CONVENTA BEST EVENT AWARD – WINNING IDEAS
Kongres Magazine talked to Saša Verovšek, whose project Feel Sloveni@ Business Date won the award for the best B2B project and the Conventa Grand Prix Award, about her opinion on events and groundbreaking projects.
Q1: What do you think about the Conventa Best Event Award competition. Where do you see it going in the future?
It is a great opportunity for event organisers to showcase their events and for the participants of the Conventa Crossover to learn and get inspired from the examples of good practices. As an event organiser, you also receive feedback from »outside«, from the people who did not attend the event, from fellow event organisers and experts from the jury.
Q2: Why do you think your project convinced the international jury?
The project started with a video shoot for an intro video for our virtual events, and this shoot, as we decided for the stars to be our teammates, turned out to be a priceless team-building experience. We’ve put our hearts and souls into it, and this remained a fact throughout the preparation of all virtual Feel Sloveni@ Business Date events, and we are sure that this personal approach is what people value most.
Q3: Do you think that event awards are important in the eyes of existing and potential new clients. Do they (still) have weight?
As we are not your typical event agency, it is a bit hard to answer this question. Still, if we are looking from our perspective, such awards give weight to our work. They motivate us to stay innovative, creative, and passionate in our work as we strive to promote Slovenia as an attractive tourist destination.
Q4: What are the qualities and values that you want to transfer to your events?
We wanted to prove that in the digital world too, the personal approach is what counts, that behind every avatar, every username, and digital profile, there are real people. And to highlight that it’s the people who set apart virtual events and make them successful.
Q5: What are some of the most common mistakes that companies and organisers make when organising events?
Being focused on their experience, on what they as organisers want to achieve, they/we sometimes forget about the participant of the event, where they are coming from, what they are feeling, and what their user experience is.
Q6: Which competencies of event organisers need to be strengthened the most after the corona crisis?
Again, we are not a typical event agency; therefore, we can speak from an organiser and client point of view. For us, it is important to establish trust with the participants at our events to feel safe and protected while joining our live events.
Q7: You have created many amazing events in your career. Is there an event that you have particularly fond memories of and is always stuck in your mind?
The virtual events that were awarded were sure a great and memorable experience, but still, live events are the ones that keep us going, and our signature Slovenian Incoming Workshops are sure on top of our best events list.
Q8: What has been the most difficult event you have organised in your career?
Virtual events Feel Sloveni@ Business Date are for sure among the most difficult ones, most probably also because we needed to step outside our comfort zone and learn a new set of skills, but at the same time stay true to our brand and our values.
Q9: We are constantly talking about future trends that will shape the meetings industry. But what past trend shaped your company and events the most in the last 20 years?
The pandemic and all the measures in the event industry related to that shaped the way we were executing the events in the past year and a half, and most probably, it will still influence it for some time.
“We are lucky that the »subject« of our events is always the same, always inspiring.”
Q10: What was your main source of motivation for choosing a career in the meetings industry? Does the profession still excite you in the same way?
We are lucky that the »subject« of our events is always the same, always inspiring. As Slovenian Tourist Board, our event’s main »theme«is our beautiful country Slovenia in general, and constantly upgrading Slovenian tourism in particular. We are working within the brand I Feel Slovenia, a powerful brand, that inspires us and makes us feel sLOVEnia. This is enough to keep us excited and motivated for years and challenges yet to come.
Q11: What are you reading, watching, listening to at the moment?
Kilometer 0 by Lora Klinc – a book debut from the life partner of Primož Roglič: to get inspired by our cycling champion’s fight and winning attitude and his support system.
Globalna vas, Val 202’s podcast about Slovenians living worldwide with exciting stories, experiences, and a new, different perspective of the world and Slovenia: to broaden my horizons and travel the world if only through their stories for the time being.
Q12: What is your advice for those who want to enter the CBEA competition in the future?
If you believe in your event and are passionate about it, do not hesitate to apply; it is a good learning experience.
