Suite of On- Line Tools Now Available to the Exhibit Managers

I was a bit surprised to realize that we now have a complete set of on- line tools to support exhibit managers with some of the most important success steps in their program:

• On- Line Planning and Measurement Tool - (Simple and Full ROI. Joint venture with Exhibit Surveys, The Trade Show Planning and Measurement Tool)
• On- Line Pre- Event Staff Orientation and Training - (Simple and Comprehensive versions, annual license and per user fee, low cost for small shows)
• On- Line Post Event Staff and Stakeholder Survey - (Turn key, providing internal customer feedback, database of results analysis over the event year, by product group or division, 24/7 access to results and analysis)

Our goal is to make inexpensive, automated support for tasks that have a high degree of influence on effectiveness and efficiency of the exhibit program. Exhibit and event managers rarely have time for additional tasks, yet these tool provide essential support for measurement and accountability across a wider range of people in the organization.

Call me if you would like to know more about automated support for your program.

Fear of Negative PR Not the Only Reason for Budget Cuts

An exhibit manager chimed in on a message board recently, to remind us that the perception that shows and events are frivolous or the potential for negative PR exposure are not the only reasons events are cancelled or cut back. "... certainly not because we see the shows as unnecessary, a luxury or some trumped up PR stunt to try and present an image of a socially-conscious corporate citizen - it is simply self-preservation. Significant cuts are necessary to keep many companies in business. The marketing budget is an easy target for quick money - it's a lot harder to carve money out of production if you are already a lean, efficient organization with good strategic sourcing and operations practices in place. It is sad that this has to become politicized. Nothing should be read into the practice of cutting back trade show marketing other than it is simply one of many tools corporations are using to try and get through this recession."

Her response raises the question again, why cut marketing when things are down?

Profit often comes from serving the existing customer base. New revenue is often expensive to obtain and expensive to support, partially answering the question "why do companies cut sales and marketing budgets during an economic downturn?" Leaning out the organization as Karen has indicated and keeping the revenue streams you already have is a common approach.

Many companies are shifting weight to Customer Relationship Management at events in which they continue to participate, aka "putting their arms around their existing customers." Keeping the business you have safe from price attacks by starving competitors, offering solutions to existing customers that help you both mutually deal with the economy, and making sure that you get any additional business that is to be had from your current accounts are productive goals for events in the near term. Scheduled meetings with top accounts, where you offer real support and solutions for weathering the storm are a wise investment of time and resources.

So, if you are still counting leads as a major part of your event measurement, count meetings with high value accounts at least equally in your measure of success.

What if You Could Have Your Event Certified for Business Improvement?

One would think that after the furor over knee- jerk reactions by our politicians regarding events that the news agencies would have gotten the message too. Unfortunately, Fox News has decided that events are frivolous too and make good sensational expectorate for their talking heads . Fox and other new agencies are lurking around corporate events looking for a story to sensationalize, so be forwarned and thus forearmed.

However, wouldn't it be nice if your event had a stamp of approval that said "This event planned in accordance with business best practices, Certified Business Improvement?"

A few weeks ago I came to the realization that any company who follows the planning discipline we put forth for clients on events is able to prove the business orientation and value of said event. We are planning to formalize that process with a Certification designation for events that qualify. So when a reporter asks, "Why are you wasting all of the stockholders and taxpayers money on a lavish meeting?" You can reply, "because these customer executives spend $3.3 billiion dollars with us each year and have pending proposals for $382 million more in the next three months. Our event strategy and plan was planned in accordance with business best practices and will deliver a profit for the company."

For more detail on how you can insulate your events from a "drive by evaluation", read the case study on our website "The ComCo Classic Winner's Circle Pro-Am" found at http://constellationcc.com/case_studies.htm

Have a great weekend.

Ed