TOOLS FOR
PREPARING A DEMO EVENT

Preparation of a demo event includes all activities that need to be performed before the demo event. We distinguish 4 important preparation tasks:

Specifying the objective of the demo event
Finding a good host
Defining the organisation team
Promotion of your event

Further on this page you can find some tools to help you during this preparation phase.

TOOLS FOR ORGANISATION | TOOLS FOR PROMOTION

SPECIFYING THE OBJECTIVE OF YOUR DEMO EVENT

Preparing a demonstration event starts with a clear and specific definition of the objective of your demo-event. Decide on why you want to organize the demo event, what you want to demonstrate and who you want to target. Once the objective is specified, further arrangements can be made regarding the location, logistics, the set-up, and promotion of the demo event.

FIND A GOOD HOST SITE

Demo events can be hosted on different types of sites, ranging from farmer owned farms to publicly owned fields leased by universities, research centers or extension sites. There are some criteria for selecting a good host site for the demo: the target group can identify with the host farm(er), it should have a good reputation, it should be suitable for hosting the demo event.

If you are looking for a suitable hosting farm, the FarmDemo Hub hosts an EU-wide inventory of demonstration farms on https://farmdemo.eu. In the inventory, demo farms are able to present their farm and the events they host.

Get inspired by some of the FarmDemo hosts on 'inspiration from practice'.

DEFINE THE ORGANISATIONAL TEAM

A good preparation and planning is key for a successful demo event. We advise to start well in advance, to make sure the right people can be involved in the organisation and that they can be well informed about their roles in the organization of the demo event. Communication between all people involved during the preparation and the demo event itself is crucial for a smooth organisation.

In the downloadable material you can find a template to prepare your demo-event. It integrates the important aspects you should think about with your organization team when organizing a demo event.

PROMOTION OF THE DEMO EVENT

A first important aspect of promotion is to make a clear invitation that is adapted to the target groups (Link to template for good invitation). It should include a clear event name that reflects the key message, specify the target group(s), the demo objectives, the key demonstrators and speakers, the added value for the participants, and any extra incentives for farmers to come (e.g., free soil analysis, Food and drinks, Prizes to win, …).

Second, think about who should spread the invitation and which channels should be used to be most effective to reach the target group. Here is a link to communication guidelines used in the NEFERTITI project. Or get inspired by some teaser videos made to announce a demo event.

Third, increase the engagement of your participants by already interacting with them before the event. E.g., ask them to register before the event, probe for specific interests or questions they have, send some information before the event (e.g. on the host farm or topic). Here you can find a template of registration form.