Backstory
The SMME Summit, held over two days in February this year, aimed to help create access to information, financial assistance and access to markets for township-based businesses in the province.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses took a huge knock and experienced significant business uncertainty with a possible third wave of the pandemic looming and changes to how businesses will be able to operate under regulations that address safety protocols. The Gauteng Department of Economic Development’s aim was to find meaningful solutions to the problems SMMEs are facing in this uncertain economic climate.
More than half of the owners of SMMEs have expressed great concern regarding the viability of their businesses during the past few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why the Gauteng Department of Economic Development made the decision to provide the knowledge, skills and resources to enable small businesses to continue their operations.
The Goal
The Gauteng SMME Summit needed to find a solution that allowed them to host their annual SMME event in light of the global pandemic and required assistance in hosting the entire event virtually for the first time.
The Solution
This year, the Summit was held entirely virtually to allow us to adhere to social distancing regulations. The Summit was hosted across a wide range of social media platforms to ensure the event was accessible to as many attendees as possible. Flock was excited to help transition the Summit to the virtual space, and in so doing, to play a role in supporting small business enterprises in South Africa with its technical online eventing expertise.
Flock provided a fully customised event page and its event RSVP suite, programmes and a full list of speakers for both days. Guests were able to visit one platform to receive all the information they needed which streamlined the pre-event registration process and they could access all event information and materials during the event from the same platform.