zTECHNOLOGY v ON THE HORIZON

Sharing Knowledge ‘Without the Bounds of Time and Space’

"In a world where there are more iPhones bought daily than babies born, the very way in which we communicate has radically changed. As technology becomes irreversibly integrated into our lives and people adopt technologies that help them work harder, smarter, and faster, it’s no surprise to find virtual and hybrid meetings gaining in popularity. “Digital events have enormous growth potential for multinational companies wishing to conduct business nimbly, eficiently, and, let’s face it, in a more cost- effective way. The economic situation appears to be on the up, yet demand for spend justification is just as intense. Lessons have been learned. Virtual or hybrid meetings allow those delegates interested in the meeting content — but not so interested in the travel expense or the traveling time required to attend — to participate at a time and in a location that suits them. I see virtual events evolve in line with a strategic meetings management (SMM) approach: Just as technology is an integral part of our everyday lives, these meetings technologies will become part of core meeting portfolios. Sharing knowledge and information globally, consistently, and eficiently, we can connect with our teams and build stronger brands and communities than ever before. “Meeting planners need to understand the value

these meetings can bring, like building knowledge legacy through content capture. They need to translate this into a quantifiable return on investment for the client. Meeting design must be creative to take account of the global-to-local adaptations in content and delivery. Content must be compelling to encourage active participation and engagement. Technology merely opens the door to a richer experience and greater learning. “Will all this virtual activity signal the death knell for

traditional face-to-face meetings? Au contraire! Humans are social beings. At MCI, we say, ‘When people come together, magic happens.’ New technologies can help us enhance this experience, extend the lifecycle of the meeting content, and bring the magic to larger audiences. MCI CEO Sebastien Tondeur said it best: ‘It’s no longer who attends your meeting, it’s who participates.’ “MCI’s inaugural MeetSmarter industry educational

event held in June 2012 (meetsmarter.com) brought 100 physical attendees to Killarney, Ireland, amassed 124,000 Twitter impressions, and was streamed live to 400 virtual attendees globally from 57 different countries. Recordings of the business sessions are currently being accessed 24/7 globally. “We are now more connected than ever as the globe

becomes one giant, knowledge-sharing platform. Virtual and hybrid meetings enable us to share this knowledge without the bounds of time and space.”

Roger Tondeur, President, MCI

Photo- Sharing Internet users

46% PHOTO-SHARING

post original photos and videos online

curate photos and videos online

46+54z 41+59z

41% MARKETING

› In 2012, 32 percent of marketers said they are “very” or “fully” engaged in mar- keting through social channels, compared with 21 percent surveyed by BtoB in 2011. › The “Social Media Marketing: A Surge in Adoption” study projects that 53 percent will be intensely engaged in social-media marketing, with 97 percent of all market- ers involved with social media to some degree in 2013.

SOURCE: IDG Knowledge Hub, idgknowledgehub.com

› Forty-six percent of Internet users post original photos and videos online that they have created themselves, and 41 percent curate photos and videos they find elsewhere on the Internet and on image-sharing sites. › Women are more likely than men to use Pinterest, while Instagram and Tumblr attract equal shares of men and women.

SOURCE: Pew Internet, pewinternet.org Social Media

Marketing 2012

32% 2013 97% 68 PCMA CONVENE NOVEMBER 2012

marketers engaged with social channels

marketers will be involved with social media to some degree

PCMA.ORG