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.