Categories
The Conference Awards have categories to include all the different individuals involved in creating great events and conferences.
- Best development of an existing event
- Best conference brand development
- Best development of an association event
- Best geographical expansion
- Best sales team
- Best networking event
- Best marketing team
- Best use of technology
- Conference triumph in the face of adversity
- Best use of social media
- Best operations team
- Best green initiatives
- Outstanding conference team
- Best awards team
- Best new conference launch
- Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award
Best development of an existing event
This award is given for innovation which has breathed new life into an existing conference. Judges will be impressed by events which include some of the following:
- Changes made on previous years which have impacted on performance
- A fully researched programme addressing the key issues facing that market place
- Key speakers attracted who are not generally “on the circuit”
- Initiatives to attract delegates who have not previously attended the event
- The development of creative sponsorship packages that attract sponsors and meet their marketing and corporate objectives
- A novel format beyond traditional back-to-back 40 minute presentations
- An innovative marketing campaign
- Key partnerships with 3rd parties
- Outstanding results and feedback & over achieving on targets
Shortlisted Companies
| Informa Life Sciences |
| Quadrant Media & Communications Ltd |
| Terrapinn |
| The Economist Group |
Best conference brand development
This award is given for an event or series which has become an established brand in their market place. Judges will be impressed by events which tick any (or all) of the following boxes:
- Creation of a conference whose brand has become the recognised event in the market place
- Development of the brand to include a range of branded products alongside the conference
- World class identity and branding
- Development of the brand so it becomes an integral and contributing part of its market place
Shortlisted Companies
| BBCG |
| Neil Stewart Associates |
| SBL |
| WBR |
Best development of an association event
This award is given for innovation which has breathed new life into an existing conference. Judges will be impressed by events which include some of the following:
- Changes made on previous years which have impacted on performance
- A fully researched programme addressing the key issues facing that market place
- Key speakers attracted who are not generally “on the circuit”
- Initiatives to attract delegates who have not previously attended the event
- The development of creative sponsorship packages that attract sponsors and meet their marketing and corporate objectives
- A novel format beyond traditional back-to-back 40 minute presentations
- An innovative marketing campaign
- Key partnerships with 3rd parties
- Outstanding results and feedback & over achieving on targets
Shortlisted Companies
| ACS (Association of Conveniance Stores) |
| GSMA Ltd |
| Neil Stewart Associates |
| RCN (Royal College of Nursing) |
| UBM Conferences |
This award is given for a successful launch into a new geographical market or the effective “cloning” of an event or series into a new territory. Judges will be impressed by events which tick any (or all) of the following boxes:
- Choice of an appropriate location and the reasons behind that decision
- Evidence of a strong marketing strategy to establish the product(s) in that market
- Successful results in terms of number of attendees vs initial targets
- Good feedback from sponsors and delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| Frost & Sullivan |
| Green Power Conferences |
| Incisive Media |
| UBM Conferences |
This award will be given to the entry demonstrating all the recognised attributes of a good sales team which have resulted in outstanding results on a particular event or a series of events. The winners will be able to demonstrate:
- Outstanding team results
- Evidence of strong leadership of the team
- The ability to support each other and work as a team
- Novel sales approaches
- Creative sales packages that meet clients corporate and brand objectives
- Management of clients ROI and ROO
- Positive client feedback
- Over achieving targets
Shortlisted Companies
| IIR BV South Africa |
| Informa Life Sciences |
| WBR Ltd |
This award is for an event which makes the greatest strides in developing the networking opportunities for delegates. Judges will be impressed by events which feature some of the following:
- The successful employment of networking technology before, during, and after the event
- Use of spouse / social programmes
- Novel ideas and formats which encourages more discussion and interaction
- Successful use of Linkedin and other social media tools to facilitate networking before, during and after the event
- Outstanding feedback from participants
Shortlisted Companies
| Glasgows |
| Informa Life Sciences |
| IQPC Exchange |
This award will be given to the marketing team delivering the freshest and most innovative marketing campaign(s) resulting in outstanding results on a particular event or a series of events. Judges will be impressed by teams which manage to tick any (or all) of the following boxes:
- Novel approaches in the marketing campaign
- Good use of media partners
- Working effectively with speakers and sponsors
- Effective development and management of data
- Innovative design of marketing collateral & good copywriting
- Good use of social networking tools such as LinkedIn, FaceBook etc
- Excellent use of all marketing channels and great delegate acquisition results
- Positive feedback from delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| Green Power Conferences |
| Incisive Media |
| IRR SA |
| Terrapinn Inc |
| Informa Life Sciences |
This award is for events which have benefitted significantly from the innovative use of new technology. This could include virtual events or webinars or could involve the use of technology to enhance traditional face to face events. For the latter the judges will be looking for some of the following:
- Improved networking opportunities for delegates prior to the event
- Improved speaker presentations
- Increased branding and marketing opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors
- Improved lead generation for sponsors of the event or exhibitors
- Improved networking opportunities for delegates at the event and afterwards
- Use of surveys before or at the event
- Improved customer satisfaction for the delegates in registration process
Shortlisted Companies
| Incisive Media |
| LexisNexis |
| Neil Stewart Associates |
Conference triumph in the face of adversity
This award is given for an event which has been successful...against all odds. This might be because of external events taking place which disrupted the event, or as a result of problems experienced in the venue on the day of the conference.
Judges will accept a variety of entries demonstrating a successful turnaround from a potentially dire situation. They will be impressed by events which tick any (or all) of the following boxes:
- Good decision making in a time of crisis
- Evidence of having made the right call with the benefit of hindsight
- Strong communication to all parties involved
- Good feedback from sponsors and delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| Neil Stewart Associates |
| P&MM Ltd |
| UBM Conferences |
| Virtual Economic Forum |
This award is for events which have benefitted significantly from the use of social media (ie LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc). The winners will be able to demonstrate:
- Improved delegate numbers attributable to use of social media
- Attracting delegates who would not have been contacted by other traditional marketing channels
- Improved discussion and networking opportunities before, during and after the event(s)
- Increased value for sponsors of the event or exhibitors
- Excellent feedback from delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| ACC Liverpool |
| Incisive Media |
| Reed Business Information |
| UBM Conferences |
This award will be given to the operations team delivering outstanding results on a particular event or a series of events. Judges will be impressed by teams able to show them the following:
- The ability to deliver a relatively complex event
- Managing to cope successfully with unforeseen circumstances
- Novel approaches or use of space
- Strong relationships with suppliers
- Positive feedback from delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| Incisive Media |
| Informa Telecoms and Media |
| Marketing Birmingham |
| Oracle User Group (UKOUG) |
| WBR |
This award will given to the team which has made the greatest efforts to introduce green initiatives either within their business or on a particular event. The judges will be impressed by:
- Reduction in use of printed materials for promotion of events
- Efforts to use suppliers who source their products ethically
- Certification to BS8901
- Implementation of any novel ideas to reduce the environmental footprint
- Training of staff & other initiatives to ensure team is working
together
- Good feedback from sponsors of the event or exhibitors
- Good feedback from delegates
Shortlisted Companies
| Euroforum |
| Green Power Conferences |
| Seventeen Events Ltd |
This award will be given to the entry demonstrating all the recognised
attributes of a good team which have resulted in outstanding results on
a particular event or a series of events.
The judges will be looking for:
- Outstanding financial results in terms of the events they have delivered
- High quality and quantity of events the team have delivered
- Evidence of strong leadership of the team
- The ability to support each other and work as a team
- Novel initiatives and approaches employed
- Positive feedback from delegates, sponsors and exhibitors
- Overachieving on targets set
Shortlisted Companies
| Campden Wealth |
| Health Network Communications |
| MA Healthcare |
| Standard Board Private Limited |
This award will be given to the awards team delivering outstanding results on a particular award programme or a series of awards. Entries should show some of the following:
- Development of an awards programme that is well researched and market focused.
- Outstanding results and strong attendance at the event(s) they have delivered
- Novel initiatives and approaches employed
- Creation of focal point and benchmarks for your industry
- Positive feedback from sponsors
- Overachieving on targets set
- An innovative marketing campaign
- Key partnerships with 3rd parties
- Outstanding results and feedback & over achieving on targets
Shortlisted Companies
| Beyond Media Services |
| Informa Australia |
| The IET |
| UBM |
This award is recognition for innovation in new product development. Judges will be impressed by events which tick any (or all) of the following boxes:
- Being first to market
- Developing an event which is well researched, market focused and covers the key issues facing that market place
- Attracting speakers not generally “on the circuit”
- Developing creative sponsorship packages that attract sponsors and meet the sponsors marketing and corporate objectives
- Featuring a novel format beyond traditional back-to-back 40 minute presentations
- An innovative marketing campaign
- Key partnerships with 3rd parties
- Outstanding results and feedback from a standing start
- Over achieving on targets
Shortlisted Companies
| C&C International Group of Companies |
| tfConnect |
| The Economist Group |
| The IET |
| Faversham House Group Ltd |