Last week in Hyderabad over 650 professionals gathered for the annual celebration of the profession. Well, for those who experienced the summit first hand and noticed that the entire event was put together by a three-member team here’s what goes into it.
The story starts a month after the previous PRAXIS ends. A theme evolves based on the conversations that business, media and government are focussing on. Once a broad-based theme is frozen, a list of potential speakers is drawn from overseas locations. The purpose of doing this is to get an international perspective. Over a dozen speakers are reached out to for half the number of slots. These leaders are generally impressed with the communication that comes their way close to eleven months prior and either agree or don’t depending on how they see their year panning out. With a few confirmations, the next step is to reach out to all the current partners offering them the first right of refusal. With responses from partners clarity emerges about reaching out to new sponsors. Typically, 80% sponsors continue the relationship and 20% opt out temporarily.
Sponsorship closures can run for about six months as there are finer details to be ironed out. Dealing with 30 partners and 30 speakers happens on weekends and on weeknights as the three-member team is focussed on other full-time day jobs. A lot of connections also fructify on social networks that include Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. As this takes place we deploy an online registration tool where 25% delegates register at attractive early bird prices. Another 20% come as teams from companies ranging from 2-10 professionals. So, PRAXIS registrations from partner companies, direct company registrations and individual online registrations number over 500 around June with three months to go. Thereafter, couple of speakers who were the first to confirm start pulling out due to new things that emerge in their professional calendar and it is time to tap into the back-up speakers.
Side by side the creative and digital partner starts building the designs that are seen in print at the venue and on social media. A sound and light production vendor is finalised who helps bring the event to life. The hardest task is following up with a range of vendors, partners and speakers for their presentations. The content head sets up calls with speakers on panels so as to get everyone on board. Lastly, the team travels to the venue just a day before the summit to ensure expenses are at bare minimum.
This is in brief the PRAXIS story. We are eternally grateful to all partners who have been very supportive of this endeavour:
Title Partner – Adfactors; Super Night Partner – MSL; Platinum Partners – Avian WE, Value 360, SCoRe and The Holmes Report
Gold Partners – Viacom18, Google, Godrej, Genesis BM, Ketchum Sampark and Media Mantra
Silver Partners – Fuzion, First Partners, Impact Research & Measurement, SPAG, PR Pundit, Edelman, IFFCO and ShareChat – a unique app that needs a special mention for choosing to be a part of our journey
Bronze Partners – Kaizzen, Simulations, Kommune, On Purpose, Ideosphere, Skateboard, PRHUB, News Voir, Cision and BoringBrands – which is the company that has designed the various creatives you saw at the venue and help put the Reputation Today magazine together.
Supporting partners Global Alliance, Institute of Public Relations, PRCAI, Vivo, Bacardi, Coke, Mondelez, Carlsberg, Ola, Avignyata, MxM India and Sahyadri Institute for the student volunteers.
He is also the Founding Dean of the School of Communications & Reputation (SCoRe).
He can be reached at @amithpr on twitter.
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