Zen and the Art of Attendee Marketing

Michael Hughes -- Tradeshow Week, 1/10/2005

Tradeshow Week Research is studying attendee-marketing issues and best practices. We are surveying hundreds of show managers and reviewing marketing pieces from a diverse group of shows. The focus has been on analyzing the most effective marketing media and direct mail. Provided here is a sneak preview of some of our key findings:

• Attendee marketing. E-mail is being used more often as an attendance-marketing medium for good reason: It's highly targeted and dirt cheap. But direct mail is still the key medium and will continue to be for years. Show producers tell us that, by far, direct mail is still the most effective medium in terms of total ROI. They also say that direct mail drives the bulk of total attendance.
  With direct mail still so important, analyzing pieces from shows of various sizes and in diverse industry sectors has brought to light certain characteristics of the best of class.
• Format and paper type. The events business is a touch-and-feel industry, and marketing materials should reflect that, so use the highest quality paper you can. If you have the budget, develop two or three pieces that focus on key themes, but use a slightly different call to action with each one. Clearly, the first piece should promote pre-registration. The second piece can cover exhibits, special pavilions, new areas, educational tracks and so on.
• Headlines and themes. One trend in corporate marketing is to embrace the concept that less is more in terms of catch phrases. For example, look at MasterCard's "Priceless" campaign. Nextel's branding says using its service gets things "Done." And Volkswagen for years has used the phrase, "Drivers Wanted."
  An exhibition industry example of this keep-it-simple strategy is the 2005 Intl. CES catch phrase, "Grow," which is reinforced with graphics of fresh produce embedded with consumer electronic gadgets.
• Copy. There's an old debate in marketing over the amount of copy to use in ads and marketing brochures. I tend to believe sophisticated business people like a good deal of well-presented information. And many leading-edge show producers aren't afraid to fill the pages of their brochures. The first pages of a multi-page piece tend to have the most white space while the remaining pages are packed with information. So the advice here is to keep your motto short and your copy somewhat detailed.
  Not surprisingly, the best pieces we've reviewed position their shows as the must-attend event in their sector. They also present clear value points, which are actually the same for all quality events: see new products and technology; learn and network; meet new vendors and customers; improve your competitive advantage; hear Bill Gates speak; etc.
  Good marketing also states a problem (or fear) and then offers a solution. This approach says, "We know your market, we know your issues, we can solve them, and here's how." A great piece from Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo 2004 has a header that says, "Your Problems Are Our Priorities."
  The best marketing pieces are also very clear about the show's value. Gartner lists the "10 Reasons You Should Attend Symposium/ITxpo" on the back of its attendee piece. This is simple, clear and effective.
  Finally, I'm always surprised that more show producers don't use attendee testimonials.
• Schedule design. Conference session information is often not presented very well in either attendee pieces or in show programs. Information presentation is a different art than graphic design. I suggest show producers facing daunting information presentation and scheduling issues look up the publications and seminars of Edward Tufte (www.edwardtufte.com) or other experts. The attendee-marketing pieces reviewed suggest that managers who do the best job take the time and effort to make their schedules as easy to read as possible.
• Colors. Upstart shows and events in rapidly changing markets tend to use bright colors. More established shows, in general, use softer colors. Softer colors suggest confidence in their industry leadership position; bolder colors suggest a show needs to capture attention, and fast. Our research also noticed that multiple attendee pieces from industry-leading shows have similar color schemes but are not exactly the same. Industry leaders are freer to be more expressive and flexible in terms of their branding.
• Response information/registration form. I suggest that your Web site and phone number be listed on every page of every one of your pieces, including your newsletters. Most pieces do have this information, but often it is too small or too hard to read. Also consider using a sweepstakes or another high-value incentive to spur registration, not just an early-bird discount.
• Promoting the destination. The city is not as important as it used to be. But it's still a part of the attendee's go/no-go decision. One suggestion is to describe the city as easy to get to and nearby, even if it's not. One Intl. CES piece we reviewed included the line that the Las Vegas show is "right in your backyard" next to a map of the United States. The more information you can provide about hotels, airfares or transportation, the better.

More shows focus on the business value of attending, but in some industries, networking and nightlife are still promoted as key reasons to attend. For example, a piece for the 2004 SIA SnowSports Show has a headline typed on an attendee's badge: "Of Course It's Not All Work and No Play. That Crazy Philosophy Would Put Us All Out of Work." (Guess where the show was held? Right, Las Vegas.)

Attendee pieces are challenging because there's so much information to tell: the sessions, the exhibitors, the city, the hotels, the special events, how to register, the speakers, etc. The trick is to balance hard information with the benefits, capture attention and prompt a call to action, all at the same time.

Not easy, but thankfully show producers can glean a considerable amount of insight by reviewing marketing pieces developed by best-of-class show producers in many industries. The great thing about the events industry is that there are simply hundreds of excellent marketers doing great work that can provide inspiration. Where do you find these shows? You can start with the annual TSW 200 or the TSW Fastest 50 listings.

The key is to continually analyze your market and how it is changing. And don't just focus on big industry trends. Try to get a closer understanding of what is happening to the individuals in your market and what they want from your events.