debate designed to explore the future of the group or industry.
Uniqueness in programming is essential to marketing success;
“sameness” is lethal in the long run.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
The more complex the positioning considerations, the more com-
plex the marketing plan will likely be. The more daunting the mar-
keting plan, the less likely you will be able to follow it faithfully.
The plan should simply spell out, as briefly as feasible, the
strengths and weaknesses of your organization and event, the ob-
jectives, the needs of your potential market niche, economic con-
siderations, and elements that will make the enterprise unique
from others. Short and sweet. And easy to track.
Research and Analysis
We learned earlier that a key component of the five Ps of market-
ing is market research and analysis. Before one can effectively de-
sign and market an event, there is the need to determine the de-
sires, expectations, and anticipations of the audience to whom
that marketing will be directed. The event may be an original pro-
duction—or a historic, traditional annual meeting—but research
must be ongoing.
Studies have shown that 30 percent of Americans move each
year, either from their homes or from their jobs. Therefore, because
people change, expectations change. And so markets change. Mar-
kets must be segmented in order to apply emphasis to those who
are most important. Organizations will have primary, or target,
markets, the mainstream of their constituencies and memberships.
However, many have found additional participants through exam-
ination of secondary and tertiary markets. This may extend far be-
yond the mainstream markets to suppliers, sponsors, and ancillary
providers. The search for new markets should never cease. It is im-
perative to research them all because that research may show that
a tertiary market may be more financially lucrative than the pri-
mary audience for which the event is designed.
For example, many conventions are assembled to serve
the common business concerns of association members through
Research and Analysis 21