Freeman’s marketing agency, FreemanXP, recently launched FXP | Cloud - a social engagement platform that allows clients to host integrated online events throughout the year.

With this platform, organizations have the ability to connect with their audiences through many different touch points and create year-round experiences that are seamless complements to face-to-face events.

Chris Cavanaugh, FreemanXP’s president, said, “Our positioning is around Social Engagement, which to us means from a strategic point of view, ultimately integrating virtual and social media with live face to face events. The way to engage the broadest audience in the deepest way over a greater period of time.”

FreemanXP is working with clients early on about the integration of digital and social media into their live event programs.

Cavanaugh said he feels when both the digital and live events are integrated well you won’t cannibalize your audience, but instead, expand the dialog during the entire year.

“You’re driving in new people to your events by starting them on a social and digital platform and ultimately then finding content compelling enough to then sign up and join in the live face-to-face environment,” Cavanaugh said.

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) asked FreemanXP to develop a strategy to use a virtual eCongress as a marketing tool to drive physical attendance by showing participants what they missed by not attending in person.

This virtual solution needed to maintain the same level of service and connectivity for members online as their on-site congress. AORN didn’t want to replace the face-to-face event, but extend its reach to those who couldn’t be there in person.

Due to the nature of nursing professionals’ schedules, the AORN Annual Congress suffers from limited on-site attendance – many perioperative nurses work days, nights, and weekends – making it impossible for AORN to find a schedule that will work for their entire audience.

The eCongress was a way to serve their members in the most comprehensive way possible, as well as drive the face-to-face attendance.

Tricia Cavallo, CMP, CEM director, meetings and virtual Events at AORN, quoted in a FXP | Cloud case study said, “Our strategy worked. Not only did we receive 100 percent attendance rate for our virtual event, but the virtual AORN eCongress was a driving motivation for people to attend our physical events, with more than 76 percent of online attendees registering for and attending the following year’s face-to-face event,"

Cavanaugh said the physical technology behind FXP | Cloud is provided by tech partner INXPO, but that it’s more than just technology; it’s a point of view. Effective online events require a strategic and creative approach to help deliver a successful message.

With more and more organizations looking for ways to engage their audience throughout the year and drive attendance for their face-to-face events, offerings like the FXP | Cloud will become increasingly more valuable.