Customer Success Story: Golden Horseshoe Venture Forum

The Golden Horseshoe Venture Forum (GHVF) is an industry-led, non-profit organization that was established in 2000 with a mandate to help foster the growth of entrepreneurs in the Burlington region by connecting new businesses to investors and business service providers.
CUSTOMER PROFILE

Meeting five times per year, the GHVF has provided a unique forum for 176 entrepreneurs to present their companies to venture capitalists, local investors, and business service providers since its founding. Several of the companies that presented at the GHVF have gone on to become leaders on the Canadian startup scene. The GHVF has also had the privilege of having over 50 business leaders, including such visionaries as Michael Lee-Chin, Steve Watzeck, Douglas Barber, and Duncan Stewart provide keynote addresses to the forum. The GHVF is a wonderful environment for professionals to network in the Burlington to Toronto area.

BUSINESS PROBLEM

Dr. Laurence Hewick, the President of the GHVF, recognized that the organization was in need of marketing services that could help the GHVF to increase awareness, manage the actual event, and ultimately increase event attendance. For years, the GHVF had utilized Excel sheets and basic Outlook email blasts to connect with its attendee base, but these were no longer working. New systems and processes needed to be implemented to allow the GHVF to grow and continue to fulfill its mandate.

OUR SOLUTIONS

Working as a Part-Time Marketing Manager, providing both marketing and event management services, VA Partners assisted with:

• Designing a new website
• Rolling out a marketing automation solution
• Developing event content
• Onsite event organization
• The management of digital assets

THE RESULTS

With VA Partners assistance, every GHVF event has been successfully planned, organized and lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness. Implementing a beautiful and functional new website with a built-in marketing automation and event management solution allowed the GHVF to increase average event attendance by over 30% and grow its email distribution list by 40% all the while enhancing the guest experience. Furthermore, awareness of the GHVF increased as PR efforts contributed to more features about its successes in the local community.