audience being sought, and meet that expectation. Some organi-
zations hold events where admission is free (because of limited re-
sources of the attendees) and the costs are covered by exhibitors,
sponsors, and supporters. Others may set the cost of participation
exceedingly high in order to attract only the market niche repre-
sented by big spenders and industry leaders. There is no one de-
finitive answer, other than that registration/participation fee issues
are a significant part of correctly positioning the event and an in-
tegral cog in the marketing plan.PROGRAM
What can you offer in your event program that no one else is of-
fering and, consequently, market the uniqueness? You may find an
opportunity to honor an industry or community leader. There may
be an educational segment that can be featured or an “open forum”20 Chapter 1 Introduction to Event Marketing
Figure 1-4
Only when the product is clearly defined can decisions be made
as to strategies to be used in attracting audiences through price,
place, positioning, and public relations.