Completevent Newsletter - January, 2008
 
Exhibition Industry performance improves in Q3
 
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces that data collected for the annual CEIR Index report reveals that show revenues continue to flourish in the third quarter of 2007 with an overall growth of 5.8 percent over the third quarter of 2006. Year-to-date revenue rose 9.7 percent when compared to the same time period in 2006. In addition to this promising growth figure, attendance grew 11.8 percent. The other third quarter numbers for 2007 compared to 2006 are Net Square Feet up 1.4 percent and Exhibitors up 0.3 percent.

As an objective measure of the annual performance of the exhibition industry, the CEIR Index measures year-over-year changes in four key metrics to determine overall performance: Net Square Feet; Attendees; Exhibitors; and Revenue. The CEIR Index provides exhibition industry performance across 11 key industry sectors: Professional Business Services; Consumer and Retail Trade; Sports and Entertainment; Food; Government; Building and Construction; Industrial and Manufacturing; Communications and Information Technology; Medical and Health Care; Raw Materials and Science; and Transportation.

Earlier this year, the CEIR Index reported the exhibition industry grew 4.8 percent in 2006 over 2005 levels, just slightly below the 5.8 percent gain posted by the industry in 2005 versus 2004, but marking the fourth consecutive year of industry growth. Over the course of the period covered by this report (2000-2006), all four exhibition industry metrics rose on a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) basis: Net Square Feet (+3.6 percent); Revenue (+2.6 percent); Attendees (+1.6 percent); and Exhibitors (+1.5 percent). In 2006, Revenue increased 9.7 percent, followed by 4.6 percent, 3.8 percent and 1.3 percent gains in Attendees, Net Square Feet and Exhibitors, respectively.

. Data Courtesy CEIR
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Behavioral targeting to improve event attendance
 
Attendees have been like a herd of sheep to organizers. Each of them valuable, important and unique and yet they are no different. They are all sheep.

The best thing internet has done for event managers is that it has allowed them to treat the attendees as individuals. It has taught them to look beyond numbers. Statistics have a whole new meaning now. Every number is a guy out there who has some likes and dislikes. This guy wants to attend workshops on global warming and wants to learn more about related investment opportunities. This guy prefers shorter sessions and loves oriental food. The guy is no longer a number, he is a valuable customer who is willing to share his interests and demands the appropriate services in return.

Behavioural targeting is the art and science of providing improved customer experiences, offering customers more relevant information to consumers and better targeted ads to marketers. It is a reality in event organization in most global events and is spreading its wings over the entire event management fraternity. With monetary gains for organizers and conveniences to customers, behavioural targeting is here to stay.

Behavioural marketing works on the feedback and data inputs received in real time from the attendees. Research by ASCI says that online behavioural tracking methods works much better than offline BT. This can be attributed to better ability to track customer behaviour, shorter response times and more effective responses. The interactive nature of online mediums compels the users to leave behavioural clues that can be easily tracked and used for customer experience.

Online event management software gathers similar behavioural trends of event attendees. Search trails and navigation patterns of the users provide useful clues as on customer information. Simple data that can be collected using such software is:
  • Search patterns for a specific event
  • Preferences for a particular session
  • Most sought after speaker or exhibitor
  • Click through Rates for sponsors and exhibitors
Software can be developed to gather more specifics of customer behaviour.

Such data can help the event organizers to make informed decisions. With statistics backing their decisions, BT allows focus on events and event segments that really invoke interest in users. Sponsor money is also justified with BT as the revenues can be channelized towards the target consumer segments.

With so many advantages for event organizers, attendees and sponsors Behavioural Targeting in event management is here to stay. For more information on BT and its related event management software please contact us ( sales@completevent.com)
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Virtual tradeshow using Ajax
 
Just like a live event, the Virtual Tradeshow using Ajax will give you the opportunity to access literature, product demonstrations and even engage in live "chats" with the participating exhibitors. Cruise through the Virtual Exhibit Hall throughout the event or schedule one-on-one interactive sessions during specific exhibit hall hours with the companies whose products and services interest you most.
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Security in Event Management
 
Planning event security is one of the main concerns of event managers. From airports, to the hotel, to the show floor itself, exhibit managers need manage the security at every level.

Some tips on making the event safer more secure:

Personal Travel Safety

Issue safety guidelines to all the visitors regarding the best practices to follow for safe travel and stay. Make them aware of the common risks involves and the places they need to be extremely careful with their belongings.

In case the visitors are not familiar with the area or the city of the exhibition, issue guidance mails in advance that advice them on the preferred destinations and areas to avoid. Make arrangements for dependable tour guides and travel agents to move with visitor groups. Arrange accommodation with dependable hotel partners who take precautions for customer baggage safety.
Venue Safety

Ensure that the decoration and other arrangements do not pose as obstacles in the general movement of people in the venue. Make sure that trash is constantly removed to avoid any accidental injury.

Run an identity check on all the labour crew and administrative staff of the event. Keep a detailed track record of all the event staff. In case you are using the service of a third party, ensure that the company has a clean track record.

Tie up with a security firm to arrange for event security. Make sure that the security staff is friendly and sufficient for the event attendance. In case you are expecting multilingual audience, make sure to employ sufficient translators.

A small medical kit or a first aid box must be placed inside every exhibitor kiosk. Make sure that emergency medical arrangements have also been made with a nearby medical facility.
Goods safety

Make arrangements so that exhibitor belongings and exhibited products can be stashed safely at the end of each day. Alert security staff and prior arrangements made with exhibitors come in handy. The goods may be kept in locked trailers of safe at the end of each day. Issue safety guidelines to exhibitors so that they can make safety arrangements accordingly.

Arrange for help-desk and a lost and found centre where complaints can be lodged and found items can be dropped. An online ticket based tracking system allows better and easier tracking of complaints and faster resolution.

It is tough if not impossible to conduct an event with no incident, yet with security methods in place many incidences can be avoid or better handled.
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Step-by-Step: Post-show surveys
 
1. Right Timing
The best time to gather feedback for an event is is immediately after it. As the user experience is still fresh, they provide a more comprehensive and detailed response. Offering an incentive for feedback is a good idea to attract more feedback.
 
2. Outsource
Decide whether the surveys should be intrinsic or outsourced to a specialist form. It all depends on various factors like monetary constrains, analytical depth required, size of event, manageability etc. If addressing a specific problem, some specialist advice is helpful.
 
3. Intelligent questions
Frame the questions intelligently to get the most out of the survey is very important. Try not to frame generic questions. Stay away from standard yes/no format as it hardly provides any supporting information. Try to make the questions more interesting so that people are more enthusiastic and descriptive in.
 
4. Focus on source groups
Try to focus on the key user groups in the show and frame some specialized questions for each. The point of view varies with each group and so you get a 360 degree feedback of the event. Try to elicit feedback from no-shows to gather information on why they decided not to show up.
 
4. Focus on source groups
Data is just a pile of records till it is used. Make sure to review and get back to these statistics again and again to gain the maximum from feedback received. Learn from the mistakes made and try to do more stuff that people liked.

Online post show surveys are an effective tool for feedback management. With the help of a simple GUI, a survey can be quickly framed and uploaded. Users can log on to the net and take these surveys at their convenience. All the results are stored in an online database and the data can be analyzed through several graphic reports. To know more about Online feedback management in event management software, please contact us.
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