8 Ways to Increase Quality Attendance at Your Next Event
June 17, 2014
INTR
OD
UCT
ION
SKimberly
Hardcastle-Geddes
Marketing Design Group
David Saef
Global Experience Specialists
Steve Suhm
Association of Equipment
Manufacturers
Sam Lippman
Lippman Connects
I am:
A. Meeting Planner / Event Producer / Exhibit Manager
B. Event Marketer (Responsible for Audience Generation)
C. Supplier / ContractorD. Work for a venue / facility / hotel /
destinationE. Other
My event is:
A. Medical / Scientific
B. Professional
C. Business to Business
Experience in Events:
A. 0 – 2 years
B. 3 – 6 years
C. 7 – 15 years
D. More than 15 years
1. Telling Stories
1. Telling Stories
• Use characters with which your audience will identify
• Tell the truth• Illustrate your event’s UVP• Target your stories• A testimonial is not a story • Illustrate results
2. Content Marketing
2. Content Marketing: Stay Relevant Year-round
• You may already have the content• Data Collection Key• Tools – SEM– Social– Email– Retargeting
3. Personalization
3. Personalization
• Mine Your Data• Establish Clear Segments• Develop Targeted Messaging• Consider Best Communication Channels• Deliver Timely, Relevant Messages• Focus on WIFM
4. Website Traffic = Event Traffic
=
• Use long-tail keywords• Focus on valuable content• Create an industry blog • Engage your experts• Link to others• Don’t go quiet
4. Website Traffic = Event Traffic
5. Email Deliverability and Open Rates
5. Email Deliverability and Open Rates
• Don’t underestimate the importance of “FROM”
• Clean house! • Ask permission. Ask permission. • Become a SAFE SENDER • Provide great content• Customize• Keep in touch• Manage your reputation carefully
6. Facilitating Word of Mouth
6. Facilitating Word of Mouth
• Remember WHY people share • Be creative • Market to PEOPLE, not businesses • Show them that they aren’t alone• Give them valuable, sharable content • Tell stories
7. Relationships (VIP Hosted & First-time) Buyers)
7. Find your VIPs and Treat them like VIPs
• Data mining the key targets
• Develop a VIP / First-timer offer
• Use old school B2B approaches to deliver offer
8. Multipliers (exhibitors, media, associations)
Multipliers
• Speakers (social media, networks)• Exhibitors (Invites, blog posts, infographics)• Media (list rentals, email blasts, swaps)• Reciprocal associations (regional, local, etc.)• Bloggers• Social media (Linked/Facebook ads, groups)
Attendee Promotion Spend
Average Range % Change Yr to Yr
Attention Promotion Spending $380,000 $5k - $3.2m +10%
Promotion Spending per Attendee
$30.70 $2.68 - $88.64 +3%
% Total Event Direct Costs represented by Attendee Promotion
13% 2% - 41% +3%
Total Revenue $6,800,000 $280k - $42m +6%
Source: “2014 Attendee Acquisition Metrics and Practices Study,” Exhibit Surveys and Lippman Connects
Marketing Budget Allocations
Source: “2014 Attendee Acquisition Metrics and Practices Study,” Exhibit Surveys and Lippman Connects
* Other includes Web develop, design (3 mentions), Creative (3 mentions)
Public Relations
List Purchases
Social Media
Telemarketing
Digital Ads
Print Ads
Direct Mail
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
4%
5%
5%
6%
6%
10%
20%
20%
Other*
Mktg Automation
Guerilla Mktg
Mobile Mktg
Mktg Research
Travel to Register
SEO/Pd Search
Radio/TV Ads
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
7%
1%
2%
2%
2%
3%
3%
4%
Kimberly Hardcastle-GeddesMarketing Design Group
Sam LippmanLippman Connects
David SaefGES [email protected]
Steve SuhmAssociation of Equipment Manufacturers
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