CASE STUDY – Relaunching SHBC Live Events after COVID

Updated: Apr 5

The client

The Sydney Hills Business Chamber is one of Sydney’s most vibrant and active chambers, with a growing, actively engaged membership. Icon Corporate Events was a longstanding events partner – until COVID hit.

The challenge

By early 2021, COVID meant there had been no in-person events for nearly a year. SHBC decided to go back to live events with one of their signature annual events – the Chairman’s Lunch, held on Wednesday 7th April at Castle Hill RSL. With federal and local politicians attending alongside industry experts, it was vital to get everything right, even though everyone was a little out of practice.

Goals

We started by clarifying what the event should achieve:

· To relaunch in-person events for the Chamber and demonstrate that they were safe

· To position the Chamber as having high authority and influence by showcasing relationships with politicians, decision-makers and industry experts

· To provide value to members attending and encourage further attendance despite lingering concerns about COVID

Format and Content

These flowed naturally from the goals. We agreed on two panel discussions, hosted by the SHBC Chairman Kerrie Sheaves.

Planning and Administration

We developed a detailed implementation plan including:

· Branding and promotion opportunities for the SHBC and for the event sponsor Mulpha

· Liaison with stakeholders including the SHBC, sponsors, event participants and event suppliers

· Requirements for suppliers including the venue, sound, lighting, catering and

· Run sheets and check lists

We managed all pre-event communication and stakeholder liaison.

Event Day Management

Our work on the day itself included

· Bump-in and bump-out

· Final checks on all aspects of preparation for the event.

· Working with the client and volunteers to manage a seamless registration and entry process

· Coordinating with sponsors

· General communication and troubleshooting

· Collecting feedback from attendees, guests, the sponsor and the SHBC.

The results

The event was a resounding success, with a vibrant, positive atmosphere right from the start. Chamber representatives, sponsors and attending members all complied with COVID safety requirements, interacting in person for the first time in months while still complying with precautions.

The Chairman's Lunch attracted 200 attendees with a 4.9 out of 5 satisfaction level.

The panel discussions included questions submitted digitally by the audience, and covered a range of issues including the impact of COVID and the future of the Hills District.

Everyone left knowing that SHBC in-person events were back, and were worth attending!