best practices for revitalizing attendee and exhibitor engagement

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Best Practices for Revitalizing Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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Content Leaders:Carol Tobin, Director, AIHAce

American Industrial Hygiene Association

Melinda Kendall, Vice PresidentImmersa Marketing

Presented at:2011 Springtime Expo

Washington, DCApril 28, 2011

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Overview

• Engagement process to build innovative ideas and institute change

• Creative ways to facilitate exhibitor/attendee connections pre-, during and post event

• Increase potential exhibitors/sponsorship revenue by expanding niches

• Best matches for driving and maintaining traffic in exhibit hall

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Engagement Process to Build Innovative Ideas and Institute Change

Need to have:• Data-driven organization• Trust among/between staff, volunteer leadership,

consultant• Agree on what success looks like• If fail, fail small and fast

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AIHce in context• 6,000 attendees• XXX-square-foot exhibit space• Rotate between United States and Canada• 30% of net AIHA revenue• 28% of members attend

Event challenges• Declining membership=declining attendance• Shrinking classic exhibitor population

Engagement Process to Build Innovative Ideas and Institute Change

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Putting the team at ease• Seek/obtain “executive buy-in”• Actively involve all parties and establish cross-

representative team (not just M/E)• Be clear about what success looks like• Create atmosphere of openness based on trust and

respect• Find right outside partner to help

Engagement Process to Build Innovative Ideas and Institute Change

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Event Audit--Why Do It?

clear and objectiveattendee experience

exhibitors experience

assess

Are event objectives being met?

fresh and unbiased perspective

strategy-based recommendations

best practice insights

take event to the next level

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Event Strategy: Audit

Discovery• Organization objectives• Event objectives• Audience, history, feedback

Audit• Experience event through the lens of the attendee and

exhibitorAnalysis + Recommendations

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Event Strategy: Brainstorming

• Involve the entire team• Choose one area • Start with objectives• Use a facilitator• Narrow down the results• Assign roles and deadlines

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AIHA SWOT Analysis

Strengths• AIHce receives high scores (Overall satisfaction–72%, likelihood

to recommend–85%)• Highly experienced and mature membership, with buying power• Strong reputation in industry as the scientific resource• Strong reputation in industry as organization that values

communication/discussion/debate• Strong reputation for educational certification programs

(primary reason for attendance)

Weaknesses• Need for clear differentiation (positioning) vs.

key competitors (e.g., ASSE)• Limited online, year-round AIHA community

engagement, interaction, matchmaking, or facilitation of networking/mentoring

Opportunities• Increase engagement and interaction with members both online

(year round) and on-site• More clearly defined and communicated Point of Difference

(scientific bent, strong educational programs, value of the profession)

• Increase younger membership, student engagement in profession

• Global expansion• Celebration of the “do good”/emotional aspect of the profession

Threats• Mature OEHS market• Declining membership • Aging membership–75% are 40+• Tough economy–meeting registration and booth

sales down• Competition from ASSE and other shows for

both attendees and exhibitors• Not evolving

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AIHA Objectives

Grow Professional Community

young international local students

IH certification online

Advocacy, Influence, and Value

Increase influence and visibility in formulating policy and standards

Information, Learning, Knowledge

Access to science-based information

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Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

Key Recommendations From AIHA Event Audit

Evolve EmpowerInspire Engage EvolveDefine Extend

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Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

Clearly define AIHce positioning versus other similar industry events, and communicate it year-round online and in all AIHce communications/marketing.

Define

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• Focus on the human element of the profession--and celebrate!

• Reinforce the value of the profession.o IH work contributes to the bottom line of

businesses.• Consider an inspiring meeting theme that supports

this objective.

Inspire

Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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• Increase number of interactive sessions (e.g., breakthrough thinking brainstorming sessions, white boarding with experts).

• Incent engagement through participation in competitions.

Engage

Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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• Incorporate more programs that engage younger professionals/students.

• Add global/international sessions that promote sharing of best practices.

Evolve

Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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• Continue to empower members of the association with the tools they need to prove the “Value of the profession” to their business stakeholders.

• Extend networking beyond attendee sub-segment social events to a single networking event on-site and a networking platform on-line.

Empower

Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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• Extend the reach of the event through a robust on-line program that spans pre-event, during, and post-event.

• Engage the attendees in a PR effort to spread the word about IH beyond the association.

Extend

Ideas to Facilitate Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement

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Increase Potential Exhibitor/Sponsorship Revenueby Expanding Niches

AIHCE Objectives• Increase attendance by 10% for students and

international attendees.• Create “long impact” of one-week show.• Keep high (92%) satisfaction rate.

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Increase Potential Exhibitor/Sponsorship Revenue by Expanding Niches

In partnership with Immersa, we:• Segmented and brainstormed entire show• Ranked list of ideas in priority order• Agreed to a three-year rolling implementation based

upon budget constraints

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Increase Potential Exhibitor/Sponsorship Revenue by Expanding Niches

Results• Improved attendance by 20%• Implemented “sound off” corner for quick ideas,

commentary, etc.• Expanded exhibitor categories• Improved product demo area• Redesigned AIHA membership booth• Photo display promoting impact of profession

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Increase Potential Exhibitor/Sponsorship Revenue by Expanding Niches

Results• “White board” of ideas from the show (will use it for

Web and magazine information dissemination• Launched “Get Inspired” campaign• Launched “Breakthrough Thinking” programs• Implemented more robust programming for students

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Is an Event Audit Right for Your Association?

• Does your event optimize the customer experience and interaction for key participants (attendee and exhibitors/sponsors)?

• Do you feel it’s time to make a change, but you’re struggling with what to do?

• Is your event in need of a fresh perspective?

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Tools: Analyze

• Competitive analysis• Organization goals and messaging• Event goals and messaging• Identify leverage points

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Tools: Audit

• Take a fresh perspective.• Talk to attendees and exhibitors.• Look at entire customer experience, starting from the first

communication.• How do we combine the event experience with the association

experience?

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Tools: Brainstorm

• Pick one area.• Start with objectives.• Start with challenges.• Seek out best practices.• Write up all ideas.• But pick just a few.

What if you implemented just one great idea?

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Contact Information

Carol TobinDirector, AIHA conference and expoAmerican Industrial Hygiene Associationctobin@aiha.orgwww.aiha.org

Melinda KendallVice PresidentImmersa Marketingmelinda.kendall@immersamarketing.comwww.immersamarketing.com