EVENTS THAT MEAN BUSINESS

Clare Sullivan Jackson, CSEPSullivan Group

Specialists in Strategic Marketing & Meetings

Question 1

How many of you have meetings integrated into

your marketing plan?

Question 2

How many meetings will you be doing this year?

0-10 11-50 50+

How many of you have been asked to scale back

on your event budgets this year?

Question 3

Golden RulesDesign every organization’s meeting

– aside from enjoyment and camaraderie focus –to forward specific objectives within a well defined theme

•Be in touch with the expectations of your attendees

•Focus on how attendees will be “engaged” by their experience pre, during and after…

•Always search for uniqueness

•Seamless Production/Timeline must be precise and inventive

•Focus on measurable return on investment

“The more sensory an experience, the more memorable it will be.”

•Communicate the Objective – Tell guests what they are coming for but keep element of surprise (Give them the plot but not the ending!)

•Sell the event internally through sales staff

•Create ‘pre-event’ Events, Webinars, Sales Rallies, Product Demos, Ads

Have a thorough Pre/Post Marketing PlanMarketing the Event

Have a thorough Pre/Post Marketing PlanMarketing the Event

•Use your website/collateral to create anticipation (Create some mystery!)

•Provide incentives to drive attendees to your website post event

•Post event evaluations and results

Eliminate the Disqualifiers– How are the guests arriving?– Where’s parking located?– Is security present?– Do attendees feel safe entering the venue?– Are they getting wet or cold?– How long is the bus ride?– How are they greeted?

THE EVENT

VENUE

Size– Avoid big rooms & large tables– Arrange the floor plan for greater impact

Flow– Make Rooms just shy of crowded– Design the room to stimulate intimacy &

conversation

Theme– Consider unique venues like performing arts

centers, historic buildings, etc.

VENUE

You have 10 seconds to make the first impression!

• Implement ‘No Lines’ strategy• Implement a ‘Less is More’ strategy• Engage guests with a total world of

visualization and interaction…

• Always engage in multi-media

Engage, Engage, Engage

“Theming an experience means scripting a participative story.”

• Use your philanthropic events to your advantage

- Include clients and/or employees

• Capitalize on events already established - join in

• Stretch the entertainment budget by utilizing non-profit groups and schools

• Use your food and beverage budget to entertain

• Invest in media for variety versus static propsSimply set the space differently

Imagination to Optimize Investment

• Experiential Events, Multi-media

• Going Green. i.e.: Venues, Food, Rentals

• Mini-Size Meals

• Green Screen Technology to drive Marketing

• Guerrilla marketing - Actors, T-shirt TV’s

2009 Trends

• Reality TV, Celebrity Chefs

• V-Jays

• Contemporary Music played Classical, i.e. QueenClassical Music played Contemporary, i.e. Bond

• Customized Stage Productions

• Audience Engagement, Interactive Technology

2009 Trends

• Quotes from The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore

• Special Events Magazine• BizBash• Successful Meetings Magazine• Wall Street Journal• The Age of SPEED by Vince Poscente• Re-imagine by Tom Peters• Houston Business Journal

References & Inspiration

www.sullivan-group.com

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