By Benjamin Mampuya (France)
CEO of Compagnie Générale de Communication (CGC) and Associate Director, Clipse Africa
In recent years, business conferences for professionals have become increasingly numerous on the African continent. The phenomenon has grown as Africa has become a “trendy” topic for the Western media (American, European and Asian). They rightly present the continent as the continent of the future. Hence,
multinationals have begun to think seriously about their strategy as it pertains to Africa and how to join the movement of this high-potential continent.
If we look at the case of Francophone Africa, business conferences have mainly been driven by Western companies and institutions, anxious to bring a sense of “Africanness” to their brand or to strengthen the local anchoring of their companies in Africa. Subsequently, African actors (financial institutions, inter-governmental organisations) have also opted for the organisation of these conferences – a type of communication action that allows them to assert their presence and consolidate their expertise on a given topic. The aim is to attract international investors.
Regardless of the organiser, the aim of these conferences is always the same: to garner an audience and improve their image.
Relying on the media to give a conference credibility
What kind of communication should be used to maximise image and awareness?
First, it is important to focus your communication strategy on a broad press relations campaign. This action should not be neglected, as the media is the primary vector of information. A media outlet that talks about your event is an excellent booster in terms of social presence, credibility and good image.
In concrete terms, the idea is to distribute press releases before and after the event. In the quarter preceding the event, send the media a “Save the date” text in the quarter preceding the event to inform them. This will be followed by one or two other press releases presenting the programme and the few key speakers at the event.
Why are these steps important? When the media announces an event, it generates more interest and can help to increase the number of registrations and even convince some high-profile speakers to take part in your conference.
Secondly, it is necessary to invite journalists to cover your conference. Their presence guarantees the reports and articles that will improve your public image. It is also a guarantee of quality for your partners and advertisers. The presence of journalists at your events is a way for them to promote themselves and gain visibility.
Finally, in terms of press relations, the last step is to send a press release to report the event. It is imperative to send out a report of what was said at your event, to give absent journalists material that informs them what to write about it.
Another step that can help you maximise the visibility of your conference is the “media partnership.” It involves approaching one or more media outlets (TV, newspapers, radio stations, websites, or press agencies) and inviting them to be partners in your conference. Generally, this partnership takes the form of an exchange of visibility (banner or article on the media, in exchange for the media’s logo on the conference’s communication materials or other POS). This can be very interesting during professional conferences on specific topics for which your audience recognises specialised media. The partnership can also be translated into the presence of journalists from these media outlets as panel moderators or masters of ceremony.
Promote your speakers and partners on social media
To make your event a success, it is also important to rely on the reputation of your speakers and partners, especially on social networks.
It is, therefore, essential to have a Linkedin page and a Twitter account dedicated to the event. These are generally the social media platforms used by professionals, which are handy tools that can help gather the whole community and the prospects related to your event and its topics. You will thus be able to present all your information and that of your partners to the entire ecosystem and, more broadly, create a community of personalities interested in your activities.
On the speakers’ side, these networks (LinkedIn and, to a lesser extent, Twitter) are great platforms for personal branding. Mentioning each speaker and moderator present at your event on these social networks maximises your chances of being shared and therefore increases your following and your targets.
Event communication remains an excellent way of positioning yourself with professionals and other economic players, as these events are often based on key topics that interest their communities.
But as with any project, it is imperative to put in place an effective communication strategy to obtain maximum benefits in terms of image.