Communications, Registration, Abstracts - Update December 7, 2017

Hi folks - excellent to be working with you in the What Works? Summit planning process. Below is an update sent to the Communications sub-group and now shared with you. Thank you for your efforts communciating the Summit to your staff, networks, partners, etc - very much appreciated. Specific recognition for the orgs in the communications sub-group which has had a laser focus on helping to ensure that relevant people in development know about the Summit, that we have have people attending (registrations) and that there is knowledge to share and debate (the abstracts). Specific thanks to the Consortium for Press Freedom; Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs; International Social Marketing Association; Global Fourm for Media Development; Communication for Development Network; Populations Services International (PSI) and The CI also chipped in - all contributed in a big way to the data below. The Abstracts submission process just closed so were taking stock. Hence the note below. Most happy to answer any questions. 

NOTE TO COMMUNICATIONS SUB-GROUP - December 7, 2017

Hi folks. We have all been working in the first phase of our communications strategy to focus on ensuring that there was content for the Summit (the abstracts) and people to attend (registrations). With the abstracts process have closed yesterday (December 6, 2017) I wanted to provide you with a quick update ... and to express the thanks of everyone involved in this process for your engagement and action that has made a huge contributio to the numbers below. Through your network and membership communications, as well as efforts from others involved in planning the Summit, we are in the following position:

Total Abstracts submitted - 1,287

This is a very healthy number - congrats! They will now be reviewed by the programme sub-group and selections will be made for the Summit. From a quick review a few days ago they are focused on a good cross-section of all of our work. I will try to udpate on this soon. 

Total registrations to date - 178

As the closing date is not until March 1, 2018 this is an excellent start. Of course lots of the people and orgs behind the 1,287 abstract submissions above may be waiting to see if those abstracts are selected before registering. There were also 192 people (memory - check) who started the registration process and left it. We are looking at this in order to understand. It could be related to the payment page! If you are amenable to sending further communications to your networks and memberships this week can I suggest that these focus on the early bird registration discount closing on December 15th. But I suggest at this stage that the numbers above are not communicated. The abstracts just closed and we will propose soon some substantive text re that number and registrations.

Thanks again - tremendous effort by all. I will write again soon with a suggested next meeting date and time. Apologies that due to travel this has been a bit messy lately. When the early brd registration closes we can turn to focus on the fun stuff of the substantial communicatons strategy around the Summit that is inclusive of both those attending and not able to attend - networks, groups, comments, video streaming, debate, dialogue, ratings, social media streams and lots of others!

Best wishes - Warren