This week, we are interviewing Felicia Iordache, who is the organizer of CONDOMINIUM EXPO & CONFERENCES, Bucharest, Romania
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
After an experience of 11 years in radio and television, a time when I worked as an editor-presenter and show director for TV Sigma, TVR, Antena 1 and Radiodifuziunea Romana, in 2001 I started operating in the Public Relations field. In 2003, I opened my own company, Plus Media.
2. Tell us a little bit about Plus Media.
Established at the beginning of 2003, Plus Media is a full service consultancy and communication company, that covers the entire range of PR Services, starting from strategic consultancy and up to event organization.
Among our customers I would mention Michelin Romania, EGL Romania, HBO, Vel Pitar, Unilever, Caroli, Rompetrol. As of 2006, we got involved in the organization of fairs and exhibitions, initiating, together with different partners, CONDOMINIUM Expo & Conferences, CONDOMINIUM-DECO Salon, as well as the loans fair “CreditEXPO”. We are also the organizer of “Office Expo” business – to-business event dedicated to the offce industry, of Leisure Expo – specialized fair exhibiting premium product categories destined for relaxation and spending outdoor spare time, as well as of “Focus Energetic” Conferences.
3.Challenges: What was the biggest challenge in organizing CONDOMINIUM Expo and how did you handle it?
Until present time, the biggest challenge for CONDOMINIUM was, and, unfortunately it still is the economic crisis that affects much of the Romanian economy. This is a period that makes the difference between the strong, resistant companies and the ones that act on this market only driven by the high profit on short term. The companies presenting their offer in our exhibition are the ones prepared to resist on the market despite the difficult situation. They are in fact the experienced constructors with tradition in real estate field.
Yet, there is also an advantage of the current situation: attractive offers regarding the costs and the financing means. This is the reason why CONDOMINIUM largely contributes both to the promotion of new market conditions, but also to the facilitation of the dialogue between sellers and buyers.
4. Why CONDOMINIUM: What differentiates CONDOMINIUM from other industry events?
Besides the fact that CONDOMINIUM is the only specialized apartment fair in Romania, we have a partnership with two of the main European real estate and investment fairs, REAL Vienna and Istanbul REstate. This is a sign of international recognition for the event we organize, a sign that CONDOMINIUM, too, has matured and it aspires to the European standard in the field. On the other hand, we are also the representatives on the Romanian market for EIRE, the most important international real estate business-to-business fair for the South-Eastern Europe, taking place each year in Milano.
5. Just one Tip: If you are asked to give only one advice for event organization, what would be the most important tip you can give?
To know very well the market you act on, as well as all the economical changes and tendencies from your region. To be very well informed all the time.
6. Your way: As an organizer, can you share one thing you do in your own way. Something you do different from the ‘event organizing 101’ notions. Something that works well for you but is not the regular way of doing things?
Because of this constant problem we have in Romania - the lack of dedicated, exhibitional spaces, we are an experienced organizer who can accommodate to every condition, innovate and make a successful event even in some of the most diverse and unconventional locations, going from theatre lobbies to museums or shopping malls.
7. Lessons learned: As an event organizer, can you tell us about a situation you had a hard time handling at the past and recently managed to overcome and learn?
The most important lesson learnt is that you must never make an event in a field just because you are very passionate about it. You have to think more about what the public needs and the expectations of the market than about your interest and tastes.
8. Event marketing online: Have you used the internet for marketing and advertising an event? Where?
Yes, we constantly and successfully use internet an it is a very efficient means for marketing and PR. We advertise on business portals, on-line newspapers, Romanian and international specialised portals.
9. The future: What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
We want to become an important event organizer, a big player not only on the local market, but also on the international one. We already are a group of companies. Yet, in ten years we plan to have international subsidiaries or to merge with an international group.