Forrester Groundswell Awards 2009: B2B / Energize Entry
Streaming Twitter in Keynotes
Social Media, integrated with traditional marketing & Web 1.0 best practices, played a key role in the success of IBM’s major client event, Impact 2009 Conference. These social media activties contributied to the business goals in driving attendee registrations, enhancing the overall event experience and nurturing leads.
To drive registration, we boosted traditional means (emails, promos...) with video email, Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn promotions and a web site hosting a social media portal. Word-of-mouth extended our reach: Clients and business partners pumped up their peers to attend. They leveraged viral videos, bloggers and Twitterers to inspire their readers and followers.
At the Impact 2009 Conference, Social Media enhanced attendee experience. Networking, surveys and paper notifications got social media boost with EventVue, Tweet Ups, instant twitter feedback and updates via #ibmimpact. Plus a Social Media game injected fun. Attendees valued interacting with SMEs: Innov8 SME at Blogference, 10 tracks on social networking hosted by some of industry's best social media experts, and receiving personal guidance on the use of social media tools by experts at the social media pedestal.
After Impact 2009, Twitter, widgets and communities helped to nurture leads. Follow-on events use viral videos of clients and business partners touting IBM’s Smart Work initiative. A guide on web and social media best practices based on Impact 2009 experience was produced and is helping to design future successful events.
Over 5,000 clients from 1,000+ firms across 80 countries registered through the Impact event web site which attracted more than 125,000 visits and over 725,000 page views. Client and business partner videos helped contribute to the drive-to with 4,500 plus views. In addition, the bloggers community efforts catapulted the buzz with @SmartSOA followers increasing 2.5 times. A 72-hour Twitter & LinkedIn promo secured additional registrants.
Attendees further energized the event through 900-plus tweets. In fact, #ibmimpact broke into the Top 10 most popular Twitter topics. Client speakers at the conference enjoyed instant feedback on their presentations that came through Twitter, and its ability to interact with the audience in real time. One on-site brief generated 10 blogs and 130 tweets (90% positive).
Social networking sessions ranked among the best attended. 150 participants competed in the Social Media game. Over 100 clients, analysts & press networked at 3 sponsored and 4 impromtu Tweet ups. The Blogference produced at least three favorable articles on the event’s social media usage and Innov8. A client’s visit to the Social Media ped helped close a $100,000 sales deal.
After the conference, more than 1,200 viewed Smart Work client & partner videos, energizing lead-generating regional events. As the Farmers pilot was announced at IMPACT, we utilized social media outlets including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to evangelize the relationship. We linked to the formal press release that debuted at Impact regarding the usage of the Innov8 game to 12,000 agents at University of Farmers. Due to this announcement, we received interest and eventually pickup of the game from major insurance companies all over the world who wished to emulates Farmers usage and glean similar benefits.
