1 minute read
Welcome the unknown
By Glenton de Kock, chief executive officer of SAACI
As the world around us continues to change and the business environment becomes increasingly challenging, we absolutely have no choice but to adapt to the times if we want our businesses to survive.
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In four months from now we will host the 2020 SAACI annual congress in Johannesburg. Themed ‘Welcome the Unknown’, this congress may just be what any delegate is looking for to approach the future with knowledge, vigour and confidence.
Our local organising committee is hard at work to secure top speakers to address cutting-edge topics that are relevant to everyone in the business events sector.
We believe it’s time for a deep dive into what’s new, what’s next and what matters in the business events industry. Our studio themed ‘Audience Engagement’ will be explored in-depth. How about including some people from your target markets in your event planning process? Delegates, especially millennials, want to feel that our marketing does not just target a delegate number but what is being offered is worth their investment of money and time. These sessions will focus on identifying and attracting the right audience to your events by serving them in relevant and engaging ways. The studio themed ‘Stop planning meetings, start designing experiences’ is the current-day cry from across the spectrum of delegates.
Engage them before the event, get their emotions going with compelling visuals and tell them stories.
Link them in themed experience rooms where they can network.
Give them robust, interactive and engaging sessions that they can share afterwards and keep exploring together. And then introduce the tech-driven innovations.
We are not forgetting the importance of a balanced lifestyle and there will be good advice on cleaning our proverbial mental windshield. Find out about the free antidepressant that has no side effects – its brand name is Nature.
Other congress studios will include event strategy and leadership. In the studio ‘The business of events’, the focus will be on effective cost-saving sustainability, contract negotiations and strategies for developing the board of the future for your organisation. Can you miss this? Do not delay. Go to www. saacicongress.org to register and welcome the unknown!
