With Eventions, our idea was to unravel and understand the secrets that make certain events ‘phenomenal’, and get to know the brilliant teams behind those events.
In this episode of Eventions, titled ‘The Brand Summit’, held on April 11th, 2024, Jared Fuller, Co-Founder & CEO – Nearbound, and Will Taylor, Head of Partnerships – Nearbound, spoke to Lalit Mangal, Founder & CEO – Airmeet, where they shared with us several incredible tips on cracking the code of successful brand summits.
In this article, we bring to you some of the biggest takeaways from this discussion, so you too can apply these insights in your event marketing strategy and deliver phenomenal events.
7 Takeaways from ‘The Brand Summit’
1. What to Consider Before Hosting a Brand Summit
Jared Fuller and Will Taylor discussed the idea behind launching the Nearbound Summit.
They stressed upon their strategy of building in-market presence through community collaboration. This collaborative effort allowed them to host a successful 5000-person event despite being a small team.
"We had to partner, right? We had to go out and work with the brands, the voices, the communities and the watering holes where they already lived."
Fuller emphasized the value of storytelling in event planning, sharing a memorable experience with Corporate Visions and Highspot where he helped tell their “better together” story. He also highlighted the need to think, act and behave like a journalist, being curious, and uncovering compelling stories to create impactful events.
This approach ensured the Nearbound Summit addressed timely topics and resonated with their audience, thereby enhancing credibility through authentic, audience-driven content creation.
Therefore, hosting brand summits becomes advantageous when there’s a demonstrated need in the market and a readiness to engage with the community effectively.
2. Creating Amazing Brand Summit: Timing and Approach
The speakers discussed the importance of aligning with customer needs and market narratives when considering the timing for hosting a brand summit.
"If you can't do it, then you don't have market-content fit, you don't have market-product fit."
"Create a list of who the people that you're trying to reach and sell to, are listening to. Align with that narrative that the market is aligning with, and wanting to hear more about."
Their insights highlight the need for empathy and strategic alignment with community voices to enhance the trust and engagement rates.
Jared’s example from a sales assembly dinner showcases the importance of shared experiences with customers to create meaningful content and connections. Will’s strategy of creating tailored content for influencers underscores the approach of fostering relationships and providing value before expecting returns.
Together, these tactics show that successful brand summits are not just about timing but also about actively listening, engaging, and aligning with market needs to deliver authentic and impactful experiences.
3. Strategic Planning & Speaker Selection
Jared Fuller pointed out the importance of selecting speakers based on their specific expertise to increase the audience engagement and deliver focused content.
He compares event planning to curating experiences, ensuring each speaker aligns closely with the audience’s needs and expectations.
This effective strategy transforms events into tailored learning experiences with clear takeaways, fostering attendee engagement and satisfaction.
"You have to be specific in why you're choosing these people, not just have a logo or a big name at your event."
"Make sure that you're choosing people who've been to the place that your audience wants to go. They have the earned secret. They've done ‘the thing’ before."
These insights express the major role of expertise in designing effective event agendas that resonate and engage effectively, leading to strategic planning for conferences.
4. Creating Pre-Event Buzz
Jared Fuller stressed upon the significance of incorporating fun and creativity into event promotions, like creating custom ‘Nearbound Nikes’, which aided in creating a spark in the audience engagement.
He also highlighted the need for events to be enjoyable to maintain audience attention and intention.
Will Taylor supported this by mentioning non-scalable actions like personalized video content and unique merchandise, that help in building long-term relationships and distinguishing brands in competitive markets.
These insights showcase the value of unconventional, engaging strategies in event marketing.
5. Post-Summit Momentum and ROI Strategy
Jared Fuller talked about real-time partner value creation, highlighting tailored engagement strategies with sponsors and partners.
Additionally, he highlighted the importance of aligning content to specific attendee needs and challenges to maximize the follow-up relevance and overall attendee satisfaction.
"We talked about making it specific to make sure that it's valuable."
This approach ensures that the event not only drives engagement but also increases the ROI with targeted content and personalized attendee interactions.
6. Impact of Conference Content Repurposing
The speakers pointed out the strategic impact of conference content repurposing beyond immediate ROI.
By documenting and analyzing online discussions about events like the ‘Nearbound Summit’, businesses can get deep insights.
Repurposed event content, such as summaries and session highlights, extends the engagement level and enhances brand visibility, efficiently maximizing event investments.
Finally, this approach builds market credibility, resonating within industry ecosystems and amplifying business impact in ways traditional metrics alone cannot quantify.
7. Award Ceremonies to Enhance Brand Summits
The speakers pointed out on maintaining exclusivity and meaning in the awards presented.
Avoiding generic and boring lists, the strategy was centered around selecting a few significant awards, such as the ‘Sales Impact Award’, known for its substantial impact.
This process involves nominations, finalists, and winners, leading to increased engagement and allowing for interesting storytelling.
This approach ensures that each award holds weight, making the deserving individual and teams feel special and valued, in a manner that resonates deeply within the community.
Wrap Up!
These were just some of the highlights discussed at ‘The Brand Summit’ event. There’s a ton of valuable insights waiting to be explored. Make sure to watch the full recording to make the most of this incredibly insightful session, which we thoroughly enjoyed being part of, and hope that you do too.
