On Thursday, June 14th, 2018, I stepped onto the stage at the Round Room in The Mansion House in Dublin for Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit 2018.
I was keynoting at Ireland's first Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit which I decided to organise because I identified the gap in the event market here at home but also abroad.
Trust me, this was a mammoth task and required courage, commitment, and serious marketing! I was fortunate to have a skilled teamwork with me on this event and the behind-the-scenes support of my Mastermind group.
As we plan the next two legs of the Summit Tour (Brussels, February 2019 and Dublin June 2019) we took some time to analyse what made the Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit such a roaring success!
In the infographic below we outline what it took to become a sell-out, a trending topic and an official annual event in two countries. If you want to come along to our next Summit, register your interest now and you will be the first to know!
Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit 2018 - Analysis
130 Public Sector Marketing Pros
Over 130 public sector communications professionals attended the first Summit and the feedback was unanimous.
There is nothing on the market like this event. I've attended digital marketing events which really are geared at the private sector. This was something very special and I've already signed up for next year. Thank you Joanne for organising the Summit!
Some got up very early and traveled over 250 Km's to make sure they didn't miss the event. Others who followed on social media clearly had FOMO! Despite Storm Hector battering our island, they still they showed up, they learned and we all had fun.
The ticket limit had been set by us at 100 but we quickly realised we would have to increase capacity, and so we didn't just sell out, we were oversubscribed.
22 Speakers
What an amazing line-up of expert speakers we had. Each public sector marketing pro sharing insights and practical case studies.
In putting together the schedule, I listed 12 topics that I wanted my speakers to deliver on. I then looked through my own contact list of experts and clients and made the call. The response was amazing. Each and every one literally jumped at the chance to address their peers in a safe and supportive environment.
Peer to peer learning and knowledge sharing was one of the key goals from the outset. Public sector communications professionals share unique workplace issues and concerns, and sharing them with a common audience is the most valuable offering. My job was to set the scene with my keynote and then faciltate the day.
Barry Kenny, Irish Rail; Sharon Campbell, Trinity College Dublin; JSB, Summit Founder and Aidan McGrath Beaumont Hospital smiling for the camera in the Green Room.
The speakers came from Irish organisations and further afield, all committed to bringing their gained knowledge to the table.
We had many sectors represented, from transport, education, policing, politics, emergency services, and health. Two international speakers were beamed in from Brussels and Washington DC!
I thoughtfully and carefully planned an agenda packed full of expert insights and takeaways.
18 Months of Planning
The Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit was a long time in production. I began planning and mentally preparing the event 18 months before it came to fruition. From my unique background working with public sector organisations, I knew that this event was drastically needed. For the next number of months, I was consumed by researching venues, planning the ideal agenda, reaching out to speakers and contributors, appointing team members, liaising with suppliers and all the elements of operations until all that was left was choosing pens! Every single detail was headed by me and was totally immersed in the planning process.
I worked hard on the event, event planning is not always smooth going but it was a dream come true to see it become a reality. It was a labor of love for me, and seeing its success and the value was extremely gratifying. Read the background behind my decision to lead public sector communications into the digital age here.
20 Team Members
I had 20 members of my internal team who I was lucky enough to hand pick and who made the event complete. We had an amazing digital team who took my ideas and ran with them, I had a team on site, and I had an operations team manning all the remote aspects, such as the website etc. I also had additional team members taking care of lighting, sound, catering, and set up who were all part of the show!
2,876 Tweets 1 Trending Hashtag
How proud am I of our Tweets and our Trending Hashtag #PublicSectorDMS! We trended #1 beating #Storm Hector and Conor McGregor's New York Trial. I know the importance of digital, and so did our audience! We began taking public sector communications into The Digital Age right there in The Round Room in The Mansion House. The speakers were on Twitter, the delegates were on Twitter and I was on Twitter and it was such a wonderful way for us all to communicate in real time.
A full house at the Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit 2018
6 Trinity Belles
It was important for me to give everyone a break during the day as we were all taking in so much information. I wanted something that would put a spring in our step and be of enjoyment to my much-valued delegates and team. Enter Trinity Belles, how fitting the girls came from Trinity College Dublin.
1 Tired but Exhilarated Host!
It was fantastic for me to see this idea come to light. I was tired but extremely happy post-event. There was no rest for me though! The Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit Masterclass took place the day after the event. I led a small group of Masterclass Summit ticket holders in a one-on-one session. This was a lovely way to bring the event to a close, as I love getting the time and opportunity to speak on specific work issues and teach people my skills. The following Monday, I began planning for Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit Brussels! Watch my video below:
97 % Satisfaction Rating
Feedback and evaluation are tasks I preach every day. Without looking at performance and reaction, it's impossible to know how to improve. I wanted to know what I could do to make the next Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit even more successful. So I asked those that matter, the delegates. I was overwhelmed to get a 97% satisfaction rating. In fact, 20% of delegates pre-registered for Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit 2019! I have been busy working on Summit No. 2 & 3. In February Brussels will host the next leg, and we return to Dublin again next Summer. Pre-register here to keep in touch as we progress.
Follow us on social:
Twitter PublicSectorPro
Facebook Public Sector Marketing Pros
JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
Leave a Reply