How to Choose the Best Tradeshow Lead Retrieval Device for Your Needs

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Todd Belebczuk
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Siobhan Connellan

Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations

Post authored by Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations at Experient

I recently attended a meeting for exhibitors held by a large show organizer about six weeks before their event. The purpose was to give representatives from exhibiting companies a chance to hear presentations from experts on image, social media, and tradeshow marketing. They also got live access to vendors of whom they could ask questions and place orders and I was there as the lead retrieval vendor.

After a morning of presentations, there was a lovely sit-down lunch where I had the chance to speak with some exhibitors for the first time. One of them asked a very reasonable question: “What is your most popular lead retrieval device?” Without skipping a beat, I responded, “The cheapest.”

It’s true. Despite offering a variety of devices with an array of features to meet a plethora of needs, the leading seller is always the cheapest. And it doesn’t matter which device happens to be the cheapest on that particular order form, that’s the one that will sell the most.

Please allow me to step up on my soapbox for a moment. Lead retrieval is not “one size fits all” and no one has, at any price, created a be-all, end-all solution. For example, a device that works brilliantly in one booth may be completely inappropriate for another. That same device may even work well in two very different booths, but for very different reasons. Trust me, it’s not a simple equation, but all too often, I hear this:

  • “We’ll just get the lead retrieval device that provides a paper printout, it’s cheaper.”
  • “We don’t need to qualify our leads electronically. We’ll sort the leads later, it’s cheaper.”
  • “We’ll just get one lead retrieval unit. Sure our booth is 60′ x 60′, but our sales people can walk to scan a badge. It’s cheaper.”

See a theme here? Everyone is trying to contain costs. So much so that even show organizers consider the price their exhibitors will pay when choosing vendors. But all too frequently, they choose the cheapest option rather than the one that will deliver the most effective results. The irony here is that while the most effective one may cost a little more, it often saves money and provides increased business opportunities in the long run. Now I’m not saying the most expensive option is always better. It’s not. But the least expensive may not be either.

When choosing a lead retrieval solution, here are a few things to consider:

Swap iPhone5

SWAP: Experient’s mobile lead retrieval app that allows exhibitors to capture leads on the show floor, in sessions, in hallways, on buses, at dinners… virtually anywhere!

  1. Booth size and layout. Will booth staff be able to capture a lead without a long or awkward a walk? The size and layout of your booth may be a significant factor in the type and number of capture stations you require.
  2. Number of leads you expect to capture. This one can be deceptive. More leads do not necessarily mean more devices. But, if you can reasonably expect 1,000 leads during a two-day event, then you better have the bandwidth to handle that volume.
  3. Number of booth staff. The last thing you want is to have staff crowded around a single lead capturing device rather than engaging prospects.
  4. Experience of booth staff. By this I do not mean how experienced they are in their regular positions, but rather how experienced they are with engaging and qualifying prospects in a busy booth. The less experience present, the easier the process must be if you want them to be efficient and capture as many qualified leads as possible.
  5. Event culture. Is this the type of show where most of the activity takes place during show hours or are there many “social” off-hour events where engagement occurs? Make sure you choose a solution that works when and where you need it.
  6. Resources available after the show. This is often forgotten. You’ve been to the show, you’ve collected tons of leads, and now you’re back in the office. You’re probably pretty exhausted too. What kind of physical and technical resources do you have available to sort through and follow-up with your hard-earned sales leads?

These are the types of considerations to keep in mind when assessing your lead retrieval needs. There are solutions available to address all of these factors, but as I said before, there is no “one size fits all” solution. However, by assessing your needs and resources and then prioritizing them, you will be able to identify which features are crucial for your situation and which are not.

One more warning: Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you to not automatically default to the cheapest solution, don’t think that the most expensive one with all its bells and whistles is the answer either. It may be, but over-purchasing is just as large of a sin as under-purchasing. Choose wisely, young Jedis. And keep track of the pros and cons of each solution as you go along. Though you may have a few bumps along the way, ultimately you will find the solution that works best for you.

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The Key to Sourcing Success: Why the Right Location Can Make or Break Your Event

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Todd Belebczuk
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Randy Depwe

Randy Depwe, Experient National Account Manager

Post authored by Randy Depwe, Experient National Account Manager

In order to have a successful tradeshow, meeting, conference, or event, there are many factors to consider, and sourcing the right location is one of the most important. You can create the best educational sessions, tradeshow, and networking opportunities for your attendees and exhibitors, but the bottom line is that you have to get them there. Most attendees want to go where they can see, do, and experience new things and mix in some fun with work.

To give you the best chance of securing your preferred location and dates, you have to do your homework. Hotels have revenue managers that look at maximizing profit, and often your event will be competing with groups wanting the same space. That’s why it’s important to present your meeting in the best financial picture possible. Hotels want to see a detailed history and a breakdown of your meetings and the dollars spent by your group. Of course, sleeping rooms are by far their biggest profit item, but that soft drink your attendee is sipping comes in second place percentage-wise. Revenue managers love to see coffee breaks and in-house audio/visual. Meals are still a bonus, but average only around 20% profit.

Another way to make your meeting attractive to hotels is to be flexible on dates, including arrival and departure patterns. Nothing is sweeter to a hotel than a peak Sunday arrival or peak departure. When researching dates, I like to ask the sales person if I can shift my pattern forward or backward a day. If they say no, then I know that my meeting fits in with other groups and will help bring more value for the hotel and for my meeting.

For example, I recently saved one of my clients $60 per night versus what was originally quoted by shifting the pattern one day. With the client willing to move a day, we fit perfectly between two other meetings. The hotel gave my group a great concession package and I also negotiated with the decorator that was used for the meeting right before us and saved a substantial amount in pipe and drape and labor. I used Experient’s extensive internal system to benchmark what groups had paid in the past, and used this information to the meeting’s benefit.

Here are some things to consider when sourcing your meeting:

• Location, location, location. Remember, you want to choose a destination and venue that is attractive to both attendees and exhibitors. Take a look at data and demographics from your previous meetings and try to determine what location or locations can accomodate your needs and excite your target audience the most.

• Rotation across the map is a good way to keep the cities, hotels, and convention centers competitive. It also benefits membership growth and recruitment, and keeps the destinations new and exciting.

Empty Seats at Conference

No matter how great your event is, if you aren’t attracting your target audience, it’s all for naught.

• Get attendee input. Surveys are a great way to put a finger on the pulse of your organization. This will give you a good idea of their likes and dislikes and help you understand what they’re most interested in.

• Take the time to research local activities and things to do in the area and see how they stack up against the preferences of your attendees. For example, do your attendees love fun and sun or are they into fine dining and the nightlife? What about museums, historical landmarks, or sight-seeing? Are there any opportunities to work in team-building or community service as a part or your event? Give attendees something to look forward to during their downtime by providing extracurricular activities and entertainment that are unique to your city.

• What is the city’s travel situation? Is getting in and out of the city a breeze, or does it take a while to get from the airport to the hotel? Is public transportation safe, reliable, easily accessible, and reasonably priced? What about the airports? Remember, fewer airlines in the area make for fewer choices and higher fares.

• Your destination’s weather and climate are another serious factor to consider. Nothing can put your meeting at more financial risk than curtailment of transportation due to inclement weather.

Finding the right location and getting the best deal for your meetings is critical. But if you’ve done your research and understand the value of your meeting, you’re already ahead of the game. Knowledge is power. Use it to your advantage.

About Randy Depwe, Experient National Account Manager

Randy began his career with Experient in 1990 as a Strategic Account Manager and later joined the Experient Sales Network in 2002. In his role as a National Account Manager, Randy helps manage some of the company’s top accounts in the oil and gas industries by providing meeting planning, registration, housing, sourcing and lead retrieval services for their meetings and events. Randy has a highly successful account retention track record and consistently achieving exceptional results for his clients has helped him earn Experient’s Top Producer Award several times.

Prior to Experient, Randy was the Assistant Director of Convention Services for Hyatt Regency Dallas-Fort Worth and amassed over fourteen years of sales and management experience working in the service and hospitality industries.

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Add Some Wellness to Your Conference by Getting Attendees Up and Moving

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Todd Belebczuk
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Kristen Roget

Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager

Post authored by Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager at Experient

In a previous blog post, I shared how I helped my clients at the American College Health Association incorporate wellness into their events by providing healthier food options. While that was a great start, we wanted to take the wellness program even further. A little creativity was in order, but when it was all said and done, the end results turned out to be more successful than we imagined.

After the menus were adjusted, the second part of wellness was to get people up and moving. Of course, we didn’t want to take away time from all the sessions, as education was the focus of the conference. We decided to start the day with wellness and provide additional opportunities at key times throughout the day.

In the mornings, we focused on calming exercise classes. For example, we did tai chi on the River Walk in San Antonio and water aerobics in the spa pools in Orlando and Phoenix, which attendees loved. When planning activities for your events, be sure to take a good look at the space you have available and the weather your destination offers. Also, start times can be tricky, as you don’t want to start the classes too early, but you also need to leave enough time for participants to shower and get dressed before the conference day begins.

During the lunch hour, we offered several other classes. Knowing that our attendees were dressed for the conference, these classes required only moderate amounts of movement but were still fun and informative. We had classes focused on full body stretching and chair stretching, as well as classes that taught our attendees nutrition, such as the power of raw foods and energy balance. But the highlight of the day was definitely ACHA’s walking program called Fit in 15!. Held during the morning and afternoon break times, Fit in 15! utilized several of Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home DVDs to get attendees up and moving, and it couldn’t be simpler! All it required was a TV/DVD combo, an unused meeting room or tucked away foyer, and an energetic staff member to lead the group.

Tai Chi

Often described as “meditation in motion,” tai chi is a graceful form of exercise that promotes serenity through gentle, flowing movements.

At the end of the day, we kicked up the energy level and offered fun dance classes like Salsa and Zumba. We made sure to prep the instructors and let them know that this was a conference and our attendees may not have had the chance to put on their exercise clothes. However, most of our participants were unfazed and simply kicked off their shoes, joined in the fun, and worked up a light sweat. It really helped that ACHA is a higher education organization, which allowed us to look to local schools for instructors and support. If that isn’t an option for your events, try contacting a neighboring gym that offers classes, or see if the hotel spa may be able to help. It’s amazing how excited and involved instructors can get!

Here are some helpful tips for classes that require physical activity: 

• Wellness rooms should be able to handle up to 50 people with plenty of room to stretch out and move around.

• Use creative spaces in the facility, especially for early morning classes. Gardens, pools, golf course grounds, beaches, and outdoor decks are great locations.

• Full-sized towels from housekeeping can be used as exercise mats. For sweat towels, keep a stack of hand towels by the entrance and get a small laundry bin to collect dirty towels.

• Be sure to have a water station in the room with plenty of cups.

• Leave several chairs in the corner in case participants need to rest.

• Don’t forget to advertise your classes as a pre-event teaser and definitely put them in the program. Be sure to include a short description, especially for uncommon exercises or class topics.

ACHA has included wellness in their program for five years now and it has a steady following. Some of the attendees have formed a special bond that didn’t come from sitting next to each other in an education session. In fact, ACHA even has attendees asking to lead classes for the following year! Talk about a way to build membership loyalty!

What wellness initiatives will you bring to your events this year? Post a comment and tell us about it.

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In the World of Tradeshow Lead Retrieval, Everything Old is New Again

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations at Experient

Siobhan Connellan

Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations

Tradeshows have been a forum at which buyers and sellers could meet face-to-face, sample wares, and place orders for many years. In fact, some point to the bazaars of medieval times as the original tradeshows. The shows themselves and the industry that has been built around them have changed a great deal since that time, but one thing remains the same: Tradeshows are where people meet to do business.

While the main purpose remains the same, the logistics of doing business has evolved. It is said that business cards were first used in the 15th century in China, though at that time the exchange of them was for social, not business reasons. It was in the 17th century that “trade cards” gained popularity amongst businessmen, and by the 19th century, business cards were commonplace throughout the United States and abroad.

For decades, business cards were the primary media for information exchange between buyer and seller, and nowhere were they more popular than at tradeshows. In fact, exhibitors and attendees would typically pack hundreds of cards when they went to a tradeshow. But in the 1980s, someone figured out that the information being exchanged was already being captured by the show organizer during registration. Wouldn’t it be great to come up with an easy way to share that information?

The first attempt was rudimentary and loud, but effective. Large machines in the registration area embossed plastic cards with attendees’ contact and demographic information. Exhibitors bought old-style credit card imprinters and packs of carbon forms to capture copies of the information.

Business card

Lead collection methods have come a long way since the days of the business card.

In 1992, Experient (at that time known as Galaxy) introduced the first form of electronic lead retrieval: The ExpoCard. The ExpoCard was a smart card with an embedded chip that contained the attendee’s contact information in digitized form. In short, it was an electronic business card! Exhibitors rented ExpoCard readers to use at their booth and walked away from the show with an electronic file of people who visited them that day.

Little has changed over the years, except perhaps the form of the electronic business card. Smart cards are not used often anymore, but magnetic stripe cards (similar to a credit card) are. Even more popular is placing a barcode encoded with the attendee’s contact information right on their name badge, eliminating the need for the attendee to carry around a separate item. Whatever the media, exhibitors still wait for an attendee to come to their booth so that while they are there, they can be “scanned” and entered into the exhibitor’s database.

Though electronic lead retrieval had many advantages over the paper business card, there was one area in which it fell terribly short: portability. Sure, there have been wireless, battery-operated devices, but they were still limited to use within the booth. That meant that exhibitors were collecting sales leads only during show hours. If one of the sales reps or booth staff happened to meet someone at the hotel bar and grabbed a good ole business card from them, there was no way to attribute that lead to the show, and no guarantee that person would receive any follow-up afterwards. It was just a floating, unattached, unaccounted for sales lead… not good.

Luckily, Experient has changed that.

SWAP

SWAP, the latest in the evolution of lead retrieval.

In 2010 we introduced SWAP®, a lead retrieval app that lives on your smartphone. And let’s face it—our smartphones are never far from our side. SWAP takes old school socializing and adds a modern, technological twist. No longer does sales lead collection only take place in your booth and only during show hours. SWAP lets you collect leads 24/7, wherever you, your phone, and your lead happen to be. Did you sit next to a prospect on the shuttle bus? Capture their info instantly with SWAP (and take a down a few notes about their interests while you’re at it). Want to capture the name of that guy you met in the hospitality suite? No problem. SWAP is right there on your phone to take care of it for you. And if you’re all thumbs when it comes to typing on your smartphone, the newest version of SWAP can scan QR codes directly from the badges of attendees, making lead retrieval that much easier.

No more pockets full of business cards to sort through. All the leads you and your team collect are consolidated and available on a secure website, each tagged with the name of the person who captured the sales lead. SWAP uses today’s technology to streamline and enhance a business practice that’s been around for centuries. As they say, “Everything old is new again.”

Want to learn more about SWAP? Check out the video below. You may even recognize some of the cast!

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Waste Not, Want Not: How Meeting Planners Can Make Their Events More Environmentally Friendly

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Amy Henderson, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager at Experient

Amy Henderson

Amy Henderson, Senior Meeting & Event Manager

While I love this time of year and all of the excitement and happiness it brings, it also brings to mind thoughts of over-indulgence and waste. We often overspend on items that aren’t used and prepare too much food that goes to waste. But in the spirit of overindulging, I encourage you to think about how we can eliminate excess in our everyday lives as meeting professionals.

A staggering statistic I learned from my friends at Legacy Sustainability Management is that an average person generates 13.5 lbs. of waste at home daily. At a conference, that same person generates about 61 lbs. of waste per day! This really puts in perspective the amount of waste our industry creates year after year, and it’s quite overwhelming.

I recently participated in planning for the Greenbuild 2012 annual conference that was held in San Francisco. The US Green Building Council’s level of commitment to our environment and society at large is very uplifting and impressionable. Everything they do as part of their convention planning is carefully thought out to ensure they are creating the smallest carbon footprint possible.

We all know some of the standards of green meeting planning, such as serving food items in bulk and not individual packaging, using china instead of disposables, eliminating bottled water and having an online registration system. However, through my experiences with greening meetings over the years, I have learned many other concepts that I hope will make you think even more about practices you can initiate to make your own events more environmentally responsible. Here are ten great ideas to get you started:

1. When possible, seek out compostable products instead of those that are only recyclable. Compostable products not only save energy, but they degrade within only a few months, produce no toxic residues, and release valuable nutrients back into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants.

Escalator

Having your meeting facility turn off all unnecessary escalators during non-event hours is great way to conserve energy.

2. Monitor the use of energy at your events:

• Have the meeting facility turn off all unnecessary escalators during move-in, move-out, and during all hours the show is closed.

• Power down all unnecessary lights and equipment in the facility after hours.

• Turn off the power at your cyber cafes, registration computers, and lighted counters when the show is closed.

3. Work with your registration provider to produce paper badges that are recyclable and do not require badge holders.

4. Have your vendors and hotels email all invoices to you instead of printing and mailing them to save on paper and fuel.

5. Whenever possible, cut down on shuttles for your event and offer public transit passes to your attendees.

6. Shop locally for registration materials, supplies, and promotional items instead of having them shipped in.

7. Set up kiosks in your exhibit hall or public space area to allow attendees to purchase carbon offsets. There are many reputable carbon offset programs out there that allow you and your attendees to purchase offsets and the funds will be used to plant trees or invest in alternative fuel production to offset the environmental damage created by traveling and attending the convention.

8. Have your exhibitors donate materials from their booths instead of paying to ship them back.

9. Create a greening award to incentivize your convention team to come up with ideas for greening your event and for properly implementing initiatives you already have in place.

Trash

The average person at a conference generates about 61 lbs. of waste per day, but meeting planners can do their part and help eliminate excess waste.

10. Engage your attendees and exhibitors! Here are a few ideas:

• Provide attendees with information on the amount of waste they are potentially generating so they will be encouraged to utilize the recycling containers available in the facility and not be careless with their waste.

• Encourage them to limit the printing of maps, event schedules, and handouts. Instead, provide them with electronic PDFs, a mobile website, or a mobile event app that contains important information about the event, the facilities, and the surrounding area.

• For your exhibitors, ask them to refrain from passing out brochures, handouts, and DVDs to potential buyers. QR codes are a great way for them to distribute their materials electronically with nearly zero waste. Thumb drives are inexpensive and reusable, can be preloaded with advertising materials, and make a great gift.

• Ask attendees to report back to you on the performance of the hotel and the meeting facility. For example, did the hotel take the guests’ towels even though they were hung up for re-use? Were recycling bins readily available throughout the convention center?

We all need to take a closer look at how much waste we create—at home, at the office, and at our events. Luckily, the green movement has picked up momentum and there are many resources available to help. Remember, even the smallest steps can have a huge impact.

About Amy Henderson, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager

Amy has been with Experient for 16 years, providing meeting planning services to a variety of clients in the higher education and green building industries. She is a current member of the Green Meetings Industry Council, and due to her extensive experience providing green meeting solutions for her clients, Amy serves as a subject matter expert on green meetings at Experient.

Prior to joining Experient, Amy worked as a hotel sales manager, convention service manager, and as a corporate and association meeting planner. She has a BS in Marketing from the Pamplin College of Business at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

 

 

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Seeing Beyond the Menu: How to Offer Healthier Event Cuisine

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager at Experient

Kristen Roget

Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager and self-proclaimed foodie

As the year comes to an end, we can’t help but think about what we want to achieve in 2013, both personally and professionally. People often want to start fresh each year, and the top resolutions are almost always about healthy living and balanced life styles. As event planners, we can take a lesson from this and make an effort to incorporate wellness into our meetings.

So where do you start? The first and most obvious place to begin is your menus. Are they healthy and well balanced with assorted proteins, vegetables, and fruits, or are they sugar-loaded, carbohydrate-rich belly bombs? Secondly, what about the program itself? Are your attendees sitting in sessions all day with just enough time in between to grab a cookie, run to the restroom, and maybe say a quick hello to their peers? Including elements of wellness in your meetings is easy, and like any good resolution, it starts with you!

I began tackling this issue in 2007 when I was challenged by the American College Health Association’s President to bring wellness into their event. Together, my client at ACHA and I brainstormed about what we could do, and surprisingly, it was quite simple.

The first year with ACHA we started slowly, after all, I didn’t want a riot on our hands! We determined that the afternoon breaks would have the most impact, and on day one, instead of a dual serving of brownies and cookies, we swapped crudité platters for the brownies. On day two, we still kept it sweet, but asked the chef for a lighter style of build-your-own strawberry shortcake. The biscuits were angel food, the whipped topping airy, and the strawberries freshly sliced instead of macerated, sugary sludge. The feedback was well received and we knew we were headed in the right direction.

Apple

Many of us only think about eating healthy as part of a New Year’s resolution, but meeting planners need to incorporate healthy solutions into their events year-round, and it starts with you!

Over the years, we’ve had to get creative and sometimes it can be a challenge to find healthy items that are also affordable. We’ve all heard about super foods and their many benefits, but when staring at catering menus, we often find limited options that are meant for mass production. It’ll take some effort, but work with the facility and your catering manager to find items that are healthy and easy to create in the kitchen.

Earlier this year at the Sheraton Chicago, I shared my idea of a mini berry pizza with our catering manager. I sent him a link to the recipe and he and the chef loved it and immediately began testing how to make it for 2,000 people. The chef tried countless options and settled on a thin pizza dough cut into triangles, slightly sweetened with honey and precooked with a jam glaze, topped off with ricotta and berries. It was such a success that the catering manager made it for his family at his Memorial Day cookout! Here are some other ACHA menu items we’ve served over the years:

Fruity Sweet:

  • Granola and fruit parfaits (They aren’t just for breakfast!)
  • Fresh fruit cups
  • Frozen fruit or yogurt bars
  • Fruit skewers of watermelon, orange, and feta, drizzled with mint vinaigrette
  • Chocolate covered bananas and apple wedges with caramel dip (A little sweetness in moderation isn’t so bad!)

Savory Crunch:

Baked tortilla chips and guacamole

Baked tortilla chips with pico de gallo and guacamole are a healthy alternative with a savory crunch.

  • Build-your-own trail mix
  • Hummus with carrots or baked pita
  • Celery with peanut butter
  • Baked tortilla chips with pico de gallo and guacamole
  • Caprese skewers or pasta salad on a stick
  • Root vegetable chips with Tzatziki yogurt dip and roasted red pepper dip
  • Edamame paired with vegetarian Vietnamese summer rolls and fortune cookies (With messages tailored to the conference!)
  • A popcorn break (Set up flavor stations so attendees can customize! Cinnamon & sugar, Parmesan cheese, and spicy curry are all excellent choices.)

Bonus tip: Remember to label your selections so attendees know what they’re getting!

These are just a few of the healthy menu choices that have been successful at events for my clients at ACHA. Remember, there may be some reluctance at first, so start out slowly and incorporate healthy options over time. Like my catering manager, you may even discover a new food that you didn’t know you liked!

Offering healthy cuisine isn’t the only way to incorporate wellness in your events. I’ll be writing another blog post soon showing how to get your attendees up and moving and help them stay active throughout the day. Be sure to check the Experient blog for my next post!

Posted in Event Design, Event Trends, Food and Beverage, Sourcing & Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

8 Green Marketing Tips for Event Planners

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Dana Norris, Marketing Account Executive at Experient

Dana Norris

Dana Norris, Marketing Account Executive

In a previous blog post, I wrote about the importance of sustainability in event planning and marketing. With a little determination and effort, it’s easy to make the promotion of your events more eco-friendly.

So, how exactly do you go green with your marketing? Start out by doing your homework. There are multiple resources available to help you, including the Green Meetings Industry Council, the Convention Industry Council’s Green Meetings Report, and the EPA’s Green Meetings and Events Guide. Analyze your event, consider your strengths and weaknesses and determine what resources are available within your organization, the meeting venue’s management team and your own event team. Identify who already has the capacity for executing green strategies and engage them in implementing, monitoring and tracking the performance of your sustainability action plans.

When establishing your goals, it’s important to set achievable objectives. Prioritize your efforts so that you put the most energy into green practices that are the least disruptive, least controversial and which yield the greatest return on investment. Here are some ideas that I’ve used with my clients to help them go green in their event marketing:

• Design your materials to reduce their environmental impact. At the design stage, you can reduce paper weight, size and mailing format. You can even choose fonts that reduce the amount of ink used in printing brochures and flyers. Select graphic designs that use less ink and use white space in place of swaths of color where possible.

• Print graphics, flyers, handouts and banners on recycled materials. More and more, recycled paper, fiberboard, cardstock and fabrics are being offered by printers in place of those made with virgin materials, and recycled materials often cost less these days. When using recycled papers, look for brands that list a minimum of 30% post-consumer content that is processed chlorine free. Most legitimately recycled papers and papers that use sustainable fibers are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Mail

Reducing the size and weight of your mailings can save you money and help your green marketing efforts in several different ways.

• Reduce the total weight of your mass mailings and marketing materials. Self-mailers eliminate extra envelopes. Double-sided printing cuts paper costs in half. Additionally, this reduced weight can also generate secondary benefits like reducing emissions of the trucks delivering your materials. Check out the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) website for more tips.

• Choose Energy Star printers, copiers and other equipment for use by your team. Look for eco-friendly inks and other solvents when you buy supplies. The Forest Stewardship Council provides a chain-of-custody certification for printers that meet their environmental standards.

• Clean up your mailing lists. Millions of advertisements and direct mailings go out to bad addresses each year. Use available tools provided by software and mailing services to clean up bad addresses, missing fields, incorrect zip codes, retired attendees and those who have moved or switched positions without leaving a forwarding address. Make it as easy as possible for your attendees to opt out of your traditional mailing list in favor of receiving notices by email. Email is far cheaper and impacts the environment less than traditional letters.

• Go with LED lighting for advertising displays, banners and billboards. LED lights deliver all the lumens you’ll need at a fraction of the power consumption of tungsten or halogen lights. Bonus tip: Be sure to point out the power savings you achieve in your marketing materials for the event.

• Add a substantial electronic media strategy to your overall marketing efforts. The Internet’s capacity to micro-target customers through websites, mobile apps, email, traditional outbound and inbound online advertising, blogs, social media, and newsletters dramatically reduces the environmental impact of your marketing campaign and at a fraction of the cost.

• Use Online PR distribution resources like PR Web and PR Newswire to get your message directly to attendees. Electronic press releases can include a direct call to action that most print news media won’t tolerate. By optimizing your release for search engines with keyword-rich copy, you can move your news to the top of the electronic heap, again taking advantage of the Internet’s cost savings and energy efficiency.

Still need help? Schedule an ‘Hour of Power’ with our experienced team of marketing experts to learn valuable tips that you can take to your registration bank. There is no cost to you… so why not? Email asktheexperts@experient-inc.com to schedule your Hour of Power or click here for more details.

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Why Tradeshow Exhibitors Need to Ditch the “Magic Bullet” Approach

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations at Experient

Siobhan Connellan

Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations

Never in the world’s history have people been so connected thanks to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all the other social media outlets available. There was a time, not so long ago, when there were musings that technology would completely replace old communication methods like actually talking. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet. In fact, with so many technology options nowadays, people tend to value face-to-face time even more. How often have you heard, or even said, “It’s so nice to finally meet you in person”?

This very human desire to connect with others is what continues to drive the tradeshow and event industry. But let’s face it—though the desire is strong, the economic realities mean that not everyone can exhibit at every event they wish. There’s now more pressure than ever before for exhibitors to make new business connections, collect sales leads, and show the return on investment for every tradeshow dollar spent.

When you start making a list of all the things you have to do to prepare and execute an exhibit, you tend to get bogged down by logistics. Often it’s all operations and a little marketing, before reaching the climax that is SHOW TIME! However, the only thing lacking more than pre-show marketing is post-show follow-up. Successful participation in tradeshows requires a more holistic approach, as opposed to the “magic bullet” effort so popular today. Understanding these key fundamentals of exhibiting success will help you make the most of your efforts:

1. Choose the show wisely. Define your target and make sure this event attracts that target. Take a look at who else is exhibiting. Is your competition there?

2. Attract your target to the show, and specifically, to your booth. Reach out to your current customers and prospects, and if it’s available, get the list of pre-registrants. Tell them where you are at the show and why they should come see you.

Siobhan at Pack Expo

Siobhan poses with one of her clients, Allison Myers from Lantech, at Pack Expo in October.

3. Have a plan to capture, qualify, and most importantly, follow up with your sales leads. 80% of sales leads collected at tradeshows receive no follow-up. I once heard someone argue that the figure was so high because of the number of tire-kickers roaming the exhibit floor. He backed off of that response after I started asking what type of pre-show marketing he had done and how he qualified his leads in his booth, which showed he hadn’t done his homework.

4. Do the math after the show. Did the show’s attendance reflect your target audience? What percentage of those in your target actually made it to your booth? Where are those leads in the sales pipeline? What is their conversion rate? How did your investment in this show compare with other marketing investments in terms of cost per lead/exposure?

Simply showing up and hoping something good happens won’t result in a return you can justify. Taking a comprehensive, integrated approach will yield success and produce the metrics needed to validate (or invalidate) your participation at the show.

About Siobhan Connellan, Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations

For nearly 20 years, Siobhan has developed and delivered a wide array of lead retrieval products to exhibitors at over 300 of the largest tradeshows in the United States. As the Senior Manager of Exhibitor Operations for Experient, the nation’s leading source for integrated meeting and event services for tradeshow organizers, corporations, and exhibitors, her mission is to develop products and services that facilitate the collection, follow-up, and analysis of tradeshow sales leads. Siobhan’s current efforts include capitalizing on mobile technology and social media to provide innovative new event marketing tools and solutions for exhibitors.

Before she joined Experient, Siobhan served as a Field Manager for E&J Enterprises and also as a Management Analyst for the U.S. Department of Energy. Siobhan has a BA in Management from Hood College and has also earned the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) credential. The CTA program is a groundbreaking nationwide certification program that serves to increase tourism by training and inspiring frontline hospitality employees and volunteers to work together to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience.

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So Why Go Green?

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Dana Norris, Marketing Account Executive at Experient

Dana Norris

Dana Norris, Marketing Account Executive

Let’s face it—everybody’s going green. Okay, maybe not everyone cares about being eco-friendly, and some uncreative folks still think going green costs too much and will blow out their budget. But slowly and surely, enlightened tradeshow, conference, and annual meeting organizers are recognizing the importance of sustainability in event planning and marketing. Organizations like The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) promote best practices for event planners seeking to balance their clients’ environmental, economic, and social concerns within the context of the organization’s need to produce a well-organized event. So why go green? Here are several reasons why you should consider eco-friendly solutions for your events:

• Clients demand it. Events bring together a large amount of people and inevitably many of them will care about environmental and sustainability issues.

• Attendees who are passionate about being eco-friendly may expect the event planners to care about sustainability as well. Failure to assure them that the event takes being green seriously can cause hard feelings and negativity toward the event by environmentally-conscious visitors.

• Attendees who aren’t environmentally conscious aren’t likely to mind if you market the event as being “green.” It’s safer to go green and say so, than to fail to address sustainability issues and let it become known that you made no effort to make your event eco-friendly.

• Going green with your event helps to ensure the reuse and recycling of materials, avoids creating excessive waste, and can reduce your event’s carbon footprint. Many vendors can help you meet green standards, and GMIC and others offer advice and training materials for those desiring to host green events.

Tree• It’s cost effective. Because many of the promotional and organizational tools for sustainable event marketing utilize online, eco-friendly electronic marketing and social media tools to promote and publicize green events, the reduction in printed materials alone can reduce the costs of your meeting, fundraiser, workshop, tradeshow or conference.

If the thought of going green seems a bit intimidating, start out small and tackle the easy areas first. To help get you started, I’ll be writing another blog post on how to go green in your event marketing efforts in the near future. Stay tuned!

About Dana Norris, Marketing Account Executive

Dana Norris has worked for Experient Marketing Services since 2001 providing full-service event marketing, advertising and promotional programs for association, corporate, and government events across multiple industries. Her areas of expertise include strategic event marketing, planning and project fulfillment; persuasive copy writing, editing and development of attendance-building direct mail and email campaigns; event website development and support; integrated media relation campaigns, ad development and advertising list acquisition; and print production management and fulfillment. Dana was part of the creative team earning ASAE’s PRIMA Award for Best Marketing Campaign and multiple “Art of the Show” awards from IAEE.

Prior to joining Experient, Dana worked in market research consultation and facilitation, new product development and design, and project management. Dana received a BA in Communications and an AAB in Commercial Art from the University of Akron.

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Three Food and Beverage Trends To Spice Up Your Next Event

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Todd Belebczuk
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Post authored by Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager at Experient

Kristen Roget

Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager and self-proclaimed foodie

As a self-proclaimed foodie, I accredit most of my food knowledge to Food Network, Bravo’s Top Chef, and countless hours of reading Food & Wine Magazine and Plate Magazine. It’s comforting to know that I am not the only one who spends so much time learning about food. As Nielsen media research points out, Food Network viewership hit an all-time high among adults ages 25-54 in the first quarter of 2012 and was watched nightly by an average of 1.3 million viewers. In my never-ending quest for knowledge, I read cookbooks like they are novels, rarely referencing them when I actually cook, but utilizing all that I have seen and read as I whip up a meal in my kitchen for my family and friends. I call myself a pantry cook and pride myself on applying basic techniques with whatever products I have in my pantry, fridge, and freezer.

I find that cooking at home is fun and rewarding to share with others, and by relying on such methods, creativity is essential. As an event planner however, I cannot make the meals at a conference myself, but I can add a part of me to the cuisine by working closely with the facility to create a unique and satisfying menu for attendees.

As the general public becomes more knowledgeable about food and American tastes and eating habits continue to change, it’s time to bring more creativity into our event menus! This is the fun part, but the challenge becomes how do you take such creative risks when feeding 1,000+ people? The key here is to take a trend like the three listed below and make small, but impactful changes to a standard dish.

Papas rellenas

Papas rellenas, or stuffed potatoes, are a traditional Peruvian dish featuring a filling of chopped beef and onions, whole olives, hard boiled eggs, cumin and other spices stuffed into a baked potato dough.

Trend #1: Ethnic foods are in! Say goodbye to boring mashed potatoes and say hello to Italian gnocchi or Spanish purple potatoes. Take a typical ingredient like the average starch or salad and find a unique alternative. Examples:

• Swap white potatoes for: gnocchi, purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, perogies, latkes, or papas rellenas

• Swap rice or pasta for: couscous, Israeli couscous, arancini, orzo, risotto, quinoa

• Swap a green starter salad for: panzanella salad, samosa, Vietnamese rice paper rolls, barley salad, wheat berry salad

Trend #2: Waist-full or wasteful? Whether watching your waistline or simply trying to reduce the amount of wasted food, smaller portions are in. Ask your facility what their standard portion size is and compare it to the USDA Serving Size Guide. Work with your facility to determine the best portion size for your group. Not only will your attendees appreciate a reasonable meal, but the reduced portion size could likely lead to a reduced F&B bill as well! Also, ask your facility what happens to any extra food. Does it go to the facility cafeteria or the dumpster? See if you can work together to ensure that the food is not thrown away and can be donated to a local charitable organization or food bank.

Spices

Tired of the same old boring condiments? Try spicing them up or adding a twist.

Trend #3: Comfort with a twist. Let’s face it—at the end of the day, everyone likes the all-American burger. But what about shaking things up a bit and letting your attendees customize their meal with fun and unusual condiments? And don’t stop with just a burger—add an artisanal toppings bar for all your favorite foods! Here are some condiment twists you can use to enhance any condiment like ketchup, mustard, mayo, or BBQ:

• Flavors like curry, chipotle, hoisin, mesquite, chili, jalapeno, whole grain, champagne, horseradish, wasabi, garlic, herbs, fruits

• Combine some of these savory or spicy elements with fruit, like raspberry wasabi!

Hopefully these tips will help to get your creative culinary juices flowing. But if you’re looking for even more great ideas to enhance the menu at your next event, be sure to download the free Experient Guide to the Food & Beverage Experience, a compendium of best practices and creative ideas for F&B with a Foreword by Emeril Lagasse.

About Kristen Roget, CMP, Senior Meeting & Event Manager

Kristen joined Experient’s Washington, DC office in February 2004 as a Meeting and Event Coordinator. She was quickly promoted to a Meeting and Event Manager in September of 2005 and became a Senior Meeting and Event Manager in July 2012. As a Senior Meeting and Event Manager, Kristen acts as a trusted advisor to her association clients who represent several different industries including medical and veterinary, education, disability groups, and food industries; as well as supporting functions and events for government clients.

Kristen is very active within the meeting industry, recently accepting the position of Professional Director on the Capital Chapter Board of the Professional Convention Management Association. Previous to her position with Experient, she worked with Century 21 New Millennium’s Business Development Department and was responsible for their largest affinity client, USAA. Kristen received a BA in Communications from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Posted in Event Design, Event Trends, Food and Beverage, Sourcing & Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments