does not mean it is not there.
As Megan says, people with disabilities face new limitations in this pandemic era. We all know that when meeting online, the element of human contact is missing. Networking on Zoom, online seminars, virtual trade shows and conferences, hybrid congresses have opened up new opportunities to participate in global events, but have also paradoxically created new barriers for people with disabilities.
For example, hearing and listening. This was particularly memorable for me. “Hearing isn’t just what happens, hearing is something I have to work on” – Megan syas.
You have to be able to see the person speaking and read their lips. Unfortunately, wearing masks also took away the ability to receive the content correctly. Megan’s film can be watched here below.
Good examples and things could be done way better
The Zoom and Clubhouse apps are two examples of how certain things could be improved for people with disabilities. Zoom did not have free subtitles for app users, unli. e the Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Skype platforms. A significant change was only brought due to a lawsuit. Lawsuit Against Zoom Claims Closed Captions Surcharge Discriminates Against Deaf Users.
On the other hand, a very good example on how to prepare for a virtual event and taking into account the needs of people with disabilities was TEDx London Women`s Event 2021.
In the video, the author shares tips on how to improve the organisation of events in closed spaces and for online events. Additionally, you can find out what employers can do to make work easier for disabled employees and on how to improve communication. Everyone wants to be part of groups, local communities and the events. And these rights should not be taken away.
Over a week ago I created and shared this video. I had fully expected five people maximum (including my mom!) would watch it. The response has been overwhelming & with my dissertation due date looming, I didn’t have the time to fully realize the impact (1) https://t.co/PTEPmEDUX2
— Meg Strahle (she/her) (@megstrahle) August 31, 2021
Disability in the world #WeThe15
The Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games (24 August to 5 September 2021) just finished in Tokyo. Many countries were represented by people with disabilities. The athletes won many medals, gold, silver or bronze and brought us touching moments and many reasons to be proud. What all athletes and disabled people have in common, however, is the great achievement of fighting their limitations and weaknesses every day.
Do you know how many people live with a disability in the world? People with disabilities are 15% of the world’s population. The #WeThe15 social campaign is asking attention for people with a disability. I encourage you to watch the video on the official Youtube channel of the International Paralympic Committee.
What can you do?
Do we have important challenges for the MICE industry in the coming months and for upcoming planned real, hybrid and virtual events? Yes, we definitely have.
Can we also take into account the needs and expectations of people with disabilities to make these events more welcoming and accessible to a wider audience? Yes, we can! People with disabilities are also part of your target audience!
Let each of us think about what we can change and improve. Sometimes you really don’t need much.
It starts with being aware and listening to the suggestions of people with disabilities. Let’s start by spending 30 minutes watching the film Hear Me, See Me, Include Me.
Jaro(slaw) Marciuk. Thank you Meg for sharing your story.
The second season of the B2B Influencer Marketing Chat Series
What are the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Welcome to our LIVE interviews where we talk about B2B influencer marketing in the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events). We speak with people from all around the globe about the role, the meaning, the impact and the possibilities of B2B Influencer Marketing on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram. Facebook, Youtube, TikTok and other social media and networking platforms. We share case studies, discuss influencer marketing campaigns for destinations and other suppliers from our industry and beyond.
Our hosts for the first series of 10 episodes Mariska Kesteloo and Alessia di Raimondo (S01). And for the second series of 10 episodes Jaroslaw Marciuk and Mariska Kesteloo (S02).
How to join the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Join us every Thursday at 1 pm CEST /12 pm GMT LIVE on Zoom. You can participate and ask questions to our special guests. This is the most engaging way to be part of our series of interviews.
Follow us on Eventbrite and sign up for the next live interview with influencers, entrepreneurs, and many other interesting guests from the MICE industry and beyond. You can register and participate for free.
World of MICE – events on Eventbrite – free registration.
What if you missed a live episode?
In case you missed our live session, listen to our conversation on your favorite podcast channel. We upload the whole interview to the following podcast channels: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Radio Public.
Blog posts
Do you prefer reading over listening? You can read the entire conversation from each interview on our website.
The second season of B2B chat series
We started the second season in November 2020 with Instagram Influencer, Phil Gonzalez and our new regular host – Jaroslaw Marciuk. Enjoy watching, listening, and reading the B2B influencer marketing chat series.
1. Phil Gonzalez – Influencer marketing on Instagram
Phil Gonzalez, besides being a dynamic person, he got involved in the internet and social media from the early start. He saw the evolution of influencers and influencer marketing, before it received its official name. Besides he’s a huge fan and passionate about Instagram and with his community (Instagramers Network) and followers he reaches thousands of people.
During this episode with Phil Gonzalez we will cover the following topics:
- The role of Instagram
- How Instagram has changed over 10 years
- The evolution of influencers
- Instagramers (Igers) and mobile photographers community on Instagram
- How do you become an influencer on Instagram?
- How does the future look like for Instagram? (Reels, Shopping, videos)
- Is it too late to start your Instagram profile?
You can read two blog posts: Influencer Marketing on Instagram and The future and trends on Instagram in 2021
2. Tim Williams – Measuring impact of influencers
Tim Williams is the CEO of Onalytica, an Influencer Marketing company that provides Influencer Relationship Management software and supporting professional services. Established in 2009, Onalytica helps brands to run their influencer programs to increase brand awareness, improve brand reputation and drive lead generation or consideration in the early part of the buying process.
During the episode with the Tim Williams we will talk about:
- The outcome of the Onalytica report: The Current State & Future of B2B influencer marketing
- The impact of B2B influencer marketing
- The underestimated role of data in the world of influencer marketing
3. Anna Gorska – The role of marketing in the world of international associations
Anna Gorska has been involved in the meetings industry for over 20 years. Since May 2019 she is part of the Advisory Board in the leading Polish association called PCO Symposium Cracoviense, where she is responsible for relations with the international associations. In March 2019 Anna became the Vice President of the SKKP Polish Conference & Congress Association. She is a passionate lecturer at universities promoting the importance of the meetings industry to the young generation. In October 2020 she was elected as a Board member for ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association). She was also chairing the ICCA Central European Chapter for 6 years.
We will talk with Anna Gorska about:
- News from the World; an initiative that was created during the lockdown to keep in touch with associations. And now this initiative is on the list for an award
- The ICCA conference that was held in November 2020 and had more than 1500 participants online
- The role of the different social media channels; why Facebook is more popular in Poland than LinkedIn for associations?
4. Nyomi Rose – Influencer marketing on TikTok and Generation Z
Nyomi Rose is a final year Events Management Student who has flourished during this COVID-19 era through leveraging her social media skills and to spread positivity, passion and love for the events industry. In six months Nyomi has transformed her skillset and developed a status as a young professional woman within the world of events, becoming a prominent figure in the pursuit of diversity, sustainability, social media optimisation and youth empowerment through her Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
Nyomi Rose empowers and provides impactful insight to individuals and SMEs to optimise their social media and marketing strategy. Nyomi is a Tech, AI and Data enthusiast and aims to bridge the digital gap through sharing her knowledge and insights.
We will discuss with Nyomi:
- TikTok from a personal account to professional influencer
- Numbers, influencers, demographics, terminology and
- The voice of the young generation and misunderstanding of TikTok
- Is the MICE industry ready for TikTokers collaborations and campaigns?
- TikTok B2B influencer campaigns – case studies
- How to use TikTok in the era of Covid-19?
Join Eventprofs TikTok Challenge created by Nyomi
5. Horacio Caamano – Influencer marketing in South America
Horacio Camaano is a Director of Global Accounts Latin America at ConferenceDirect in Buenos Aires, Argentina. ConferenceDirect is a full-service meeting solutions company specializing in site selection/contract negotiation, conference management, housing and registration. It provides expertise to 1,600 corporations and associations worldwide through 350 Associates and regional offices. Horacio is passionate about the meetings & events industry and of course marketing.
He created his home studio during the lockdown and decided to dedicate his time to learn new skills. During the episode with Horacio we will cover the following topics:
- Insights from a MICE influencer; how is life nowadays in South America
- How to become an influencer in Argentina and South America?
- The untouched potential of influencer marketing in South America
- The future of the MICE industry in South America
- The role of B2B Influencer Marketing
6. Helen Moon – The role of wellbeing in the MICE industry
Helen Moon founded Event Wellbeing Week and EventWell Ltd in 2017, the event industry’s first charitable social enterprise and resource dedicated solely to offering wellbeing advice, knowledge and support to event professionals to keep them well.
She has more than 20 years of experience in the world of marketing and events and she believes passionately in the value of live events and the power of the communications that all marketers create and deliver. She loves what she does, and believes that every individual should be given the freedom and opportunity to find their passion in life.
During the episode with Helen Moon we will cover the following topics:
- The role of wellbeing in the MICE industry
- How Helen Moon got passionate about wellbeing and started her company Eventwell in 2017?
- The role of marketing for her company; sharing best practices from Eventwell
- Sharing practical tips on how to disconnect for eventprofs (especially going offline) in a very connected world
7. Maris Kuklis – Airlines marketing in the era of Covid-19
Maris Kuklis is a curious, adventurous and enthusiastic relationship marketing team player who is always keen to learn, develop and share knowledge. Result-driven, passionate and creative guy with solid business acumen and a comprehensive skill-set underpinned by extensive experience in hospitality, events, airline and destination sales as well as marketing.
Within Etihad Airways, Maris is responsible for developing the MICE market for Etihad’s global network, long-term value and profitability.
During the episode with Maris we will cover the following topics:
- What were the most important steps that Etihad Airways has taken on the level of safety and security of the passengers?
- What has Etihad Airways done to remain in touch with its clients?
- The future of Etihad Airways; new initiatives and what are the plans for 2021 and beyond
8. Robert Szulc – How to build a community on Social Media
Robert Szulc is the CEO of Boomerang, an incentive company based in Warsaw, Poland. The company has specialised in travel for corporate clients for 20 years. Experience, passion and creativity are their three main strengths. They organise incentive and corporate trips abroad, like motivational company trips, conferences, congresses and fairs.
The aim of all projects is to strive for excellence in providing participants with unforgettable experiences. A network of contractors around the world and travel experiences allow them to create unique and unconventional incentive programmes. They are avid travelers with great knowledge of the countries they travel to.
During our chat episode with Robert Szulc live from Ecuador we will cover the following topics:
- How you can create a community on Social Media by sharing your passion and personal ideas
- How his community contributed to the growth of his incentive company
- Sharing his dream journey that he started in January 2021 and will visit 4 continents in 4 months #worldinstages_4continents
- Latest news about the new normal in travel and incentives – airlines, airports, hotels, MICE industry and destinations in Europe and South America
9. Carina Bauer – The future of exhibitions
Carina Bauer began her career in retail and catering, before entering the meetings industry in 2002 as the Marketing and Operations Director for IMEX in Frankfurt, as part of the original launch team for the exhibition. Following the expansion of the IMEX brand into America in 2009, Carina was appointed CEO of the IMEX Group. In her role, Carina is responsible for all aspects of the business.
We are all sad that the IMEX 2021 edition in Frankfurt is cancelled, what will happen? The following topics will be covered with Carina Bauer:
- We will talk about how IMEX adapts to the current changes. More details about the decision-making process will be shared in our conversation
- IMEX has a strong community and loyal visitors who come every year to Frankfurt and/or Las Vegas. We will talk about how F2F communities were fragmented by Covid and what that means for IMEX and for others
- Marketing & social media. IMEX always has been very active on social media and Carina will share insights about the tools and strategies they have used
10. Antti Lumiainen & Nadja Rubtsova – B2B influencer marketing campaign
Antti Lumiainen is an event enthusiast with over 10 years of industry experience and a strong believer of face to face and the power of events. Having a diverse background in associations, exhibitions and event management, Antti is now working with Helsinki Marketing, promoting Helsinki as a meetings and events destination. He has been active for several years in the local chapter of Meeting Professionals International and currently holds the position of President Elect. He is passionate about giving back to the industry that has created so many possibilities for his career.
Nadja Rubtsova has more than 10 years of experience in the meetings industry. Before starting her own business in 2020, Nadia has worked in 4 different countries as well on the suppliers’ side as from the client’s side. Nadia specialises in business development, sales and negotiations.
During this episode we will cover the following topics together with Nadja Rubtsova and Antti Lumiainen:
- Why has Helsinki chosen to put influencer marketing for the meetings & events industry on their agenda?
- How do you select the right influencer for your city?
- Based on which criteria did Helsinki choose for Nadia to work together?
- How do you create a relevant content calendar in these challenging times for our industry?
- What are the tasks of the influencer during the campaign?
Jois us
If you have an inspiring story and/or experience which could be relevant for our audience, please contact us: mariska@wordofmice.com
Meet Word of MICE
Word of MICE is the first and only global influencer community for the MICE industry. We inspire hotels, venues, destinations and other suppliers to employ Social Media Influencers as an integral part of their brand strategy and explore the true potential of influencer marketing. We create unique creative, tailor-made campaigns for all suppliers in the MICE industry over the globe.
Our B2B clients appreciate our years of experience in the MICE industry combined with an innovative product to bring their brand awareness to the next level.