1. Who am I? Malgosia Bartosik, Membership and Events Director, The European Wind Energy Association 10 + years experience in marketing and events organisation Main responsibilities: Responsible for EWEA events and membership portfolio, team of 18 pax

2. What is EWEA? The European Wind Energy Association: industry association based in Brussels. 700+ corporate members from over 60 different countries. 60 staff members; main activities: political lobbying, strategic communications and events.

3. EWEA events EWEA annual conference and exhibition (8-10,000 pax from 80 countries, 450 presentations, 15,000 m2 net exhibition) EWEA biennial conference and exhibition (8,500 pax, 250 presentations, 10,000 m2 net exhibition) Smaller special topic conferences and workshops around Europe (form 50 to 550 pax)

4. Organisation of our big events: Outsourced: Core PCO: registration, hotels, speakers management assistance Local PCO: social events Exhibition floor managers + AV/IT consultant In house: venue selection, conference programme, exhibition and sponsorship sales, all communication and marketing activities

5. Main selection factors Venue capacity (exhibition size, conference rooms) Wind energy market? City/venue accessibility Onsite hotels Cost of the venue and the destination itself Collaboration between the venue and the local authorities + other stakeholders

6. EWEA decision process Short list of venues for site inspection Site inspection by EWEA events team to selected venues Recommendations to the Exhibitor Council Negotiations with the national associations First offers from short listed venues (max 3) Presentation at the board Mandate to negotiate final offer with venue A and B 24 – 30 months decision cycle

7. BID Before bidding get to know the association, its events and the decision process DO: Make an effort: customise the offer (phone interview?) Go to the client event before bidding Make it easy to visualise the event for the client Make it a cost efficient offer (options +) Invite client for site inspection (check who!) and make it memorable Learn from the clients’ previous experience and avoid mistakes that others did Stay flexible and open for collaboration

8. DON’T‘s Don’t’ waste your time preparing an offer for a client that you don’t know Don’t pump up the cost Don’t hide costs Don’t leave client with problems on their own Don’t believe in “we will not come back”. There is always a chance to bring the client back. Don’t overdo Don’t disrespect the client whoever it is!

9. CLOSE COLABORATION WITH What do we expect from the venue CLIENT LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS

10. Crisis: higher expectations Cost efficient offer Advice on new income generation possibilities – sponsorship? Increased value proposition Flexibility: last minutes stand bookings/ cancelations Staff support: extension of the client’s team Sales support: joint exhibitions Promotional support: better deals from your own partners BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE!

11. THANK YOU! mb@ewea.org