MARKETING YOUR EVENT

ROI and/or ROO

Here is an interesting article on the ongoing debate in the Meetings Industry about the difference between ROI and ROO.  Various professionals share their thoughts about the affects of ROI and ROO on planners and the organizations holding meetings.

 

ROI: The Great Debate

 

Below is the name of two "how-to" books, the first of which details the ROI Methodology, and includes 17 actual case studies, and the second being a ground-breaking how-to guide for meeting professionals due out in late 2007.

  • Proving the Value of Meetings and Events: How and Why to Measure ROI
    Published by Meetings Professional International and ROI Institute Inc.
  • Measuring Return on Investment for Meetings and Events
    Written by Monica Myhill, CMP, President of Meeting Returns, co-authored with Jack Phillips and Terri Breining, published by Butterworth-Heinemann in early 2007.

The Appeal of An Event

For associations, meetings can be a major source of income.  For corporations, meetings can be a huge expense.  Either way, the investment and/or return can be critical.  This reinforces the importance of successfully marketing an event.  No matter what the audience is, professional planners will need to communicate clearly the purpose of the event, the value or what they can expect to receive by attending this event, and the important details about the event.

 

All of the communications should carry a central, consistent, underlying theme that reinforces the message you want to deliver.  In most cases, this is the “appeal of an event”.  Some events will provide training to help sales people deliver better solutions to customers, vs. others that will offer training to help sales people make bigger bonuses.  Some events may provide networking opportunities to improve cross training within the organization, and still others will provide networking to share best practices.  The appeal of an event should be clear in all communications to potential attendees... and clearly targeted to those people.

 

Incentives, promotional pricing, drawings, special announcements can be used in all marketing efforts.  However, they should only enhance marketing efforts and not dominate them.  The value and appeal of an event should never be replaced with a freebee, a discount, or a prize.

 

There are many resources and companies available on the internet to help market a meeting, conference, or convention.  Most address the challenges of clearly identifying and communicating the appeal of an event.

Marketing the Destination

The destination of your event has a lot to do with attracting attendees.  Attendees may plan extra time before or after your event to visit attractions, they may coordinate special reunions with friends or family around your event, or they may simply indulge in a little self-pampering at a nearby shopping mall or spa.

 

The destination appeal has a lot to do with attractions, shopping, nightlife, dining, etc.  Attendees can also be attracted to a destination because it convenient and easily accessible.  Marketing the destination appeal may include highlighting the fun and sizzle of the destination, and/or it may include highlighting the convenience of the location.  For these reasons and more, cities like Costa Mesa establish informative websites that provide information that enable attendees to find information on their interests and make plans before they arrive.

 

The main website created and managed by the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau is http://www.gohawaii.com/big_island/ This link can be attached to your communications to your attendees well in advance of their arrival to encourage pre-planning for their trip.  The website can also answer many other questions that arise in planning a trip to Costa Mesa.  On this ePLANNER TOOLKIT, under the button labeled "ABOUT THE BIG ISLAND", we have provided individual links to the most important pages of this website.

Marketing the Hotel

You will find all of the tools and resources you need to market the Hilton Waikoloa Village under the LOGOS & DESCRIPTIONS button, the FLOORPLANS button, and the PHOTO GALLERY button. Feel free to contact the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Hilton Waikoloa Village for more information at 1-808-886-1234.

 

Tools

10 Secrets of Super Successful Meeting Planners (article)

 

Meeting – Technology Tools (article)