How Worldwide Business Research turned up event engagement with visual notes

Events company Worldwide Business Research (WBR) was searching for new ways to engage audiences and capture testimonials at conferences and networking events. At its premiere B2B Online Chicago event, visual notes delivered both.

The highlights:

• 1-day conference, supported by 3 artists

• The goal was to build audience engagement and capture audience testimonials in a fresh, new way

• Combined the completed visual notes and engagement board into an impressive display

“B2B Online was the perfect event for visual notes. The audience is digital marketers who appreciate this type of engagement tool.” - Angelica Cieslak, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Business Research

Listen to the interview with Angelica here for a deeper insight from an event marketer’s perspective.

How WBR engaged attendees at B2B Online Chicago with visual notes

With a record-setting 700 digital marketers headed to B2B Online Chicago, the pressure was on to deliver an engaging and memorable event.

WBR Marketing Manager Angelica Cieslak, who oversees marketing for the organization’s annual B2B Online events, had two specific goals: help busy marketers retain what they learn during the speaker sessions, and refresh how WBR gathers audience testimonials.

Cieslak discovered visual notes on TikTok and knew they could be a great fit for B2B Online Chicago. Partnering with Ink Factory brought the idea to life.

The plan included visual notes and engagement boards. During the event, Ink Factory artists drew visual notes of the speaker sessions, translating words into pictures in real-time. The boards were then brought together to create a living mural that attendees could walk through and photograph.

“At conferences, it’s easy to lose focus on what the speaker is saying–even when it’s pertinent to your job. Visual notes give you something to look at and simplify what the speaker is saying so you can make connections more easily,” said Cieslak

In the well-trafficked Exhibit Hall, Ink Factory installed engagement boards to collect and spotlight audience testimonials. Attendees were asked to write their biggest takeaway and favorite part of the event on a sticky note. Artists then drew the responses on large poster boards.

“People would see the artists and comment it was so cool and take pictures. Everyone was so impressed,” said Cieslak.

“People would see the artists and comment it was so cool and take pictures. Everyone was so impressed.” - Angelica Cieslak, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Business Research

The visual notes had an impact after the event, too. WBR sent the notes to all attendees; speakers received notes from their sessions. They will also be used on the website and social media to promote the event next year.

Want to learn more about adding visual notes to your next conference or event? The Ink Factory team is here to help–connect with us today!