Use Cases

A Conference Paves the Way for Growth

The Situation

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our client, a 6-year old leader in the healthcare innovation space, needed to rapidly shift from traditional live-conference delivery to virtual. They also wanted to simultaneously increase attendance (by 30+%) in order to meet their revenue and profitability goals. Key to success was also building on the success of their past conferences to drive important networking connections and create deeper relationships between innovators, investors, and financing and healthcare distribution partners.

AMELive Actions

The AMElive team jumped into gear, working closely with the client team to plan the event objectives, map out key agenda elements and define AMElive features which could drive engagement between attendees, speakers, sponsors and conference organizers.

Our design team developed a creative concept themed to this years event and grounded in the organizations brand and color palette. This design was then translated into the design of all event graphic elements – venue and room design to transitional spaces, from keynotes to breakouts, and even in sponsor booths and attendee profiles. From registration to event invites, this design drove the visuals used to enhance the attendee experience throughout.

Specific multidimensional profiles were built out for attendees, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors allowing for pre-event and post event followup as well as in-event one-on-one networking. Event registration was integrated via API into the client’s CRM system COPPER as well as into their e-Marketing solution, Marketo. Pre-event notifications via mobile were designed by the conference team to get the buzz going and encourage attendees to build out their profiles and connect (pre-conference but post-registration) to other attendees. Regular updates of attendee RSVP’s and special alerts about high profile speaker, sponsor and attendee adds went out to registered participants via text notifications and e-letter communications.

The conference venue build out included a branded hub for hosting of keynotes and breakouts as well as unlimited virtual meeting rooms for one-to-one meetings and small group assemblies. Keynotes, panel roundtables, breakout sessions were able to be scheduled in parallel with all content recordable and archived for later on-demand playback.

The AMElive team scheduled training with the administrative client team reviewing the full capabilities of the platform and answering team member’s questions about conference setup and attendee management. Permissions were set up for platform users tied to their need to access different features of the AMElive Control Center.

Conference content included both pre-recorded and live material. Interactive polling was used throughout the event to create the “surprise” element, increase engagement by attendees and feed poll results back both to the conference organizers and the attendees. The conference agenda was revised real time to reflect new “adds” based on poll results.

The AMElive production team planned and conducted 3 rehearsals in advance of the event by audience segment (speakers, sponsors, exhibitors) to familiarize everyone with the “how to’s” to maximize performance of the event, answer questions and make sure any issues were surfaced and covered well before the event took place. These rehearsals were recorded so anyone not able to attend them could view them 24/7. Partner technical connections were optimized and a central live production studio was used to ensure professional standards and delivery of video and audio content. The entire conference was live streamed via Youtube Live.

Client Results

Attendance at the live conference increased 75%. Our client was able to use real time analytics to determine who was attracted to what content and what the key issues were of interest to different audiences. New attendees (+43%) were added in Europe and Asia with the on-demand version of the event.

Sponsors and speakers both commented on how pleased they were with the increase in conference reach. And the Sales team was able to leverage valuable prospect lead data post-conference. Exports of attendee signups for breakouts and networking appointments directly into sponsor and exhibitor CRM databases allowed for seamless follow-through with these important contacts post event. Exportable chats from networking events were also archived for exhibitors and sponsors.

Breakout session chats were repurposed by the organization to create conversation threads for subsequent followup by the organization (e-marketing editorial calendars and FY2021 conference planning). And recorded conference breakout sessions were able to be repurposed into pay-to-play webinars, further adding to the monetization potential of the event.

“When COVID-19 hit, we were devastated. We thought this might mean the end of our conference for 2020. We couldn’t have been more wrong. This year’s event scored big on so many fronts. More attendees. More interaction and engagement. More revenue – with a long tail. We couldn’t be happier. AMElive allowed us to go way beyond any virtual event we’ve ever produced. I would also say – it is not just the tech behind it. It’s the team.”
– Brian P, EVP Growth

Product Launch: Software

The Situation

A high-growth technology company was planning the launch of a major new version of their legacy software product. They needed to highlight the gaps in the market among competitive products, showcase features and functionality and provide customer and partner proof points underscoring the new version’s benefits. They wanted a dramatic and showstopping unveiling at the virtual launch event which would generate industry buzz and PR. And they wanted to use their event to gather critical feedback about the product across a variety of elements (features, sector applicability, new product development opportunities and distribution channels).

AMELive Actions

In partnership with the client team, the AMElive core team identified 5 key objectives for the product launch event based on attendee segments and expectations. These event objectives drove roadmaps for the design of the event’s venues (lobby, transition spaces, networking spaces) and event branding from sponsor and distributor kiosks to breakout sessions. They also drove event messaging and calls to action from pre-event messaging to post-event feedback.

A template was developed for keynotes which included multiple different types of audience interaction. A second template was created for sponsored break outs with mixed panels of customers, industry experts and company staff interacting around use cases showcasing how the product functioned across industry sectors. A press room and separate interview room was set up for deep dive Q&A sessions with media and high-profile attendees.

Training teams were assembled at the company with AMElive training videos guiding different functional areas through the setup of the event within the AMElive platform. Pre-event content was assembled including pre-recorded demo videos, product one sheets, client testimonials and breakout session presentations covering specific product features. Rehearsals of live production simulations led by the AMElive team helped streamline technical planning and reduce event organizer concerns about “day of” potential glitches. As event RSVPs increased, attendee data flowed into Salesforce seamlessly.

Client Results

Pre-event PR helped drive exceptional event attendance at the half-day event, tripling the expected turnout. An incentive sales promotion tied into the event resulted in lead conversion rates in excess of 22% among new customers. Social media sharing of the post-event sizzle reel from the event went viral driving a 50% increase in traffic to the company’s website. Press followup, post-event, created downstream publicity for the product launch, leveraging digital assets created at the event.

“This was, without a doubt, the best launch event we’ve ever had at our company. AND it was virtual! There are a lot of silver linings to hosting events online I am finding actually. Being able to archive the conversations that went on between customers, sponsors and our sales channel partners is just pure gold. And now with AMElive, we’re all set to host our distributor event next week. SCORE!”
– Jason F, Vice President Sales

VIP Investor Meeting: Biotech

The Situation

A pre-revenue biotech startup was preparing for a Series C raise to reach their next set of product development milestones as they continued on their path toward product commercialization. They needed to schedule a series of important investor meetings with lead investors in advance of their subsequent fundraising roadshow. The COVID-19 pandemic had created an even more competitive capital market for financing around the product’s segment and the CFO was anxious about the need to deliver strong product news and deliver a persuasive argument around company valuation with potential investors.

AMELive Actions

One of Anna Marie Event’s financial services clients recommended the company reach out to Anna Rembold. Anna contacted the company’s CEO to learn more about her specific objectives for these investor events as well as discuss ways to creatively showcase the investment opportunity using high impact visuals for company presentations and the virtual event’s venue.

After an initial design concept was formalized, this was incorporated into pre-event investor communications to drive event attendance. Investor “kits” were developed for registrants providing them with “need to know” insights about product progress and milestone achievement as well as company valuation proof points in advance of the event.

After setup of the AMElive website for the company hosting their Control Center, the event’s agenda was used to support multiple investor meetings held simultaneously across multiple time zones, leveraging pre-recorded content while also allowing investors to connect during live sessions for Q&A and chat with company team members. An Advisory Board meeting was also included in the agenda as well as one-on-one meetings between the company’s CEO and individual investors.

Client Results

Based on reaction to the investor meetings based on investor term sheets with both private equity investors and venture capitalists, our client told us we exceeded their expectations around the success of these events. As important, in the CEO’s opinion, was the feedback around company valuation that the team received based on interaction among investors. The team learned critical insights leading them to reposition messaging around the company’s valuation in their upcoming roadshow. And the C-Suite identified two new board members during the process.

“I’m always a fan of using technology creatively to move the needle, whatever the application. AMElive is a no-brainer for any CEO who needs to deliver professionally polished events in a virtual environment. We’ll be able to use the designs we pioneered for these investor meetings for all of our roadshow, media events and manufacturing and distribution partner meetings for the balance of this year – and probably even longer. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the AMElive platform as an essential addition to any company’s internal capabilities.”
– Grant W., CEO

Sales Kick-Off & Training

The Situation

This year, in order to save time and travel expense, our client decided to shift their annual global sales training event 100% online. With a growing workforce in India and most of the sales team operating remotely, the EVP of Sales was optimistic about being able to accomplish this. But he needed to be able to communicate key company priorities and messages while ensuring that the latest sales training tools and account analyses were distributed across the global team. Most importantly, he needed to pump up the team, get them energized and excited about the year ahead. Provide inspiration and incentives for action. He also wanted to use the event to build a more interactive dynamic within the sales force so that good ideas and successful customer stories were surfaced, shared and rewarded throughout the year.

AMELive Actions

Having designed, planned and managed other sales annual kick off and training events, the team at AMElive was jazzed about being able to leverage the new AMElive platform on behalf of their client. They were particularly excited about the community-building features in the platform, from the ability to host inspirational videos from respected leaders shared in advance of the event to the ability of the technology to later connect event conversations into threads which could help the global team work collaboratively to solve customer problems after the event. And they wanted to showcase the ability via API to connect AMElive to the company’s CRM for lead capture, a feature they knew would help the company team organizing next year’s user conference.

After pre-registering the sales force in the AMElive Control Center, the client events team worked with Anna Marie Events designers to custom design a 3-D events venue drafting off a the visual concept of a professional sports team in training. Team meetings were set up for each key account group by customer segment within Sales as part of the agenda. Training materials (rich video and links to external inspirational materials) and digital assets (2021 Sales Toolkit) were collected and uploaded to the platform in advance of the meeting. Customer testimonials and other product proof points (product demo videos) were also used to to support sell-in and uploaded to AMElive.

Competitive “in-event” team-building interactive features were included throughout the training program to lighten things up with frequent breaks for cross-team “locker room” networking and socializing. Breakout sessions were used to deliver training by industry vertical and cross-functional presentations from Marketing and Product Development helped drive home key company messages and provide insights for collaborative planning. The event ended with a “playing field” Superbowl like awards program with live entertainment kicking off a new year of success at the company.

AMElive analytics tracked attendee engagement throughout the training including who participated in which sessions, who interacted with who and what, who downloaded materials, survey and poll interaction and chat participation.

Client Results

The feedback survey sent to the Sales team post-event gave the event a 9.1 out of 10 thumbs up from participants. This represented a significant improvement over the prior year’s evaluation. The Sales team also told the AMElive team that they intended to continue using the designs and event format to deliver a new set of quarterly updates tied to the priorities identified for FY2021.

“If I had known we could do all this through an online platform instead of the incredible logistical nightmares caused every year trying to organize our annual sales kick off event, I would have jumped on this bandwagon long ago. The AMElive platform makes everything so easy – from event set up to registration, uploading of content, archiving of meeting interactions. What my team particularly liked was just being able to see progress in one central command center. We always knew exactly where we were on an executional front every step of the way.”
– Bonnie F., SVP Sales Operations

All-Hands Employee Meeting

The Situation

We were asked by our client of 5 years to help them transition their “all hands” employee meeting to a virtual format for 2020. The VP of HR was concerned that using an online vs in-person event would reduce employee interaction, attention and participation. This was viewed as particularly problematic given the recent upheavals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to both work and home lives among the company’s workforce. Already the company was seeing a higher rate of attrition vs the prior year. The CEO asked us specifically how subscribing to the AMElive platform could help deliver a successful and highly-engaging employee event in the immediate term but also help foster a stronger sense of community among employees over the longer term.

AMELive Actions

After several meetings with internal clients at the company, the AMElive design team selected a “Town Square” design as the core concept for the All-Hands company event. 3-D storefronts were developed to represent different departments with unique signage and avatars. Using brand colors, visuals and employee images, the venue and meeting spaces were visually created to tie in company-recognizable icons and milestones.

Company team leaders involved in the event planning were trained in the AMElive platform via online tutorials accompanied by Q&A sessions with the AMElive team. Employees were pre-registered and encouraged to add employee “bet you didn’t know this about me” information to build-out their attendee profiles in advance of the event. The meeting’s agenda was carefully constructed to create the ideal event flow and to take advantage of all the interactive features in AMElive throughout the day. And the virtual photo booth and employee swag bag added more lighthearted fun into the event .

The All Hands meeting began with a show of fireworks in the Town Square. Presentations by the CEO and other departmental leaders kicked off the content presentation highlighting 2021 priorities at the company. A town digital scavenger hunt was organized in a competitive cross-functional challenge during the event to encourage employee interaction. Polls and Q&As were sprinkled throughout the event to keep the attendees engaged and entertained. Employees were encouraged to set up one-on-one meetings with members of the C-suite and submit questions in advance via the platform. Employees voted on nominees for a variety of employee awards “For Employees by Employees” to round out the finale at the event which included live entertainment by a local band with a celebrity emcee.

Client Results

Employee ratings of this year’s event jumped significantly versus the event held in 2019. Ad-hoc comments from the survey particularly noted the stronger community connections across cross-functional teams that were created at the event. Employee sharing of event photos and comments on social media also underscored the impact of the event.

“I admit that I was a bit of a skeptic about trying to recreate the buzz and vibe of what has always been a really popular in-person employee event – online. I really just didn’t see how we could pull this off. But my hat is off to Anna Marie Events. Once again they showed that their creativity combined with all the features of the AMElive platform can leverage entirely new strategies for interaction between both groups of employees and one-on-one. Well done!”
– Giselle A., VP Human Resources