No Comments

The Hosted-Buyer Event…A Focused Engagement Model for Buyers and Sellers

2010
11.09

Although hosted-buyer programs have been around for over a decade, it seems that in general they’ve been embraced and utilized by the for-profit event organizations (like the Reed’s and the Questex’s of the world) rather than by US-based trade associations.  Could this be a good time for associations to consider looking beyond their traditional trade show models? 

For those who aren’t familiar with hosted-buyer events, allow me to outline what they are.  Although hosted-buyer events bring buyers and sellers together, it’s important to recognize that they are very different from tradeshows.  And, although hosted-buyer events typically contain some educational aspects of conferences and/or conventions, such as keynote addresses and/or breakout sessions, they are also different from them.  So what the heck makes these events unique, and why are they valued by many?

The Concept

At a typical tradeshow, the show producer sells exhibit space to suppliers (sellers) to display their products/services, and attendees (buyers) are invited to come to the exhibit hall and see whatever products/services they’re interested in. 

The concept of the hosted-buyer event is much more focused on qualified engagement and building lasting buyer/seller relationships.    At hosted-buyer events, the event producer brings buyer and sellers together in a much more orchestrated fashion through pre-qualified buyer screening, and by coordinating mandatory pre-arranged buyer/seller appointments.

The Venue, Size, and Schedule

  Most hosted-buyer events take place in a comfortable resort setting, and typically not in an exhibit hall.  As well, the participation is generally limited to a relatively small number of participants, maybe 50-75 suppliers and 100-150 buyers.  However, there are exceptions.  It was reported that at IMEX Frankfurt in 2009, there were 3,700 hosted buyers who made 40,000 appointments. 

The length of most hosted-buyer events is typically 2 to 2 ½ days.  Following is an example of a schedule of events I found on Questex’s (McLean Events) website for SPATEC North America Spring 2011, a hosted-buyer event being held March 30-April 2 at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort in Braselton, Georgia.

Arrival Day

7:30 pm                       Welcome Dinner

Day 1

7:30am                        Continental Breakfast

8:30am                        Seminar

10:00am                      One-to-One Meetings Program

11:40am                      Supplier Showcase

12:45pm                      Lunch

1:50pm                        One-to-One Meetings Program

4:30pm                        Fun Team Building Activity

6:30pm                        Drinks Reception –free networking evening

Day 2

7:30am                        Continental Breakfast

8:35am                        One-to-One Meetings Program

10:50am                      Supplier Showcase

12:55pm                      Lunch

2:00pm                        One-to-One Meetings Program

5:30pm                        Free Time / Networking

7:30pm                        Farewell Dinner

Departure Day            Free day to enjoy resort and departure of delegates

The Sellers

The majority of hosted-buyer events do not involve exhibit booths.  Suppliers pay a fee to participate in the event and are typically provided with a table setting to meet with buyers, or in some cases, suppliers may be given a hotel suite to meet with buyers.  Suppliers present products and services in a very personal face-to-face environment, perhaps using a laptop or iPad.

Hosted-buyer events can be packaged in a variety of ways, but typically the supplier fee may range from $10,000 to $20,000 (sometimes more, depending on the industry) and includes:

  • Some number of pre-arranged/pre-qualified meetings (between 15-20 over the course of the event) with buyers, usually lasting around 20-30 minutes each;
  • Other networking/relationship building opportunities, such as team building exercises, interactive food & beverage functions, and in some cases a supplier showcase area is created;
  • All group meals, hotel accommodations and transportation to and from the airport.  Airfare is typically not included as part of the supplier fee.

Although $10,000-$20,000 may seem expensive, James McCollough, national sales manager with J.America Sportswear, whose company participates in “PRIMEtime”, a hosted-buyer event produced by the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA) begs to differ.   In the December 2009 issue of Association Meetings Magazine, McCollough says the cost of PRIMEtime is worth it.  He pays about $15,000 and sees approximately 30 buyers, so the cost per buyer is $500.  He would have to spend much more than that to have face-to-face meetings with 30 clients if he had to travel to each of their offices. Plus, the price is less than half of what it costs him for a booth at the largest show in the industry.

I believe the key advantages/benefits to suppliers are:

  • The advance buyer pre-qualification process and the pre-arranged face-to-face appointments coordinated by the event producer;  
  • The less cluttered, less noisy, and more comfortable venue of a resort setting versus an exhibit hall;
  • And the opportunity to build lasting relationships with new buyers and existing customers.

The Buyers

The entire cost of the buyers’ travel and participation is picked up by the event producer, including airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and airport transfers.  Although there is always the factor of time out of the office, picking up the buyer’s expenses at hosted-buyer  events helps eliminate one of the biggest sticking points of attending traditional trade shows and conferences.  

However, this expense-free trip doesn’t come without some caveats.  First and foremost, the individual has to be a qualified buyer, from a reputable organization within the industry.  For example, take a look at the buyer registration form from the National Lawn and Garden Show, which has utilized a hosted-buyer format since 1995.  It’s extremely detailed and requires a lot of information in order to qualify the buyer.  

https://www.nlgshow.com/sites/all/themes/nlgshow_core/scripts/R_BA.php. 

Secondly, it is mandatory that buyers attend all pre-scheduled appointments.  Some hosted-buyer event producers even require buyers to pay back the cost of their participation (airfare, hotel, meals, etc) if they miss any appointments.

Buyers seem to like the hosted-buyer format for more than just the paid expenses aspect.  Here are some testimonials from buyers who attended at the National Lawn and Garden Show, as well as buyers who attended SPATEC:

“I saw product that I missed at the Hardware show because I walked right past their booths. But here, they came to me and it turned out to be a great product I was glad to find.”

“As a buyer, it’s easy on your feet and you make contact with more than double the amount of vendors one normally would walking a huge tradeshow.”

“An excellent resource for obtaining products well suited to your business.
No time wasted.”

“Amazing what can be accomplished in 10 minutes.”

“Saw many new products without walking a huge show.”

“Participating in SPATEC is a very effective way to use my time. There is no other venue that provides so many high quality meetings and networking opportunities in such a short period of time. Many of the companies that I meet with end up getting my business either for current or future projects.”

 “SPATEC truly is the only way to do business effectively and efficiently. I always leave these meetings feeling renewed, rejuvenated, and full of operational ideas and plans. Thank you McLean Events for creating this type of forum to meet new suppliers and create, as well as, renew relationships. I look forward to my next SPATEC!”

 “It was a great forum to meet suppliers that I probably would never have met before and I will certainly be ordering products from some of these new contacts.

The Event Producer—The Matchmaker

The event producer plays the role of “matchmaker.”  That is, they solicit the appropriate suppliers, handle the entire buyer pre-qualification registration process, and have the necessary software to manage the buyer/seller appointment process (both buyers and sellers can have input on who they’d like to meet) both in advance and on-site.

It should also be recognized that becasue of all the various travel arrangements packaged in hosted-buyer events, the event producer may handle a lot more travel logistics than a typical trade show manager or convention planner.  The scope is probably closer to what an incentive planner, or corporate planner with a proprietary event, is required to do.

As well, through the use of various marketing and software tools (including social media), the event producer strives to create a “buzz” about the event, and facilitate on-going, year-round communication between all parties (event producers, buyers, and sellers), in advance, during and after the event.  This helps create “community”, and of course contributes to perpetuating the life span of the event.

Always “Test the Waters” Before Diving In

As I previously mentioned, although they’ve been around for some time now, hosted-buyer events are not currently main stream here in the US.  In our current economic climate, event producers, buyers, and sellers are looking for different and more time-efficient engaging ways to do business.  The format of hosted-buyer events lends itself to more personal engagement between people…and thus potentially helps make lasting relationships between buyers and sellers.   I personally think that a good number of US-based trade associations could hit a home run with these types of programs.  Perhaps one idea, as ICBA did, would be to begin either with an additional event (an event separate from an existing annual convention or trade show), or to run a “hybrid event”, i.e., run a hosted-buyer event in-conjunction with an association’s annual meeting and/or tradeshow.

There are many factors for an association to consider before venturing into hosted-buyer events.  Perhaps one of the most important being, do the association’s attendee members (buyers) have enough buying power, i.e., are they decision makers with money to spend?  This is key to attracting the appropriate suppliers to participate.  If the answer is yes, then at first glance, the following preliminary budget numbers might look interesting.  Here’s a rough snapshot of what the budget for a small hosted-buyer event might look like.  Of course I’ve taken some liberties with this, but I think this will give you somewhere to start. 

Income

Advertising                             TBD

Sponsorship                            TBD

Supplier Fee                            (50) @ $15,000 = $750,000

Total Income                           $750,000

Expense

Attendee Travel                      (100) @ $1,750 = $175,000

(airfare @ $350; resort sleeping room @ 3 nights x $250; airport transfers @ $150 round trip; meals @ $1,000)

Custom Software                    $50,000

Entertainment/Speakers         $75,000

Miscellaneous                         $50,000

Promotion                               $50,000

Meeting Space Rental              $-0-

Staff Travel                              (10) @ $1,750 = $17,500

Supplier Travel                        (50) @ $1,400 = $70,000

(resort sleeping room @ 3 nights x $250; airport transfers @ $150 round trip; meals @ $1,000)

Total Expense                          $487,500

Income over Expense              $262,500

With any new program or business venture, it’s absolutely essential to “test the waters” before diving in.  I think with some simple querying of all vested parties via a survey, focus group, etc., an association could find out whether there’s an interest without spending a lot of time and money.   And if an association finds that the interest is there and the budget numbers make sense, what better time than now to consider producing a more engaging and time-efficient face-to-face event business model for its members.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this writing informative.  I very much welcome your thoughts, comments and examples.

Sources and Resources

http://www.expoweb.com/article/host-most-inside-scoop-hosted-buyer-programs

An excellent article and interview with three industry experts (Kerry Gumas, Bob Mikulas, and Phil McKay) regarding hosted-buyer programs.

http://meetingsnet.com/associationmeetings/mag/meetings_payoff/index.html

A great article and one that made me think this blog was important to write.  “How the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA) adopted the hosted-buyer model as its relationship-building format — and why other organizations are doing the same.”

http://meetingsnet.com/international/IMEX-America-Bloom-Interview-0623/index.html

Interview with IMEX chairman, Ray Bloom, about hosted-buyer events and bring IMEX to the US  

http://www.mcleaneventsinternational.com//mclean/about/#events

Mclean Events (affiliated with Questex) which will give you information on US and overseas hosted-buyer events  

http://www.nlgshow.com

The National Lawn and Garden Show…an annual hosted-buyer event 

http://www.tradeshowappointments.com

Supplier of hosted-buyer qualification and appointment software, who I believe works with National Lawn and Garden Show

http://www.incentivetravelexchange.com

Another hosted-buyer show produced by Questex and located at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in June, 2011

http://www.ecrm.marketgate.com/marketgate/default.aspx

Supplier of software, MarketGate, which enables buyers and sellers to communicate and make appointments in advance, during and after the event.

Tags: , , Category Consulting, Special Events |

4 comments

The Care & Feeding of the On-site Event Planner

2010
10.19

In the world of face-to-face event marketing, working on-site is both an exciting and rewarding culmination of a tremendous amount of pre-planning work, as well as something that can take a psychological, emotional and physical toll on you and/or your staff.  It’s important to prepare for on-site event work.  While some planners may liken it to going to war, I think about it like preparing to play a sporting event.  Here are some thoughts in regard to preparing and taking care of yourself and/or your staff when you travel and go on-site…set to song title analogies which came to mind while writing this.

On the Road Again (Willie Nelson)

  Certainly anyone who travels knows what a pain airports are.  Do yourself a favor and give yourself lots of time to get to the airport and get through security.  And if you have a long flight and know you’re going to hit the ground running when you get there, get something to eat before you take off so you’re not starving when you arrive.

I realize this is harder for the ladies, but if possible (unless you have the budget for hotel laundry/dry cleaning) pack lightly. I read recently in a magazine about how many people (both guys and gals) make appoint to create several outfits out of a few basic pieces of clothing.  Sounds like mixing & matching & accessorizing at its finest.  In any case, if you hang things up at night, and perhaps ask for an iron in your room, you can wear outer clothing like pants/skirts and jackets/blazers more than once.  Believe me, the fewer bags you have to lug around the country (or world) and keep track of the better.

These Boots Area Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra)

I know much of what I’m writing will seem like common sense to most of you, but it’s amazing to me how many people who I’ve worked with who don’t understand the importance of taking care of their feet.  I have seen everything from guys showing up on-site with brand new leather soled shoes (think ouch…blisters!), to women prancing around exhibit halls in three-inch pumps (again…think ouch and mangled toes).  Take care of yourself (and your feet) and wear comfortable shoes.  During set-up and tear down…wear gym shoes.  During the event, there are several well known shoe brands which manufacture styles for people who are on their feet a lot. I personally like Ecco shoes. I have a both a black and a brown pair of nice comfortable, not too military looking leather shoes.  They’re expensive (around $175-200 a pair), but are light, well made, and super comfortable right out of the box.   Ecco makes women’s shoes too.  Another brand for women is Naturalizers.  And in terms of style, a “wedge” gives you a little height and is more comfortable and easier to walk in.  Jeez, and I always thought a wedge was something you used from about 100 yards out, or from a sand trap.  This just goes to show that you can learn something new every day.

   Lastly, here are a couple of final little tips for your tootsies.  If by chance you are going to wear new shoes for some number of days at an event, think about bringing along a product you can buy at a drug store called “Body Glide.”   You can put it on your heels or toes before you put on your socks to prevent blisters.   As well, you can get gel insoles for your shoes.  However, if you use gel insoles you may need to remove the regular insoles of your shoes (which isn’t difficult to do), or your shoes may become too tight.  And, if you get blisters on-site, the best thing to do is use a Doctor Scholl’s product called Mole Skin.  It’s an adhesive pad for your feet…thicker than band aids, which will cover a blister and allow you to walk pretty much pain free.

In My Room (The Beach Boys)

If you’re going to be staying in a hotel or corporate apartment for more than a couple of days, I’ve already mentioned that you might want to ask for an iron/ironing board.  If you can get a mini-refrigerator from housekeeping, that’s always handy too.  That way, you can go to a local grocery or convenience store and stock up on some items for your room.  Certainly snacks and a bottle of wine or beer are nice, but if you can get some fruit or healthier type food items…that’s really a bonus.  If you have an iPod or MP3 player, bring it.  Most hotels now have radio/alarm clocks with some sort of auxiliary plug-in for them.  This is especially handy when you travel to smaller city with crummy radio stations and/or reception.  And of course, a laptop, iPad and/or a Smartphone have all kinds of nice advantages to use in your room.

  Although I personally have not gotten into exercising or running on-site, many show organizers take advantage of a hotel’s work out facilities while they are travelling. If you have the energy left at the end of the day (or perhaps before you start your day), and you feel so inclined…what the heck, go for it.

Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gunfight (Artist unknown…but you have to believe some country/western star has written a song about it)

Undoubtedly, you wouldn’t want to bring a knife to a gunfight, but it’s not a bad idea to bring one to the move-in of an event.  In today’s environment, we are not allowed to bring knives in carry-on luggage on airplanes.  However, having something sharp on-site to open boxes, help exhibitors/customers with their boxes, etc., is a good thing.  I personally pack a “Leatherman” all-purpose tool in my checked luggage.  It’s both a knife and pliers, both of which are handy.  It also has about a half dozen other implements which I never use, but hey you never know when they might be useful.  In any case, it has served me (and my clients and their customers) well on-site over the years at literally hundreds of events.

Wasted Away Again in Margaritaville (Jimmy Buffett)

  Do yourself a huge favor and try to limit your alcohol intake to a couple of drinks per evening, max.  You’ll sleep better and feel more rested in the morning.  I’ve certainly been there, done that, and gotten the t-shirt with this one.  Nothing makes for a long, miserable day than a hangover on-site at an event. 

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (Eurythmics)

If you have difficulty sleeping away from home, you may want to try taking Melatonin. It’s an over-the-counter natural sleep aid which comes in tablet form, and many airline pilots who travel through different time zones swear by it.  I’ve tried it and it does make you feel a little drowsy at bed time and has helped me get to sleep. 

Oh Won’t You Stay…Just a Little Bit Longer (Jackson Browne)

Long hours are just an unavoidable part of an event organizer’s on-site experience.  There’s nothing as lonely as being awake, showered and walking to show site at 5:30am.  It’s typically still dark and it’s you, the birds, the cabbies and maybe an occasional bum or two.  And, if you don’t have a coffee machine in your room to make that pitiful single serving of weak Joe, or can’t find a place open to buy a regular cup of coffee, then you’re really up the creek.

  I think the most important thing to do on-site is to pace yourself.  For the most part, your body will tell you what it needs.  Take a break and get off of your feet when you feel tired.  While we’re walking around working, we actually perspire (women too) and lose more body fluid than we think we do.  Most of us gravitate towards the coffee, but it’s a mild diuretic and may dehydrate us a little.  I know this sounds cliché, but try to drink as much water (and/or fruit juice if it’s available) as you can.  As well, when you’re on the road, try to eat as healthy as possible…or try to eat as close to what you normally eat at home.  I know sometimes when I’m on-site, I’d much rather have a homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich than what the facility catering stand has prepared.

Another thing to consider when an event runs during the day…followed by an evening function…consider scheduling staff in shifts.  I recently worked with a client and the entire staff was there from approximately 8:00am until 6:00pm, and then most of them had to work at an evening function from 9:00pm until Midnight.  Although they got some time off between 6:00pm and 9:00pm, another way to have handled staffing would have been to have some number of the staff start that day at 1:00pm and work the afternoon and evening function, and have the other staff personnel not be required to go to the evening function.  Of course this all depends on the number of available staff, and if there is a budget to perhaps hire temporary help to fill-in, etc.  Bottom line is this: If there’s a way to keep your staff from getting burned out from working too many hours on-site…try to implement it.  Oh, and although I’ve heard it does give you a boost, drinking a “five-hour” energy drink is not the answer to this dilemma!

It’s All Over Now (The Rolling Stones); Respect (Aretha Franklin) and Turn the Page (Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band)

As an event is coming to a close, I always try to do a few things.  If possible, I pack my suitcases the evening before I’m going to be traveling.  I’ve tried packing the morning of my departure, but have found it only leads to unnecessary stress…especially when you’re tired.   As well, I reorganize all the notes I’ve written to myself.  Whether they’re “to do’s” or suggestions for improving the event, invariably they’re on several pieces of paper and napkins.  So, I try to consolidate them before I leave the event site so they make sense when I get back home and to the office.

And lastly, (although there’s many other things to do such as reviewing bills with various suppliers, thanking customers, etc.), if you have time, consider treating yourself and/or your fellow staffers to a nice meal and a massage.  It’s a great way to relax and say thank you for a job well done.

Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments….including any additional related song title analogies which you may come up with!

Tags: , , , Category Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

2 comments

Non-traditional Floor Plans…Your Roadmap to Success?

2010
09.14

   Just as sailors and airline pilots use maps and charts to plan and monitor their travels, trade show people use floor plans.  In the exhibition business, exhibitors use floor plans to select the space for their booth with the hope that the location they choose will garner the most attendee (prospective buyer) traffic.  Some like to choose space in the front by the entrance.  Others like to be on a corner with a wide cross aisle, and some smaller companies want their booth to be located by large exhibitors.  The strategy and approaches exhibitors apply to the booth space selection goes on and on.

On the other hand, attendees use trade show floor plans most often to see which exhibitors are where, and to plan their route around the show floor.  Although both groups, i.e., exhibitors and attendees, are equally important to the success of an event, I am writing to suggest that show managers start considering the attendees first when creating floor plans.

Currently, I believe the majority of show managers primarily think about the exhibitors when creating floor plans, using roughly the following thought process:

  • Ask the general service contractor to provide a “maxed out” 10’ x 10’ or 8’ x 10’ floor plan in the traditional square or rectangular main aisles/cross aisles format
  • Using the floor plan and exhibitor purchase history from previous shows, slot in a certain number of island booths
  • Place various “show management” areas on the show floor, i.e., lounges, cyber cafes, etc.

  

   I’d like to suggest that show managers take into consideration the following “attendee focused” approach when creating trade show floor plans.

  • Think “outside the box” in terms of the traditional square or rectangular main aisles/cross aisles floor plan.  Several groups are successfully utilizing alternative layouts (more on that to follow).
  • Most people like new, different, exciting, and interactive/experiential type events, that is, they want to feel engaged.  If they walk into the traditional exhibition layout, e.g., square or rectangular main aisles/cross aisles floor plan…it does not reflect “new, different, or exciting”
  • Put yourself in the shoes of the attendee.  Attendees want to be able to easily find the exhibitors they came to see, as well as locate new products and services in their area(s) of interest.  Think about attendee traffic flow.  Most people like a focal point, i.e., an entrance, a center or hub

So what’s going on in the industry in terms of “non-traditional” floor plan layouts?  In the corporate world, companies frequently utilize “custom” non-traditional floor plans for their proprietary (employee or invited customer) events.  I’ve personally worked with Compaq Computers (before they were purchased by HP), and McDonald’s on their Managers Peak Event, and both had floor plans that were not necessarily traditional in terms of layout.  With most corporate proprietary events it is almost always a “command performance” that invitees attend.   That is, although their use of a non-traditional floor plan may enhance the attendee and exhibitor experience, it will not affect attendance.  However, the world of association or for-profit trade shows is different. The floor plan layout can certainly affect attendance by either enhancing the experience or by being uninspiring.

While reading the August 2010 edition of Forum Magazine (www.associationforum.org), I came across an article about the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA).  If you haven’t read this article, you really should.  The article is about how their stakeholders, i.e., board of directors, staff, contractor partners, and exhibitors, decided back in 2008 to combine their two annual trade shows (NAMA Spring Expo and the NAMA National Expo) into “one unparalleled event” in 2010 which would “WOW” attendees.  In order to accomplish this, several major changes were made.  To name a few, the event was re-branded as the NAMA “OneShow”, a new logo was created, and a marketing firm was hired to create and launch an awards program. 

Other changes involved LyNae Schleyer, senior director of education & OneShow from NAMA, working with their general service contractor (GES), and their exhibit sales team (Lara Fitts Gamache, Exhibits Manager at Corcoran Expositions) to create a “non-traditional” floor plan layout which would facilitate a center stage just inside the entrance to the show.  Several 20’ wide aisles branched off from the center stage…kind of like a wagon wheel…and included park benches where visitors could rest for a few moments without leaving the show floor.   Click on the floor plan to view a larger image.

Each day of the show, NAMA utilized the center stage for various awards ceremonies and Mike Ditka was a  featured speaker.  As well, a host of entertainers, including the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, the Chicago Children’s Choir and a champion Irish step-dancing troop performed on the center stage. Obviously, a great deal of buzz and excitement was created on the NAMA show floor. 

The combination their enhanced marketing activities and the new floor plan created exactly what NAMA was looking for…to have their attendees experience a “WOW” event.   When it was all over, NAMA’s new OneShow April 2010 event surpassed all of its key goals, i.e., number of exhibitors and square footage sold, attendee registration revenue…and most important…total NAMA OneShow revenue was equal to the combined revenue of the two previously existing NAMA expos.

NAMA is a great example, but if you don’t like the idea of a center stage and/or large diagonal aisles, here’s something a bit simpler to consider.  This is not a new idea as I know several groups already doing this and I experienced it while attending an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) annual conference/exhibition here in Chicago several years ago.  ASAE segmented (grouped) their exhibitors together in various areas of the show floor by product or service.  For example, hotels were all together in one area, software suppliers in another area, etc.  They also colored-coordinated the aisle carpeting in each area, i.e., aisle carpet in the hotels area was red, aisle carpet in software suppliers was blue, etc.  Although many exhibitors don’t want their booth to be placed near another like supplier, this format makes it extremely easy for the attendee.  

During these challenging times, think about change, and how you can be innovative with your floor plan to position your event for success in the future.  In Andrew Winston’s book, Green Recovery (Harvard Business Press), he quotes Geoff Colvin, a Fortune Magazine writer’s January 2009 article,

  “It’s hard to upbeat in a recession, but it is truly an opportunity.  Marathoners and Tour de France racers will tell you that a race’s hardest parts, the uphill stages, are where the lead changes hands…When this recession ends, when the road levels off and the world seems full of promise once more, your position in the competitive pack will depend on how skillfully you manage right now.”

A new and exciting floor plan layout probably won’t by itself radically improve your event, but I would encourage you to consider it a critical piece in the overall game plan for success.

Special note:  Show managers should make sure to discuss aisle carpet costs in advance with the general service contractor, especially as they pertain to “non-traditional” floor plans.   Once the GSC starts having to cut aisle carpet down from their standard widths of 9’ or 10’ to accommodate angles and unusual shapes, it cannot be reused and a cost is associated with it.

Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Tags: , , , Category Consulting, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

No Comments

Mix Your Marketing Media

2010
08.17

  Whether you are running a business or an association, it’s all about staying in touch with people.  And the more often we “reach out and touch someone” (sorry…borrowed from AT&T), the more we increase our chances that prospective clients/members will call on us for products or services, Just like nurturing a friendship, it’s good to stay in touch on a regular basis. 

So, how do we do stay in touch with people?  We get reminded it seems on a daily basis about the importance and prominence of social media as a marketing strategy for business.  And, while I believe social media (Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo…), texting, email blasts, web sites, blogs, etc., are wonderful and for the most part inexpensive marketing tools, I think many people may be drifting away from integrating their marketing mix with some of the older, proven tools…specifically direct mail and telephone solicitation.

When I say telephone solicitation, I need to be clear that I’m not referring to pre-recorded messages or any other type of pre-recorded telephone calls.  That type of “touching” is a big turn off and a waste of money, in my opinion.  Whether it was sent as an actual call, or put directly into my voicemail box (they can do this now without ringing your phone) I have never listened to one of these messages in its entirety.  In fact, they hit me as pompous.  I would strongly recommend against this type of “touching.”

Frankly, the best type of telephone “touch” is done with a personal call to current or prospective customers or members.  If you have the budget to hire an outside firm to make telephone calls to prospective attendees, exhibitors, members, or customers, you want to make sure it is done tastefully and professionally so as to not sound scripted.  I have a trade show client who hires a firm out of Washington, DC, (www.foundationmarketing.com) to encourage prospective attendees to come to their trade show and it seems to be work extremely well. There’s another company out of Toronto, Infolink Technologies, LTD (www.infolinkca.com), which looks to be pretty savvy too.  They have a fairly prestigious list of clients including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Microsoft, and the American Heart Association.

In terms of direct mail, the days of printing multiple-page advance programs and exhibitor prospecti, and mailing them three times to past participants and prospects are pretty much over.  Although printing a small quantity may serve some purpose, producing large quantities is not only really expensive (and totally not green), but because of the availability of the previously mentioned marketing media, e.g., social media (Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo…), texting, email blasts, web sites, blogs, etc., it’s really unnecessary. 

Here’s an example of a cost-efficient method of incorporating direct mail into your marketing media mix.  Although I use social media via my blog, Facebook business page, and Linkedin to promote EXPOexpert, recently you probably received a little yellow postcard I mailed via USPS, titled, “Need a Hand?”  Printing and postage costs for me to “touch” approximately 700 meeting planners, trade show producers, association executives and supplier friends (never forget your supplier friends as they may refer business to you…as you should do for them) was less than $400.  It’s a no brainer.  Also, any postcards returned by USPS will help me clean up my database.  Obviously, postcards can be designed with many messages, for example, the ”Save the Date” version which has been around for some time. 

Even with all the social media and internet hype, don’t forget your old friend “direct mail” in your marketing mix.  And as importantly, if you can’t visit customers or prospects in person, instead of an email or text…pick up the telephone and make a personal call.  It will mean a lot more and go a lot further towards creating new, or nurturing existing relationships.  And it’s a lot closer to what we  all should be promoting…the value of “face-to-face” interaction and events.

Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Tags: , , , Category Consulting |

1 Comment

The Long, Hot Summer…A Good Time to Regroup & Re-strategize

2010
07.15

  Certainly it’s been a hot one so far and as George & Ira Gershwin wrote…and Janis Joplin sang, “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.”

It’s during these temperate times when many association members and clients are in vacation mode.  And while meetings, tradeshows and special events are less frequent than in the spring and fall, we as professional event producers and suppliers should take the time to regroup and re-strategize.

Regardless of the recent (supposedly) positive pointing economic indicators, unemployment continues to rise and business in almost every American based industry is down.  As Steven Hacker, CAE, President, International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) mentioned in his June 2010 Association Meetings magazine article, The State of the Exhibitions Industry: It’s Not Simple, “Once again, the experiences of 2008 and 2009 demonstrate that the exhibitions industry is a mirror image of the industries served by our events.”  Obviously, the same can be said for meetings, conventions, and special events, i.e., as business is slumping, participation in the majority of events is down.  Bottom line is companies just cannot afford to spend money to send people (or at least as many as they used to in the past) to events.

So while it may be difficult for association executives, meeting planners, trade show producers, special event coordinators, or supplier partners, to directly influence participation in our industry events (short of making participation fees and/or services free…which would drive us all out of business), there are lots of more positive things we can be doing during these challenging times that will help our businesses.

Strategic Planning

I’m sure many of you (especially association executives) have participated in some type of strategic planning process.  The process itself is fairly straight forward.  An outside facilitator (this is one of those business activities, like survey development and compilation, where it’s best to utilize outside expertise) works with the management team from an organization to prioritize a doable number of business initiatives. The concept being that an organization can’t do everything on its “wish list”, so it’s better to prioritize three to five initiatives and then figure out what resources, i.e., financial and personnel, will be needed to accomplish them.  Definitive timelines are also applied to the initiatives. 

Typically, strategic planning includes short range initiatives (one to three years), and also longer range goals (five to ten years).  However, in today’s economic quagmire, I would think that an organization would focus on shorter range initiatives.  And keep in mind, the strategic planning process isn’t just for trade associations or professional societies.  corporations (big or small) should definitely consider this process.  If you do decide to move forward with strategic planning, consider engaging an outside facilitator to maximize unbiased participation.  It will be money well spent and keep the ship pointed in the right direction.  Two strategic planning facilitators I recommend are;

Buz Buzogany, Buzogany Associates, www.buzoganyassociates.com

Harrison Coerver, Harrison Coerver & Associates, www.harrisoncoerver.com

Survey Members or Clients

I’ve received a number of surveys from the member organizations I belong to.  Recently, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) sent me one having to do with ethics within the industry.  Also, the Association Forum of Chicagoland sent me a survey asking me what programs they might offer to benefit supplier members, like me. 

Surveys are an excellent way to accomplish two things.  First, you continue to stay in touch with your members or clients.  And secondly, you can obtain valuable feedback.  This is an excellent time to do both and the process is easy and inexpensive with on-line programs such as www.surveymonkey.com, www.zoomerang.com, etc.  A professional survey and research company I recommend is:

Linda Wing, Premier Research Solutions, www.premierresearchsolutions.com

Update Website & Develop/Reorganize Social Media Strategy

Many of us neglect to update our Web site content from time to time.  I don’t know if there’s a recommended schedule, and it doesn’t need to be a total overhaul, but certainly a refresh every quarter or so would be a good habit to get into.  As well, if your organization does not have a social media marketing strategy in place, you need to start developing one.  If you are already using social media to market your business, now might be a good time to evaluate how it’s working for you and adjust anything that needs adjusting.  I have an excellent resource to recommend for Web site development and social media strategy:

 Brian Basilico, B2b Interactive Marketing, Inc, www.b2b-im.com

Consider Outsourcing

This is also a good time to think about how your meeting and/or tradeshow staff is being utilized.  Are there strategic projects you would like them to start investigating, but they don’t have time?  Perhaps it might be a good idea to consider outsourcing certain event-related projects which could free up some of your staff’s time for more strategic initiatives.  Not to sound solicitous, but there are plenty of experienced folks out there (EXPOexpert included), and it’s a buyer’s market, so the price is right!

Keep Up Sales & Marketing Efforts

When times are slow and money is tight, it’s tempting for organizations to cut things like advertising, sales and other marketing initiatives.  However, I think that would be a huge mistake.

Consider the story of Procter & Gamble during the great depression of the 1930s.  While most companies were cutting advertising budgets, Procter & Gamble actually increased its advertising budget.   They realized that despite the economic mess, people still needed household products…like the soap they produced.  Through targeted advertising to women via radio shows based around their products (these eventually evolved into television soap operas), they not only increased their revenues, but improved their customer base and brand image.  Procter & Gamble understood the power of message management.

    Similarly, the meeting, tradeshow and special events industries must continue our message management with campaigns to encourage event participation.  Certainly there are some campaigns out there, i.e., IAEE and the Center for Exhibition Research (CEIR)—“Exhibitions Mean Business” and the Convention Industry Council’s (CIC) “FACE Time. It Matters” (www.facetimematters.org).  But more is needed and we as individual companies within our industry must do more and continue to keep advertising, selling not only our products and services, but the message that ”face-to-face marketing is the most cost-effective way for American industries to sell.

So, while we enjoy the long, hot summer and times are a little slower…regroup, re-strategize, and keep positive.  Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments.

P.S.  Here’s a funny little video about “teamwork” I’d thought you’d enjoy!

           

Tags: , , , , , Category Consulting, Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

2 comments

Marketing Opportunities Outside the Exhibit Booth

2010
06.15

Business is kind of slow these days, so in addition to doing some volunteer work at my kids school, I’ve been keeping myself up to speed on what’s going on in the world of meetings, tradeshow and special events by reading as many of the industry magazines, web sites and blogs as possible.   Not only do I enjoy the reading, but it helps me pick up on interesting trends.  One particular trend which I think is worthwhile to write about has to do with event producers creating additional marketing opportunities (other than the traditional means of sponsorship and advertising) for supplier partners outside of the traditional exhibit booth.

If you haven’t read Bob Dallmeyer’s interview with Karen Malone in Trade Show Executive Magazine’s May 2010 issue, titled; Shaking Up Tradition, I would strongly encourage you to do so (http://tradeshowexecutive.com/RecentIssues.asp). Karen is the vice president of meeting service for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) headquartered here in Chicago.  Karen and the team at HIMSS have been doing some great stuff in terms of creating new opportunities for supplier participation at HIMSS events.

HIMSS is one of those cutting edge groups who view virtual events as an additional marketing opportunity for their supplier partners, as well as a way to generate revenue for the association.   Although virtual events have been around for years (I think I saw a presentation on virtual trade shows about 15 years ago when I was at SmithBucklin), they seem to be gaining traction now.  Perhaps it is because the technology has improved so much, and undoubtedly it’s because of the way Gen X and Y communicate nowadays.  Whatever the reason, many event producers now generate virtual events.  The real “buzz” word seems to be “hybrid” virtual events, meaning that the virtual event is meant to complement and/or promote a face-to-face event…not replace or compete with it.   Typically hybrid virtual events take place prior to or after the face-to-face event.  Many hybrid virtual events occur while the face-to-face event is being held in order to capture attendees who cannot travel to the physical event. 

HIMSS has also created other marketing opportunities for their supplier partners outside of the booth during their live face-to-face events.  One of those opportunities is what HIMSS calls, “The Meeting Place,” where exhibitors rent fully furnished meeting rooms away from the show floor to meet with customers, hold focus groups, or sales meetings.   These rooms come complete with a receptionist and refreshments, and exhibitors can rent them by the hour, day or week.  This initiative has been highly successful for HIMSS and is well received by both the exhibitors and attendees. 

Additionally, HIMSS works with its exhibitors to create other “outside the booth” targeted opportunities such as hosted “Lunch and Learn” programs, “Breakfast Briefings”, and “User Forums.”  Exhibitors select who they want to invite and provide the content.   HIMSS is an excellent example of a group who understands and listens to their customers (exhibitors and attendees) in order to create win-win ideas to accommodate everyone’s needs.  And if this openness to change and new ideas has also helped enhance the association’s bottom line, all the better!

   Another interesting trend I have been reading about, which is somewhat complementary to creating supplier marketing opportunities outside the exhibit booth, is that suppliers want year-round access to potential customers (see April 2010 issue of EXPO Magazine, “What Exhibitors Really Want” http://expoweb.com/article/what-exhibitors-really-want). 

Many organizations already have a select number of year-round “strategic business relationships” with suppliers (alliance partners, etc.).   I think this brings to the forefront a need for event producers to redesign their current “sponsorship” or “partner” models, which in the majority of cases provide sponsors with access prior to, or during the event.  For organizations that haven’t capitalized on this “year-round access” concept, I believe there’s an opportunity (especially now) to expand the “out of booth” supplier opportunities (and revenue opportunities for the event producer) on a year-round basis.  These opportunities allow suppliers to connect with potential customers more frequently without commercializing the event producer and/or the event itself.

The bottom line is this.  If exhibitors (customers) are asking for additional marketing opportunities outside of the exhibit booth, and year-round access to potential customers, then event producers must put on their thinking caps and come up with creative ideas to accommodate them.  After all, a happy customer is (almost) always a repeat customer.

Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Tags: , Category Consulting, Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

4 comments

Let’s Restructure Material Handling Rates at Trade Shows

2010
05.24

While we all struggle to increase participation in meetings, tradeshow and special events, the issue of making exhibitor participation in trade shows more affordable has been making headlines…particularly here in Chicago.

   The biggest complaint I generally hear from exhibitors is the cost of material handling, also known as drayage.  It’s difficult for exhibitors to understand why it sometimes costs more to have their crates unloaded from a truck and moved to their booth, than it does to ship them across the country.  There is more to material handling service charges than simply unloading the freight from a truck and moving it into an exhibitors booth (also included are removing the empty crates from the booth once they are unpacked, storing them, returning them at the close of the show, and then loading them out onto trucks). However, I believe the current trade show material handling cost model is broken and outdated.

Presently, the material handling cost to exhibitors from general service contractors (GSC) is based on a dollar amount charged per hundred pounds, or per CWT (which stands for cart weight).  A CWT is a unit of weight measurement equal to exactly 100 pounds (a hundred weight), created and used by U.S. merchants since the late 1800s. Traditionally, this measurement is used by large common carriers in rating charges for freight.  It is also used by GSCs in the trade show industry.

I suppose it’s easy to understand why the GSC community initially adopted from the trucking business the CWT measurement for exhibit freight.  It was established and already in place, so GSCs (who came along long after trucking) found an easy unit of measure based on freight weight that they could bill from.  But is trucking freight across the country, and GSC material handling for trade shows an apples-to-apples comparison of services? 

I would argue they’re not.  However, GSCs have been using this billing model since exhibitions began, and exhibitor revenue from material handling constitutes approximately 75% of the GSCs profit on a trade show.  Knowing this, what can we do to restructure the costs and billing metric for material handling to make exhibitor participation more affordable?  I suggest that event producers and general service contractors give serious consideration to the following.

  • Change the general service contractor’s current metric of charging per hundred pounds (CWT.) for material handling to either a “per square foot”, or “time and materials” charge.
  • Change the general service contractor’s current business model so as not to rely on material handling for up to 75% of their profit margin. This would require industry acceptance by event producers and all GSCs, because if we ask general service contractors to lower material handling pricing, they will then need to charge the event producer for other items which have not traditionally been billed to event producers (or perhaps billed at a deeply discounted rate), such as show management decorating, furnishings, graphics, carpeting, custom booths, shipping, etc., and also bill for GSC employee planning time, travel expenses and/or charge the event producer a “management fee.”

While I realize that charging for material handling based on square footage or time and materials (as opposed to weight) are not new ideas, I thought it might be interesting to outline a couple of examples to stimulate some ideas and input. 

As you read on, please keep in mind that every show is different and there are a myriad of variables that can affect the general service contractor’s pricing, i.e., size of show, dates and location of show, type of show, etc.   As I was putting the following examples together, I was imagining a tradeshow of approx. (400) booths held in Washington, DC.  Let’s assume the show has approximately 250,000 lbs. of exhibitor freight, and if material handling rates were based on the traditional model of per CWT, the rate would be a flat (both warehouse and show site) $75 per hundred pounds.  The examples aren’t perfect, but hopefully they will help us all think about possible options for lowering the cost to exhibitors. 

Material handling pricing model based on square feet

A few footnotes regarding this model:

a)       The cost per square foot would be negotiable between the general service contractor and the event producer, i.e., lower or higher depending upon labor costs in a particular city, size of show, dates and location, length of contract between event producer and GSC, etc.

b)      To encourage exhibitors to purchase more exhibit space, the square footage pricing could be “tiered”, i.e., exhibitors with more space might receive a lower  per square foot material handling price

c)      The material handling costs can either be packaged into the event producer’s booth fee cost…or billed directly from the GSC to the exhibitor

Exhibitors with 100 square feet (10’x 10’ booth) – 300 square feet

  • Crated or palletized freight = base rate of $2.25 per square foot… (or $225 per 10’x10’ booth)
  • Loose boxes or cartons which need to be palletized for fork lift or brought in on flat carts = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate
  • Load in or load out on overtime = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate for each occurrence

 Exhibitors with 301 square feet – 600 square feet

  • Crated or palletized freight = base rate of $2.00 per square foot
  • Loose boxes or cartons which need to be palletized for fork lift or brought in on flat carts = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate
  • Load in or load out on overtime = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate for each occurrence

 Exhibitors with 600 square feet or more

  • Crated or palletized freight = base rate of $1.75 per square foot
  • Loose boxes or cartons which need to be palletized for fork lift or brought in on flat carts = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate
  • Load in or load out on overtime = Add $1.00 per square foot to base rate for each occurrence

 Another model might be to have material handling costs billed to exhibitors on a “time and materials” basis. 

Material handling pricing model based on “time and materials”

a)      Time—assume the total cost of a worker to handle exhibitor freight is $85/hour.  This includes the cost the general service contractor must pay the worker per hour, including vacation and benefits.  Also included is the general contractor’s employee time to supervise the labor, payroll costs, and profit.  Assume for each 10’ x 10’ booth, it requires (1.5) workers for (1.5) hours to unload the exhibitor freight from a truck and move it into the exhibitors booth, removing the empty crates/boxes from the booth once they are unpacked and store them, and finally return the empty crates/boxes at the close of the show, and once they are packed, load them out onto a truck.  This example also includes costs for special handling, i.e., loose boxes, and miscellaneous non-forklift driving freight personnel, i.e., checker, etc.

The straight “time” cost per 10’ x 10’ booth would be $191.25

If on overtime, add 25% ($47.81) or…$239.06 per 10’ x 10’ booth

b)      Materials—assume that the general service contractor rents (some GSCs own this equipment, but let’s assume they are rented) three (3) forklifts per (100) booths. (400) booths = (9) forklifts.

Cost of forklift per week…approx. $500 x 9 = $4,500

Cost of delivery/pick-up…approx. $400

Cost of fuel/surcharge…approx. $75 x 9 = $675

       Sub total = $5,575

Plus…standard 30% contractor mark-up of materials  =$1,672.50

Total materials cost for (9) forklifts = $7,247.50 divided by 400 booths = $18.12 per 10’ x 10’ booth

Total cost for 10’ x 10’ booth on straight time based on “time and materials” :  $191.25 + $18.12 = $209.37

c)      The cost per hour would be negotiable between the general service contractor and the event producer, i.e., lower or higher depending upon labor costs in a particular city, size of show, dates and location, length of contract between event producer and GSC, etc.

d)     Because this model is based on actual time and materials utilized, I would not provide a discount to exhibitors who rent larger space.

e)      I do not see this model being packaged into the event producer’s booth fee cost, but rather billed directly from the GSC to the exhibitor

In order to make either one of these models more affordable for the exhibitor, the general service contractor base rate, e.g., cost per square foot, or cost per hour, must be structured low enough so that the total material handling cost to the exhibitor would be at least 50% lower than the anticipated material handling cost to exhibitors utilizing the existing CWT pricing model.  Otherwise we would just be swapping out “units of measure.”  And, as I previously outlined, in order for the base rate to come down, it must be accepted and encouraged industry wide.   Event producers have to be open to a model where GSCs charge for what have typically been complimentary show management items and for GSC personnel time and travel.

These are just my initial ideas to spark thoughts and conversation.  I realize that material handling is just one facet in the current trade show business model that needs to be addressed in order to make exhibitor participation in trade shows more affordable.  I hope that many of you out there feel the same way.  The current tradeshow model is outdated, overpriced and desperately needs to be revamped in order to attract customers (exhibitors) and flourish. 

Thanks for reading and I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Tags: , Category Consulting, Tradeshow Management |

1 Comment

Asking Attendees and Exhibitors for Input

2010
05.05

My current career path allows me to work with several client events (both corporate and association) and my assignments vary.  Sometimes I’m involved with the advance planning, other times I’m hired to only to work on-site, and sometimes I’m just brought in to handle “one time” projects such as writing an exhibitor prospectus, or researching the feasibility of starting a new event.  In virtually every one of these business ventures, I’ve been extremely lucky and grateful to work with a lot of very talented and nice people.

Having said that, I have to admit that something has been bothering me.  I am continually surprised that several of my clients (past and present) don’t keep up-to-date with obtaining customer feedback from their face-to-face marketing events.    Whether an annual meeting, trade show or corporate event, I have seen situations where extremely valuable customer information (which could have/should have been used by the event producer to help make strategic business decisions moving forward) was not gathered. 

We all know that businesses in other industries (outside of the face-to-face event production arena) utilize market research, consultants, and obtain customer feedback via surveys, focus groups, telemarketing, etc.  So why do some event producers fail to communicate with their customers and gather business critical information?  Why don’t we ask our customers (because that’s what they are) what they need and want? 

  Is it because the event producers are too busy?  Is it that they get too tied up in managing event logistics, that they can’t see the forest through the trees?  Are they afraid talking to customers will add more work to their already full plates?  Some of these reasons may play a part, but I think the real culprit is “fear of change.”

Let’s face it; most people don’t like change.  We get into our day-to-day (or should I say, event-to-event) routines and it’s easy to say, “This is how we’ve always done it”, or “the board, committee or executive director would never approve that.”  However, in today’s high-speed, super technological environment, being open and able to change quickly based on customer wants and needs is a prerequisite for any successful business.  So, event producers beware:  Albert Einstein defines insanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

We should be asking our customers (attendees and exhibitors) what they want and need…on an ongoing basis. What I mean by “ongoing” is before, during and after each event.  For example, I remember reading about an event producer who, prior to their event, created an interactive environment between registered attendees and speakers.   Registered attendees were able to supply questions to the speaker in advance of the event so the speaker could address the questions during the session.  And this interaction was “live” right up until the session.  What a great way to keep the session cutting edge and to provide the speaker with information so he or she could deliver the most pertinent up-to-date information in a session.

In terms of obtaining on-site feedback, many of you have probably read about the use of Twitter during educational sessions to provide live feedback between the audience, the speaker, the event producer…and even other interested people not attending the conference.  It’s here, it’s being done now and it’s a successful way to obtain feedback.

Another commonly used method for obtaining customer feedback on-site is to have small “by invitation” feedback lunches with attendees and/or exhibitors to talk about their impressions.  Most people are very receptive to these as long as they’re not too long and a skilled staff member or facilitator keeps things moving.  Also, it’s a nice way to say thank you to participants.

  There’s always the most traditional method for obtaining customer feedback: the survey.  Surveys can (and should) be done before, during and after every event.  I have found the best way to obtain a large response rate is to offer some type of personal incentive for completing a survey (a chance to win an iPad, a trip to some nice location, etc.). The free conference registration typically offered just doesn’t seem to cut it anymore.

What’s also great now is the variety of inexpensive survey tools on the internet, for example, Survey Monkey.  In addition to being cost-effective, these services have nice templates that can be emailed, and can handle some basic tabulation for you.  One important thing to keep in mind when developing survey questionnaires is to hire someone with market research experience.   Most event producers do not have the market research experience and knowledge to write non-leading, objective, unbiased survey questions.  So, budget some dollars and hire a market research professional to help.  It will be well worth your money if your questionnaire is more precise and to the point, and you will achieve definitive results.  Exhibit Surveys is a well-known market research company with a great reputation for solid work.  And there are other smaller firms, like Premier Research Solutions, founded and run by my long-time friend, Linda Wing with whom I worked at SmithBucklin.

The bottom line is this.  We all need to stay in better touch with our customers so that we don’t lose sight of why they are participating in our events.  The customer you never hear from after an event…and who never comes back…is the worst possible scenario.  But that doesn’t need to happen.  Reach out, stay in touch and ask the customers (attendees and exhibitors) what they want and need from your event in order for them be successful in their businesses.  And then…be sure to deliver it…and you and your event will be successful as well.

Tags: , , , , , Category Consulting, Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

1 Comment

Education is King & Get Involved in Your Industry Associations

2010
04.08

I was thinking about how tough it must be for those young people who are just finishing college.  Imagine how discouraging it must be as they attempt to enter the workplace, only to find minimal employment opportunities.   A recent article in the Chicago Tribune stated that the jobless rate for 16 to 24-year-olds is 18.5%.  Although my kids are now in elementary and high school, if they were in junior or senior year of college, I would tell them to stay in school and work towards a graduate degree.   I mean, what else would they do if they left school in today’s job market?  I suppose they could volunteer their time with some worthy cause, but then again there’s probably a good chance they’d sit around the house, eat, and bum money.

I think there’s an analogy for those of us in the meeting, tradeshow and special events industry.  Unemployment continues to rise, the job market is dismal, and growth in events is slow.   Why not make the best of it by using our time to educate ourselves about important issues within the industry, and participate in the activities our industry associations offer?

The industry associations I belong to, i.e., Association Forum of Chicagoland (The Forum), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), International Association for Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), and the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), all offer education and other ways to get involved too.     

The cool thing about utilizing industry associations is that we can accomplish these two things, education and participation, for free…or at least at a reasonable cost.  For example, The Forum recently offered a very informative session, titled, “Pushing Your Vendors: How to Get Affordable Local, Organic Foods for Your Meetings and Events.”  It was free and was an excellent session.  They have another free upcoming session for members, “Protecting Your Organization from Fraud.”  Not only can you learn something at these sessions, but you can network and meet people.  Whether you’re a planner or supplier, meeting new people or reconnecting with those you already know from the industry is a must.

PCMA, IAEE and GMIC hold educational sessions every other month or so.  I’ve seen all types of good topics including; “Virtual Events: Fad or Fabulous?”, “Calculating the Return on Your Show Using the ROI Toolkit”, “Top Industry Leaders on the Future of Meetings – Where is our Industry Headed Today?”, “Creating Surveys to Maximize Effectiveness”, and the all too familiar and mysterious for some “Social Networking.”  Although half or full-day programs run a little more, the cost for breakfast or early evening association-produced sessions is usually very reasonable.  The presenters I’ve seen are very good, and the attendance is a nice split between planners and suppliers, which produces great networking.   

Nothing against Webinars…which are great and allow remote access to education, but in our business…nothing is better than face-to-face interaction.  Some other things we all should be doing more of while things get back up to speed is getting more involved with our industry associations by volunteering for committee work, or involvement with an association’s special interest groups (SIGs).  I made a conscious decision at the end of last year to get more involved in the groups I belong to.  I joined the Chapter Relations Committee of my local chapter of PCMA.  I also have volunteered to join the Golf Tournament Planning Committee (maybe a little selfish indulgence here) of my local chapter of IAEE, and I’m serving on the board and membership committee of the local chapter of GMIC.   

You’re probably thinking…either this guy must not have any work, or he’s independently wealthy.  Well, let’s set the record straight that the latter is definitely not the case.  And, my “regular job” is doing fine, except like all of us I could always use a few more accounts. 

In terms of time commitment to get involved with your industry associations, done correctly, i.e., everyone does a little; committee, board or SIG participation in these groups does not have to be an overwhelming obligation.

Through these opportunities, we can give back to the industry and the associations by sharing our talents and connections.  We also reap the benefits of new friendships with other members, and gain exposure within the industry by participating.  What a win-win for everyone. 

Hopefully we’re on the road to economic recovery, but we can use the slower time wisely.  I suggest we take advantage of this time to get educated, participate, network and make good use of the membership dollars either you or your organization pays the industry associations for your membership.

Tags: , , , , Category Consulting, Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

No Comments

Greening Your Events

2010
03.17

  In the spirit of Saint Patrick’s day, I wanted to share some thoughts about why…even in an environment of budget cuts and job scarcity in our industry…we should work hard to continue to support and implement sustainable practices and the “greening” of meetings, tradeshows and special events.

The concept of environmental responsibility and sustainability have been around for some time now, but we have a long way to go in terms of 100% participation by the meetings/tradeshow and special events industry.  But with that said, there are lots of great sustainability initiatives going on, and I’m sure you’ve read numerous articles in the industry trade journals about what some association and corporate groups are doing.   But rather than rehash those, I’ll share with you some recent personal experiences. 

  While attending the PCMA Midwestern Chapter March Educational event at the Chicago Hilton, I noticed a couple of simple, yet important things related to sustainability in the meetings environment.  During the educational sessions, the hotel provided water stations with eco-friendly plastic like cups made out of some type of corn based product. 

Apparently, these cups can be thrown out and will disintegrate quickly in a land-fill…as opposed to regular plastic cups which I think take like 90+ years to disintegrate…if ever.    Additionally, the hotel had recycle bins throughout the public areas and in the meeting rooms.  These are small things, and there may have been more I overlooked, but obviously the Chicago Hilton is making an effort by implementing sustainable practices and being environmentally responsible with their group meeting business. 

And here’s the beauty of this example at the Chicago Hilton and why it’s is win-win for everyone.  As a meeting planner who decides or influences where meetings are Chicago booked, obviously I noticed the eco-friendly plastic like cups.  And, it made me feel good that the Chicago Hilton was using them.  If I noticed them, you can bet that many other planners in attendance at the PCMA meeting did too.  So, even though the eco-friendly plastic like cups may cost the hotel a little more money than regular plastic cups, the Chicago Hilton, by branding itself as practicing sustainability and being environmentally responsible (which a lot of people care about and think highly of these days), may in fact influence me or other planners in our decision to select them versus another hotel to place a meeting.  And, as affirmed by the age old adage, “people buy from people they like.”  So, not only is what the Chicago Hilton is doing great for the environment, but it’s also smart business. 

I also recently attended a session sponsored by the Association Forum of Chicagoland, “Pushing Your Vendors: How to Get Affordable, Local, Organic Foods for Your Meetings and Events.”  The presenter was Greg Christian from gregchristianconsulting.com.   Recognized as “Chicago’s Conscious Caterer™,” Greg is a professional chef, caterer and entrepreneur, author (he has a new book, Food and Forgiveness) and a pioneer in the foodservice industry’s zero-impact movement.   His message is very moving and inspiring.   Because of a variety of reasons, including unsustainable farming practices, and creating a tremendous amount of waste, Greg feels that the food service industry has been a destructive force and has been using up a lot of the earth’s non-renewable resources at an alarming rate. 

Greg believes that the meeting, tradeshow and special event industry (especially because over 5 billion dollars is spent annually on catering) can have a tremendous positive impact on the environment by selecting foodservice providers that use seasonal, and locally grown organic foods.  And, that if event producers begin this requirement process early on, i.e., at the request for proposal (RFP) stage, with suppliers (hotels, convention center, caterers, etc), the requirements and process will be easier to implement.  And most importantly, the positive impact event planners and suppliers can make on our community, and our environment.   

Additionally, Greg has been instrumental in working with the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX), an initiative of the Convention Liaison Council (CIC), to write policy and procedure focused on bringing together best practices and standards related to food and beverage for green meeting and events, including sample RFPs.  For more information about APEX, visit http://conventionindustry.org/apex/inprogress.htm

Here’s a  video of Greg talking about his journey and message.

        

And last, but certainly not least, I recently received an invitation to join and participate in a relatively new (6 year old) membership-based professional organization, the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC).   As described on their web site, www.greenmeetings.info, “The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) is the premier global community solely dedicated to sustainability in the meetings and events industry, not only through education but also by spearheading research, policy and standards.”

GMIC’s membership dues are very reasonable ($185 per year for individual membership, and varying levels of participation for supporting business memberships) and a good friend of mine, Barbara Connell with the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), is going to be heading up the Chicago chapter as president.   

Following are the organization’s mission and vision statements, and a short video from the organization’s founders.  If you’re interested in getting involved and doing more in terms of implementing sustainable practices and “Greening your Event”, it might be a really good idea for you to join GMIC. 

       
 

GMIC Mission:
The Council seeks to transform the global meetings industry through sustainable practices which incorporate environmental considerations throughout all stages of a meeting in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment. The Council will promote environmentally responsible strategies through the collaborative efforts of meeting industry stakeholders, balancing economic, environmental, and community objectives. Your support is an integral component of our success.

GMIC Vision:
According to the Green Meeting Industry Council , a green meeting incorporates environmental considerations throughout all stages of the meeting in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment.

In conclusion, if you’re not doing so already, there’s lots of easy ways to start implementing sustainable practices in your meetings, tradeshows, and special events.  For example, event organizers can utilize eco-friendly name badge holders, and reducing printed promotional and on-site materials.  Additionally, organizers can request that their supplier partners utilize things like sustainable carpet at trade shows, recyclable trash liners, and that food service suppliers use water stations with the aforementioned eco-friendly plastic like cups, recycle, and compost.

It’s all good and helps the planet too. Take care and I welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas.

Tags: , , , , , Category Consulting, Meeting Planning, Special Events, Tradeshow Management |

« Older Entries