If you are of a certain age, you most likely remember the pitch, Is it live or is it Memorex? It was a series of commercials from the early 1980s for Memorex. It was a really clever way of pushing their VHS and audio tapes and while the products themselves were not that great, the phrase “is it live or is it Memorex” became part of American culture.
This popped into my mind yesterday in a conversation I had with a colleague regarding virtual versus face to face events. For some reason it seems that there is a lot of confusion regarding what is a virtual event. By virtual events, I am referring to webinars and virtual trade shows and conferences. Basically, it is any event that doesn’t take place in a physical location.
Because of the global economic crisis, far too many marketeers have jumped on the virtual bandwagon as the solution to all of their budget challenges. Virtual is just a tool, like e-mail, direct mail, and web landing pages. The skill is knowing when to go virtual and when not to. I would like to see more of a mix between the virtual would and traditional marketing. A few points:
Posting your content in a PDF format post event is not virtual, it’s just a website
A one time webinar is not virtual, it’s a webinar
Letting me look at your trade show floor or keynote on line is not virtual, it’s a web cast.
Virtual is just a tool – what would you think if I suggested that you shift your marketing efforts to 75% e-mail?
The virtual and physical should support each other, don’t be afraid to market your virtual offering ( if it is truly virtual) prior to the physical event.
Virtual events are going to continue to gain in popularity and as this happens, the confusion over what is virtual and what is not should clear up. But remember, going virtual is just another marketing tool and not the answer to all of your marketing challenges.
"Is It Live Or Is It Memorex?"
If you are of a certain age, you most likely remember the pitch, Is it live or is it Memorex? It was a series of commercials from the early 1980s for Memorex. It was a really clever way of pushing their VHS and audio tapes and while the products themselves were not that great, the phrase “is it live or is it Memorex” became part of American culture.
This popped into my mind yesterday in a conversation I had with a colleague regarding virtual versus face to face events. For some reason it seems that there is a lot of confusion regarding what is a virtual event. By virtual events, I am referring to webinars and virtual trade shows and conferences. Basically, it is any event that doesn’t take place in a physical location.
Because of the global economic crisis, far too many marketeers have jumped on the virtual bandwagon as the solution to all of their budget challenges. Virtual is just a tool, like e-mail, direct mail, and web landing pages. The skill is knowing when to go virtual and when not to. I would like to see more of a mix between the virtual would and traditional marketing. A few points:
Virtual events are going to continue to gain in popularity and as this happens, the confusion over what is virtual and what is not should clear up. But remember, going virtual is just another marketing tool and not the answer to all of your marketing challenges.