Growing the participation in your event
is more important now than ever, as featured in an article in
Successful Meetings Magazine by Andrea Doyle. The article highlighted
American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Burba Hotel Networks
strategies to set events apart from other competitors. The goal is to
bring suppliers and retailers together and draw a high number of
attendees.
One of core strategies in increasing
the number of participants is by partnering with the attendees. It is
essential to invest time into learning what’s important to possible
attendees and reaching out to make them feel like part of the event.
The best way to accomplish this is by dedicating time to meet with
them, key in on their needs and then attempting to incorporate them
into the events. This becomes a free extension for marketing because
the event now has people talking. Attendees are also attracted by low
session costs involved with an event which allows a premium charge
for exhibitor booths.
Another crucial component that can make
an event so strong is getting potential participants involved early
and putting an extra focus on first time attendees and exhibitors. By
giving these first timers special attention they feel more
comfortable networking. Take the time to go the extra mile and
arrange speed-meets, gathering points, and allotted areas for new
product launches that are easy to spot. It is imperative to satisfy
attendees and exhibitors’ expectations in their quest to network.
The final component is incorporating
high profile speakers and embracing the social media aspect. The key
is to add interest by choosing individuals that have a connection to
the industry. It is also important to save materials from previous
events, by producing new URLs each year. This enables a company to
build and produce content that helps people make a decision to attend
that years event.
All these factors pave the way for a
company to succeed in increasing the participation of new attendees.
The time and care invested in these areas leave a lasting mark in
people’s minds and an excitement for more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment