making education fairs work for your roi
TRANSCRIPT
Making Education Fairs Work for your ROI
Presented ByAdrian Lok
[email protected] Consultant
EDUSEED MARKETING
An Industry Training Initiative by EDUSEED MARKETING
Training Outline
I. Understanding The Value of Education Fairs
II. Strategies for maximizing ROI
“What’s nice about face-to-face meetings is it allows you to create trust much quicker and, by establishing the trust, it allows the individual the opportunity to ask questions”
Walter GovernorNational Director of Sales
Otto Bock
I. Understanding The Value of Education Fairs
30%
77%Respondents prefer to search for
courses & HEI’s at Education Fairs- EM HE Choices Survey 2015
Lower preference by respondents for campus walk-ins to enquire
about courses- EM HE Choices Survey 2015
I. Understanding The Value of Education Fairs
35%
88%Attendees agree that exhibitions
aid in their sourcing and purchase decision
- CEIR Report 2012
Attendees will share information gathered at exhibitions with at least
1 to 3 people- CEIR Report 2012
I. Understanding The Value of Education Fairs
48%
91%Attendees agree that exhibitions are essential for comparing products &
meeting suppliers- SKYLINE Exhibits Survey 2014
Value the importance of face-to-face interactions compared to
other forms of media- CEIR Report 2012
Education Fairs are a good opportunity to:
Maximizing YourEducation Fair’s
Important Stages
Stage 1: Pre-Event Planning
Determine the Education Fair type – e.g. public, private
Who’s the target market/demography of attendees?
Budgets?
Set desired objectives – e.g. recruitment, brand awareness
Inventory – e.g. marketing materials, pens, clipboards
Pre-event marketing – e.g. postcards, SMS
Stage 2: Event Day Execution
RULE #1: Be Proactive o Never sit at your booth/counter looking disinterested
o Smile & look friendly
o Take initiative to speak with attendees
o Do not start with “What are you looking for?” Or “Can I help you?”
o Better to ask “Have you heard of XXX College?” or “Hi, we’re offering a $XXX rebate just for today” or “How are you this morning?”
o Look for eye contact with attendees
Stage 2: Event Day Execution
RULE #2: Be Attractive o Staff should be professionally & neatly dressed at all times
o Counters should be clean and clear of mess – No food on table!
o Opt for brochure stands instead – visually more attractive
o Offer an incentive for them to visit you – lucky draw or giveaways
o Having a gadget helps too! E.g. ipad, tablet, laptop
o Display student’s work or final year project (if it’s portable)
Stage 2: Event Day Execution
RULE #3: Be Efficient o Having a packed booth is not necessarily a good thing
o Spend an average of 3 minutes to quantify a prospect
o For genuine prospects, try not to exceed 15 minutes for sales talk
o Focus on needs of prospect - Do not overload them with info
o Always mention your institution’s USP (Unique Selling Point)
o Create a system of lead identification – enquirer/high prospect
Important Notes
16% of attendees did not feel comfortable with the exhibit rep
28% said no one assisted them at the stand
42% felt that the rep did not understand their needs
19% are checking out a reps attitude during an exhibition
Always be prepared – brochures, price list, photos of campus, etc.
Be informative & forthcoming with questions
Don’t take criticism personally or act defensively to comments
Take a break and wash up every hour or two to stay fresh
*Statistics are from the Incomm International Survey
Stage 3: Post-Event Management
Establish an efficient lead management system Categorize leads – e.g. enquiry/hot prospect Assign exhibition staff to respective lead management
Follow up on leads – email, social media, letters, SMS, etc.
Continuous communication helps in brand positioning
Do not let leads go unattended for more than 3-5 days
Respond to “hot” prospects in a timely manner
“People do business with people because they choose to; not because they have to. We can always find others doing the same thing or selling the same product. It’s the personal connection that makes the difference”
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Jalan Mayang Pasir 1
11900 Bayan Lepas
Penang, Malaysia
Email:[email protected]
Web:www.eduseed.webs.com
www.eduseedfairs.webs.com
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