"The event is our deliverable" – how the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce runs more events than ever with Lyyti
The Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce (FINSVE) organises an average of one event per month with a team of just three people, and this year, as the organisation celebrates its 90th anniversary, the schedule is even busier. The secret lies in having the right tools to handle everything from bilingual mailings to 2,500 recipients, to identifying which contacts are in the process of losing touch with the organisation.
Event är inte marknadsföring – det är produkten
FINSVE:s uppdrag är att skapa affärskontakter mellan finskt och svenskt näringsliv. Det gör de inte bara genom annonser eller rapporter, utan genom att samla rätt människor i samma rum.
– Events are crucial for building trust and showcasing what each country has to offer, both in Finland and in Sweden. It is about bringing the business communities together and bringing the countries closer to one another.
So says Martin von Pfaler, who has been Head of Communications at FINSVE since 1998.
The programme covers a wide range of topics, from cultural collaborations and export forums to the defence industry, with events attracting between 30 and 300 participants. The average attendance is 100–150 people, and the format is almost always a lunch or breakfast meeting. This is a deliberate choice: the networking before and after is just as important as the presentations.
– The social aspect is crucial. That’s when connections are actually made. If everyone just sits there in silence and listens, the whole point is lost, says Emilia Lindh, events coordinator at FINSVE.
100% live - no livestream
FINSVE does not livestream its events. It’s a matter of principle.
– “Our primary aim is for people to meet in person. We don’t want people to just half-heartedly follow along from their offices. We want them there so that they can network and make new contacts,” says Martin.
This means that every event must be professionally organised, with smooth registration, effective communication and a well-managed participant flow. That’s where Lyyti comes in.
Lyyti: from administration to member services
FINSVE uses Lyyti for invitations, registrations, newsletters and ongoing evaluations (EVS). The tool does more than just replace a register; it provides the team with insights into the participant group in a way that directly strengthens the relationship with members.
– The language filtering is really great. We can instantly filter out Finnish and Swedish contacts and tailor our communications accordingly. And the ability to see which mailings aren’t getting through helps us keep the register up to date and provide a better service to our members,” says Emilia.
Sending out invitations to 2,500 recipients and ensuring they actually reach their destination was one of the key requirements that guided the choice of platform. When FINSVE compared Lyyti with its competitors in 2024, the conclusion was clear – Lyyti is better in every respect.
The next step is to start using QR check-in and Lyyti’s participant app, which gives guests a comprehensive overview of upcoming events, the option to register and receive reminders directly on their mobile phones.
The result: more events, better follow-up
With Lyyti as a foundation, a small events team can work at a faster pace without compromising on the quality of their communication. The more they learn about the tool, the smoother things run.
– There’s nothing we’re missing at the moment. And the more you learn, the smoother things become as time goes on.
– Det finns ingenting vi saknar just nu. Och ju mer man lär sig, desto smidigare går det efterhand.