Delivering our virtual and face to face events

Each year we deliver over 35 virtual and face to face events across the UK, free for our community of healthcare professionals to attend. From our media brands Pulse, Pulse PCN, Nursing in Practice, Management in Practice and Hospital Healthcare Europe, these events are produced and marketed by Cogora.

When selecting new additions for the Cogora virtual and face to face events portfolio, several factors are considered. Firstly, we gauge our audience interests, which can be discerned from attendance patterns at previous events and feedback from brands. This is particularly relevant for our virtual events often revolve around specific clinical themes. Expansion to untapped geographical areas for face-to-face events is also assessed. Data analysis helps evaluate potential audience size and reach, aiding in estimating event viability and expected attendance. Furthermore, competitor analysis is conducted to ascertain how the new event fits within the market landscape and fulfils audience and sponsor requirements.

Overall, Cogora's event selection process combines audience engagement trends, market demand, geographic considerations, data insights, and competitor positioning.

For each event, our team develop an agenda and selection of speakers utilising our extensive database of experts and key opinion leaders who know and trust us. Initial stages encompass comprehensive research, drawing from past event feedback, delegate suggestions, emerging guidelines (for example NICE), and working with clinical advisors or speakers to suggest the most topical subjects.

Additionally, considerations extend to the preferences of sponsors and exhibitors. Draft agendas are reviewed by representatives of the target audience as well as our internal editorial teams to ensure they are of the highest quality to ensure optimal engagement and networking opportunities.

These agendas are tailored to foster peer-to-peer learning settings. For instance, at a Pulse event, we would seek a GP with special interest in a specific field, a consultant with experience at the primary-secondary interface or somebody who sits on an advisory board for that subject. For a non-clinical event such as Management in Practice, we would typically seek case study style sessions that focus on successful initiatives or look for speakers involved in the development and implementation of policy.

All virtual and face to face events are supported by an extensive marketing campaign, specific to that event or series, and tailored to the target audience. This approach ensures effective audience engagement, registrations, and attendance on the day. Working with our Development and Design teams, we build a bespoke website, email banners, online ads, and social media assets, all to reach the intended audience. Every day, our media brands interact with our communities across a number of platforms. Our influence means they respond to us.

Attention is also paid to the retention strategy, maximising the conversion of registrants to attendees on the day. Emphasis is placed on the user experience and ease of use.

Our marketing campaigns span between 4 - 20 weeks, contingent on the event's nature and theme. This comprehensive approach ensures optimal promotion and attendance for every event or series, aligning with the core objective of enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.

In 2023, Cogora would have delivered to 15 face-to-face events to over 3,100 primary and secondary care delegates.

Each event has an accompanying exhibition, where delegates can meet and network with our carefully selected partners, giving you direct access to your target audience of HCPs, to promote any new products, services, and solutions. Sessions within the agenda can also be sponsored. If you are interested in attending any upcoming events, please contact us.

Feedback from delegates has been very positive:

• ‘A very useful event to update knowledge and hear from expert speakers. Lovely to network with colleagues, old and new. A variety of stands offering helpful services.’ – Pulse Event delegate
• ‘All of the sessions I attended were very well presented and the information useful food for thought’. – Pulse PCN Event delegate
• ‘The speakers and topics were really well chosen for this event. I went away with lots of ideas which is exactly what I was hoping for when attending this conference’. – Management in Practice delegate