station may prefer mid-morning, in order to have reports or
interviews ready for the afternoon and evening news. By the
next day, the report could well be old news for their editors.
Newspapers may prefer midweek, because of the pressure
of reporting on heavy weekend events during their Friday
deadlines. The point is that the media representatives them-
selves can provide guidelines to the marketer that will help
accommodate their schedules and maximize attendance.
Avoid weekends and Mondays.- Have refreshments on hand, coffee, juices, light finger sand-
wiches, or croissants, and be sure to include this informa-
tion in your invitations. - Be certain to determine that all who accept the invitation
are accredited by their employer and properly credentialed
with identification badges at the media conference registra-
tion desk. - If featured speakers are included in the conference, an ap-
propriate stage and background should be provided with
adequate lighting for television cameras and photography.
Biographies of the speakers should be distributed in ad-
vance as well as on site. Other considerations are:
■Appoint a moderator to provide introductions, field
questions, and make certain that the session begins and
ends at the prescribed times.
■Provide clear lines of sight for cameras.
■Make sure that speakers are briefed and rehearsed.
■Include telephones, facsimile lines, copiers, Internet
connections, and individual interview areas for major
media conferences.
Exhibitor Marketing Techniques
Increasingly, many associations regard exhibitors as an integral
part of the convention mix. Expositions open an essential avenue
of communication between those who supply products and ser-
vices to the organization and the association’s member-buyers.
Moreover, they provide a critical revenue stream to the organiza-
tion through exhibit fees, sponsorships, and other types of sup-
port. In many cases, the revenue generated from exhibit sales will
dwarf any of the other income sources needed to produce the over-
all event.120 Chapter 5 Marketing Association Meetings, Conferences, Events, and Expositions