Results - Meetings and Events

Most companies today are facing the question of how to do more with less … how to deliver more work with less people, how to launch more new products with less R&D funds, how to reach more customers with less marketing resources …

In challenging economic times, the first reaction of many executives is to cut spending on meetings and events because they are large line-items in any marketing budget. But, only considering cost and not return will not deliver the results you need in your business.  A recent survey of Fortune 1,000 Chief Marketing Officers found that meetings and events provide the highest return on investment of any marketing channel. 

OpenSpark’s certified event and technology professionals have developed a broad and deep knowledge base by delivering thousands of programs over hundreds of years of combined experience. We effectively use this expertise to plan, design, and implement all aspects of corporate events, including in-depth marketing strategy, integrated technology plan, logistics management, and complete program measurement to insure that the program delivered business results. 

Marketing Strategy
 

A clear, powerful marketing strategy is essential to get the attention of your audience and persuade them to invest their time in your meeting. OpenSpark’s innovative creative team develops award-winning campaigns proven to influence behavior that will spark results.

A Web site with logistical details about your event and online registration is no longer enough to reach and influence your audience. A comprehensive marketing strategy will:

  • Clearly define the value of your event.
  • Actively promote valuable content.
  • Target your audience in many places and provide multiple communication vehicles.
  • Constantly measure results.
  • Still communicate logistical details and provide online registration.
 
 

Integrated Technology Plan

  
 

A well-designed technology plan is absolutely essential to any meeting or event, and will insure you are working efficiently, monitoring and controlling costs real-time, and effectively marketing your event. OpenSpark has the combined marketing and technology experience to create technology plans that make sense for your marketing investment.

Your marketing strategy and technology plan can no longer be defined separately. If your “technology plan” consists of printer and wireless Internet requirements during your meeting, you forgot to plan a critical piece of your meeting. An integrated technology plan will:

  • Create your planning roadmap at the outset of planning, not along the way.
  • Define your budgeting and cost-control mechanisms.
  • Be the foundation of your marketing plan.
  • Deliver the event more efficiently.
  • Develop your measurement model.
  
 

Logistics Management

  
 

Strong logistics management is absolutely essential in delivering the business results expected from the event.  Our in-depth event management methodology has been developed and proven over the last 15 years, and is consistently recognized as best-in-class by our clients. Certified Meeting Professionals provide you with the knowledge and resources to manage every facet of a corporate event including:

Event and Strategy Development
  • Definition of event goals and objectives
  • Design of program metrics
  • Alignment of program to metrics, objectives, and brand 
Pre-event Project Management and Planning
  • Development and management of timelines
  • Transparent, pass-through budgeting model
  • Management of all event vendors
  • Contract negotiation
  • Full management of all logistical program elements (including site selection, transportation, food and beverage, activities, audio visual, entertainment, décor, guest speakers, meeting space, security, program amenities, etc.)
  • Recruitment of professional, certified on-site staff
On-site Management and Execution
  •  Dedicated team of event professionals
  • Full program staffing 24 hours per day
  •  Coordination of all event venues and service providers
  • Design of inventory control processes
  • Full documentation of all program activities
Post-event Follow-up, Analysis, and Measurement
  • Reconciliation and analysis of budget
  • Compilation and analysis of all attendee evaluations
  • Measure success of event and ROI

Throughout the planning process, a strong focus will be placed on sourcing and negotiation to maximize your investment. Your programs will be staffed with industry experts to deliver the intended experience to your attendees. The final step of the event process is the compilation and analysis of all program results (qualitative and quantitative), and the formal measurement against the event strategy and goals to document the results.

 

Program Measurement
 

Designing and documenting the program measurement strategy is one of the first steps in any effective event management process, and the analysis of the program results against this measurement strategy is one of the last steps. OpenSpark uses a five-step measurement process to collect and evaluate all program-relevant data, and then analyze this information against the program measurement strategy.  The detailed cost and results analysis provided allows you to accurately measure the success of every program and return on the investment and objectives.

 
OpenSpark, LLC