Programmes co-funded

by the European Union

Joint Communication Training for project partners of the

SEE and MED Programmes

2nd and 3rdof June 2014 - Bled, Slovenia

CONCLUSIONS and TIPS

Workshop Final Events

In order to be able to activate hyperlinks, please change to the presentation modus!

Link to concrete examples or best-practises

Link to more detailed descriptions and additional

information (e.g. on wikipedia)

First step: WHAT AND WHAT FOR? Start with a strategy!

As for many communication issues, there might be very different opinions among your partnership on how to carry out this specific activities. Missing initial strategic reflections and agreements often result in ‘one fits all’ events without clear focus and thus impact…

Do not start with a ready-made agenda, but plan strategically and get some initial decisions approved by your project partners first!

Do not try to satisfy all and integrate everything! Explain your partners that an event can only be impactful if it is well targeted to your objectives and audiences and focused on few, but concrete messages only.

First step: WHAT AND WHAT FOR? Start with a strategy!

Define the ‘WHAT and WHAT FOR’?

Objectives

• Why are you holding the event? What is it meant to achieve, what concrete outputs do you expect?

• Do not mix up the objectives for the specific event with general communication or project objectives. Make sure they are specific, realistic and measureable. ‘Promoting results’ as such is not yet an objective for an event!

Target Groups

• Who is the event for? What are the audiences interested in, how could you best attract them?

• Which familiarity, level of (technical) knowledge and understanding do your audiences have and how would you need to adapt your messages and formats?

Key messages

• What do you wish your audiences to know and to think about back home?

…and make sure all agree:

• Get an agreement within your project on these pillars

• Define the decision-making for the event preparation and project partners’ roles

All other decisions on ‘THE HOW’ to realise this strategy shall be derived from this initial phase!

Often decisions on location and venue, date and event’s are taken before the ‘WHAT and

WHAT FOR’ has been defined.

To choose and decide on practical issues best fitting your objectives, your audiences and messages, you should derive them from your initial strategy!

Some issues to be decided and organised are illustrated below and referred to in the presentation. The list is not exhaustive.

Second step: HOW? Derive practical aspects from your strategy!

Venue Time schedule and responsibilties Budget Event format Agenda, speaker, moderation Preparation phase: Content

development and briefings Technical set-up Translation Catering Event branding, visibility and

dissemination material Event announcment and invitaiton Documentation and follow-up

communication Media involvement Social media and webstreaming Greening events … … …

Venue

Often location and venue are chosen without a real reflection on their appropriateness.

Make sure you choose a location that:

• is easiliy accessible for your audience. Events targeted towards EU institutions for example should take place in Brussels!

• reflects the nature of your operation and the theme of the event and is thus thematically most relevant for your audiences.

• adapts to the background and hierarchical level of your audiences. A policy-maker might be more attracted by venues offering visibilty, while for scientific discussions, a technical environment might suit better. Unusual or expensive venues may increase attendance, but make sure it is accessible for the people you want to attract.

Act pro-active: Organise an event where your audiences uses to stay/work/act. Example from training: to present energy saving methodlogies in schools teachers, pupils and local administrations could be best targeted by activities taking place in schools.

Mostly related with the decision on the venue, the carbon footprint of the event should be kept in mind. UNEP Green meeting Guide ICLEI Sustainable Events Guide and Checklist

Green catering – infographic Greening events – infographic

Timing

The DATE chosen should not conflict with any other events that your target audiences

might also be interested in attending. This is almost impossible to guarantee but

research it and check for major political events, public holidays, conferences etc. Check

with your project partners to ensure that there are no events on a local level that could

conflict.

As regards the overall PREPARATION, TIME and efforts to be invested are often

underestimated.

To reach high impact this last project milestone should be planned early in advance. It

should be connected with the project strategy from the very beginning, but you should

start to develop your events’ strategy at the latest half a year in advance.

Get an agreement with your partnes about time schedule and responsibilties early in

advance.

An impactful event does not end with the execution of the event itself. Calculate

enough time for a quality FOLLOW-UP, for conclusions, proceedings, mailings, video-

making, press releases etc.

According to format and audience, a save-the-date can be very useful, to be sent 3-5

months in advance. The invitation should be sent at least 2-3 months in advance.

Setting up the programme: Event format

Hundreds of similar events take place every day. To attract your audiences, adapt well to their

needs, derive your format by taking their perspective…

…and think outside the box:

More and more new meeting formats that embrace attendee engagement and participation are

experienced (keywords: ‘open space’ conferences, ‘unconference’). Depending on what you want

to reach, those formats might suit better then institutional conference. But: such ‘open’ formats

need a lot of preparation! You could hire a moderator or other experts to support you in targeting

your format.

Reflect if you need need organise an own project an event or if…

…you could join forces with other projects or initiatives?

…you could integrate your activities into (existing) large scale events/platforms etc.?

Example PV-Net: Event during the European Sustainable Energy Week

Example ECD: European Cooperation Day offering a framework for project events

Also think about how you could involve other then your main audiences, e.g. media and general

public

Example TOSCA: Public steetart activities during final event

Example from training: Formats such as one day bus trips, events in schools combined with

competitions and inauguration of tools etc. were proposed.

As a general principle, do not rely excessively on one-way communication. Involve and engage your audiences by developing session fromats allowing for two-way communication. When you have one speaker or a succession of speakers delivering presentations, audiences tend to lose attention quite quickly. It helps to include regular interactive elements in the programme, such as panel discussions, workshops, break-out sessions for discussions.

What session formats and tools work best to transfer the message and catch attention? Who shoud moderate?

Provide proof: think about excursions, field trips, interactive and dynamic exhibitions etc.

Your task is also to filter information and find the right language in order to offer the kind of information your audience needs and wants. You will not be able to include everything your partnership could or would like to say!

Setting up the programme: Session formats

Setting up the programme: Session formats

The classical plenary sessions:

Presentations, round table discussions, interviews

Through interviews or round tables you might be able to convey the same information as in

a presentation, but it might be easier for your audience to follow!

Use methods such as Pecha Kucha to make your speakers coming straight to the point.

Engage with your audience:

Workshops

World café and Knowledge café

Speed dating, Speed Geeking, Fishbowl facilitation

Make your event a visible ‘occasion’ – to be quoted lateron:

Competitions

Knowledge Fairs

Inaugurations of tools, products…

Signature of a memorandum of understanding, declarations, charta…

Setting up the programme: Session formats and facilitation methods

Straight to the point presentations

Pecha Kucha: 20 images in 20 seconds More on wikipedia

Lightning Talk: Presentation lasting only a few minutes, several presentations be delivered in a single period by different speakers. More on wikipedia

Facilitation of networking sessions:

Speed Geeking: a method to quickly view a number of short presentations in a very short while. More in wikipedia

World Cafe (similar also: Knowledge Café): a structured conversational process in which groups of people discuss a topic at several tables, with individuals switching tables periodically and getting introduced to the previous discussion at their new table by a "table host". More in wikipedia Video about world café

Fishbowl Facilitation: A fishbowl conversation is a form of a dialog that can be used when discussing topics within large groups. Fishbowl conversations are usually used in participatory events. More on wikipedia More in a toolkit

Knowledge Fairs: More in a toolkit

Speakers

Choosing speakers: Interesting, knowledgeable and skilled speakers are one of the make-or-break factors of any event. Individuals who are naturally good at presenting to groups can also transform the atmosphere and impact of the event itself.

Speaker invitations: When inviting speakers you will need to provide them with more information on the event, normally in the form of a draft programme, a briefing on the types of people attending the event and a summary of what they are expected to do. Invitations to speakers can be sent by a formal letter or a less formal email invitation or telephone call. Always follow up proactively in person afterwards: do not assume that people received, read, or registered your invitation or that they will respond to you.

Speaker briefings: Make sure to be in regular contact during the preparation phase. Support speakers to prepare for presentations, interviews, round table discussions (speakers should know questions, content of discussions etc.). Make sure your speakers know what will happen on stage (draft a ‘storyboard’ for all). Make sure moderator and speakers are in contact well in advance to get to know each other and coordinate.

Moderators

An event can loose all its potential with the wrong moderator not able to steer and positively animate speakers.

A good event can become great with the addition of an excellent moderator. Make sure that you have someone who is able to manage the event, lead discussions and debates and make the event interesting and relevant to participants.

Moderators do not necessarily have to be thematic experts. Sometimes it might even be better in order to become the right spokesperson for your audience. However, it is in your responsibility to provide the minimum information and efficient briefings before.

If necessary you may consider hiring a professional moderator, which could cost anywhere from €500-€5,000 depending upon who they are. Many journalists also make good moderators; ask some of your media contacts if they know of someone suitable.

Event branding - visibilty - promotion

The headline theme of an event defines its identity and is an important factor

in helping people decide whether or not they want to attend. The theme must

fit your project’s goals and objectives. Keep it short, simple and easy to

understand.

Think about a specific event branding for more visibility, recognition and

attractivness: Example MED Programme – Motto Example event banner

Centralise information and visualise through an event website (or at least a

dedicated web-section) containing all relevant logistic and content information

and providing regular updates. Anatomy of an effective event website – infographic

Example event website Example event series – website

Use social media to promote your event Social media in event promotion – infographic

All project partners should contribute to promote the event (e.g. in their

region, language, via multipliers and platforms etc.)

Announcement - invitation – registration

All project partners should support in announcing and inviting:

identify invitees (contact list) and send direct invitations

identify multipliers, tools, platforms to promote the event (e.g. websites, newsletter, calendars etc.)

Save the date to be sent well in advance (3-4 months) Example SAVE THE DATE

The invitation should include information about what participants can expect, about profile of expected audience and speakers – do not send an agenda only!

Example Invitation

Registration: Use forms such as www.jotform.com (free for up to 100 inscriptions), www.eventzilla.net (free for free events), or other (free) tools offered. Some tools allow also for an own event website…

Follow-up, documentation, evaluation

Evaluate your event!

Have you reached your initial objectives and have the messages arrived? Which parts

were interesting , which less interesting for your audience? React on your evaluation

and adapt your follow-up, you might have to explain once again, react on specific

interests etc.

Document your event!

Shoot/arrange for (professional!) photos, videos, interviews

Tools allowing to keep records:

• Graphic recording: a visual record of an event using images, symbols and words.

Great for summarizing conversations and connections between things . Video

on graphic recording Example from JTC 2011

• Useful for ad-hoc conclusions: word clouds Wordle, online tool

Store the presentations on SLIDESHARE or similar platforms Slideshare

Live documentation on social media, especially Twitter

Follow-up, documentation, evaluation

Conclude your event and strive for follow-up communication!

There are various forms of how to conclude and report. Again: find the right tool and messages for

your specific audiences (or even various to best adapt to individual groups). Detailed proceedings,

scientific reports, short textual conclusions or would it be more apropriate to conclude in short videos

or to produce interviews as testimonials? Does your audience rather work with text based products or

audio-visual material?

Audio-visual…

Example StartInMEd – video series (introductory video and interviews)

Example project HOMER - series of videos on the Hackaton event(s)

Example Evlia mid term event - Video summary Example Video summary SEE annual conference

Text based…

Example Brochure Event conclusions Example Text based concference report

Example text based short summary Example complete conference proceedings

Give your audience a voice and visiblity for a better identification with the event – they will easily

become a multiplier…

Example: ‘Speakers Corner’ Example: ‘Photo gallery’ Example Photo gallery FlickR

Inform largely about outputs you developed, agreements you achived, tools you inaugurated during

your event.

Think about the classical media (e.g. post press releases, briefings), but also the social media (e.g.

follow-up discussions)!

We support you!

Contact well in advance (during preparation

phase!) your JTS Project and Communication Officers for feedback on event strategies, agendas etc.

Send your event announcement early in advance – we can promote through the programme channels and support you to find other possible promotion channels…

www.programmemed.eu

www.southeast-europe.net