GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 48 - December 2020

Video conferencing tools like Zoomhave had tomakemajor changes in their tech since the start of the year, and the demands of digital events will only help to push innovation further. We might not yet have the requirements needed to truly make digital events work on a mass scale, but the tools and the tech will catch up eventually. Technology preferences may fracture networking results, which is why it’s going to be important to put yourself out there - consistently. SIGN UP FOR A DIGITAL EVENT TODAY Though it might seem a bit strange at first, you need to throw yourself into the world of digital events. Sharpen up your online image and prepare your outreach and follow-ups, just as you would have pre-COVID. Find events that suit your availability—they can be for hours (like mine are), the whole day, or even an entire week. Take a closer look at what these events are offering and what is most beneficial to your working environment and time constraints. You need to accept digital events as a new normal for the fore- seeable future because it’s uncertain when physical events may resume again. In the meantime we just can’t continue to “pause,” or wait for the “old norm” to resume, because it just might not! Lee-Ann Johnstone is a digital marketing and affiliate strategist, and co-founder of AffiliateINSIDER, a digital media and content hub. With more than two decades of experience building million dollar affiliate programs for brands around the world, she now runs her own private consultancy that offers affiliate business mentoring, affiliate marketing training and delivers services to businesses and affiliate entrepreneurs, around the world. For more information, visit www.leeannjohnstone.com or www.affiliateinsider.com GPWA Poll How many online conferences or networking events do you expect to attend in 2020? 5 % 5 % 5 % 5 % 5 % 14 % 61 % MichaelCorfman GPWA Executive Director I have already attended four of them this year (as of 9 September), and expect to attend several more before the year is over. They are certainly not the same as meeting in person, but they do have the advantage that there are not any travel costs or associated travel time, and (for better or for worse) it is easy to pop in and out or do reg- ular work when that seems more important. Lee1 Public Member I’ve attended most of the online events. They have got better and I love that SBC is using Zoom. It’s much more interactive so you can truly engage with the speakers. gil.langelaan Private Member I voted for the “1” but I’m not sure about that due to the current situation with quarantine. But I hope the progno- sis for the near future will be more optimistic. None One Three to Four Seven to Eight Two Five to Six More than 10 We are going through a cultural business change right now. How we communicate and how we present ourselves in the digital atmosphere is going to have an impact on how we are connecting with people online. 27 G P W A t i m e s . o r g