The document outlines key strategies and challenges faced by the exhibition industry, focusing on attendee acquisition, exhibit sales, and evolving event models. Led by Sam Lippman, it emphasizes the importance of adapting to trends such as mobile marketing, segmentation, and innovative pricing strategies for exhibitors. Key takeaways include the significance of metrics to measure return on investment and the necessity for continuous engagement with exhibitors and attendees to drive success.

1. Strengthen Your Show
Action Items from Lippman Connects Events
NYIAEE Chapter
March 12, 2013
Sam Lippman
President
Lippman Connects

2. • Introductions
• Exhibition Industry Challenges
• Trends
• Questions
• Attendee Acquisition
• Questions
• Exhibit Sales
• Questions
Agenda

3. • 36 years producing
exhibitions, conferences, forums, a
nd roundtables
• Produced International
CES, GRAPH EXPO, and PRINT
• Consults in strategic
planning, management, and
marketing
• Facilitates board meetings, user
groups, and attendee and exhibitor
focus groups
• Produce by-invitation events for the
exhibition industry
Sam Lippman
Founder and President
Lippman Connects

4. Sharing successful strategies
The platform to increase exhibit and
sponsorship sales
The meeting for large show managers
Find. Attract. Retain. Grow

5. Show Name Attendance Purpose
200 industry
executives annually
• Exclusively for independent and
association executives
• Focuses on increasing revenue and the
relevance of events
18 attendees
3 times a year
• Event marketers focus on ways to find,
attract, and retain quality attendees
• Tracks lifecycle of attendees
• Identifies new prospects and rebuilds lists
• Boosts conversion rates
18 attendees
3 times a year
• Exhibit sales and service managers share
sales technique
• Benchmarks exhibit pricing, space
assignment, and sponsorships
16 attendees
3 times a year
• Show managers with at least 125,000 net
square feet of exhibit space
• Exchanges best practices for large shows
Lippman Connects Events

6. Exhibition Industry Challenges

7. Exhibit Sales Challenges
Five of top six threats are exhibitor-related:
1. M&A reducing exhibitor base
2. Exhibitors downsizing exhibit space
3. Exhibitors downsizing sponsorships
4. International exhibitors unable to get in the U.S.
5. Exhibitors cancelling booths
Source: ECEF 2012 Pulse

8. Attendee Acquisition Challenges
1. Mobile marketing
2. Segmentation
3. Social media marketing
4. Marketing research
5. List acquisition
Source: Jacobs Jenner & Kent 2012 Attendee Acquisition
Roundtable Study

9. Trends

10. Trends: The Changing Event Model
• Challenges and Opportunities
– Hosted buyer programs
– Co-locations
– Niche events
– Hybrid/virtual events
– Exhibitors hosting private events
– Match-making

11. Trends: Technology
• Matchmaking/Scheduling being used by 47% of organizers
• Effectiveness of these programs
23%
23%
35%
19%
18%
31%
35%
16%
Not very effective
Undecided
Somewhat effective
Very effective
Exhibitors Attendees
Source: ECEF 2012 Pulse

12. Trends: Exhibit Space Pricing
• 56% of organizers open to the following pricing:
18% - Charge based on floor location
15% - Offer multi-year contracts
10% - Charge based on when payment received
10% - Reduce nsf charge the more nsf purchased
2% - Charge based on performance
45% - Other
Source: ECEF 2012 Pulse

13. Reed’s “Choice Exhibitor Pricing”
• Different prices based on location and timing
• Recognizes exhibitors value locations differently
• Offering “Choice Pricing” changed how Reed:
– Designs floor plans
– Prices floor plans
– Forecasts budgets
– Consult, more than sell, to customers
Source: ECEF 2012 Keynoter Nancy Walsh, Reed

14. Attendee Acquisition

15. Attendance at Shows
Increased 50%
Stayed the
Same
27%
Decreased
23%
Source: 1/24/13 AAR

16. Attendee Acquisition Successes
• All departments & suppliers create marketing plan
• VIP buyers, alumni and first time attendee programs
• Empower “multipliers” to promote -
CVB, exhibitors, speakers, media, bloggers, LinkedIn
Group leads
• Launch mobile app with logistics info earlier
• Offer personal incentives to increase early registrations
• “Recycle your badge and register for the next Show”
• 40/40/20 rule
• Full time attendee recruitment staff

17. ECEF 2012 On-site Polling Results
• For your events in the U.S., what percent of
attendees come from outside of the U.S.?
6%
26%
18%
25%
25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Not Applicable
16% and higher
11 to 15%
6 to 10%
Up to 5%
Source: ECEF 2012 On-site Polling

18. International Marketing
• 42% are exhibiting in overseas events to attract offshore
audiences to their U.S. events
• Annual spend on marketing to attract overseas
attendees (2011 compared to 2012)
25% more
10% more
Same as 2011
10% less
Source: ECEF 2012 Pulse

19. International Marketing Techniques
Participation in overseas events
Press and buyer relations
International marketing partners
International Buyer Program (DOC)
Multiple languages on website
Translated direct mail
In country advertising
E-mail blasts

20. Exhibit Sales

21. ECEF 2012 Polling Results
Which of the following do you think is top mind
for exhibitors?
2%
21%
31%
46%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Cost shifing from show
management to exhibitors
Cost of exhibiting continually
increasing
Show management providing
measurement tools/data
Creating compelling experiences
for attendees
Source: ECEF 2012 On-site Polling

22. Anchor Exhibitor Expectations
• Allow exhibitors use of proprietary measurement
and lead gathering systems
• Real time confirmation of basic registration data
• Registration systems work with current tools
• Will not exhibit in any show that doesn‟t
encourage measuring return on investment
Source: ECEF 2012 Jeffery Masters, Philips Healthcare

23. Sponsorship Successes
• Advertising in video loops of industry leaders
• Theaters, pavilions, web sites and video walls
featuring new products and first time exhibitors
• Sponsor keynote, track and/or sessions
• New technology services:
– Mobile apps
– Cyber cafes
– Charging stations
– E-mail blasts

24. Sales Successes
• Educate exhibitors to increase their ROI
• Create targeted proposals from sales staff (not
generic prospectus from marketing)
• Work other shows with your editor
• Indicate who purchased „sold‟ products
• Prove ROI of sponsorships – on-site and after

25. Sales Successes
• Use survey data to craft sales message
• Create reasons to engage throughout the year
• Connect with multiple decision makers
• Constantly re-book
• Generate 80% of revenue from 20% of clients
• Design features/displays on the exhibit floor

26. For more information
Sam@LippmanConnects.com
(703) 979-4904
www.LippmanConnects.com