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

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International

thanks exhibitors and sponsors with a surprise gift during the ini-

tial phases of tear-down of the exposition, as well as a personal

visit to each booth and thank you by key leaders and staff mem-

bers. The gifts are normally creative specialty advertising items,

bearing a thank-you inscription and a reminder of the dates and

location of the next show. Wine and soft drinks are served to make

the chore of dismantling the exhibits more palatable. The response

of the exhibitors each year is one of appreciation (and amazement

in many cases). Such treatment is extremely rare for them, and the

goodwill is reflected in a sold-out show three times each year.

Here are five final tips on evaluation methods:

1. Keep copies of all print, video, audio, and other media
   purchases.


2. Track the effectiveness of each media outlet through coded
   or coupon response forms. Maintain copies of all print ad-
   vertising, promotions, press kits, and publicity releases
   chronologically and enter information about responses noted
   for each.


3. Verify placement schedules and audited circulation of all
   print media, including the trade press.


4. Analyze the effectiveness of specialty advertising items and
   giveaways.


5. Maintain copies and records of all cross-promotions with
   partners and supporters, as well as references to your event
   carried in their editorial coverage.

Developing New Marketing

Strategies to Beat the Competition

Many casual observers feel that there is no real threat of outside

competition for corporate meetings (people are told to go, and they

go!), association conventions (after all, it’s their only annual con-

vention), county fairs, awards banquets, and community parades.

This may be true in some cases, but in many instances it is not.

Corporate meetings compete for loyalty among dealers and dis-

tributors who may also carry the products of direct competitors.

Association events compete against related associations for the

188 Chapter 8 Trends in Event Marketing