180 day path to events program excellence

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180-DAY PATHTO EVENTS PROGRAMEXCELLENCEWhat you need to know and do when transforming your corporate event’s performance

3 ACTIONABLE CHECKLISTS

• Brand• Attendee

Experience• Return on

Marketing Objectives

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

• Event Scope• Internal

Stakeholders• External

Stakeholders

DISCOVERY

EXECUTION

STRATEGY

MEASURE

1

2

4

3

According to The Event Marketing Institute’s EventTrack 2015, the impact corporate events have is clear.

• 98% of event attendees are more inclined to purchase, including 65% who purchase at the event itself, up 9 points since 2014

• 87% of event attendees intend to purchase post-event, up 29% since 2012

• 74% of attendees have a more positive brand perception as a result of their brand experience

• 96% of attendees share their experiences with peers, friends and family

• 77% of companies surveyed report ROI in excess of 3:1, including 16% who report generating ROI of 20:1 or greater!

IntroductionIn an increasingly connected world, where online advertising costs pennies, information is a click away, and where the words social, viral, and virtual have gained global attention, the role of live events is often under scrutiny. Do live events increase brand value? How do immersive experiences influence purchases and customer loyalty? How can one prove that events drive profitable sales?

With the data clearly supporting the impact of events, the question arises, how can corporate marketers elevate the importance of live events in the marketing mix? How do marketers turn theconversation about live events from simply spending money to a critical investment delivering high Return on Marketing Objectives? Corporate events vary widely - from corporate incentive and customer meetings to field sales outreach to user groups and daily interactions with VIP customers and prospects. At one German luxury car manufacturer, for example, the experiential marketing team organizes over 35 unique events. How does one make the time to create a strategy, secure executive and stakeholder buy-in, and then lead the charge?

That is where this guide, 180-days to Event Program Excellence, comes in. With extensive research into leading corporate event programs, we are providing this step-by-step guide to discover, plan, coordinate and execute a world-class corporate event and program regardless of the size of your organization.

CHAPTER 1 helps you hit the ground running, with practical tools to assess the current situation and determine key initiatives for future focus.CHAPTER 2 provides practical advice to solicit input, craft a strategy and secure support from key stakeholders, from the C-suite down to front-line staff.CHAPTER 3 focuses on execution, ensuring that the right practices, standards and communications are in place to deliver a compelling audience experience.CHAPTER 4 examines what comes next: monitoring, measuring and improvement. If the first six months is building the foundation, Chapter 4 provides a roadmap for continuous excellence and leadership.

Learn more about the leading global full-service provider of live events at ges.com/epicevent or email Mark Thomas at [email protected]. 1180-DAY PLAN

mailto:[email protected]

Congratulations, you’ve just been appointed/hired! Now go off and organize an event. That is the mindset of hundreds of thousands of companies that execute events annually. Sample giveaways? Go ahead and get a team together. User group meeting? Sure, the product manager will tell you how many meeting rooms and ports for computer hook-ups they need. But will any of this matter? When the CMO looks at leads generated and deals closed, will she view the events group as a primary contributor? Whether you inherit an established program or start with nothing, now is the time to understand the current situation and determine keybenchmarks. Start with these three steps to develop an informed understanding of the events program and key stakeholders:Step 1: Collect Information (Days 1-14) The focus here is on understanding the scope of the current events program. Reach out to your colleagues in sales, finance, corporatecommunications and event partners to understand:

• What events are currently undertaken?

• Who is the target audience for each event?

• What goals and results were generated in the past three years?

• What is the event planning process and how are sales/executives/operations/customer service involved in planning, execution and follow-up?

• What are examples of key event messages and communications tools (brochures, emails, advertisements, videos of keynotes or break- out sessions, etc.) are utilized at and beyond the live event?

• What is the budget and ROMO (Return on Marketing Objectives) of each event?

• How are events evaluated?

Step 2: Listen to Stakeholders (Days 7-28)As soon as possible, develop a list of key stakeholders in the events program. The list should include C-suite executives, heads of sales and marketing, event partners or agencies involved with planning and execution, and most importantly, a selection of event attendees including customers, prospects, users, partners and employees.Undertake quick-strike interviews up to 30 minutes and keep questions open ended so you can listen and understand perspectives. Questions will vary based on whether the person is an employee or not. Key questions will include:COMPANY EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS

• What is the purpose of the events program?

• Are we attracting the right audiences?• Does the event support the brand

values and positioning?• How does the event transform

attendee perspectives and behaviors?

• How do you measure success?• Is there a clear link between event

participation and business results?• How can the events team improve

collaboration and execution?• Which elements of the event are working?• Which elements need to change

immediately? Over time?CUSTOMER/PROSPECT QUESTIONS

• Why do you attend?• What are the top 3 learnings you have

at the event?• How do you measure event

effectiveness from an attendee perspective?

• Which elements of the event are working?

• Which elements need to change immediately? Over time?

CHAPTER 1 | 45 Day Discovery



Step 3: Benchmark (Days 28-35)In order to set a new path, it is critical to establish standards for measuring success. This can come by establishing the role of the event in delivering hot, potentially profitable leads to sales, assessing the impact of the event versus other marketing channels, or comparing the event or program to competitors. The key to benchmarking is establishing 2-3 benchmarks, and no more than 6-7 key performance metrics on which to judge event success. Key benchmarks may include:

• Number of hot prospects generated• $ value and % of participating customers renewing business• Incremental spend by existing customers• Changes in brand perception• % attendees willing to offer a future opportunity to the company• Revenue generated relative to event investments or costs

Step 4: Summarize Findings (Days 35-45)Time to bring your findings together, share what you know, what works, what needs to evolve, and what are preliminary metrics for success. The program summary is also important for setting expectations - provide a realistic view of the current program and what is required to improve results, provide an indication of the level of resources and investments required, and a ballpark estimate of what return can be expected.

Look for trends in the feedback you receive. Then highlight key strengths, issues and opportunities for your future plan.

This is the time to devise and implement best practices for a world-class program. It is important to establish some quick wins to firm up executive support, and at the same time, to craft your overarching strategy and start making the necessary changes and investments that will pay off by the half-year, year and two-year marks.

This is the time to develop plans that address three key facets of corporate event success:

• BRAND• EXPERIENCE• REVENUE FOCUS (ROMO)

Follow the checklists beginning on the next page, and the event strategy will come into its own:

CHAPTER 2 | Develop and Sell the Strategy (DAYS 46-75)

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The Creative Brief: Roadmap for the Brand and Customer ExperienceA key tool in creating a compelling brand experience is the creative brief. This document provides details on the target audience, the current perception of attendees, and the desired perspective we want attendees to adopt.In addition, the creative brief highlights the one key fact that event attendees should take away – this provides the focus for all other event activities and experiences which are outlined in the following sections. Finally the creative brief can touch on the role of the city and the venue in achieving the event objectives, as well as providing some descriptive words that capture the tone and personality of the event. The creative brief forms the roadmap for the attendee experience. When filling out the brief, it is important to be concise and prioritize key objectives and elements – ideally the form should be no more than a couple of pages in length.

BRANDELEMENTSCheck-off once completed () ELEVATOR PITCH:

Craft a 30-word description of the event – Is the intent clear and audience identified? Will attendees understand what’s in it for them?

POSITIONING STATEMENT:What is different about this event that will prompt attendees to make time in their scheduled/budget to attend?

CREATIVE STANDARDS:How do we make this “our event” versus a gathering that takes place in someone else’s venue?

BRAND MESSAGING:What are the key brand attributes that will be reinforced in all pre-, at- and post- event messaging? How do we get everyone to literally sing off the same sheet of music?

MESSAGE DOCUMENTS:What are the key message documents to be produced at a corporate and product level? How will key corporate and product attributes be conveyed?

REACHING INFLUENCERS:How will we use the event to reach key industry influencers? How can we leverage content beyond the in-person gathering, such as comments from influencers?

VENUE SELECTION:How will the venue activate the brand? How can we make the venue a part of the brand and not vice versa, in a way that adds value to our company?

STAFF SELECTION:What staff attributes are most important for the success of the meeting? How will we select the right staff?

EMPLOYEE TRAINING:When will training guides be produced? How will staff be trained on the experience, messages, use of technology on-site?

WORD OF MOUTH:What will customers say about their experience once the event has ended? How do we leverage the most positive ambassadors to spreadthe word?

BRANDA key element of the strategy is providing a clear purpose and call to action which reflects your brand and community that you wish to create through the event.There are several components to the brand plan. The goal here is to make sure you focus on really important elements and fill in key details that best reflect the event purpose, its reason for being, and the key messages you wish to convey. The elements to the left are listed in the order in which they should appear in the plan.



ATTENDEE EXPERIENCEWith creative brief and brand plan in hand, it is time to craft the attendee experience. In an age where data analytics are king, it is important to establish apersonalized experience for attendees complemented by access to experts and peers who will help deepen their understanding and expand use of your products and services. Use the key elements to the left to craft the attendee experience.

ATTENDEE EXPERIENCEELEMENTSCheck-off once completed () ATTENDEE EXPECTATIONS:

How will you capture the needs and wants of the target attendee?

PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE:How will you get a personalized and differentiat- ed customer experience?

ACCESS TO EXPERTS:How will you provide access to key staff members and executives?

COMMUNITY BUILDING:How will the event expand the community and continue the conversation well after the closing session?

USER FEEDBACK:How will the event gather valuable feedback and input to strengthen products and services and sales follow-up post-event?

RETENTION / RISK:How will the event drive retention or address at-risk customers?

NETWORKING:What activities in the exhibit and after the show will deepen and expand relationships and networks?

EXTRA TOUCH:How will the event provide an added concierge service to go over and above attendee expectations?

EASY ACCESS:How will you make it easy for customers to receive approval to attend and organize their trip?

MEASURE:What process will you use to measure the effectiveness of the customer experience? What measures can you use to document post-show sales and marketing follow-up and sales opportunities identified through the event?

USER SECURITY:How will user information and insights be secured?



This is where the rubber meets the road – what kind of business opportunities are generated, and how is the company measuring success? In addition to future revenues, what attendee insights and opportunities can be obtained through the event? As importantly, how will the event generate a return through registration pricing, exhibits and sponsors, and other revenue generating activities? Your plan is essential to demonstrate the business purpose –and returns of the event.

RETURN ONMARKETING OBJECTIVES (ROMO)

RETURN ONMARKETING OBJECTIVESELEMENTSCHECK-OFF ONCE COMPLETED ( )

KPIs:Are your Key Performance Indicators identified, clearly defined and measurable?

REVENUE GOALS:What are your revenue goals for this event?

REGISTRATION:What will you charge attendees to attend?

FUTURE SALES:Will you be able to launch new products for new/expanded revenue streams?

ATTENDEE INSIGHTS:What information (i.e. database, product information, customer perception) will you capture to guide future marketing by expanding our customer knowledge?

EVENT PRICING:What will you charge partners, media or others to participate in the event?

SPONSORSHIP:What sponsorships will you offer and what revenue can you expect to generate?

TARGET ATTENDEES:Who are the target attendees in the audience representing the best opportunity to close new business in the near future?

Getting the strategy and focus right is critical, but implementation makes the experience real. So before the strategy is even over it is time to line up the right team and resources and bring the experience to life.

Step 1: Identify Best Resources (Days 50-90) As the strategy comes together, this is a good time to determine which skills and resources are required internally, and what partners will need to be involved during execution. Most companies will issue multiple RFPs, send out large, complex questionnaires, and then sit through hours of presentations. This can be very informative- yet taxing. We advocate turning the model on its head. Once you have determined what types of partners that you need, talk with

CHAPTER 3 | Execute (DAYS 50-150)

peers, consult key publications like Event Marketer, ANA or AdAge, and then shortlist 3-4 firms that you think are best placed to deliver on your goals.



Key criteria: does the firm have proven experience in your space, or have they created compelling events in another space (or industry)? Does the company have multiple capabilities to simplify your life and make for a one-stop shop? Does the company offer the financial strength and investment in innovation to take your event from launch to growth and industry leadership? Then meet with each agency or company, and get a feel for the team and the company capabilities. Since you will be working intensively with the team, be sure they have the right expertise, understanding and personalities that fit with you and your team. With this insight and comfort, you can either choose a firm that is best placed to be your partner or run a brief RFP specifically focused on your event so you can choose a partner with the best ideas and experience.

Step 2: Produce and Execute (Days 90-120) This is where the rubber meets the road – when the event plan comes together and execution happens.Keep the strategy close at hand and remember to focus on those top 2-3 objectives. Resist thetemptation to get lost in the details - that is why you formed a team and brought in partners. Another related challenge: when you get distracted by a minor detail, you lose sight of a major objective.Keep the customer front and center. Make sure the employees you invite to staff the event recognize their participation as a privilege and not a requirement

– the most compelling event environment and experience can fall apart if staff are not informed and engaged with attendees. Finally and mostimportantly, be sure to collect insights from attendees so you know how the event affects their perspective and likelihood to purchase. Remember: the eventis not just to celebrate your brand and offerings (although there should be plenty of that!) – it is to deliver business results.Step 3: Analyze and Immediate Follow-up (Days 90-150) As the lights are dimmed onsite, that is when the sales and marketing machine hits overdrive. Make sure all insights are analyzed and hot leads are passed to sales immediately with supporting information or data. Remember: the bestway to judge an event is through the actions that are taken – closed sales, meetings scheduled and taken, exploratory meeting set up – all within 8-10 weeks post-event. Another key element is to make sure post- event communications are prepared well before the event, support sales follow-up activities, and move towards execution once the event concludes.The plan and execution cycle may repeat itself once or countless times depending upon the size of your event portfolio and the consistency of your brand. What is most important is the discipline under which the event planning and execution takes place.

The first phases of discovery, strategy, planning and execution are over. This is the time to analyze and identify what is working, what needs to expand or cease, and how you will improve your key performance indicators. This is also a great timeto remind key executives and stakeholders about the effectiveness of your program. So compile that ROI or ROMO report AND highlight how you plan to elevate the program to drive even better results.

Keep the executive summary concise, with bullets and simple charts to show effectiveness, and keep in mind that if you are seeking further support or input from the executives that you state clearly what you hope to obtain from them. This report should bereviewed and reported quarterly. Otherwise, keep the analysis and improvement recommendations coming, and look for industry awards to submit your program as best in class and stand on the winner’s podium!

CHAPTER 4 | Monitor, Measure and Elevate (DAYS 150-180)

©2016 Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES). All other trademarks are properties of their respective companies.



180 day path to events program excellence

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