Executive Summary: The AHC was founded in 2005 to promote collaboration between the public and private sectors in responding to all hazards. The AHC is a member-based organization that represents the emergency management, homeland security, and business communities. The AHC's members include state and local government agencies, private sector companies, and non-profit organizations.

All Hazards Consortium (AHC) is a non-profit organization that brings together public and private sector stakeholders to address and mitigate all hazards facing communities across the United States.

Effective outreach strategy using virtual summits results in 550% increase in audience base and 96% lower event cost for All Hazards Consortium

Introduction

This case study outlines AHC's experience with the National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit (REXCH), a virtual event designed to foster discussions and share best practices related to business resiliency during disaster and response. Over the course of three half-days, several hundred participants will learn, network, and collaborate with private sector critical infrastructure partners, state and local emergency managers, DHS/CISA, DHS/FEMA/FMCSA, trade associations, academia, industry, and research groups.

Background

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, causing unprecedented disruptions to businesses across the country.

In response to the pandemic, AHC launched the National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit (REXCH). An established environment for sharing problem-solving and collaborative research to produce solutions that can reduce your risks and increase resilience.

REXCH was designed to provide a platform for business leaders, emergency managers, and government officials to share their experiences and insights related to business continuity during the pandemic.

The National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit (REXCH)

Virtual Summit : REXCH is designed to be interactive and engaging, with participants encouraged to ask questions and share their experiences.

This Summit was created by the AHC to establish an environment for sharing strategies, initiatives, research, problem-solving approaches to produce solutions that can reduce risks and increase national critical infrastructure resilience.

• 2021 National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit
• ​​2022 National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit
• 2023 National ResilienceEXCH Virtual Summit

REXCH is a virtual discussion series that brings together experts from the public and private sectors to discuss topics related to business resiliency.

The series consists of panel sessions, each focusing on a specific aspect of business resiliency, such as crisis communication, supply chain management, and workforce continuity.

• REXCH is open to all AHC members and non-members, with registration required.
• ​​REXCH typically consists of 3 days and multiple tracks, each focused on a different aspect of business resiliency.
• ​Topics covered in past REXCH sessions have included crisis management, supply chain resiliency, and cyber security.
• ​​REXCH provides participants with access to information, resources, and best practices that can help them improve their organization's resiliency.

Challenges

The AHC's mission is to promote the coordination of public and private sector resources to enhance the nation's ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards. The AHC achieves this mission by facilitating communication and collaboration between its members and providing them with access to resources and information.

As an organization, AHC has seen you how important it was to establish a strong presence in the Disaster Response Community given the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their best efforts to hold a live event in the fall of 2021, obstacles such as, social distancing and liabilities, kept them from gaining traction. They tried booking venue locations, but were often met with untenable requirements given the uncertainty of business travel.

The AHC faced several challenges during its development and implementation, including:

• Limited resources - As a non-profit organization, AHC had limited resources to devote to the REXCH. The team had to work with a small budget and a limited staff, which made it challenging to develop and execute a comprehensive virtual event.
• Technical difficulties - Given the sudden shift to virtual events caused by the pandemic, AHC had limited experience with virtual event planning and execution. As a result, the team had to overcome several technical challenges, such as ensuring that all participants could access and engage with the webinars.
• Limited attendance - Given the ongoing pandemic and the flood of virtual events occurring at the same time, AHC faced challenges in attracting and retaining a large audience for the REXCH. The team had to develop effective marketing and outreach strategies to ensure that the webinars reached a broad audience.

Solutions

To address limited resources and technical difficulties in planning and executing their virtual summit, the AHC implemented strategic partnerships with other organizations, collaborative planning with subject-matter experts, and robust marketing strategies through various channels.

They also worked with Tier1 Marketing Solutions to ensure that the technical aspects of the virtual summit were seamless and user-friendly.

To overcome these challenges, AHC implemented several solutions, including:

• Strategic partnerships - AHC partnered with several organizations, including the NBEOC and FEMA, to develop and promote the REXCH. These partnerships helped to increase the summits’ visibility and attract a larger audience.
• Technical difficulties - Given the sudden shift to virtual events caused by the pandemic, AHC had limited experience with virtual event planning and execution. As a result, the team had to overcome several technical challenges, such as ensuring that all participants could access and engage with the webinars.
• Limited attendance - Given the ongoing pandemic and the flood of virtual events occurring at the same time, AHC faced challenges in attracting and retaining a large audience for the REXCH. The team had to develop effective marketing and outreach strategies to ensure that the webinars reached a broad audience.

Results - Success Stories

Increased Brand Awareness: In response to COVID-19, Tier1 Marketing Solutions helped increase audience base by 550% by promoting National ResilienceEXCH (Exchange) Virtual Summits - an educational resilience virtual summit with state and multiple sectors, conducted over 35 sessions, and over 90 speakers.

Conclusion

Based on the results we achieved for the All Hazards Consortium, it's clear that virtual summit marketing can be an incredibly powerful tool for small businesses looking to grow their online presence. By developing a customized strategy that speaks to your target audience and showcases your brand's unique personality and values, you can attract new followers, increase engagement, and drive revenue for your business.

At Tier 1 Marketing Solutions, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional results for our clients, and we're committed to helping businesses succeed in the digital age. Whether you're looking to grow your social media audience, increase brand awareness, or drive revenue, we have the expertise and experience to help you achieve your goals.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed with online brand marketing.