Sixty delegates visited agency DRP Group’s Covent Garden offices in London recently to hear Dr Elling Hamso speak about the basic principles of using ROI methodology for events.
The evening was promoted as an Eventia+IVCA education session, the first such joint session for the two associations that are in the process of merging.
The interactive session involved delegates working on challenges around identifying meaningful objectives and mapping them against the various elements that make up the ROI model used by the Event ROI Institute.
Hamso believes levels of interest in achieving meaningful ROI have never been stronger since he established the Institute back in 2004 and noted recession and increased procurement oversight were factors fuelling interest in ROI evaluation models.
Another important driver for the renewed interest in establishing meaningful ROI evaluation, delegates heard, is the competition that live events and meetings face from other channels in a more integrated communications world.
Data and analytics produced by digital channels often provides more management information than traditional post event surveys, according to Hamso.
The DRP Group’s Dale Parmenter, Eventia Chairman, said: “In many ways the drive for more integrated communication solutions is what has brought Eventia and the IVCA together, as we recognise the changing landscape of the communications world that we all operate in. Focusing on key business issues such as ROI for our membership will be one of the hallmarks of the new association moving forward. We need to ensure that our clients understand the benefits of developing measurable objectives with us that allow them to value the investment they make in communications – be it live, digital, via social media or for internal communication programmes.”
When delegates were asked how they felt about the statement ’professional and credible measurement of event results is easy’ only 36 per cent of the respondents agreed before they completed the session. That figure moved to 94 per cent after the workshop.
“This kind of change in understanding, as well as the other commitments to take action made in our post event survey, demonstrates how people really value the chance to improve their understanding of the issues around developing strong ROI measurement in their businesses,” said Hamso. “It all helps to add real value to the work they deliver whether that’s through film, digital, events or meetings.”
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