Stephen...I am a big proponent of social media and I would say that in many cases NO for replacing it but a big YES to complimenting it certainly with the over 30 crowd but with the Millennials it is probably just the opposite. The other key factor is what product are we talking about?

Hate to say it but its never Black or White...there is a whole lotta Grey.

No...offline strategy and technique are just as important, whether it is through traditional media or face to face contact. Social media is a great compliment to it like Mark mentioned. It's a great way to establish those contacts online so by the time you can hopefully meet offline you will already established a connection, furthering the contact.

Mark,
Great question on which product are we discussing. I guess my question is what product should we be discussing...Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, others? Maybe the question is 'what is the greatest threat and/or what is the greatest enhancement to Face to Face Marketing?

Great question! Social media can both compliment and complement f2f marketing.

If the marketer has listened to his/her customers or members, the f2f experiences will elicit compliments -- hopefully. Frank@comcastcares comes to mind immediately. Frank Eliason has turned Comcast digital customer care into a really positive outreach, problem-solving, & marketing tool. Compliments have been generously mixed into responses to Comcast -- especially because of Frank Eliason's visionary work.

Secondly, social media definitely complements f2f marketing if employed as an integral tool. In today's world, SM makes f2f experiences whole or, at least more complete. The complementary -- almost symbiotic -- relationship between SM and f2f can be transformative for company/association and customer/member. The f2f/SM combination can strengthen brand, extend value, and grow market share.

Marketers, however, should be aware that "control" of message can easily disappear or, at least, take a different shape. That is the beauty of SM: engaging current and potential customers by the thousands or millions in shaping the f2f experience.

Certainly, if part of the total design, SM can compliment and complement f2f marketing -- win/win/win for all.

I believe social media can never replace face-to-face marketing and networking. But it can be a great asset to facilitate stronger connections and new connections.

For example, if you are going to be attending an event and you want to connect with a speaker or presenter or other key figure sometimes it can be a challenge to get face time. You can appear somewhat stalker-ish if you just start rambling about how you follow them on social media etc.

Instead a great strategy I have been using it to identify the key people I want to meet in advance, seek them out on social media sites and connect prior to the event. Engage them in conversation and mention the fact that you are looking forward to the event and hope to connect in person.

This way, when you introduce yourself at the event, there is also some recognition. People love to connect face-to-face with their social media friends and followers and will welcome you reaching out.

Craig,
I am a big believer in the value of stimulating relationships prior to an event with the goal of accelerating the sales cycle. This allows suppliers the chance to generate leads prior to arriving on a show floor. Then the conversations are focused on closing deals.

Stephen - I think you know my position on the question posed. Digital media is a complement to the face-to-face exhibition and when used properly with a comprehensive media strategy is a powerful tool. It creates additional touchpoints and can be effective in lowering barriers to entry for both exhibitors and attendees. Two studies conducted by the Centre for Exhibition Industry this year, demonstrate that both organizers and exhibitors see the value of digital media, with 51% of organizers integrating digital media tactics, and 37% of corporate brand side marketers doing so. These %s will increase substantially over the next year. Now we need to gather success stories and share those stories on how both brand side marketers and organizers have been successful in increasing business performance by using digital media strategies.

Great thoughts Stephen!

Organizations and events need to FULLY embrace social media to effectively compliment their face-to-face and other marketing initiatives. That means the social media effort needs to be well planned, managed, measured and integrated into the overall sales and marketing communications efforts.

Many organizations are happy to start tweeting and creating Facebook pages etc with no real plan or strategy. This can be a self-defeating approach.

The larger problem lies with monitoring, measuring and reacting to what is being said by others in the social media universe. Our Social Media Metrics tool was launched recently and the overwhelming feedback from our clients and partners indicates that it provides the critical information needed to actively engage others in the social media arena.

Cathy,
You have provided a great topic for another post, "the success stories on how both brand side marketers and organizers have been successful in increasing business performance by using digital media strategies." Thanks for your input.

Both replace and complement.

First, replace. I don't mean completely replace f2f events. Unless human nature is completely transformed there will always be a need for f2f. With that said, does social media (however you define it) which creates a dynamic environment in which buyers and sellers can connect directly without going through a traditional channel (e.g., events, publications, etc.)and an underlying change in that ways we communicate and interact at least partially replace the time and resources spent on traditional channels? In my mind, very clearly, yes.

Second, complement. Does social media also create new ways to make the event experience more valuable and to allow orgnizers to communicate with participants and participants to communicate with participants (and non-participants)? Very clearly, yes.

My arithmetic tells me that f2f events become a smaller part of the overall buying/selling process. How much smaller? My arithmetic is still trying to figure out that calculation.

Exhibitors are more likely to become avid users of social media, methinks, not by advising them they should use Twitter, Facebook, etc. but by citing the biggest needs of exhibitors and then suggesting specific ways to use a social media tools to help them solve a problem or capture an opportunity.

Bob,
It seems that many others agree with the replace but yet complement f2f. Both replace and complement. I think your arithmetic is correct. f2f is going through reductions for a number of reasons, technology efficiencies are only one reason. It is an important question on how much change and reduction will occur. The important focus needs to stay on the buyer/seller relationships and how f2f can stay involved as an important element of those introductions. Let me know when your calculator returns an answer.



My arithmetic tells me that f2f events become a smaller part of the overall buying/selling process. How much smaller? My arithmetic is still trying to figure out that calculation.

The social media explosion offers great opportunity but it also creates some new challenges for the executives charged with implementation.

One of the biggest challenges has been to 'listen' to the social media universe, understand what is being said and then react in a way to get the results you are looking for.

Executives need these measurement and analysis tools to be successful. These same executives need to provide easy-to-understand reporting to their colleagues to justify the ROI and the dedication of time and resources to effectively use this medium.

These challenges have spawned a new niche of services that focus on the monitoring and measuring of social media activity.

There is ABSOLUTELY no substitute for a face-to-face meeting, even in today's social media crazed world. But it definitely can add value to your marketing strategy when you employ both methods.

The facial expression, the body language, the tone of our voice and the chemistry can not be delivered through the internet or any technology. Not matter how advanced it may become in the future. The traditional events and exhibitions industry needs to embrace and device a strategy to engage its audience utilizing the power of the social media.

I believe that by combining both, the social media and face-to-face marketing, it can certainly improve your ROI.

it complements it, allowing you to build stronger relationships and stay visible to potential clients, as well as networkers

Taylor Ellwood
Imagine Your Reality Business, Writing, and Social Media Coaching

One of the main ways people use social media is to arrange face-to-face gatherings.

For most people, social media isn't a "destination" -- it's a tool to get to the destination so they can be with other people.

Stephen, I think SM can either complement or hurt a F2F event. If you have a show that delivers positive experiences and participants talk about it on SM channels, you're going to benefit. Conversely, if they are inconvenienced or disappointed, SM is going to hurt your event.

Bottom line, SM amplifies the attendee and exhibitor feelings good or bad.

Re: "Most show producers had trouble understanding how a Twitter account could generate closed deals."

If that's what they're looking for, they'll never get it, just like they it took a dozen years to being to understand database-driven websites.

1. Give the attendee an experience of value (and social media helps that).
2. They return next year (and tell their friends) and/or purchase/subscribe to exhibitor/speaker content.
3. Attendance grows organically with QUALIFIED people exhibitors want to meet.
4. Profit.

But no, the bastards want their money today. This industry can't die soon enough.

Rich,
You are right to point out the correlation between attendee experience and show profits. Not sure I see the demise of our industry, but I do think both event producers and exhibitors could all benefit from focus on better community relationships.

The education/panels/presentation aspect is also another great application.

We're setting up discussion groups where attendees can communicate with presenters and each other before the event to help shape the presentation and get to know each other.

After the event, the groups are places to follow up and deepen what they learned.

Offline and in person spaces nurture different, but complimentary types of thinking.

Robert Roan
Asynchronous Synchrony
A different perspective on Social Media

Great post and discussion. The many differing perspectives and experiences can possibly be traced to differing markets and market sizes. For instance, business-to-business shows dealing with big ticket items or specialty professions will see themselves benefiting from social media but will still need to depend on f2f meetings. Shows like SEMICON, Powergen or the defence or healthcare shows come to mind for this category. On the other hand, shows and market segments that deal with smaller ticket items would see a threat from social media.

A recent paper from McKinsey (The Consumer Decision Journey talks about how the traditional funnel model for sales and marketing is changing to a loop model primarily because of social media and the constant exposure it provides. Fundamental changes in how we make purchasing decisions are still evolving and marketing theory is being rewritten. Till this process stabilizes, I see this debating continuing. Hopefully we'll see shows that feel threatened by social media morphing to new forms or reinvent themselves to hold their place.


Pat Pathade
Principal at fantail consulting