Chapter Three Meeting, Exhibition, Event and Convention Sponsors MEEC Chapter Three Meeting, Exhibition, Event and Convention Sponsors

Who Holds the Gatherings? Corporations Legally charted enterprises that conduct business on behalf of their owners with the purpose of making a profit and increasing the value of the corporation. Public Corporations – sell stock, has board of directors and owned by stockholders Private Corporations – owned privately and stock is not sold

Corporate Meetings: Numbers and Values 51.5 million people attending $10.3 billion in expenditures 1% gain from 1999 Average attendance – 60 attendees Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Corporate Meetings The Decision Makers to Hold a Meeting Persons with key responsibilities Officers Senior managers in sales and marketing Senior financial managers and controllers

Types of Corporate Meetings Stockholders Meetings Board of Directors Meetings Management Meetings Training Meetings Incentive Trips Sales Training and Product Launches Professional and Technical Training Promotion and Retirement events

Corporate Meeting Attendees Members of the corporate “family” and persons with close business relationship to the company Employees Stockholders Customers Attendance is often mandatory

Corporate Planners 25% of corporate planners spend 80% of their time planning meetings 15% of corporate planners spend 10% or less of their time planning meetings 1/3 have job titles as meeting planners Most work in a specific department (sales, finance) that hold meetings rather than in a meetings department Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Who Holds the Gatherings? Associations An organized body that serves a group of people who have some interest, activity, or purpose that they share in common for professional, industrial educational scientific or social reasons. Associations have some volunteer leadership structure and many employ a staff.

Top Association Destinations Meetings Chicago Washington DC Orlando Atlanta Los Angles New York Phoenix/Scottsdale Dallas/Ft. Worth Las Vegas Denver New Orleans San Diego San Francisco/Oakland Exhibitions Anaheim Boston Chicago Dallas Denver Las Vegas Nashville New Orleans New York Orlando San Antonio San Diego Toronto Washington, DC

Association Meetings: Numbers and Values 15.9 million people attending $13.9 billion in expenditures slight increase from 1999 Average attendance – 90 attendees generating $78,200 in expenditures Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Association Conventions: Numbers and Values In 2001: 11,800 association conventions 12.5 million people attending $16.6 billion in expenditures Average attendance – 1,050 attendees generating $1.4 million in expenditures Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Association Meetings Associations’ TOTAL meetings and conventions account for the largest sector in the overall meetings market.

Association Meetings The Decision Makers to Hold a Meeting Board of Directors or Specific Committee Recommends / Requires a Meeting Planning by staff meeting planner Planning by volunteers or host committee Recommendation to Board by Planner Contracts negotiated on behalf of the Board by Senior Staff

Types of Associations Four Types Geographic Representation Professional – representing a profession (individuals) Trade – representing an industry (businesses) Not for Profits / Non-Profits SMERFs Geographic Representation Local State Regional National International

Types of Association Meetings Conventions Board Meetings Committee Meetings Regional Conferences Training Meetings Educational Seminars

Association Meeting Attendees Members of the association “family” and persons with close business relationship to the association Members and non-members Employees of member companies Trade Press / Students of the profession / industry Attendance is voluntary

Association Meeting Marketing Appealing program to attract members Advance notice of dates, locations, topics, program, speakers and special events Registration procedures Promotion communication Direct mail Advertisements Broadcast Fax / Email / Web Sites

Association Planners < 50% of association planners have the words, event, convention or conference in their titles > 50% of their job responsibilities is other than meetings Independent planners and / or multi-management companies are often contracted Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Who Holds the Gatherings? Government City / County / State or Province National or International Agencies, Departments

Types of Government Meetings For the purpose of: Employee Training Interdepartmental / Inter-agency Agency Meetings with the Public Legislative Hearings and Retreats

Government Meetings Decision Makers Attendees Managers of agencies Dependent upon political interest and budget Attendees Employees of agency – mandatory General Public - voluntary

Government Meetings Marketing has Characteristics of Planners: Association Meetings (voluntary for the public) Corporation Meetings (mandatory for employees) Planners: Staff located throughout the agencies Independent Meeting Planning companies

Who Holds the Gatherings? Exhibition Management Companies Own and Manage Shows Trade Shows (business to business) Public Shows - Expositions (open to public) Manage Shows for Association Clients

Exhibitions 11,094 total exhibitions held in the USA 9,430 (85%) – Business to business 1,664 (15%) – Business to Consumer 38% held in Convention Centers 7,433 (67%) - owned by nonprofit associations 3,661 (33%) – owned by for-profit companies

Types of Exhibitions Trade Shows Public Shows Exhibits products and services Not open to general public May be part of a Convention or stand alone Public Shows Open to public Usually charges an admission fee

Exhibitions Decision Makers Attendees Owners and senior managers of company owned shows Association Executives and Board of Directors Profit motive is driving force Too few – too many shows in the market Attendees Trade Shows attendee market defined by trade or profession Public Shows market defined by interest and location

Exhibition Marketing Marketing to two groups Exhibitors (sellers) Members of Trade or Public (buyers) Members of trade – internal marketing Public – extensive media advertising Marketing efforts must result in both Variety and numbers of exhibitors to satisfy buyers Enough buyers to satisfy exhbitors

Who Holds the Gatherings? Meetings Industry Based Organizations Association Management Companies Meeting Management Companies Independent Meeting Managers Event Management Companies

Who Holds the Gatherings? Other Organizations Political Organizations Labor Unions Fraternal Groups Military Educational Groups

Review Corporate Associations Government Exhibit Management Companies Industry Based Organizations Other Organizations