A summit meeting brings together leaders from across industries to discuss important topics. These meetings may take place in person or online, and can include presentations from influential speakers. They can also provide opportunities for attendees to network with each other. When planning a summit, it is essential to focus on the meeting’s goals and ensure that the content is relevant to attendees’ interests. This will help attendees connect with the speaker and the content, and can lead to future interactions.
Solid pre-meeting work clarifies objectives, coordinates content, and initiates engagement with participants. But often, that work isn’t visible to the audience at the summit itself.
Summits disrupt old ways of thinking and can generate great ideas, but it takes time to channel that energy into smart strategy and executable next steps. That’s why it’s important to plan at the outset where your summit will go after the event ends.
For example, if you’re hosting a virtual summit to promote brand awareness, it might make sense to hire speakers from within your organization. However, if you’re focusing on community outreach or partnerships, you might find it more effective to bring in outside speakers from your industry.
Once the meeting is over, it’s important to follow up with a survey that reveals whether the goals were achieved. This will help you understand what was successful, what could be improved for the next meeting, and what should be jettisoned altogether. It is also a good idea to follow up with a call to action that encourages attendees to take action. This can be as simple as a signup form for your email list, or it can be more involved like scheduling a demo call with one of your sales reps.