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Relationships With Colleagues, Not Just Customers, Must Be Tended to Now

by Media
So like everyone else, I’ve been Zooming and Google Meeting and Go-to-Webinaring, and staring at myself in those various boxes. And there has been a lot of good stuff. SIPA 2020 next Monday and Tuesday should be incredible. All of the sessions will have live Q&As, so any specific questions you have will be answered. In fact, that’s probably one advantage a virtual conference has over an in-person one—you can get more specific questions answered, if not right then than later on.
When we’re talking about our day-to-day jobs, however, the pendulum—perhaps out of necessity—has certainly swung more to the benefits of working remotely now. I think it’s true that many of us office workers probably did underestimate the work-from-homers. I’m definitely working more hours now and being very productive, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
But…
While the loss of networking at in-person events has been talked about plenty, there has been less talk about the advantages of the office that we’ve lost. And at least for now, how to replace them.
All collaborative work does not get done in structured meetings. Many times, I would amble over to Amanda’s office and we would talk something out. (We’re both early-birds.) There’s more ease in person. When you’re writing communication, you really have to examine every word so there’s no misinterpretation, And even then, tone is lost. We have talked by Slack phone a few times, and that’s better, so I would at least encourage that. You can hear if someone is frustrated. You can laugh together without the smiley faces.
Schedule one-on-one time with colleagues. We have so many group meetings now that you don’t get to discuss things individually with someone as much. And we all know you’re not going to get the same candor in a group meeting that you would get in a one-on-one meeting. There are more people to possibly offend, less time to talk because of the numbers, and more opportunity to multi-task. It’s easy to lose touch with what is really going on without one-on-one meetings, especially boss to employees.
The proverbial water cooler conversation. Do we ever really say water cooler other than for “water cooler” conversation? At our office, we had a water fountain that people avoided like the… forget it. Anyway, it’s true that I would see Dan our incomparable IT guy or James our registration guru, and we would resolve a potential problem in the hallway. Can this be replaced? An article last year said that a recent MIT research project actually proved that the ‘water cooler effect’ increases employee productivity by 10-15%. So…
Encourage more “coffee breaks” with a colleague. That MIT research team suggested that encouraging shorter and more frequent breaks in the workday could be the key to allowing deeper, more authentic relationships between employees to be built. Now this was pre-pandemic, but it may have more validity now. Yes, everyone has a different schedule, but still designating 11 am and 3 pm 10-15 minute one-on-one chats could be good. I would say especially the afternoon—I sense an energy drain then, where a coffee break conversation would be a good pick-me-up. Call it speed colleaguing.
Continue to reward innovation. A real risk with remote workers is that team members feel isolated and alone—especially if they live alone these days—and worse yet, that their good work goes unrecognized. Set up a formalized company program that shows appreciation and rewards workers for collaboration, engagement with the company’s mission, and interaction with fellow team members—again, even in one-on-one situations—who are working toward the same goals.
Encourage everyone to use their camera; supply them with one if they don’t have. In a SIPA webinar on managing remote work last fall, Dan Fink, managing director of Money-Media, said that “frequency of cameras being disabled has become an [engagement] issue that we’ve tried to address. We are encouraging people to use the video component. Audio is one element, but video another; it really enhances it… It really does make a significant difference.” In the two one-on-one interviews I did with the SIPA 2020 keynotes, Don Harkey and Krystle Kopacz, being able to see them did make it a different experience. I’ve done interviews by phone all my life and those are fine. But as far as making a connection, the video, as Fink said, enhanced that.
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With the Right Touches, Virtual Events Can Be Very Sponsor-Friendly

by Media
You’ve converted one of your premier events to a virtual event. How do you keep your sponsors? Do you adjust their pricing? Change the time period? Give more guarantees?
The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University had their Collaborative Journalism Summit set for Charlotte, N.C. on May 14–15. Then, of course, they had to go virtual. “We let our sponsors know that several of their packages would have to change since we weren’t hosting in person,” they wrote on NiemanLab. “Every confirmed sponsor stuck with us, even our North Carolina-based sponsors—a testament to their commitment to collaborative journalism and knowledge sharing. The new sponsorship package included showing on-screen sponsor slides and messaging during the conference, and sharing links in the chat.”
But in the end, they said that if they do another virtual conference, they would do some things differently. “[We would] completely recreate sponsor packages. We mostly focused on converting the in-person components of our sponsor packages into virtual components this year. Next time, we’ll focus on fundamentally reimagining what sponsorship looks like in a 100-percent-virtual setting.”
Other ideas:
Position your sponsors differently. An ASAE article last month said that Instead of refunding conference sponsorship fees or transferring this year’s sponsorship to next year, organizations can benefit by finding new ways to position sponsors as supporting your audience. For example, sponsors could provide information to help your audience/members with challenges identified in recent surveys, issues related to changes in the marketplace, or new pain points as a result of the coronavirus.
Continue to connect buyers and sellers. “Why does someone buy into an event?” SIPA 2020 June 2 keynote speaker Krystle Kopacz asked last week. “I’ve been working with a couple clients—why does someone spend a ton of money to host a booth? They want to have face-to-face conversations with possible clients. So how does the lack of live events across the industry affect us? What does that do to lead generation efforts? And how are you refilling that pipeline? Publishers still have a key role to play between buyers and sellers. There are many ways you can mimic what live events do.”
Forfeit some revenue now for goodwill. “…There are brands that’ve done a good job of sticking up their hand to say, ‘We understand you, we’re with you, and we’re not trying to sell you anything right now, we just want to engage,'” said Steve Stoute, founder and CEO of Translation in a Fast Company article. “I think that’s the work that’s resonated the most for me. Brands with good intentions. They’re selling something at a discount that you need. They’re speaking to you in a way that seems empathetic to what you’re going through.”
Rebrand the sponsorship for a longer period. Identify the various ways to provide your conference sponsors with “replacement value” throughout the year. This could include podcast mentions, dissemination of thought leadership content, webinars, social media campaigns, outreach to a specific demographic of your members, promotion of each company’s webinars or seminars, and so forth.
Give more gravitas to the virtual event. The Center for Cooperative Media said that they were so successful in their conversion to the virtual event that they will keep an in-place component for future conferences. “We were able to include so many more people this year by hosting in place that we’re now thinking about making a live, interactive virtual conference a permanent part of the Summit for as long as the Summit exists.” They actually made their tickets free, but registration increased so much that more sponsors signed on.
Keep everything as is because these virtual events may be the future. Companies are actually starting to take advantage of the way we’re doing things now. Margaret Johnson, a partner and chief creative officer at Goodby Silverstein + Partners, said that for a Panera commercial, “We’re getting drivers to shoot themselves with their phones on their delivery routes, texting us the takes, then we’re texting back notes and direction on how to do it again differently. It all seems so foreign at first, but you quickly adapt. I believe the people who haven’t really embraced this new world will be in big trouble.”
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‘Are You Refilling That Pipeline?’ Kopacz Is Here to Help Publishers.

by Media
There is something really good to these virtual conferences. I just watched the director of strategic initiatives for The Washington Post and he was great. (I will report on it here next week.) He even told a funny Jeff Bezos story.) It doesn’t work for everything. Theaters have tried to put some productions online and it’s tough.
Sitting at home, we can focus on speakers online—even with the occasional pets, kids and laundry disruption. SIPA 2020 June 1 motivational keynote Don Harkey told me that he likes the idea that he can mention an article and people can bring it up, or they can comment as he goes along, and he can play off that energy
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“The more that we can mimic the one-to-one conversations at these events, that’s going to be key,” SIPA 2020 June 2 keynote speaker Krystle Kopacz, CEO of Revmade, told me this week. In a way, watching a speaker on our computer is pretty much one-to-one. It really is just you and him or her. And you can ask questions—actually that’s easier online than in person.

Kopacz is a brilliant speaker, and I hope many of you will register to hear her. For six years prior to starting Revmade, she led Atlantic Media’s B2B sales enablement efforts, which have become known as best-in-business examples of how to achieve digital success.
Between running her company and caring with her husband for their 9-month-old daughter, Kopacz sees a tunnel at the end of this blight. In that tunnel—or let’s say pipeline—is the need to give your customers the lead generation they need.
“Why does someone buy into an event?” she asked. “I’ve been working with a couple clients—why does someone spend a ton of money to host a booth? They want to have face-to-face conversations with possible clients. So how does the lack of live events across the industry affect us? What does that do to lead generation efforts? And how are you refilling that pipeline? Publishers still have a key role to play between buyers and sellers. There are many ways you can mimic what live events do.”
Kopacz said she had been thinking about her upcoming SIPA presentation that early morning. “Publishers can provide information and research, but what do they need from me? How can I help them navigate this? I work with brand clients. And they’re calling me saying, ‘we’re not doing trade shows, so how do I find qualified buyers?’
“‘Have you thought about working with a publisher?’ I suggest. But publishers are up against a lot in this new environment. What publishers need to do is to align their products better with marketing pain points. ‘How do I call up some of the clients’ pain points? How do I create a lead gen replacement package?’
“This is where your media sales team can play the biggest role, helping clients understand and being relevant to your target audience,” Kopacz continued. “They’re also wondering, ‘How do I navigate this?’ So there’s some advice-giving that needs to happen.”
From a business standpoint, good things can come of this, but it will not be easy. Harkey told that story of his 75 year-old mother-in-law teaching piano lessons on Skype now. “If you would have told me that at Christmas time, I would’ve said no way. But she’s doing it and liking it and said she will be offering it to her students in the future. It’s things like that that are fundamentally changing.”
Kopacz agrees. “The biggest challenge is, how do you lead your company through a massive transformation when your work hours are not what you’re used to”—tell me about it!—”you can’t connect in the office, and you can’t separate professional and personal problems?”
If anyone can advise us on this, it will be Krystle Kopacz. Stay tuned. Register here.
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Innovate in Your Events, and You’ll Be Rewarded – Now and Later on

by Media
We’re often told to think outside of the box. But a magician and a theater in Los Angeles decided to think about the box and have created a hit event. And it might just have a connection to our events.
In a new online show called The Present by magician Heider Guimaraes, ticket holders are mailed a box with surprise contents that they are directed not to open until their Zoom show starts. “How do you reach out of the computer and into the audience?” asked Matt Shakman, artistic director of the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where the show sold out a recent extension in 26 minutes and is now going into July. “The idea would be to hold something in your hand and be part of the process. That’s how you make Zoom as interesting as a black box theater.” (The quotes are from a Washington Post article Sunday.)
I was reminded of the show when I saw this suggestion today from a Higher Logic post: “Work fun swag into your [virtual event] plans. If you have the budget, you might be able to differentiate yourself and bring a little joy to attendees during a tough time by still including conference swag.”
This is a time to innovate—and if it’s good, it will carry forward to our new normal. Here are more virtual event suggestions that I’ve come across recently:
Facilitate learning over everything else. I’ve quoted Jeffrey Cufaude from his Idea Architects site before. In a recent post, he wrote that “It is too easy for presenters or facilitators to instead unintentionally privilege those learning formats and teaching techniques with which they are most comfortable, regardless of their potential appropriateness for participants.” Just as we put the customer first in our product thinking, he wants presenters to put their audience first in virtual presentation thinking. “Great content, poorly presented, sucks the life out of participants,” he added.
Make it easier for participants to engage. Seeing a steady stream of comments should be one of the advantages of a virtual event. Cufaude likes to “include short video segments featuring individuals with different backgrounds or perspectives sharing a quick case study or featuring a brief Q&A.” He also advocates using the poll function to assess learning. “Polls can be used effectively in several places: at the start as a ‘pre-test,’ throughout the webinar to assess needs or facilitate content application, and/or at the end as a review. Announce a response rate goal to prod recalcitrant folks to engage.”
Go further. Added Heather McNair, chief community officer for Higher Logic: “Insert polls, quizzes, audience participation and fun wherever you can. Use panel discussions, interviews and cameras so people aren’t just looking at presentations and hearing one person’s voice.”
Make sure the presenters get involved in the online discussions before and after their sessions. “This extra contact with experts is a huge value-add for the attendees,” McNair wrote. “Consider making it part of their speaker agreement. Invite speakers to do AMAs (ask-me-anything). Ask a couple of other subject matter experts to help your presenter field questions and keep conversation flowing. Also, have a couple of attendees at the ready with seed questions to get conversation started. If you have a live webinar, use the questions from your chat log that you didn’t get to so you can seed conversation in your community afterward.”
Share all follow-up resources in the community. “This way, you can continue to engage attendees even after your event ends,” said Kaila Timmons, Higher Logic’s community manager, strategic services. “They can discuss ideas with each other, ask for notes on sessions they couldn’t attend, and find all presentation materials in one place. Ask the speakers to share additional resources in the resource library that complement their presentation.”
“Going forward, the power of coupling a live event with a better built-out virtual experience is what we’re all about,” said Rick McConnell, president of North America for Informa Markets, in an article in Access Intelligence’s Folio: last week. “It’s a really difficult time to be in live events, as we all know. But once the dust settles, you’re going to have a much richer community connection through virtual vehicles coupled with a really great live event where it all culminates. That is the way the business is going to run in the future.”
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Inspiration, Revenue, Value and Growth Will All Shine at SIPA 2020

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Earlier this year, Money-Media launched Health Payer Specialist, targeting health insurance carriers—many of whom are paying the bills for COVID-19 medical treatment. “On March 3, we announced that our free beta test was ending at the end of the month,” said Dan Fink, managing director of Money-Media. “The next week, everything seemed to change overnight and the pandemic was suddenly a real thing. We thought this was going to scupper our product launch, but we actually saw amazing results. We brought on 20+ corporate licenses during the month of March.”
Fink will be shedding brighter light on this on Tuesday, June 2, in a SIPA 2020 Virtual Conference session appropriately titled Growing Your Audience in the Time of Pandemic. Joining him will be Stephanie Williford, CEO of EB Medicine. When EB Medicine put COVID-19 content in front of the paywall, website traffic exploded (153% increase) and a modest increase in subscriptions (9%) followed. “We also think the goodwill and brand awareness we’re generating now will pay off in the long run,” she said.
That is just one session in an amazing two-day array that SIPA is presenting. Yes, it’s virtual, and you will not be able to talk in-person with friends and colleagues, but all the other advantages—learning, asking questions, hearing solutions, following up quickly—will be there, minus transportation, hotel and food costs—and the greater time away from the office.
Here are more takeaways:
Idea sharing. “The hallmarks of the SIPA community, to me, are community and idea-sharing,” said Elizabeth Petersen, product director for Simplify Compliance and chair of the conference. “And we’re doubling down on those themes with this year’s virtual event. You’ll find a lot of realness, rawness and hope with this year’s sessions. Our speakers will be discussing challenges that existed pre-pandemic and ones that have been introduced with COVID. Most importantly, these presentations are going to be solutions-focused, and attendees will walk away with ideas they can implement immediately.” Petersen will also present a session titled Mastering Memberships.
Revenue strategies. Industry Dive COO Meg Hargreaves will be co-presenting a session titled Content Licensing: Alternative Data 101. Alternative data is more than financial market-drive pricing data; it can include structured data that specialized publishers are already collecting. Here you will grasp the basics behind alternative data to learn if there may be licensing-related revenue opportunities within your own business and content assets.
Inspiration. “When it comes to innovating, it just doesn’t happen magically,” Day 1 keynote speaker Don Harkey told me. “It’s a creative process. You can’t do that on command. So you try to look for opportunities. What do you really know well? What do you do that’s unique? What do you do best? Remind yourself of who you really are. Don’t just talk to customers. Listen. Have conversations. And you can do that now. Collect information. Then if there’s a circle of what you do well and where they need help, see where they intersect.”
Platforms. If you’re like many businesses, LinkedIn is the go-to social media for your customers, and have they been in the news of late! Last week, LinkedIn launched a live streaming events platform that combines existing resources to help companies reconnect with their customers and communities. Steve Kearns, marketing leader, social media for LinkedIn, will co-present a session titled All Things LinkedIn: Sales, Marketing and Content Strategies. They are also launching a new Polls feature—something so many companies are doing now. Michelle Peña, senior editor, Business Management Daily, joins Kearns.
Business value. Every conference needs an all-star panel, and SIPA 2020 has at least one. The session is Hallmarks of Lasting Business, and the panel includes Stephanie Eidelman, president & CEO, insideARM and the iA Institute, insideARM LLC; John McGovern, CEO and owner, Grimes, McGovern & Associates; and Caysey Welton, content director, Folio:, Access Intelligence. Petersen will moderate. “Nothing takes the place of face-to-face,” Petersen said, “but I truly believe that this is the next best thing.”
See the full schedule and registration here.