The client 

Lenka Koppová is an award-winning Social Media Strategist and Trainer who helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses through the use of social media for customer service, community building, and brand awareness. She is the organiser of Cambridge’s Social Media Meetup and Founder of Cambridge Social Media Day.

The brief

Aware of the desire from the city’s business community to learn more about social, but troubled by the imbalance of relevant conferences nearby - Lenka created Cambridge Social Media Day. A conference for freelancers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs to gain the knowledge and inspiration needed to grow their business themselves through social media.

From attending large-scale events and running her meetup for two years, Lenka was certain of what she wanted the day to be, but without experience in producing a conference, she looked to us as her event specialists.

The main event

Cambridge’s first ever Social Media Day was a one-day conference, with two streams, 15 speakers, and 150 attendees. Our support was two-fold:

Event consultancy

From the moment she decided to hold the event, right through to the post-event debrief we were there alongside Lenka to share knowledge, offer advice, and answer questions.

We had regular event planning meetings during which we ensured every aspect of the conference had been thought of, worked through key phases in the timeline, and kept the task list on track.

We sourced the venue for the conference and liaised with them directly in terms of set up, schedule, AV/tech, and catering facilities. We worked with Lenka to map out the space, walk the attendee journey, and allocate key areas such as the quiet room.

On-the-day event management

When it came to the big day itself we were there every step of the way - from setting up the entire venue to packing down the last piece of event branding.

Our smiles welcomed each attendee as we handed them their name badge and goodie bag, and we were on hand to answer all questions throughout the day. We greeted each of the speakers, making them feel relaxed and ready to present, and all sponsors as we showed them their allocated space.

As event managers for the conference, we were the hub of the team. We pulled together the venue staff, caterers, tech, compères, and volunteers to ensure everything ran smoothly and attendees had the experience Lenka was hoping for.

The results

• Our event expertise and light-hearted approach gave Lenka the reassurance and headspace she craved to produce such a special event.

• We found an exciting new venue which the majority of attendees hadn’t experienced before. It was ideal for the size of the conference, accessible to all, and we made sure it was secured at the best price.

• By managing the setup, pack down, and the entire day itself this allowed Lenka the opportunity to concentrate on compèring her event, entertaining the speakers and sponsors, and meeting all of her attendees.

• Tickets sold out, the conference trended on Twitter, passes for the following year’s two-day event started to fly before the day was out, and the feedback was impressive . . .

“What a fantastic event @lenkakopp - well done. Great speakers. Excellent choice of venue. Tasty nibbles. What more does a girl need?” - Catfish Web Design, Sponsor, Cambridge Social Media Day (via Twitter).

“As if we needed confirmation that #cambridge is the epicentre of the UK’s digital economy, a triumphant Cambridge Social Media Day #CSMDay2018” - Dayglow Media, Attendee, Cambridge Social Media Day (via Twitter).

“Behind the scenes at #csmday2018. Coffee break is over and Justin and Jemma @thecraneevent and @quericotapas go straight into organising the logistics for lunch. 150 people having fun = a team dedicated to keeping them happy!” - Ann Hawkins, Speaker, Cambridge Social Media Day (via Twitter).

We can’t thank Lenka enough for bringing such an exciting new conference to the small business owners of Cambridge and inviting us to be a part of it. Roll on #CSMDay2019!

Photos courtesy of Jemima Willcox Photography, Timbond Design, and Jeremy Peters.