Michael Trovalli, vice president of global events for German software company SAP, knows that networking and content are the two main draws for attendees at the brand’s largest annual conference, Sapphire Now. But with more than 22,000 customers, partners, and employees in attendance, there is wide range of preferences within those two broad categories. Based on input from focus groups, Trovalli created the SAP Select program tailored to the interests of the company’s top customers. For Sapphire Now, May 17 to 19 at the Orange County Convention Center, SAP invited about 450 C-suite executives to be a part of this exclusive experience.
“We take our best customers and give them something special,” Trovalli said. “Those 450 people are worth, if you look at the pipeline value, they are worth about 25% of it. We are taking the richest opportunities and giving them the white glove experience overlaid within the event itself.”
But content and networking are still the focus. SAP Select participants had access to “Executive Connect Sessions,” 45-minute interactive conversations on targeted topics lead by SAP’s president and board members. Most of the Select activities took place on the second floor of the convention center’s North Hall, adjacent to the main show floor but far enough away to provide a more quiet, intimate atmosphere conducive to networking. Organizers also housed most Select guests at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Orlando, where they also offered conference check-in, content sessions, and entertainment that included a private show by comedian Amy Schumer.
The design of the SAP Select area, using a soft black background with white lettering, also differentiated it from the main conference where SAP’s bright blue and gold logo was prominent. Trovalli first created SAP Select as a stand-alone conference in Beijing and Berlin in 2014.