PCMA Presentation, July 30, 2015

1. 1
Using Data to
Drive Event
Evolution
July 30, 2015

2. 2
SESSION OUTCOMES
1. Understand your data and how to use data to
improve your event
o How geographic venue selection can be enhanced
using data
o How data can help a growing event identify its true
growth drivers
2. Pull out event trends from your data to make
better strategic sales and marketing decisions
3. Tips on how you can get started today!

3. 3
Jeremy Figoten, CAE
SVP, Meetings, Business Development &
Communications
National Apartment Association
@JeremyMFigoten
Joseph Colangelo
CEO and Co-Founder
Bear Analytics, Inc.
@JoeColangelo
Robbi Lycett
Event Strategist
Tradeshow Logic
@RobbiLycett
Moderated
by:

4. 4

5. 5Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials Source: PCMA Meetings Market Survey 2015

6. Forecasting registration revenues
to drive destination selection
Mini Case #1:

7. The Challenge:
To identify which US cities
presented the best opportunity
for a positive attendee
experience and financial gain
for the organization.

8. Mini Case #1: Approach and Methodology
8Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Step 1: Categorize Each City Based
on Strength of the Industry
Step 2: Identify and Test Predictors
of Event Performance
Step 3: EvaluateAttendeeRevenue
Based on Historical Performance
Step 4: Data Empowered Decision-
Making: Picking a Location
o What locations were viable sites
for the 2016 BIO Convention?
o How many attendees were
expected in 2016?
o How much revenue would this
generate?
o How does this compare city to
city?

9. Step 1: Biotech Industry Strength by City
9Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials **Graphics provided by Battelle 2014 biotechnology industry report
We were able to establish city specific metrics on company
concentration, employment, and recent growth.

10. Step 2: Identify and Test Predictors of
Event Performance
10Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Industry investment was
closely tied to event
attendance the NEXT year
What data could help
explain event performance?
o Stock market performance?
o Industry specific indices?
o Top 50 public company
performance?
o Venture capital financing?

11. $-
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
(Projected)
Avg. Early Price Avg. Late Price
Step 3: Evaluate Attendee Revenue Based
on Historical Performance
11Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Redacted
Consistent average
revenue allowed for
straightforward
forecast for future
revenue per attendee
Weighted average revenue for
Premium Conference Access

12. Step 4: Data Empowered Decision-Making
Picking a Location
12Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Result – San Francisco represented
the best possible location for event
attendance, revenue, and overall
industry success!
Quotient for biotech
industry strength of
each city
Forecasted range of
attendees for 2016
Revenue generated
per attendee
Revenue forecast for
each prospective city
Venue costs and
expenses

13. 13Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials

14. If my growing
event could talk…
Mini Case #2:

15. The Challenge:
The NAA Education Conference &
Exposition has grown consistently
from 2009 – present.
We needed to understand the
drivers of that growth.

16. NAA Education Conference & Exposition has
Seen Sustained Growth from 2009-2015
16Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
4,700 4,900
5,600
6,100
6,600
8,000
9,200
$0.0
$0.5
$1.0
$1.5
$2.0
$2.5
$3.0
$3.5
$4.0
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
RevenueinMillions
NumberofIndividualAttendees

17. Quantify
Growth
Drivers
Focus on
NAA Growth
Centers
View in Real-
Time via
Customized
Dashboards
17Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Approach and Methodology
Loyalty
Retention
First-Timers
Revenue Concentration
Individual
Attendees
Companies

18. 13,783
2,909
1,224
668 350 209
-­
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
1 2 3 4 5 6
Years Loyal
NAA Education Conference & Exposition
Attendee Loyalty (2009-2014)
18Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
25%
72%
3%

19. NAA Education Conference & Exposition
Company Retention
19Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
31% 30% 31% 29% 28%
34% 35% 36% 35% 37%
34% 30% 26% 27% 28%
6% 7% 9% 7%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014
Abandoned Retained Returned New

20. NAA Education Conference & Exposition
Revenue Mix Shift (2009 – 2015)
20Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
2009 Revenue Mix 2014 Revenue Mix
Attendees Group Attendees Exhibitors
54.4%
31.3%
14.3%
47.3%
38.1%
14.4%

21. Real-Time Pre-Event Dashboards
21Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
Weekly reporting on:
o Attendee growth
o Revenue growth
o Historical
comparisons
o Geographic and
regional growth

22. 22
Mini Case 2: Results and Impact
o Validated NAA event strategy to grow attendance
while maintaining existing revenue levels
o Specifically identified companies/organizations
who are not participating at previous levels
o Answered the questions that my event survey
couldn’t

23. 23
Other research
opportunities:
ü Focus Groups
ü Phone Interviews
ü Post-Event Surveys
ü Specialty Market
Research Firms

24. 24
What are some of the data
projects that you have found to
be the most rewarding?

25. How Do I Get
Started?

26. QUESTIONS?
26Bear Analytics: Confidential Materials
BEAR FACT #23:
Bears are very smart and have
been known to roll rocks into bear
traps to set off the trap and eat
the bait in safety.

27. 27
Tips and Tricks