Event submission is under way!
Huge thank you to everyone who has already submitted their fantastic ideas.
We thought we should offer up some tips to whip your event submission into shape!
1. Connect your event idea with this year’s theme “Upwardly Mobile: The Rise of The Connected Class.”
Think about how your event answers the question “How can all humans achieve more in a connected world?” as posed by Toby Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Social Media Week. Ask yourself: “how can a connected Africa solve African problems?” “are there examples of a connected Africa solving African problems in the past that you can draw from?”
2. Create an outline for the scope of your event.
To get your event concept fully approved, and your team ready for February, think about how to execute the event in an engaging way. Here are some questions to think about. Using bullets or short paragraphs can help clarify and highlight the important parts of your message.
- Why should people come to your event?
- What are participants expected to bring/do?
- What will participants leave your event thinking, knowing, experiencing?
- What makes your company/you qualified to host this event (your chance to brag a tiny bit)?
- What is your challenge to your participants?
- What will your panelist talk about? What are their credentials?
- Who will moderate your panel? What are their credentials?
- What is your thesis? What ideas do you want to promote through your event?
3. Work on your title.
Choose a name that catches the spirit of the event. Also, relate that title to your demographic. Your name should touch on subjects that invoke your target demo whether it’s young professionals, college students, affluent communities, women, etc. Ask various people within that group to see if your event name catches their attention.
4. Don’t make your title too long or too short. This is fairly self-explanatory.
5. Use catchy terms and relevant words that make sense with your event topic.
6. Keep It Simple.
They say plain talk is bad manners, we disagree – remembering an event name it is one thing, but understanding it is another. Easy, common (in your niche) words in a catchy phrase are your safest bet and will take both you and your intended audience a long way.
7. Create a hashtag.
Like your event title, your hash tag should be catchy or easy to remember. We suggest using less than 15 characters ( All hashtags automatically start with #SMW______ you fill in the blank) Here is an article that explains the benefits and uses of hashtags.
8. Create and share a general agenda for your event. This is self-explanatory as well.
9. Have a look at our “Getting Started” FAQ sheet.
It has lots of helpful tips geared toward getting you ready for the next stages of planning your event(s).
Submit your event here.
This article appeared originally on the Social Media Week Lagos, written by Niama Sandy, Programming Coordinator for Social Media Week Lagos.