I’ve been asked a lot over the last couple of days to polish my crystal ball and see into the future. Not too far ahead though – mainly the next couple of months……

Coronavirus.

It’s literally taken over all conversations - globally. Which in turn has led me to communicate directly with many organisations and associated personnel to determine how best we can all work closely together and achieve the best results.

Nothing can replace one-on-one interaction with people – be they our partners, dealers, customers, consultants, media – you get the idea. It’s how business works. People buy from people. That simple. Email, phone, even video calls won’t and can’t replace talking to someone directly – right in front of you – and changing your behaviour, tone or even complete topic to communicate with the individual.

But now we’re faced with meetings/trips being cancelled, events being debated and our current behaviour, and infrastructure, questioned.

Manor Marketing is carrying on with all its NAB plans. And CABSAT, MPTS and ConnecTechAsia too. We have flights, hotels, meetings, events and more planned. And we continue to work with our numerous clients on show preparations. But we’re also sensible and therefore, in parallel, we’re working on Plan b.

• Plan a – Attending NAB
• Plan b – Organising Virtual NAB

We are working hard (with our clients) to produce their NAB videos, what they are going to be showcasing at the show and customer user stories out to the media, analysists and consultants, as well as their partners and customers via newsletters, HTMLs and webinars. And information is being sent physically, as well as dynamically. More than ever, contact and information is vital and we’re going out of our way to ensure this happens – and then some. And it’s being really well received!

This is all quite standard in many respects, and we’re focused on providing the information in multiple ways so that everyone receives everything in a way they can digest and use. And because it’s important to manage expectations, it’s being done in a positive and enthusiastic manner.

But everyone has to have a Plan b, and we’re no exception. It’s called Virtual NAB.

We have a green screen studio in our office and although have done (and had planned to do more) webinars and videos on NAB already, we will be broadening the scope to enable one-on-one demos and discussions with the media, partners and customers. We also have the facility to do this remotely, via Zoom, and with a green screen, so regardless of your location, you can still get your message/demonstration out there. We are working on a schedule of presentations and demonstrations that people can join in, or watch later. Everything that would happen at a show, just not face-to-face.

FAQs will become dynamic, rather than just a list. Whiteboard explanations and working through individual solutions will be interactive.

This is also the time to reinforce support and services – to give confidence to all that it’s business as usual. You’re not panicking, and neither should your customers or partners.

There may be a short period of virtual shows, conferences and possibly meetings/demonstrations, but it won’t last. And we won’t let any virus stand in our way either!

#CuriouserAndCuriouser #NABShow #CABSAT #BroadcastAsia #ConnecTechAsia