Uncovering Your Uncovering Your EventEvent

ROIROIMay 5, 2010May 5, 2010

Sean SothSean Soth

Senior Vice PresidentSenior Vice President

What We Will Cover Today:What We Will Cover Today:

Embracing the ShowEmbracing the Show

3 P’s of Exhibit Success3 P’s of Exhibit Success

•PreparePrepare

•PerformPerform

•Plan your follow-upPlan your follow-up

Embracing the ShowEmbracing the Show

Embracing the Show Starts Embracing the Show Starts with Understanding the with Understanding the

Conference FormatConference Format

Networking Networking Education Education RelationshipsRelationships

Attending CompaniesAttending Companies

Question # 1Question # 1

What is the current member registration fee to attend the ASTD 2010

International Conference and Exposition? First person to chat will win a Starbucks

gift card. 

Chat now!

Did you know?: Nearly Did you know?: Nearly 60% of ASTD attendees 60% of ASTD attendees are more likely to work are more likely to work with a vendor who with a vendor who exhibits because their exhibits because their presence shows industry presence shows industry investment!investment!

Event Elements to ConsiderEvent Elements to Consider

•KeynotesKeynotes

•HoursHours

•Session TopicsSession Topics

•Special EventsSpecial Events

•ChicagoChicago

Embracing the ShowEmbracing the Show

Understanding lead generation comes Understanding lead generation comes first, then the salefirst, then the sale

Be Prepared to Adjust Your Sales Be Prepared to Adjust Your Sales CycleCycle

Your interactions will help determine Your interactions will help determine where to startwhere to start

Embracing the show will help Embracing the show will help advance your sales cycleadvance your sales cycle

▪ ▪ Marketing

Marketing

▪ ▪ Qualifying C

alls

Qualifying C

alls▪ ▪ S

ales Sales

Call

Call

▪ ▪ Meet C

lient

Meet C

lient

▪ ▪ Follow

Follow

Up

Up

▪ ▪ Client

Client N

eedN

eed

▪ ▪ Solution

Solution

▪ ▪ Relationship

Relationship

Knowing what attendees are most Knowing what attendees are most interested in will help you improve interested in will help you improve

engagement!engagement!

Embracing the ShowEmbracing the Show

Question # 2Question # 2

The first person to chat all three ASTD 2010 The first person to chat all three ASTD 2010 general session keynotes will win a general session keynotes will win a

Starbucks gift card. Starbucks gift card. 

Chat now!Chat now!

Embracing the ShowEmbracing the Show

““Begin with the end in mind.” Begin with the end in mind.”

-Stephen CoveyStephen Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Exhibit SuccessExhibit Success

3 P’s of Exhibit 3 P’s of Exhibit SuccessSuccess

PreparePrepare

PerformPerform

Plan your follow-upPlan your follow-up

PreparePrepare

•Set an internal ASTD meeting prior to Set an internal ASTD meeting prior to leaving for Chicagoleaving for Chicago

•Review staff rolesReview staff roles

•Agree on expectations of successAgree on expectations of success

•Discuss organizational goals and the Discuss organizational goals and the communication neededcommunication needed

Communication NeededCommunication Needed

•ExcitementExcitement

•Personal and Organizational USP Personal and Organizational USP (Unique Selling (Unique Selling Point)Point)

•Motivate their PerformanceMotivate their Performance

According to the Center for According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR): Research (CEIR):

52% of exhibit managers who conducted pre-52% of exhibit managers who conducted pre-show training reported lead increases of 20% show training reported lead increases of 20% or more.or more.

An additional 43% of respondents who An additional 43% of respondents who implemented staff-training saw leads increase implemented staff-training saw leads increase by 10-20%by 10-20%

95% of total respondents improved 95% of total respondents improved their lead generation with pre-event their lead generation with pre-event staff trainingstaff training

Exhibitor PerformanceExhibitor Performance

1) Set benchmarks for each of your goals with team 1) Set benchmarks for each of your goals with team members.members.

2) OK to get granular2) OK to get granular

• Meet five A-level attendeesMeet five A-level attendees

• Meet twenty B-level attendeesMeet twenty B-level attendees

• Meet other exhibitors/potential partnersMeet other exhibitors/potential partners

• Greet 50 attendees per dayGreet 50 attendees per day

• Attend 1 session, tweet about it!Attend 1 session, tweet about it!

3) Create a lead worksheet3) Create a lead worksheet

Consider An Attendee Consider An Attendee Rating System to Help with Rating System to Help with

Follow-UpFollow-UpA

Type

B

Type

C

Type

D

Type

Ready for

solution

Interested in

solution

Unsure about

solution

Not ready at

all

Create an Attendee Data Create an Attendee Data CardCardName: Name: Bill Hardy

Organization: Organization: St. Anywhere Hospital

Role: Role: Director of Training

Mentioned need: Mentioned need: Has 30,000 employees, needs benefits + service training, then LMS

What they are using now: What they are using now: Homegrown blended learning

Referral?: Referral?:

Follow-up How: Follow-up How: Call

Follow-up When: Follow-up When: Next week to set another in person meeting

Timeline: Timeline: Looking to make decision in 3 months (fiscal ends 10/1)

Attendee Rank: A, B, or C Attendee Rank: A, B, or C A

Performance ChangersPerformance Changers

The most successful exhibitors can close The most successful exhibitors can close A-type attendees, convert B-type A-type attendees, convert B-type

attendees to A-type attendees, and use attendees to A-type attendees, and use C-type attendees to get towards the next C-type attendees to get towards the next

steps in the sales cycle.steps in the sales cycle.

Challenge your team to move the A, B, C’s!

Work the Crowd, Not the Job Work the Crowd, Not the Job TitleTitle

C-Level SueC-Level Sue Mid-Level Mid-Level MannyManny

Just-Looking LarryJust-Looking Larry

Meet peers, Meet peers, Dinner with Dinner with

clientsclients

eLearning, eLearning, Needs to bring Needs to bring home 3 front home 3 front

runners for new runners for new LMSLMS

Training 3,000 Training 3,000 employees on employees on

customer customer service...testing!service...testing!

Did you know?: 72% of Did you know?: 72% of ASTD attendees will ASTD attendees will discuss training needs for discuss training needs for the next 12 months prior the next 12 months prior to attending ASTD to attending ASTD International Conference International Conference & Exposition.& Exposition.

Exhibitor PerformanceExhibitor Performance

Plan Daily Meetings Plan Daily Meetings Onsite:Onsite:

Share successesShare successes

MotivateMotivate

Offer rewards for Offer rewards for great workgreat work

Exhibitor PerformanceExhibitor Performance

•Focus on the attendee’s needsFocus on the attendee’s needs

•Start the conversation, but let them Start the conversation, but let them have an opportunity to talk with youhave an opportunity to talk with you

•Equip them with ways to remember Equip them with ways to remember your companyyour company

Remembering YouRemembering You

Start with serviceStart with service

Ad, listing, business cardAd, listing, business card

Graphics or marketingGraphics or marketing

Identify 3 ways any attendee can remember Identify 3 ways any attendee can remember you.you.

Ask how and when to follow up.Ask how and when to follow up.

Plan Your Follow-UpPlan Your Follow-Up

Recap

Meeting

Follow up Meeting

Plan Your Follow-UpPlan Your Follow-Up

Plan a day or more to recap and set Plan a day or more to recap and set timelines.timelines.

ASTD Attendee PreferenceASTD Attendee Preference ▪ ▪ 49 % - 2 weeks49 % - 2 weeks ▪ ▪ 27% - 1 weeks27% - 1 weeks ▪ ▪ 18% - 1 month18% - 1 month

Plan Your Follow-UpPlan Your Follow-Up

Mail press kit

Announce webinar Email

newsletter

Embracing the show will help Embracing the show will help advance your sales cycleadvance your sales cycle

▪ ▪ Mark

eting

Mark

eting

▪ ▪ Qualifyin

g

Qualifyin

g

Calls

Calls

▪ ▪ Sales

Sales

Call

Call

▪ ▪ Meet

Meet

Clien

t

Clien

t

▪ ▪ Follow

Up

Follow

Up

▪ ▪ Clien

t

Clien

t

Need

Need

▪ ▪ Solu

tion

Solu

tion

▪ ▪ Relation

shi

Relation

shi

pp

Consider Marketing Consider Marketing Through the Tools Your Through the Tools Your

Audience UsesAudience Uses ASTD.org & ASTD e-ASTD.org & ASTD e-newslettersnewsletters

T+D T+D magazinemagazine

EXPO365EXPO365

Join ASTDJoin ASTD

ASTD Social ASTD Social NetworksNetworks

Partner ProgramPartner Program

Question # 3Question # 3

The first person to chat the ASTD The first person to chat the ASTD 2010 International Conference & 2010 International Conference &

Exposition Twitter hashtag, will win a Exposition Twitter hashtag, will win a Starbucks gift card.  Starbucks gift card. 

Chat now! Chat now!

Embrace the ShowEmbrace the Show

3 P’s of Exhibit 3 P’s of Exhibit SuccessSuccess

PreparePrepare

PerformPerform

Plan your follow-upPlan your follow-up

...it’s not too late to ...it’s not too late to implement any points implement any points covered today!covered today!

Have Fun & Have Fun & Enjoy Chicago!Enjoy Chicago!

Q & AQ & A