Association Event Network September | Page 15

Case study ABPCO CASE STUDY: Written by Martin Fullard MCI UK & ERC AEN reviews winning case studies from the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers most recent Excellence Awards THE EUROPEAN REGISTRARS CONFERENCE (ERC) brought together more than 600 registrars, collection and exhibition managers and colleagues to network and exchange ideas and knowledge from across the sector. The conference rotates biannually to a different European city and in 2018 celebrated its 20th anniversary by returning to its inaugural location London from the 17-19 November. The 2018 Organising Committee from the UK Registrars Group (UKRG) set out to: • Re-energise the conference theme • Attract a minimum of 600 registrations • Nurture their growing community and celebrate their 20th anniversary • Revitalise event marketing and generate social media exposure Driven by a united, collaborative and passionate team with a global mindset and local expertise, MCI UK was selected as the conference organiser for its unique strengths and commitment to making a difference. MCI UK is strategically creative and trusted to deliver world-class project management, without losing the personable touch that nurtures strong client relationships. ERC 2018 achieved outstanding results, strengthening its community and creating a conference legacy. Key performance indicators include: • 854 registered delegates – A 42% increase in the initial outlined target of 600 • Demand was so high to attend that registration filled up 2 months before the event • 37% of registrations were derived directly from organic event marketing • The digital conference app created by MCI had a 100% adoption rate – every single delegate downloaded and used the app. With the average adoption rate being 63%, according to research conducted by Cvent in 2019 • The app data showcased a thriving Community with 54,807 sessions tracked across 2 days on the app • A comprehensive sponsorship prospectus was developed, securing 37 industry sponsors The strength of the programme content and opportunities for networking on-live created an active and engaged community. Rather than end the conference momentum, MCI proposed creating a post-event website to continue the event legacy. After exceeding targets and building an excellent client relationship, MCI was the natural chosen partner to continue the legacy drive and have been enlisted to repeat PCO management for ERC 2020! Alyson Rolington, ERC Conference chair, commented: “We want to thank MCI UK and for all the hard work the team did. The conference was a huge success, and committee, MCI and everyone involved should be very proud of themselves. It felt from day one that we were one team, which was so key to the success. It was fantastic working with everyone, and I certainly have quite a lot more insight into running a conference (and admiration for what they do) to pass on to the next committee.” 15 www.aenetwork.co.uk