Herb Kim’s Post

How do people navigate awards and PR that's paid for? I struggle to believe in the authenticity of awards or profiles that require money for recognition. One, its not a fair reflection of the amazing work that's going on in this space, as not every organisation can afford to pay for the promotion. Two, they often ask people in the industry to offer judging services free of charge, despite often being paid sponsorship and event entry on top of award registration fees. Three, events organisers are rarely doing the day in, day out work of the awards categories they're judging, so I'm not sure how well placed they are to compare and assess the work underway. We've been doing the work we're now talking about Noisy Cricket for seven years now, but only since I've started to talk about it more openly have I been approached by offers to be on top ten lists and enter categories that bear little to no relation to what we do. So, I'm interested, who do you rate in this space, and trust in the equity, integrity and insight of the events and awards they promote?

📍 Sponsoring events in your area is a brilliant way to market your business to locals. Research upcoming events in Pittsburgh to get involved. Not only will you connect with local customers, but you’ll also spread brand awareness in a fun, social setting. Just make sure you ask about the possibility of getting a backlink before you get in too deep 😅 . . . #billwolfmedia #pennsylvania #pittsburgh #digitalmarketing #businessgrowth #localseo #smallbusiness #smbtips

Unlock the Power of Atlantic Canada's Events and Festivals Why should you incorporate Atlantic Canada's events into your marketing strategy? Here's why: Engagement Opportunities: Connect with your target audience through experiential activations, sponsorships, and interactive displays. Authentic Connections: Forge genuine relationships by aligning your brand with events that resonate with Atlantic Canadians' values and interests. Increased Visibility: Make a splash at premier events to stand out from the competition and reach new audiences. Strategic Planning Made Easy: Simplify your planning process with our comprehensive event list, covering major festivals, sporting events, and more. Ready to elevate your marketing game? Click here >> https://hubs.li/Q02C1gqG0 #EventsMarketing #CommunityEngagement #BrandEngagement

Looking for an easy way to grow your network in sport? Check out these 6 events you can join in the next 20 days: Btw, if you're new to SportsGrad... 'Industry Intros' is an online event series where you can join from home, learn about people's careers in sport, plus ask them questions and create new connections. 'Speed Networking' is another online event series where you can meet 10+ new people in 45 minutes. If you're a bit of an introvert, these are perfect to push your comfort zone and meet people in sport in a fun environment Coming up: Tomorrow: Speed Networking (Pro) Mon 4/11: Meet Kieran Kilcoyne, MBA from Bay FC in San Fran Wed 6/11: Employer Insights from Cricket Australia with Allison Robison Mon 11/11: Meet Billie Lewis from Dandenong Southern Stingrays Football Club Wed 13/11: Speed Networking Mon 18/11: Meet Adrian Cordi from the AFL - Australian Football League Re-share with your networks if you know someone who’s looking to get a foot in the door. We might be biased, but SportsGrad events are the easiest and most regular way to grow your network in sport. We've got 5 free spots to give away for each event. Comment below which event and we'll send the first 5 a link to get involved.

The Power of Sports in Building Stronger Client Relationships In the fast-paced world of business, finding unique and impactful ways to connect with clients is more important than ever. One of the most effective—and enjoyable—methods I've discovered is through sports. Attending a major sporting event with clients goes beyond traditional meetings and formal dinners. It offers a relaxed yet exhilarating environment where real bonds can form. Here’s why sports are a game-changer for client engagement: Creating Unforgettable Memories: Sharing the excitement of a live game creates lasting memories. These shared experiences forge stronger connections and positive associations with your brand. Facilitating Authentic Conversations: The informal setting of a sports event allows for more genuine interactions. It’s a chance to get to know your clients on a personal level, beyond business discussions. Exclusive Networking Opportunities: Sporting events often attract top industry professionals and leaders. The VIP suites and hospitality areas provide a unique platform for networking and potential collaborations. Showcasing Appreciation: Inviting clients to a high-profile sporting event demonstrates your appreciation and commitment to building a long-term relationship. It shows that you value their partnership and are willing to invest in it. Recently, one large IT services company had the opportunity to attend the T20 World cup with some of their key clients. Their reaction from the event was “The experience was nothing short of amazing! Not only did we enjoy the thrill of the game, but we also had meaningful conversations that strengthened our business relationships." If you’re looking for a way to stand out and build deeper connections with your clients, consider incorporating sports hospitality into your strategy. It's a win-win for everyone involved! What are your thoughts on using sports as a tool for client bonding? Have you had any memorable experiences? Share in the comments below! #ClientEngagement #SportsHospitality #Networking #BusinessRelationships #CustomerExperience #GainAccess #Sports

I do wonder, though, as I look out at all the global sports business conferences, conventions, banquets, Sessions, and industry gatherings if we don’t give ourselves too many awards, medals, statuettes, certificates, and accolades…and all based on what? Full disclosure: I’ve won a few. In sport only two things matter: the athlete and the fan. So if industry recognition isn’t based on tangible/measurable impact on either of those two stakeholders, then what is it other than mutual back slapping and an excuse to charge someone €1,500 to listen to your acceptance speech in a room full of agency clones (no buyers) making self serving presentations in pretentious on stage panel discussions of the obvious (with gushing moderators) in low slung chairs, while the rest of us eat overpriced banquet food? The sports conference business model needs some technological disruption.

Sceptical about including business networking and events in your marketing activities? We have recently been given the opportunity to work with a really exciting London based organisation to supply over 500 vehicles over the next 3 years. This is potentially worth over £10,000,000 revenue to our business. I wanted to acknowledge Ian Stafford who runs The Sporting Club, as it was by attending one of their fantastic events that I was introduced to this client. The Sporting Club run some amazing events and provide a different approach to traditional networking. Not only do you get to meet some of the top sporting celebrities and eat nice food - you get to meet lots of like minded people that there may be potential to do business with. This is just one of the bigger opportunities I have achieved by attending these events, we have also created some key strategic partnerships that have led to even more opportunities. If I had not gone to Shoreditch in London, to attend the event - I would never have been given the opportunity. The first step is just making yourself present. #businessnetworking #businesspartnerships #partnerships #thesportingclub #findandfinance #simplesafespecial

First networking event back on English turf! (complete) One of my incentives this year was to get into networking, and while my journey started in Australia, it’s been a little full circle moment meeting people in the industry here in my home town (Winchester!). Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Seen Agency Seen Social Event. We had the honour of hearing from the Marketing Director of THE PIG Hotel | B Corp. My three big takeaways were: 👉🏻Everything is in the details of how you interact with the consumer. 👉🏻Creating an experience builds successful, long-lasting brands by focusing on how your audience feels when interacting with your brand. 👉🏻Delivering the extra 5% to your customers and business truly makes a difference. That extra effort can turn a first-time consumer into a loyal one. So valuable! Having insights into how a leading hospitality brand has achieved success sparked thoughts on how we can implement experience and emotion into our digital strategies, using social media as a tool to create meaningful experiences for consumers. This is an aspect of social media and digital which can be often overlooked, brands are speaking at people, not to them. Thank you, Seen Agency can’t wait for the next one! #networkingwinchester #hospitalitymarketing #strategy

How insanely ridiculous that the compensation the Victorian government paid for not hosting the games, will end up costing more than what Glasgow is paying to host a scaled down version. All because the right events people weren't consulted, the right conversations weren't had, and the effects of this and other decisions by government that continue to hurt our events industry! Simon Thewlis recently shared with me the following information, and it goes to show how much Victoria has slipped in terms of business events and on a whole how decisions like the above, and more then affect our industry. Recent data from Tourism Research Australia (TRA - a branch of Austrade) shows that in the space of a decade Victoria has gone from easily being the leading state for business events to being third - behind Queensland and a mile behind New South Wales. Market Share of Business Events in 2014 for Victoria was 36% Market Share of Business Events in 2024 for Victoria is now just 21% A drop in share of spend that equates to a loss of billions of dollars a year to Victorian businesses and people, particularly business and people in the events industry. While major events like Commonwealth Games being cancelled gets major news coverage, as it's a huge loss with global reach. The data above equates to billions of dollars lost across business events per year in Victoria, more than what was lost because of the Commonwealth Games, yet this hasn't received any coverage. Whereas QLD and NSW seem to be driving ahead on business events and their market share has grown during this period to completely topple Victoria. Business events drive change and innovation across organisations, industries, and communities. They train, educate, inform, inspire and motivate. They are critical to the work of both the profit and not-for-profit sector and they are a key source of income for many organisations. So why does the Victorian government still not understand our industry? Why are they still not investing in our industry? When will they realise that the events industry drives business, drives change, provides opportunities, supports more than just our sector, and in fact brings lots of business to the state and Country as a whole! Clearly NSW and QLD are on the right track with major spend growths in the sector, but Victoria seems to be lagging massively behind!

THIS! 👇 Just in case you weren't aware........we're not just about all our amazing events and lunches and dinners at The Sporting Club, plus our various discounts and, of course, all our permanent homes. Ultimately all of that leads to one thing - business matchmaking which, in turn, leads to the creation of business for our members. Don't just take it from me. Take it from Michael Kirby, a West Midlands-based member who gets off his backside and makes the (small and very enjoyable) effort to attend as many events as he can not just for the fun side of it but because he wants to expand his network and create more opportunities. The result is his fantastic post below. I really enjoy just about everything to do with the Sporting Club, but what gives me most satisfaction is when I hear (as I do on a weekly basis) that good business has been done through intros made at the club. It's not always to the extent of Michael's but regularly very decent business is done between good people. At first it all went through me but as the club continues to grow and the membership increases so more and more members are doing business with each other. And, guess what? We take no cut, no facilitation fee, no slice of the pie. We believe that if we started to do that it would change the whole dynamic of the club. No, we are happy enough if our members are happy. It shows it works. So is it worth attending our events? Is it worth hanging out in our 11 permanent club lounges in seven cities in the UK? Is it worth using our members only portal to exchange messages and inform fellow members of what's going on in your world? (And that's before making new friends, enjoying all our discounts and having heaps of fun). Is it worth being a member of the Sporting Club? Hell yes! As Michael (and many, many others) will testify. Thanks for the kind words Michael. You are very, very welcome. Go to thesportingclub.co for more info or message me.