Fortify
The Okanagan’s burgeoning spirits industry is dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic by taking its annual Fortify Conference online.
“The beverage sector continues to navigate through the challenges of reopening and getting back to business, and with many questions and uncertainty, this is the time to move forward with planning and preparing,” said Sandra Oldfield of Elysian Project, co-founder of the conference.
The webinars will include “Fortify Your Business—Strategies for Short and Long-Term Survival,” with Ed Olson of MNP and James Grant from Signature Risk Insurance; Compensation: From Requirements to Rewards and Recognition,” with Shawnee Love of Love HR; —"Leverage Email Marketing for Customer Acquisition and Retention” with Adrienne Stillman of Wine Direct; “Get Onboarding Right and Watch Performance Soar!” with Ashli Komaryk of Komaryk Communications; "Government Alcohol Regulations and Assistance Programs—Where are we Now and Where do we go from here?,” a Panel Discussion with Karen Graham of Wine Drops, Mark Hicken of Winelaw.ca, and Geoff McIntyre of MNP; and finally "Boost Sales and Brand Awareness with Google Ads,” with Mari-Lou Nidle, from In House Media + Marketing.
Plans are also underway for a ‘virtual trade show’, allowing attendees to virtually visit the trade floor, pick up information, and even meet one-on-one with vendors.
Organizers say one benefit of an online conference is that it allows for a wider roster of speakers and presentations from experts from around the world, and is a great opportunity for attendees across Canada to join their industry colleagues online.
Hugh McClelland of the Naramata Bench Winery Association expects good virtual attendance, saying, “Our members have had to make many changes, as all businesses have, but have embraced virtual learning and hosting their own online events, and it will be great to see that continue through Fortify.”
Fortify will be held on Nov. 24 with a full slate of presentations, all of which will be presented through online conferencing software.
A signup form is now available at https://fortifyconference.ca
Vendors can contact Carolyn MacLaren at dmaclaren@shaw.ca.