Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and Expositions

intimate and in depth than the previous, but may reveal signifi-
cant insights into new marketing approaches.
Why ask questions such as these? Who needs to know? Ex-
hibitors will want to know the buying power of your audience.
Advertisers will want to know who makes buying decisions, and
what publications your attendees read, in order to strategize ad-
vertising design and placement. Key speakers and sponsors will
want to know the experience level of their audiences and the po-
sitions they hold in their companies. As the marketer, you need to
know your markets as intimately as possible in order to persuade
your program participants, as well as attendees, to gather.
Always bear in mind that a market segment need not be a ques-
tion of sheer numbers to be vital. Even more important in certain
instances is the influencethat this market segment brings to the

How to Improve Your Event Marketing Segmentation Skills 183

Personal/Business Profile Questions

■How many purchases did you make last year (in dollar volume)

as a result of contacts made at our exhibit?

■When do you make your buying plans?

■What do you buy? What may you buy in the future?

■What dollar volume of purchases are you personally responsible

for in a fiscal year?

■What do you see as the greatest challenge to your success?

■What do you see as your greatest educational need?

■If you had your choice, where would you most like assistance?

(Time management, office systems, administrative assistance,

distributor communications, identifying customer needs.)

■What industry publications do you read regularly?

■What other publications do you read regularly?

■What television programs do you watch regularly?

■Would you be willing to serve as a “network marketer” for our

event in your community? (If so, indicate name and contact

information.)

Figure 8-6
A qualitative survey instrument may be used for general
information about target markets not necessarily related to a
specific event. In many cases, new events can be designed as a
result of better understanding of new market segments.