1. Developing an Exhibitor Retention Strategy for the New Economic Landscape: 10 Tactics to Take Home
Barbara A. Myers, CAE, Vice President Association Services, IMN Solutions
LEVERAGE
THE POWER OF THE NETWORK.
CESSE 2015 Annual Meeting
Norfolk, VA

2. Session Overview and Takeaways
Exhibition economic outlook
Exhibitor retention plans
Components
Implementation
Evaluation
10 exhibitor retention tactics

3. Economic Outlook

4. All About: ROI IMEX Power of 10 Study
91% agree need to demonstrate TANGIBLE ROI to reduce vulnerability to economic cycles
True for all stakeholders – attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, etc.
How do you do this?

5. Do you have an exhibitor retention plan?
Yes No

6. What was your exhibitor retention rate from your last major annual trade show?
90%-100%
75%- 89%
50%-74%
49% or lower

7. Exhibitor Retention Plans
Pre-planning
Goals & Objectives
Target Audiences
Timelines
Budgets
Management
Measurement and Evaluation

8. Exhibitor Retention Tactics
Education
Communications
Social Media
Renewal Campaign
The Pareto Principle
Simplify Processes
On-site traffic builders
Document the experience
Rewards programs
Connection facilitation

9. 1. Education
Exhibitor education webinars (hosted by larger exhibitors and show staff)
Goal setting and measurement templates for exhibitors
Tips for saving money and optimizing activities
Providing a post-exhibition lead follow up plan
Explanation of cost factors especially for areas that are the source of most confusion such as drayage

10. 2. Communications Maintain engagement pre and post-exhibition
Create a monthly newsletter which includes important deadlines, featured sponsorships or advertising opportunities as well as other educational information on exhibiting best practices
Senior level staff member or association officer visit with exhibitors in their booth to check in on their experience and to thank them directly for their support on-site
Maintain frequent/year round communication – #1 take away - should not end once contract is signed!
Don’t forget onsite opportunities for communication - If the exhibitor is having a positive experience, it’s an opportunity to collect a testimonial and take a quick photo. If the experience is not going so well, a personal visit will ensure that the organizer is aware of the issue and can address it immediately rather than remaining unaware and losing the exhibitor the next year as a result.

11. 3. Social Media Engage with exhibitors on a year round basis
International success
Social Media Brochures
Tomorrow – speaking on importance of 365 day experience
Exhibitors are typically the best audience to embrace social media

12. 4. Renewal Campaign Less expensive to retain than acquire!
Targeted exhibitor renewal campaign [Audience: Past Exhibitors]
Three-part campaign - one sent each week to remind people of exhibiting discount deadlines and to extol the many benefits of exhibiting. [Messages in the s will vary depending on the target audience]
Direct mail campaign - direct mail to exhibitors who do not sign up after the attempt. [The messaging would be more urgent and hard selling]
Telemarketing campaign - A phone campaign calling exhibitors who did not sign up following the and direct mail campaigns to inquire if they have questions or need additional information about the 20XX exhibition.
Personal phone call from a senior level organizational leader to thank them for exhibiting and to encourage them to exhibit again next year (separate initiative from renewal telemarketing campaign).
Special advertisements listing promotions specific to returning exhibitors should be featured in relevant publications.
A “welcome back” promotional campaign for first time exhibitors from the prior year.

13. 5. Pareto Principle
80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. When applied to exhibitions, it’s an economical equation for the distribution of exhibitor revenue suggesting that 80% of all exhibitor revenue comes from 20% of the exhibitors.
Conduct annual (or more frequent) face-to-face meeting with key exhibitors to discuss their long-term sales and marketing objectives and how the exhibition can continue to support their efforts.
Create multi-year contracts
Create an advisory group comprised of key exhibitors
Create social media groups for key exhibitors to join where show organizers can engage on a year-round basis and solicit feedback on exhibition planning activities

14. 6. Simplify Processes
One point of contact at show site for ordering services
Retiring priority points
Aiming for transparency
Revising processes to focus on the individual managing the exhibit and not the show organizer
Easy registration process

15. 7. On-site Traffic Builders
Exclusive exhibit hall hours
Special presentations on the show floor
Meal functions on the show floor
Gamification – drawings and other special events on the show floor
Event design – meetings and events located near or around the exhibit hall
Host registration inside the exhibit hall

16. 8. Documenting the Experience
Pictures of their booth (preferably with attendees in it)
Pictures of sponsorship signage
Pictures of booth staff with a visiting representative from the host organization
Exhibition performance data (number of attendees, etc.)
Attendee lists
Letters of thanks from executives or board members
Shameless promotion of next year’s exhibition with a contract if they have not yet signed up
Any other items that would reflect all of the positive aspects of their experience

17. 9. Rewards Programs

18. 10. Facilitate Connections
Attendee matching and appointment setting
Smaller/component companies with larger/parent brands
Hosted Buyers
Why is IMEX becoming so popular? – Appointment setting/hosted buyer programs

19. Establish Goals and Objectives for Exhibitor Retention Plan Exercise 2
Determine retention tactics into your plan to support goals and objectives
Select representative from your group to share ideas
Select one organization from your table to discuss current status/trends for their exhibitor retention
Set specific goals and objectives for how to improve for the next event
Select specific retention tactics presented to support
Assign rep to share ideas

20. Contact Us Barbara A. Myers, CAE Vice President, Association Services
IMN Solutions
Direct: