local businesses , and working with local partners in our delivery . |
||||
|
One trend we have seen with CPHI events is a greater reflection of the role you play in the pharma community you serve – is this a recent events trend or something that has always been there in the background ? All industries have become more socially conscious , which is good for wider society and aligning with purpose . As Informa , we are committed to our Faster Forward initiative to deliver sustainable events and make a positive impact in both the communities or industries we serve , as well as the cities and venues where we host our events . This conversation is just as important to the pharma industry as it is in exhibitions . We have looked at the role we play , especially with the numbers of professionals we serve , and are committed to using this platform to help promote positive change . It ’ s why we have tried to centralise conversations around sustainability , are promoting best practice case studies through content onsite and online , and are delivering access to early-stage companies via our Start- Up Market .
The other aspect is we see demand from our audience for newer topics and they are actively looking for us to deliver content such as hiring for diversity , ESG investing and even sessions that look at work / life balance and maximising efficiencies from home working .
It is extremely important to innovate / move with the needs of your industry and refresh events . Do you have any reflections on things that did not work well and any learnings you take from this ? Looking back , many would say , after the initial excitement , digital only platforms were in many cases
|
difficult to make successful for all audiences . However , now that we have live events back , these lessons and new technologies have proved , and I cannot overstate this , hugely valuable in supporting our live shows – in the planning , delivery , and post-show stages .
That ’ s the big lesson for any event . The live event is the centrepiece , but the services and connections you provide yearround can be transformative for your customers and stakeholders .”
How are exhibitors changing the way they use events – and / or go about marketing , lead generation and brand building ? The way businesses make decisions is more complex , we have been investing in year-round digital products and offerings , to continue the support we offer in bringing the industry together no matter where they are .
In pharma the sales process is very considered and detailed . We use the CPHI network and platform to help take some of the selection process and decisionmaking outside of the event . For example , helping our attendees go about learning best practices
|
Above : CPHI Paris |
in partner selection , or pre-qualify professionals who are interested in their products or services through digital activities .
Exhibition World recently covered the CPHI Annual Report ’ s findings on Barcelona – the event seems to have taken a prominent role in the pharma industry for independent insight . How did this come to pass , and can it be replicated in other sectors / events ?
A few organisations had used the sentiments of their communities as a forward-looking indicator on economic prospects and we realised as the heart of pharma we were very well placed to provide this also . We simply harness some of these insights from the industry and return this back to them in a meaningful way . My advice is to build your ideas incrementally on firm foundations , but I do believe events companies are well placed to provide a macro perspective of many industries .
I keep returning to this , but these insights our not ‘ ours ’, they belong to the pharma community . So , listening to your audience is
|