Crowdsourcing from event delegates is fast becoming a viable method of building effective business events, said industry speakers at the Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) 2018 on Tuesday.
Experts also emphasised the importance of building a community spirit among event attendees, and the need to offer more relevant content and formats based on participants’ input.
This will “bring people together and give them a common purpose, and they become so invested in it that they want to see it work”, explained Steve Armitage, general manager – destination of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development.
Auckland Tourism has adopted crowdsourcing as a way to develop awareness of the city as a tourism destination. This method has given the city a “strong platform to tell its story”, described Armitage, who espoused it as “a smart way of generating publicity and the profile” of events companies.
“You have to ensure that the engaged communities can see themselves in the end-product. Initially, we had sceptics, but when the momentum had been started, people wanted to be a part of it, because it has resonance and the community (is driven by) purpose,” he said.
He further advised that crowdsourcing should involve not just industry leaders, but also influential figures and the wider community of participants – especially in key markets – who can benefit from the project.
Epi Ludvik, founder & CEO, Crowdsourcing Week, cautioned companies against adopting it for “just a marketing story”.
He remarked: “We’re moving towards immersing the user. Everyone (should have) the opportunity to get something in return.”
