It’s been a while since I sent out an update from The Financial Services Forum. We have a few newsworthy announcements to make that I’m delighted to share with you today.
Our webinars will now be held on Zoom
We have been using the BrightTALK webinar platform for exactly 10 years. It’s served us well, and we’ve racked up a grand total of 226 recordings since then!
A few months ago, following feedback from the community, we began thinking about how we could facilitate more interaction between Members during webinars. This led us to make the decision to transfer our digital event programme to Zoom Webinars.
Rest assured – the full archive of webinars recorded on BrightTALK will still be available on the Knowledge Centre, for you to watch on demand. However, we believe that the Zoom platform will help us to create more discussion around content between attendees, and bring back the intimate ‘closed-group’ feel that the Forum has become synonymous with.
Many of you will be well-versed in attending and perhaps running Zoom webinars, and I’m sure can attest to the value of the multiple features and benefits, including:
- The ability to live chat with other attendees and panellists during the presentations
- Using the ‘Raise Hand’ function to request to be unmuted and interact, posing questions live and on video (or audio only, if you prefer!) to the speakers
- An interactive chat Q&A function, whereby speakers can respond to your questions personally, and in private
- Breakout Rooms, whereby you are placed in a smaller video conference with a small number of fellow delegates, to form a closed discussion group
We’re really looking forward to trialling this new functionality next year. If you don’t already have a free Zoom account, you can create one here.
To join a webinar, you can either download the app to your desktop or, if your company doesn’t allow you to download apps, you can join on a browser.
The new registration process for FSF webinars will be:
- Log into your Forum account on the website
- Visit the ‘Events’ page and click on the event you are interested in registering for
- Click on the ‘Register Now’ link on the event landing page
- Fill in the required details on the Zoom page (this will enable us to verify that you are a Member of the Forum)
- A member of the Forum team will review and approve your registration
- You will receive a personalised confirmation email, with an meeting invitation that you can add to your calendar
- We will send you a 1-day reminder email 24 hours before the event is due to take place
- To join the webinar, simply click the link in the confirmation email and/or calendar invite on the day
On the topic of registrations, our programme for January-March 2021 is now being added to the website
Please take some time to have a look here and begin registering for the events of interest to you. We will be introducing some new formats to our digital events, with the introduction of virtual workshops, starting with a 2-part Asset Management workshop with Campbell MacPherson on Leading and Embracing Change in an Uncertain world.
Events will continue to be added over the next few weeks leading up to the Christmas break, so please continue to check back. Jasmine will also continue to email you to alert you to events of interest, and prompt you to register.
And that’s not all that’s new for 2021…
I’m delighted to announce that we are in the process of appointing a full-time Editor for The Financial Services Forum.
This newly created role will see the Forum begin to produce our own research, opinion pieces and interviews for Members, to complement our comprehensive event and conference programme.
By recruiting a seasoned editor, with background in marketing, we are hoping to elevate the voices and expertise of our community, and deliver on our purpose of challenging thinking, driving innovation, and sharing knowledge in financial services marketing. Ultimately, helping senior marketers to become more effective as a result of Membership.
Additionally, we’re in the process of updating our website, to create a community hub that will enable you to interact and engage with the content available and each other.
It’s certainly been a year like no other. But I’m confident that there is much to look forward to in 2021. And I know I speak on behalf of the Forum team when I say that we’re really looking forward to meeting up again in person with our Members soon.
David