5 Ways to Generate Revenue with Your Events Video

July 12, 2018

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is part of the Mediasite Events team of Sonic Foundry, which provides turnkey streaming services to hundreds of companies, healthcare organizations and continuing education conferences of all sizes throughout the globe every year.

Let’s first state the obvious: a lot, and I mean a lot, goes into planning and executing an event. No one knows this better than you. But what about when the event is over?

If you’ve put money and effort into capturing your event (or at least major portions of it), you now have a virtual treasure trove of video. Yes, it’s going to take some effort to maximize its value. But fortunately for you, lots of companies and organizations have been generating revenue from their event video for some time now. That means we have ample insights, anecdotes, and data on how event video can make you money long after the last booth is wheeled off the convention floor. Here are five ways for you to do just that.

1. The event is never really over: keep selling attendance
If you’ve preserved your event in video form, that means it can now live on – and keep bringing in money. How? One way is to sell virtual tickets or passes to the event after the fact. But who would want to attend? People who didn’t hear about your event in time or hesitated when they did, people who couldn’t attend but would still like to see what they missed, and even people who did attend.

Remember, a large event with lots of options means attendees must make choices. It’s not a stretch to imagine they’re still interested in the things they had to miss. You can offer them online access for a minimal fee so they can now see what they had to pass up – and maybe even revisit what they did see.

2. Turn your event’s video into an effective promotional tool for the next one
Your event is going to have some especially memorable moments – a keynote speaker’s inspiring call to action, an industry leader’s provocative prediction, a poignant exchange during a lively break-out session. Distill these into tantalizing trailers that you can use to promote next year’s event. Then, grow your audience of potential attendees by posting the trailers on social media, sending out emails with trailer links, and embedding them on your web pages and conference landing pages.

This point also underscores the value of recording B-roll and testimonials during your event for promotional use. Footage that vividly and candidly captures the spirit and energy of your event can go a long way toward making a person think Wow, I’d really like to be a part of that!

3. Create education products from your video
People have grown accustomed to watching video to learn. Take advantage of that fact. When you capture insightful keynote speakers, informative breakout sessions, and thought-provoking Q&As with industry experts, you’re creating valuable educational resources. That means you can turn your recorded speakers and sessions into continuing education videos. Develop a searchable video library and establish ways to monetize access.

4. Repurpose…and prosper
The protean potential of your video shouldn’t be underestimated. In other words, the information, the insights, and the powerful personalities your video has captured can all be transformed into other content. For example, have transcripts made from your event’s video and turn those words into compelling content you can either charge for or use in your overall content marketing and thought leadership strategies. I’m talking about everything from e-books and blog posts to trade articles and whitepapers.

5. Starting out small works great too
Don’t underestimate the value of capturing your one-room meeting or the sole keynote speaker for your half-day conference. Those are actually great ways to ease into using video at your event. So whether we’re talking about one hour of video or three days of it, start leveraging its power to create revenue streams you would never have imagined even a few years ago.

To learn more about generating revenue from your event’s video, check out this webinar.

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Partner Voices

Women at the Helm: Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!” These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas. Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities. Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC. What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space. What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here. Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen. This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.