The Gezond & Zeker Innovation Day is organized annually by RegioPlus, a collaboration of regional employer organizations in healthcare and welfare. Within RegioPlus, Coco Heitink is responsible for organizing the annual Healthy & Safe Innovation Day. “We organize the Innovation Day for ergo coaches, safety coaches, and other healthcare professionals who, in addition to their regular care work, focus on the physical and mental health of their colleagues. Such a day is rare for this group of professionals, which makes the Innovation Day extra special. The event not only offers them valuable knowledge and skills that they can immediately apply in practice, but it’s also a fun day with colleagues where they are truly pampered,” says Coco. Coco is supported in organizing the event by conference and event agency PINO and the team at the NBC.
Festival-style programming ensures flexibility and freedom
The Gezond & Zeker Innovation Day is not just an event with a ‘standard’ conference program. It includes a plenary opening, an exhibition floor with 25 stands, and an extensive workshop offering. “On the exhibition floor, there are mainly training agencies and suppliers of tools that participants can try out directly during a demonstration. Additionally, we offer 47 different workshops focused on acquiring practical knowledge and performing tasks. This means, for example, that only 20 guests can participate in a workshop, rather than the 100 guests typical at a ‘normal’ conference,” explains Coco.
With such a busy program centered around practical knowledge and trying out tools, as an organization, you face quite a logistical challenge. How do you ensure that both guests and exhibitors get the most out of the day? Coco continues: “For even visitor distribution and flexibility, we have been working with a festival-style programming for three editions. This approach allows participants the freedom to create their own schedule. The workshops are offered multiple times and vary in length—from half an hour for a brief introduction to an hour and a half for a deep dive into a specific topic. Additionally, the festival schedule ensures that visitors spread out evenly over the exhibition floor throughout the day, giving everyone ample time to visit stands and participate in product demonstrations. A big plus for our exhibitors: they have a steady stream of visitors all day long, which enhances the quality of the exhibition visit. They now really have enough time to speak with everyone.”
The guest experience takes center stage
While the Innovation Day focuses on education and innovation, the guest experience is also central to this event. “Because such a day is rarely organized for this group of healthcare professionals, we want to make it a celebration for everyone. Our target group consists of hardworking professionals who provide care every day. They certainly deserve to be pampered on this day,” says Coco.
To achieve this, a lot of effort has been made over the years. From a photo booth to a caricature artist, and from a hairdresser to live entertainment that creates a warm welcome. Catering is also an important part of the experience and is prominently featured in the program. Coco continues: “Lunch is served over two hours during this day. This gives guests the chance to enjoy it at their leisure, network with colleagues or exhibitors, or relax in the garden. The festival approach also brings a lot of calm and freedom in terms of the guest experience. The guests have control over where they eat, which sessions they want to attend, and where they want to be. It all flows very naturally.”
Audience engagement and a goodie bag with a twist
In addition to a flexible and complete program, this year also saw the first presentation of the Innovation Award. Several exhibitors were nominated for this, and it was indicated on the exhibition floor using floor stickers. Coco explains: “Upon arrival, all guests received a goodie bag containing a ping pong ball. At the entrance, there were large tubes where people could vote for the innovation of the year with their ping pong ball. With this kind of audience engagement, you make the day even more fun for your guests!”
The goodie bag contained a few other fun items besides the ping pong ball, such as a notebook with a pen and a pair of gardening gloves with a card. Coco continues: “The idea behind the gardening gloves is that they give you more grip during certain tasks, reducing the strain on your hands and arms, such as when putting on and taking off compression stockings. It’s a nod to the entire day full of inspiration and knowledge, but they can also be used practically. Or, of course, you can use them in the garden!”
Positive feedback and an important lesson
When asked if Coco would do anything differently for the next edition, the answer is simple: “Not really, I actually thought the day was a real celebration. Because we work with the supportive teams from the NBC and PINO, as a client, you can enjoy the event day yourself. You know it will be fine because you’re working with trusted partners. Plus, our target group is just great. They are all enthusiastic people with a passion for their work, and it really shows. The guests gave the day a solid eight out of ten as a rating,” says Coco.
For other event organizers who want to work with a festival-style program, Coco has an important lesson: “Keep in mind that guests want to get started right after the plenary opening. Make sure this is well integrated into the program. A festival schedule with smaller workshops does not work well if all 1,075 guests want to attend the first workshops simultaneously. So either increase capacity during the first round by starting different workshops at the same time, or provide clear communication beforehand. This way, it’s clear to the guests that they can also first take a tour of the exhibition floor after the opening.”
Coco’s golden event tip
Of course, we asked Coco for her golden event tip: “When organizing an event based on content, my tip is to really trust the expertise of your partners. This includes the event location and the event agency. Whether it’s logistical support, managing contacts with workshop leaders, compiling the festival program, or coming up with creative ideas, collaborating with experienced partners can truly make a difference. They have the right experience and can give you good advice on what does and doesn’t work during an event or at the location.”
Trust the expertise of your partners. They have the right experience, and this can truly make a difference.
Coco continues: “An example from this year was the use of the many screens available at the NBC. Each one contributed to the guest experience. Guests were welcomed from the parking lot with a welcome message on the XXL LED wall, and we made a big impression during the plenary opening with the use of the 45-meter-wide 3D decor. On the exhibition floor, the LED columns provided a cohesive look and feel. To make the Healthy & Safe stand stand out even more, we gave one of the columns a different appearance. It was a real eye-catcher! Another example was using the ping pong balls to vote for the best innovation and the mantel wall where participants could take photos in the theme of caregiving. These creative ideas not only fostered interaction but also created lasting memories of a successful day.”
