Mid-Level Manager’s Virtual Symposium

Background

The annual Mid-Level Managers’ Symposium (MLMS) is a two-day professional development experience for high-potential, high-performing corporate managers and leaders. The event is hosted by The Executive Leadership Council and features over 20 fireside chats and ten different workshops.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced MLMS to become fully virtual for the first time in its 25-year history. The client needed help transforming the program into a virtual event and securing online registrations through targeted marketing and social media campaigns. While the in-person symposium was limited to 1000 participants, the virtual symposium created an opportunity to host many more.

The Challenge

The Mid-Level Managers’ Symposium faced the unprecedented challenge of shifting its 25-year in-person event to a fully virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This transition required rethinking how to deliver a meaningful, engaging professional development experience in a digital space while maintaining the event’s prestige and connection among high-potential corporate leaders. Additionally, the client needed to dramatically increase online registrations beyond the previous 1,000-participant limit, using targeted marketing strategies to attract and engage a wider, yet still highly qualified, audience. The challenge was to create a seamless virtual experience supported by strong branding and digital campaigns that could effectively drive attendance and sponsor value in an entirely new format.

The Solution

We saw the transition to a virtual MLMS as a branding and sponsorship opportunity for our client. The possibility of increased registration and participation in the event added value to an already successful program. The biggest challenge was determining how to maintain the same sense of connection and engagement in a virtual environment.

Our team worked with ELC to create a custom social media and paid advertising campaign that was laser-focused on procuring a steady stream of qualified leads for the symposium. We also further developed the client’s brand image so that it appealed to the correct target audience.

Results

Our team developed a robust organic and paid social media campaign that helped secure over 2,000 registrations for the 2021 Mid-Level Managers’ Symposium.