IoT Webinars
Events

Top Reasons Why Webinars Should Be Part of Your Marketing Strategy

Webinars should unquestionably be a significant part of your marketing strategy in today's digital age. They offer a unique combination of reach, engagement, and versatility that is hard to match with other online marketing tools.

The power of webinars lies in their ability to foster a deeper connection with prospects and customers by delivering high-quality, interactive content in real-time. They provide a platform for showcasing your industry expertise, promoting your products or services, and obtaining qualified leads. Furthermore, the inherent cost-effectiveness and global reach of webinars make them a crucial tool for businesses seeking to maximize their marketing efforts.

In essence, incorporating webinars into your marketing strategy can facilitate increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, business growth.


7 Reasons Why Webinars Work

Webinars are incredibly effective tools for businesses, educators, and many other professionals to reach and engage with their target audience, deliver valuable content, and drive meaningful results. Here are seven reasons why webinars work:

1. Global Reach

Webinars make it possible to reach and engage audiences from across the globe. No matter where your attendees are, they can join the webinar with just a stable internet connection and a device. This significantly broadens the reach of your message and content.

2. Cost-Effective

Compared to traditional physical events, webinars are far less expensive to host. You eliminate costs associated with venues, travel, meals, and accommodation. Also, many webinar platforms offer reasonable pricing, and some even have free options.

3. Interactive

Webinars offer numerous interactive features such as Q&A sessions, live polls, and chat functions. These tools can engage the audience, make learning interactive, and allow participants to ask questions and receive instant answers.

4. Content Reusability

The content generated during webinars can be recorded and reused in many ways. It can be shared on social media platforms, emailed to participants for rewatching, used for content marketing purposes, or used as training material.

5. Lead Generation and Conversion

Webinars are great for capturing high-quality leads. Since attendees are spending significant time with you, they are likely to be interested in your content, products, or services. With the right follow-up, these leads can be converted into customers.

6. Expert Positioning

Hosting a webinar on a specific topic demonstrates your expertise in that area, positioning you and your organization as thought leaders. This can help to build credibility and trust with your audience.

7. Instant Feedback and Data Collection

Webinars provide instant feedback and valuable data about your audience. This includes data about attendee demographics, engagement level (like what parts of the webinar were most interesting to them), and their feedback on the webinar content. This information can help you refine future presentations and better understand your audience.

Webinars are an excellent way to deliver information to a wide audience in a cost-effective, interactive, and data-driven manner. They allow for content reusability, enhance lead generation, and position you as an expert in your field. Discover more benefits of virtual events such as webinars through our previous blog here.


Exploring the Different Types of Webinars

Webinars can take many different forms, depending on their purpose, audience, and content. Here are several different types of webinars:

Educational/Instructional Webinars - These webinars aim to provide attendees with knowledge about a specific topic. They're often used by companies to educate their audience about industry trends, new products, or services. They can also be used by educational institutions for e-learning.

Product Demonstration Webinars - These webinars showcase a product or service in action. They're a great way to explain how something works, highlight key features, and show potential customers the benefits of the product or service.

Panel Discussion Webinars - These webinars feature a group of experts discussing a particular topic. They're a good way to bring different perspectives and insights to your audience.

Q&A Webinars - In these webinars, the presenter spends most of the time answering audience questions. This format can increase engagement and allow the presenter to address specific audience concerns or queries.

Interview Webinars - These are similar to Q&A webinars but feature a guest who is interviewed by the host. The guest is usually an expert or influencer in a relevant field.

Workshop or Training Webinars - These webinars are interactive and aim to teach a particular skill or set of skills. They often involve exercises or tasks for the attendees to complete during the webinar.

Webinar Series or Courses - Some webinars are broken down into a series of sessions over weeks or months. This can be particularly useful for extensive topics, allowing for deeper dives into each aspect of the topic.

Customer Onboarding Webinars - These are used to guide new customers on how to use a product or service, providing a walk-through of key features and functions, and answering common questions.

Choosing the right format depends on your goals, the nature of the content you want to share, and the preferences of your target audience.


Conclusion

Overall, webinars represent an indispensable tool in any comprehensive marketing strategy. Their versatility, cost-effectiveness, and extensive reach are unmatched, enabling businesses to form deeper connections with potential customers on a global scale.

By leveraging interactive features and valuable real-time feedback, companies can refine their marketing approach, bolster brand awareness, and stimulate business growth. Moreover, the diversity of webinar formats offers the flexibility to tailor content to specific audience preferences and objectives. From educational and product demonstration webinars to customer onboarding and extensive webinar series, each variant provides unique opportunities for audience engagement and value delivery.

Therefore, integrating webinars into your marketing strategy not only positions your brand as a thought leader but also creates a dynamic platform for lead generation and customer conversion. In essence, the use of webinars has evolved from a mere option to a crucial necessity in today's digital marketing landscape.

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Virtual Events Benefits
Events

10 Big Benefits of Virtual Events

An explosion of virtual events unraveled during the pandemic, ushering in and solidifying a new digital era. Many businesses learned to use the internet in multiple ways to maintain operations, such as conducting virtual meetings or hosting hybrid events. Here are ten compelling reasons for businesses to plan virtual events.

1. Larger Audience and Global Reach

Virtual events do not have the limitations of physical location or attendance caps, thus allowing for an unlimited number of participants as long as they have a device and internet connection to access the platform. Also, attendees of virtual events do not have travel or scheduling challenges. These days it’s easier to get more people to sign up for an online event than attend a physical event.

It is easier to promote virtual events through websites and social media channels since you are not limited to a local market segment; you can reach out to the global market. This allows for a global audience to participate and expands the reach of the event to include people from all over the world, regardless of their location.

2. More Connections, More Leads, More engagement

At a traditional convention, it’s challenging to network, collect leads, take notes, keep your leads and notes organized while many attendees themselves are busy handing out business cards, and let’s not forget to follow up after the event. Everybody has his/her own system, and attending conventions has its advantages, but you can generate a long list of qualified leads through online surveys and networking.

Networking during a virtual event may seem challenging, but it offers more advantages than you might think. Sponsors and exhibitors tend to have more effective engagement when interacting virtually one-on-one with attendees, rather than in a large exhibition hall where it can be challenging to establish as many solid connections as you’d like.

3. Cost & Time Savings

Organizing a convention is much more expensive than a virtual event. The main costs to consider for a virtual meeting are access to a streaming platform and cloud services. Virtual events save time for your organization and for the attendees. You’ll need to put in some time to plan your virtual event, but not as much as if you were planning a public event. Getting access to a virtual event is also easier; your registration email will include a link with access to the virtual event. Getting access to a physical event is slightly more complicated: first, you have to find the registration counter or area, which can be a challenge, the larger the event is before you can print your event badge and get your lanyard.

4. Flexible, Versatile, Easy to Access 

Virtual events are not a replacement for physical events, but a new type of event to add and enhance the mix of events that you organize. And you can choose to organize your event as a webinar, a virtual conference, a hybrid event, a virtual exhibition, a virtual seminar, or a virtual trade show. For attendees who cannot tune in to the live broadcast, you can provide on-demand content based on event highlights and deeper information. The more quality content options you offer, the more potential for wider engagement.

Virtual meetings can be short or long and take on any of the formats mentioned above. You can customize the event for your business.

5. Availability

Online events don’t necessarily need to be live. You can make pre-recorded content available to subscribers for a fee, just as if you were charging for a live event.

6. Higher Attendees’ Engagement

To keep virtual event attendees engaged and focused, it is important to create a fully immersive experience, which can help to reduce distractions from digital and home-related sources. To keep your audience engaged you should consider and prepare: Live polling, Push notifications, live Q&A, Surveys, Compelling additional content, networking opportunities, Live keynotes, and On-Demand content.

Many people feel comfortable with online interaction because it allows for their voices to be heard by a community. It also makes it easy to build new relationships. Tracking virtual event attendees’ opinions is easy by offering online surveys. You can collect valuable information on your target market. And Live chat allows attendees to ask questions and get answers in real time. It eliminates the problem of someone on a microphone not being heard clearly by the audience.

Virtual events are modern social centers that allow people to connect with new friends who share similar backgrounds and interests. It’s possible to find long-term business partners through online networking.

7. Measurable Results

Another huge advantage to a virtual event is that it allows you to collect a wealth of data about your attendees. It can help you build a responsive marketing list.

Not only will you learn how many people are attracted to your virtual event, but you’ll also find out details about attendees. It will help you plan your next virtual meeting.

8. Lead Retrieval is Made Easy

When you use digital methods for retrieving leads, it’s easier to integrate with your e-marketing platform. You can input data from leads directly from their event badges.

9. Virtual Events Increase Sales

Since virtual events can reach larger audiences than physical events, it’s possible to increase your numbers. You prime the pump by developing the event for your target market and making sure that your customers and prospects are attending. It requires preparation and follow-through, starting with identifying and nurturing (hot) prospects before the event, teaching base with your prospects during the event, updating your list of hot prospects immediately after the event, and following up with your prospects after the event. With this methodical approach, you can reach out to more prospects and create at least three touchpoints per prospect as part of a virtual event.

10. Content for Post Event

One of the advantages of an online event is that you have lots of content at the end of the event. You need to hire a specialized team to record the various keynote speeches, panel discussions, and talks at a physical event. In a virtual event, this can be done during the event at no additional cost.

After the event, this material can be used to promote the next editions, it can be used as an online course, or for marketing, engagement, or other purposes. Don’t forget to add a copy of the event to your on-demand video channel, your YouTube channel, and other social media channels.

Conclusion

Your business can become more competitive and productive by engaging in virtual events with your personnel and customers. This emerging mode of business communication opens up new opportunities for training staff, showcasing products, and generating leads. Whether you make online presentations or mix the internet with live discussions, virtual events can modernize and elevate your business.

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In-Person Events
Events

In-Person Events: Where they Shine, and Where There Might Be a Problem

There is something unique about in-person events and gatherings that cannot be replicated through virtual communications. The psychological and physical realities of such meetings make them more memorable. An in-person event has a lot to recommend which also means there are a lot of benefits and drawbacks that come with it. Here we’re going to explore both the advantages and disadvantages of in-person events.

Benefits of In-person Events

  • Emotion That’s Fully Realized: Experiencing All Seven “Senses”
  • A Unique and “Non-Fungible” Experience
  • The Feeling of Being a Part of a Larger Undertaking
  • Instantaneous Communication Capability
  • Sellers Make Connections and Close Deals More Quickly
  • Prospects, Customers, and Sellers Can All Network More Efficiently
  • Giveaways Including SWAG and Other Things Expand Brand Awareness

Emotion That’s Fully Realized: Experiencing All Seven “Senses”

There’s taste, sight, touch, sound, and smell. But there’s also the emotional sense of belonging, and that nostalgic quality inherent to good memories. These are additional “senses”, and, good or bad, they can’t be replicated through a remote event. You’ll only find them at a physical event. Such senses make these events memorable.

A Unique and “Non-Fungible” Experience

NFTs are Non-Fungible Tokens. They can’t be replaced. Owing to sensory uniqueness and the specific quality of in-person events, they’re “non-fungible”. Real memories that can’t be replicated are made, and individuals share experiences together, which knits them closer in a “team” sense

The Feeling of Being a Part of a Larger Undertaking

When you’re in a large in-person event, you’re part of a collective working together toward a common goal, even if that goal is selling your company better than neighbors in the convention. Both of you are working toward business success.

Instantaneous Communication Capability

If you want to reach out to a colleague, competitor, or collateral vendor, just make some noise. You can communicate with people directly. That’s convenient and “tangible”.

Sellers Make Connections and Close Deals More Quickly

You can meet customers directly, be they adjacent to your industry, or part of the customer group you serve. Sales can be made easier. In-person sales are superior to remote sales.

Prospects, Customers, and Sellers Can All Network More Efficiently

Everybody can network together more efficiently, whether or not there are any sales opportunities. Networking is key to long-term success as a business.

Giveaways Including SWAG and Other Things Expand Brand Awareness

Stuff We All Get (SWAG) can be branded, helping to build brand awareness. You can send people home with a little cup, bag, or pen that has your company name on it, and accordingly keeps your business in the minds of attendees.

It’s Not All Beneficial, Though; There Are Drawbacks

Even so, an in-person event is going to have drawbacks, just as remote events do. Here are some to consider:

  • Reach is Inhibited by Actual Location; Decentralized Events Are Everywhere
  • Higher Costs
  • Work-Life Balance is Disrupted
  • Asocial Attendees May Experience Alienation, or Travel Issues
  • Data Collection Isn’t Always Accurate; It’s Often Conversational
  • In-person Events’ Finite Time Means Little to No “Evergreen” Content Can be Recouped

Reach is Inhibited by Actual Location; Decentralized Events Are Everywhere

Unless in-person events are huge, they’re going to be limited to one location, meaning only those who are able to attend would benefit. Remote events can reach the whole world, whether they’re large or small, owing to the internet.

Higher Costs

Collateral costs are higher. Budgets must be approved. Travel is expensive. Booths must be set up, transported, and torn down. Merchandise acquisition and distribution are necessary. Dinners between business partners and vendors can be expensive, and the list goes on.

Work-Life Balance is Disrupted

Traveling to a big event upsets the “apple cart” of your daily routine, and it can be hard to return to it. Remote events fit right in like a puzzle piece.

Asocial Attendees May Experience Alienation, or Travel Issues

Especially in tech atmospheres, attendees may have social hang-ups that may make such events uncomfortable for them, collaterally reducing how effective they can be, and what they can get done.

Data Collection Isn’t Always Accurate; It’s Often Conversational

Collecting “information” from conversations is less reliable than having a recorded version of the conversation that can be referred to later, as is possible through a remote event utilizing Zoom or something similar.

In-person Events’ Finite Time Means Little to No “Evergreen” Content Can be Recouped

Because there’s no recording, an in-person event is over when the weekend ends; or the week, depending on the scope of the event. Remote events can be recorded and re-used in an “evergreen” sense almost indefinitely, depending on their subject matter.

Determining How to Proceed: Different Kinds of Events Maybe be Appropriate

When the dust settles, there are advantages and disadvantages to in-person events. Sometimes your company may want to hybridize, offering either category throughout the fiscal year and exploring associated outcomes. Sometimes you combine an event to make it both in-person and decentralized by utilizing zoom-based web portals. These are the general benefits and drawbacks of these diverse events; hopefully, they help you make decisions that reflect your company’s needs and values.

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Virtual Events Benefits Drawbacks
Events

Virtual Events: Exploring the Real Benefits and Drawbacks

Virtual events became realistically feasible during 2020, and that feasibility has become greater in the following years. Future lockdowns won’t be as disruptive owing to decentralized virtual events. That said, there are benefits and drawbacks to consider which we’ll explore here.

Pros and Cons of Virtual Events

The Pros:

Ease of Accessibility and Lower Costs

An event in Los Angeles requires air travel, taxis or Uber pick-up, hotels, food, and more. Though such things may technically be tax-deductible, the costs are still there. This inhibits the accessibility of attendees. 

Less Pressure and Stress

You don’t have to manage travel, you don’t have to reserve a weekend on a calendar, and you don’t have to reserve a venue. Planners just have to set up a virtual event, attendees just have to set aside some time. Altogether, the pressure on involved parties is reduced.

More Effective Data Can Be Obtained

Virtual events can be recorded in real-time, then sent to those who can’t attend, or prospective future clients. Direct data can be accurately recorded; every attendee touchpoint – registrations, attendance, sessions selected, time spent in a session, content downloaded, etc. – can be tracked and put to good use. In-person events are more anecdotal and chaotic.

Return On Investment (ROI) Can Be Much Higher

Because the costs of virtual events are essentially time, electricity, and bandwidth, they’re exponentially less expensive than physical events. Accordingly, there’s a much greater Return on Investment or ROI.

More Extensive Sales Opportunities

At virtual events, better data makes it easier to “sell” every single eligible attendee. You can’t do that at a physical, in-person event; you might not even be able to determine the extent of attendees.

Broader Reach

Virtual events can actually reach any country anywhere, provided there’s an internet connection. Physical events only really reach those who attend or those who “tune in” digitally. Unless the physical event is very large, like a comic con or G4 convention, going the virtual route is likely superior.

Audience Choice is Ultimately Enhanced

At a physical event, attendees may be forced to choose between one event and another, missing key information from a presenter they value. With virtual events, they can watch presentations at their leisure, as all things are recorded.

Virtual Events Are More Scalable

Scalability of virtual events essentially involves increasing who can attend, etcetera. You just have to toggle a few settings in a software display. With in-person events, scaling out can cost thousands of dollars and be almost impossible.

The Cons:

Budget can be used more effectively, sales increase, there’s a better choice for attendees, etcetera. However, despite these clear benefits, virtual events do have certain drawbacks to consider. You need to factor these in as you go about planning professional events for your company. Next, we’ll look at a few things that definitely need to be considered.

Attendees’ Full Attention Aren’t Guaranteed

Because virtual events are usually attended by people in their homes, they often don’t give such events full attention. They may be distracted by a device or family life. As an event organizer you will have to focus on continuous attendee engagement.

Limited opportunities for Sponsors

Sponsors understand the difference in engagement and the low cost of such events, so they’re less likely to underwrite expenses. This can potentially reduce event revenue, however as a virtual event organizer you can offer your sponsors valuable attendee touchpoints, advertising, and promotional opportunities pre, during and post event. As well as detailed attendee engagement details.

Technical Errors Can Impede Virtual Events

Technical difficulties exist at any event. With a virtual event, this can stop the momentum. However, virtual events often have an added layer of security built-in since they can fall back on pre-recorded content. 

Higher Chance of No-shows

It is easier to drop out of a virtual event. Losing attendees is never fun, but every virtual event platform offers several ways to combat attendee drop-off. Developing a customizable email workflow to combat attendee drop-off is a high priority for every event planner.

Reduced Networking Opportunities 

Nothing beats the face-to-face physical interaction. But we can come very close with impromptu engagements during a virtual event with chats, P2P messaging, video calling, private meeting rooms, etc. And while we cannot recreate the physical interaction, we can keep several virtual interactions going on at the same time.

Virtual Event Hosting Realities Indicate Variable Success

Virtual events can be very effective, how effective depends on the approach. Sometimes you’ll want to lean into virtual events exclusively, in other scenarios a hybrid mixture incorporating web cam feeds and the like may be worth considering. Hosted and managed properly, virtual events can be very effective. Regardless of the type of event that you choose; if you focus on providing your attendees an unforgettable experience than you can be assured that the benefits will far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

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5 Key Take Aways CES
Events

5 Key Takeaways from CES 2022

The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, was a massive global event for 2022. Products on the near horizon were explored, as well as associated technologies. This is an annual expo, and includes presenters of an international variety. Though health concerns mitigated the show in ways it has not been limited prior 2020’s ongoing unpleasantness, there were still some astonishing developments in 2022.


Key Takeaways

More than 40,000 individuals attended CES 2022 in person, and many thousands tuned in through varying digital avenues. Over 2,000 exhibitors and product launches were explored, and many innovations involved better versions of existing tech such as AI, VR, or robotics. Here we’ll explore five key takeaways:


1. The Metaverse: Everybody Wants a Piece

The “metaverse” is more than just Mark Zuckerberg’s desire for total social media dominance. It’s truly the “next big thing”, and it’s kind of already here. Remember how the internet was actually active in the eighties, but nobody knew about it in the mainstream until the nineties?

Well Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), cloud computing, edge computing, big data, and IoT are essentially the foundational elements of the metaverse. As you may have noticed, those things are already here. Also, none of those things even involve Facebook’s “Meta” transition, or the Oculus gaming and interface system.

What will likely develop is an increasing amount of realism in reference to varying “metaverse” technologies. An example might be how controllers for console gaming systems today vibrate, make sounds, and do additional things which pull the player deeper into the game.

Metaverse technology will essentially expand that trend. Accordingly, there are multiple opportunities for metaverse innovations, and companies are rushing to discover the “next big thing”, as it were, before it goes mainstream. Expect to see big metaverse developments in 2022.


2. Smart Glasses Could Take Off Like the iPad in 2022

Back in 2010, Apple’s announcement of the iPad, whether “accidental” or a ploy to drum up demand, resulted in most tech companies with the ability leaning into touchscreen tablet development. Suddenly, everybody had to have an iPad just like everybody had to have an iPhone and an iPod before. Generic tablet options became collaterally lucrative.

Well, Google Glass didn’t hit quite as hard upon its initial launch, but it’s expected that AR glasses–and some which may even feature both AR and VR capability–are going to hit big in 2022. CES 2022 was full of AR options from varying companies, and it’s to be expected that one of them will be “king of the mountain”, as it were, by years’ end.

TCL previewed an option in AR smart glasses, so also did Sony’s PlayStation through the VR 2. Mojo Vision showcased their options, and Qualcomm and Microsoft informed the world that they’d develop chips for AR glasses in the near future. Panasonic demonstrated a $900 VR headset also. Who will be the leading brand in 2022? Nobody knows yet, but expect to see more AR and VR gear in the next year.

emerging trends

Watch the recording of our webinar "2022 Emerging Trends Edition", where an international panel of speakers covers some of the most important developments, innovations and trends in technology in 2022. 

Watch Now

3. Expect Blockchain Tech to Truly go “Mainstream” in 2022

NFTs started getting big in 2021, generating millions in economic impact. As things like NFTs become more mainstream, they will result in an increase in blockchain tech, which enables them. Expect to see more interfaces that are rooted in blockchain develop through the next year. Cryptocurrency used in retail settings will be more common, and again, that means more blockchain applications.

By some estimates, NFT trading will double on itself in 2022. Integration for NFT tech will be included in things like smart screen TVs. Samsung’s “Gaming Hub” demonstrated this at CES 2022 directly.


4. NFTs Are Another Big Consideration of 2022 to Consider

While we’re on the subject of blockchain tech and NFTs, we might as well take a closer look at these “Non-Fungible Tokens”. If you’re not familiar, essentially, NFTs are unique digital assets that will ostensibly increase in value while being essentially irreplaceable. This will facilitate an entire digital ecosystem, and that system is primed for extensive growth through 2022.

Products designed specifically to display digital assets like NFTs, or conventional digital artwork, are going to become increasingly common. The blockchain certifies NFT ownership, so don’t be surprised if a future billionaire has a little IoT-enabled WiFi device that projects a futuristically-designed “Nyan Cat” on his or her desk.

NFTs now represent a sort of craze in society. They’re like their own unique cryptocurrencies to an extent; but only as far as blockchain tech is concerned. Brent Weinstein believes NFTs are not merely a trend. Weinstein is a partner and chief innovation officer with UTA. According to Weinstein, the NFT rush of 2021 has not moved on. Rather, he noted that there would be a “massively disruptive” impact on diverse media for many years as a result. Expect to see the seeds of that disruption sprout throughout 2022.


5. In the World of Gadgets, BMW Has a New Car That Changes Colors

Perhaps the most fun takeaway from 2022’s CES involves a simple car. You’ve likely heard about this innovation before, it was on display this year. BMW developed a color-changing car. You just touch a button and the whole color of the vehicle changes, it’s downright amazing.

To some, this may not seem that interesting, but it’s been a sci-fi convention for decades. Just to put it in perspective: the production crew on 1997’s The Fifth Element thought it was a neat touch to give Zorg’s secretary a little cosmetic device that allowed her to change the color of her fingernails instantaneously. The Fifth Element was set hundreds of years in the future. Less than a quarter of a century later, legitimate technology exists that can totally change the color of an entire car at the press of a button; let alone a measly fingernail.

BMW’s concept does have a limitation to spectrums of the monochromatic variety; black, white, gray, and any shade between those three. So the tech isn’t quite at the point where consumers would prefer it to be. That said, the tech will soon include other colors. Really, it’s an impressive innovation. If you’re interested, check out this video to see how flawless the tech BMW has developed is.


Informing Future Tech Innovations, Responses, and Infrastructure Through 2022

Informing what you invest in or plan for requires monitoring events like CES 2022. Whether you’re enchanted by cars that change colors at your command, NFTs becoming more mainstream, blockchain becoming more mainstream, the possibility of AR smart glasses taking off like a rocket, or the looming metaverse, there’s a lot to think about. Regardless what moves you, businesses are probably going to have to deal with all five of these things one way or another in the next year. These five takeaways to CES 2022 are worth keeping an eye on as you plan future business changes and investments over the next several years.


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Business executives walking in a conference center lobby
Events

3 Solutions for Your COVID-Uprooted Events Calendar

In the Spring of 2020, efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 resulted in the postponements or cancellations of industry conferences and trade shows all over the world. Mandates were put in place for large public gatherings, and travel bans came to fruition.

Hopeful that the coronavirus health crisis would subside later in the year, some organizers rescheduled their events for the fall (typically known to be a bustling time of year for industry events). But we’re now on the cusp of fall, and the virus is still very much prevalent. As a result, organizers that had rescheduled their events to take place before the end of 2020 are now finding themselves having to adapt once again.

In the perspective of businesses who attend these events, cancellations can be significantly disruptive. In fact, according to Gartner, 18 percent of technology and service providers ranked events as the biggest-performing calls to action of marketing-qualified leads, only second to content assets.

With the virus continuing to cause cancellations, where does this leave businesses who rely on face-to-face industry events for lead generation, business deals, and sales opportunities?

To keep your business development efforts going despite cancelled conferences and trade shows, here are three effective initiatives that you can do.


1. Increase Your Activity on Social Media

Over the last few months, lockdowns and gathering restrictions have increased activity on social media. A poll conducted between late March and early May revealed that between 46 percent and 51 percent of US adults were using social media more since the beginning of the outbreak.

With the number of people on social media continuing to grow, now is the time for you to increase your sharing of posts that consist of relevant industry information. Make sure to work on increasing engagement with your audience as well. Similar to networking at a conference or trade show, being personable with your social media audience can help you build relationships with leads and potential prospects.


2. Amplify Your Blogging Efforts

Since physical conferences and trade shows are primarily used for pipeline acceleration, demand generation efforts, and closing deals, putting a focus on digital lead generation channels, like blogs, becomes essential. Blogs are one of the top forms of media that are integral to content strategies. As long as you are producing content that is relevant to your business and industry, blogging gives you the opportunity to offer your audience high-quality information on virtually any topic. And as a result, you can increase credibility and trust among your target audience.

In this post-COVID era of cancelled conferences and trade shows, you can use your blog to help people remain updated on any changes or disruptions that your industry may be experiencing. You could also offer some valuable guidance or advice that might be able to help them during these unprecedented times.

The idea here is to keep your blog relevant and active. And by focusing on providing help, rather than making sales, your brand will come across as one that truly cares about its audience. In the times we’re living in now, this is what really counts and what can help make your business stand out from your competitors.


3. Get Involved in a Webinar

Holding a webinar can be a great way to showcase your expertise and increase your thought leadership. Additionally, they offer businesses an ideal way to connect with their audiences in real-time and on a much more personal level.

However, putting together a webinar takes a lot of time and effort. From choosing the right platform to putting together a slide deck to marketing your event to inviting the right audience, there is a lot that goes into producing a successful webinar. As an alternative, you could consider participating involved in a webinar, rather than creating your own.

At IoT Marketing, for example, our Industry Insights Webinars series gives business professionals the opportunity to present their expertise in a panel-style discussion alongside other thought leaders. Additionally, since our focus is to bring together a group of experts that align well with our high-tech- and IoT-focused subject matters, our speakers have also found valuable opportunities for high-level networking with each other.

By becoming involved in an existing webinar, you’ll have the benefits that holding your own webinar offers, without needing to put in all the time and effort it takes to create one.

As no one really knows when this pandemic will subside, it is difficult to predict when we will get back to “business as normal” and have the opportunity to attend industry events in person again. However, this doesn’t mean that business development efforts have to be put on hold due to cancelled conferences and trade shows.

By becoming more active on social media, increasing your blogging efforts, and getting involved in webinar events, you’ll be able to effectively market your business without having to be at face-to-face events.

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Manufacturing
Events

IoT Marketing to Host Upcoming Webinar on Existing Challenges for Manufacturing Industry, Highlighting Solutions for a Path Forward


AUSTIN, Texas, June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To help manufacturing firms struggling to operate in a post-pandemic environment, IoT Marketing will be holding a webinar, entitled Global Challenges in 2020 for the Manufacturing Industry, on June 25, 2020.

The manufacturing industry is facing many challenges as it tries to keep pace with disruptions from the global health crisis. Due to these rapidly evolving changes, businesses unprepared to enter the new era of connected manufacturing and smart factories are in danger of being left behind.

In addition to addressing these existing challenges, the webinar will also focus on solutions for these pain points, the benefits of IoT and IIoT during these turbulent times, and the future of connected manufacturing.

"From supply chain management to quality control, all aspects of manufacturing have been massively impacted in recent months. As the world continues to traverse the current health crisis and the restrictions put in place to stop its spread, there are growing concerns about how the manufacturing industry will be affected in the long-term," said Johannes Beekman, CEO and Co-Founder of IoT Marketing. "Our webinar is meant to educate on these concerns and offer organizations hope that there are technologies and solutions available that can help them through these unprecedented times."

Global Challenges in 2020 for the Manufacturing Industry Webinar Teaser Video

More specifically, the webinar will include topics of discussion, such as:

  • Manufacturing challenges for IoT solutions prior to and after 2020.
  • The benefits of deploying IoT and IIoT solutions for manufacturing amid supply chain and sourcing disruptions.
  • IoT trends and predictions for the future of connected manufacturing.

"In this webinar, we are inviting the community of manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors to explore pressing issues together," said Cynthia Baker, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of IoT Marketing. "Our vision is to provide manufacturers with valuable insights and educate them on the benefits of new technology."

The Global Challenges in 2020 for the Manufacturing Industry webinar is part of a new webinar series by IoT Marketing, called Industry Insights. These webinars will be moderated in a panel style discussion by Tiffani Neilson, Director of Marketing and Sales at IoT Marketing. Experts and organizations interested in learning more about speaking and sponsorship opportunities for one of IoT Marketing's upcoming Industry Insights webinars can receive more information here.

The free Global Challenges in 2020 for the Manufacturing Industry webinar will take place on Thursday, June 25, 2020, at 11:00 AM CDT. To register for the webinar, please visit: https://iotmktg.com/iot-marketing-june-25-webinar/.


About IoT Marketing

Based in Austin, Texas, IoT Marketing is a digital agency specializing in launching and fueling the growth of IoT and high-tech companies by planning and executing their go-to-market strategies and product launches. With deep industry knowledge in IoT, high-tech, advertising, and public relations, IoT Marketing provides vital insights into markets and technology applications as a foundation for positioning and branding a company's IoT initiatives. Clients benefit from working with one outsourced firm offering end-to-end communications services, from websites to webinars, to handle all their marketing and PR needs. For more information, please visit IoTMktg.com.


Media Contact

Rose Begonia
[email protected]
(614) 695-1403


Visit the original article posted on June 2, 2020 on PR Newswire.

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supply chain system
Events

How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Affecting Supply Chain Systems: Rethinking the Supply Chain Paradigm

Exposing various vulnerabilities in global supply chain systems, the coronavirus pandemic has raised awareness about the importance of choosing, maintaining, and replacing supply chain vendors.

While much emphasis has been placed on maintaining supplies and keeping customers satisfied, at some point, supply chains must be evaluated. Operations are not as efficient as they were before the pandemic. Companies across all industries must deal with budget tightening issues and look for the most effective money-saving processes.


Re-evaluating the Supply Chain Model

Supply chain designs have traditionally been built on the concept of free-flowing materials throughout the world. This dynamic has shaped the cost-cutting processes for sourcing, production and distribution. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has disrupted supply chains so much that experts must rethink the entire supply chain paradigm.

It’s important for suppliers to learn from the pandemic and adapt to meeting the extreme challenges it has posed. Digital transformation is at the heart of this fork in the road to reimagine how supply chains should operate. A major key will be to implement intelligent workflow policies that lead to more efficient, smaller supply chains. IoT devices must collect relevant data that shapes short-term decision-making for reducing costs in the supply chain.

By adopting IoT devices, AI machine learning software, and cloud-based automation services, companies will be able to improve response time. Using next-generation technology allows firms to enhance demand planning and manufacturing processes. The more data your monitoring system collects, the more you can help your entire supply chain become more responsive through sharing critical information in real-time.


Overcoming Supply Chain Disruptions

During these unprecedented times, some suppliers must deal with increased operational and service risks, which can affect the continuity of customer orders. Others are finding it difficult to produce as much as they once did due to a shrinking budget and reduced staffing. However, the strongest suppliers are those that have overcome unexpected disruptions during the global pandemic.

Suppliers that are in a good position for maintaining business relations are those able to assess short-term and long-term capacity data they can share with the supply chain system. Making these assessments available as soon as possible helps a supplier stand out as clear on its navigation and how it deals with disruptions.

Three key areas for supply chains to emphasize for survival are:

  1. Balancing Risk Management and Flexibility – Smart technology provides data for assessing risks, which helps in decision-making when preparing for large-scale events that can massively impact your business, like natural disasters and global crises. Flexibility in handling inventory is important for adapting to supply shortages and changes in logistics routes.
  2. Gaining Global Attention and Intelligence – Real-time data from AI and IoT systems can be used to develop supply chain insights. One way to maximize insights is to combine a control tower, IoT, AI and blockchain technologies to track global activity within supply chains.
  3. Rapid Response to Challenges – Companies must be prepared to respond rapidly to sudden changes in supply chain inventories. An effective way to speed up communication is to utilize data-sharing platforms so that multiple parties can resolve issues in real-time. AI systems can now continuously analyze structured and unstructured data to help map out backup procedures during disruptions.

IBM serves as an ideal example of an organization that has put these systems in place in order to adapt to the new landscape. Using smart technology, the company has learned how to identify early warnings so that suppliers have actionable information for adapting and responding to supply disruptions. IBM also uses AI systems to optimize orders and focuses on communication with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders for quick response.

Rethinking your supply chain system should be a top priority in the near term to ensure you’re working with the best suppliers for your needs. Since supply chains are an integral part of the global economy, it’s imperative to take a proactive approach at evaluating them to prepare for the future.


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Manufacturing News & Topics
Events

Will COVID-19 Disrupt China’s Role as “The World’s Factory”?

Smart technology is revolutionizing global manufacturing, compelling industries to reconsider their dependence on China as the world’s factory. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this shift, revealing the risks of relying too heavily on a single country for supply chains. According to a survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), 75% of U.S. companies faced supply chain disruptions, with nearly half projecting revenue drops exceeding 20%. This global health crisis might be the turning point that forces entire industries to adopt more resilient, tech-driven strategies.


Smart Technology and Supply Chain Resilience

The vulnerabilities in global supply chains first surfaced after Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The traditional just-in-time manufacturing model, which minimized inventory levels, failed when auto suppliers couldn’t access essential electronic components. The disaster forced companies to halt vehicle production in certain colors. Similarly, Thailand’s floods disrupted the computer industry, causing prolonged hard-drive shortages.

These events highlighted the risks of inflexible supply chains. Since then, smart technology has become crucial in creating more adaptive supply chains. The U.S.-China trade war, ongoing since 2018, pushed many businesses to diversify their manufacturing processes, avoiding tariffs and maintaining profitability. However, the pandemic's global reach has exposed weaknesses in nearly every region, from East to West.


Adapting with Smart Technology in Manufacturing

Early in the COVID-19 outbreak, companies with the foresight to stockpile inventory ahead of the Lunar New Year gained a crucial advantage. They had time to strategize while others faced a sudden halt in operations. Larger firms expected to weather the storm, assuming the disruptions were temporary. However, smaller companies with lean inventories and limited cash flow had to be more agile.

Contact us today to discover how smart technology can help your business adapt to these challenging times.

Lead times for raw materials and components doubled worldwide in early 2020. Almost 60% of ISM respondents reported longer lead times for China-sourced components. Additionally, the ISM Purchasing Managers Index showed a 37.8% increase in backlog orders for the computer and electronics industry as of April 2020. As factories resume operations, companies may find their suppliers working at reduced capacity, struggling with backorders.

Despite China allowing normal work activities to resume by mid-March, over 429,000 businesses dissolved or suspended operations for the rest of the year. Any company losing a key supply chain node will face further revenue delays and higher costs as they transition to alternative production lines.


The Role of Smart Technology in Responding to Global Crises

The pandemic has underscored the weaknesses of globalized supply chains. Nations like Japan, the U.S., and India are now offering incentives to companies that relocate production outside of China. Although shifting manufacturing is complex, smart technology offers solutions by standardizing parts and enabling rapid response to disruptions. Change management is now a priority for global supply chains, as industries brace for rolling recessions and recoveries.

Despite ongoing challenges like shipping delays and labor shortages, manufacturers continue to innovate and meet the demands of critical infrastructure. As the pandemic reshapes manufacturing hubs, the integration of smart technology, digital transformation, and cross-industry collaboration will remain essential. 


Contact Us to Learn More

Interested in how smart technology can strengthen your supply chain? Contact us to learn more about innovative solutions for your business.

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trade show event
Events

Coronavirus Pandemic Shuts Down Trade Show Events

Until the COVID-19 outbreak struck several countries in 2020, international trade shows were considered essential for global businesses. They were the places where vendors developed new relationships and where journalists have sought new discoveries to cover. During the pandemic, however, all large public gatherings have been either discouraged or banned, which has resulted in trade shows being delayed or even cancelled entirely until next year, causing a massive impact on this $2.5 trillion a year industry.

Here's a deeper look at the effects of this health crisis on trade shows.


Hundreds of Trade Shows Canceled

By mid-March 2020, over 500 trade shows had either been canceled or postponed for the year, amounting to losses of $26 billion for the industry, according to exhibition industry association UFI. The first major cancellation that triggered a wave of other cancellations was Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, set for February 24-27. The event was pulled a few weeks earlier. Here are some of the other major events that were subsequently canceled:

  • Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS)
  • Game Developer Conference (GDC)
  • Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC)
  • NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference (GTC)
  • ICS West
  • Inspired Home Show by International Housewares Association
  • Impact on Trade Show Industry

From March through May, there were about 2,500 B2B trade shows, with the majority facing cancellation or postponement. The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has estimated that show organizer revenue losses due to these delays or cancellations will be around $2.3 billion to $3.6 billion.

When factoring in other typical expenses of exhibitors and attendees, economic losses will total between $14 billion and $22 billion. Additionally, exhibitors that participate in trade shows will lose countless new leads that could have led to revenue.


Industries Affected by Trade Show Cancellations

Two key industries that have relied on international trade shows have been airlines and hotels. Hotel occupancy rate for the week ending on April 11th has declined 70 percent, compared to a year ago, and revenues per available room dropped nearly 84 percent from the same time last year. Other industries impacted by less travel due to the cancellation of trade shows are restaurants, entertainment, and marketing.

Governments around the world have issued stay-at-home orders that make in-person meetings out of the question until the crisis subsides. Some of the more tech-savvy companies have countered the wave of cancellations with online presentations.

Gremlin, for example, a Failure-as-a-Service engineering platform, announced a one-day virtual Failover Conference on April 21, 2020. This digital conference was about Internet reliability, featuring talks already submitted by tech giants, such as Microsoft and AWS.

COVID-19 has tremendously disrupted almost all businesses, particularly the trade show industry. However, in the wake of this crisis, a key thing that has rapidly emerged is virtual events. Several technical trade shows, as well as businesses of all sizes, have moved to more virtual presentations online. The benefits of these types of online-based events, which include webinars and video conferences, have been known for years. But as we face an unknown future due to the developing novel coronavirus, holding virtual events will not just be advantageous – it will be necessary. Virtual trade shows serve as a reminder that many events that happen in the physical world can be transformed into digital events that allow for the potential of lower costs and wider reach.

Now that trade shows are no longer available as a venue, IOT Marketing, to meet current needs, will be launching a webinar program that focuses on different industries and industry challenges. With this educational webinar series, we plan to highlight industry challenges and trends, and we intend to foster and establish a community of ideas to help stimulate the development of solutions for the IoT and Tech industry. Click here for an overview of our webinars.


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