IndustryConnect is ready to revolutionize the Meetings and Tradeshow Industry. The company, founded in 2004, has started to roll out their ‘Countdown to the Show’ and ‘Community Builder’ e-Media suites to much success at shows such as The National Hardware Show, ConExpo/ConAGG, K/BIS, and Book Expo to
name a few. Instead of attacking some of the traditional problems like e-newsletter campaigns and social networking separately, IndustryConnect has instead integrated these various aspects together, maximizing their full potential and creating what IndustryConnect’s CEO Dave Einzig has coined, “The Complete Tradeshow e-Media Solution”.
To begin, IndustryConnect has redefined the standard approach to the attendee e-newsletter. Rather than just sending out e-newsletters from the show organizers with the usual content such as lists of exhibitors, dates and times, and other vital, but stale, information, IndustryConnect has put some of the responsibility of the content into the exhibitors’ hands. Exhibitors can now provide content, such as new product information and press release announcements, for the attendee e-newsletter – this provides an additional marketing tool for the exhibitor and extra incentive to a potential attendee to attend the show if he sees something he likes. Einzig explains, “A lot of attendees have been to the show before, so having show organizers just
e-mailing them six times throughout a marketing plan before the show saying, “Hey! We have a lot of exhibitors, come to the show.’ is not the most effective approach. Sending them news and update items from the show team and giving them a lot of great information about products, solutions, events, promotions, specials, and other topics of interest coming out of the exhibitor base has proved to be very strong. So strong that the first newsletter we sent out tracked as being more frequently forwarded than unsubscribed from – out of 70,000 people, 50,000 plus of which were prospects, more recipients used the ‘send to a friend’ function than the unsubscribe button. It was unbelievable.”
Exhibitors hoping to take advantage of this unique marketing opportunity have a variety of options open to them. They can choose from several different types of announcements such as new products and services, specials and promotions, corporate news and press releases, and event invites as well as deciding on how many announcements they wish to put out and what editions they would like to be featured in. For a fee, exhibitors have the option of being a ‘Featured Announcer’, giving them the ability to include a logo or image as well as be a higher priority among the other announcements. With all of these services available to them, the exhibitor now has tighter control over how they market themselves to their audience. “They can actually manage a whole campaign, schedule it, choose their options for each edition, and manage their content,” states Einzig.
IndustryConnect has taken their successful e-marketing program and integrated it with a show’s online exhibitor directory. Most of these directories are static – companies put up their information where it just sits idle waiting for people to come across it. IndustryConnect has turned this notion on its head, making the directories more prominent and better utilized. As an exhibitor releases announcements and other items of interest via the Countdown to the Show system, the exhibitor’s announcement is then linked back to their directory listing, where all of these announcements are archived. The effect this method has is two-fold: 1.) the exhibitor’s directory receives more traffic, and 2.) the visitor can now view the history of a particular exhibitor’s announcements and press releases. Einzig elaborates on this new approach, “We’re integrating the e-marketing program with the online exhibitor directory. Normally, on many show websites, the amount of traffic one exhibitor’s directory listing actually gets is minimal. Plus, the enhancement options a show offers an exhibitor do not have a lot of intrinsic value. Exhibitors can add a logo, a hundred extra characters, etc, but the exhibitors really do not buy into it in a very big way. In fact, we have found that the exhibitors find it to be more of a chore than an opportunity. Now, by integrating the e-marketing program with the online exhibitor directory, you have an online marketing program that surrounds the show. An exhibitor’s directory listing becomes almost a sort of myspace profile page where all of their announcements they have previously submitted in the web site and e-newsletter are featured. Further, in the e-newsletter, if an attendee clicks to read more, it drives them back into that company’s profile, so now you have a mechanism giving the exhibitor a lot more exposure, a great enhancement for their directory listing, and a vehicle through which you’re driving traffic there. It really is a system that feeds itself. Add to that, the fact that each exhibitor, while using the system to submit their directory information, is exposed to all of your online marketing options in a simple step by step process equates to a significant new revenue opportunity for our clients”
In addition to the enhanced listings, IndustryConnect is also setting up ‘Host City Ad Networks’ in several major convention cities which will provide an extra revenue stream for the show organizers. The ad networks will showcase local amenities that might be of interest to both the exhibitors and attendees. Einzig details, “We are selling in the categories that are not going to compete with the show’s existing relationships, like hotel and travel or airlines. There is a lot of revenue being left on the table from such sectors as restaurants, night life, attractions, transportation, business services, and leisure spa among others. We are selling exposure and advertising opportunities to these host city service providers so that their specials and discounts are featured in both the web site and e-Newsletters to reach the attendees and exhibitors that are coming into town for the upcoming shows.” The advertising will be sold per impression based on website visits and e-newsletter open rates giving show organizers an added incentive to drum up interest in their show. Einzig notes, “The goal is to find new revenue streams while making the website and the e-newsletter as valuable and content rich to the audience as possible. If a particular attendee loves opening these e-newsletters because he likes to see the host city specials for the attractions and tickets, then that’s one great step closer to having a much more successful campaign..”
IndustryConnect is also looking into implementing social networks into their products. Many tradeshows in the past and present have tried utilizing social networking tools to varying degrees of success. In Einzig’s view, “I think that
simple social networking is the key. It’s not a stand alone item. The show can’t just add some social networking to their site and expect great participation rates. Traditionally, in speaking with our clients, some of the biggest problems they have had with any type of social networking platform they have tested is that it just added to the problem. Everyone was just getting more e-mails. In order to get the participation needed, they have to e-mail these people an inordinate number of times. With us, social networking could become a feasible possibility because we already have a foundational platform of content and aggregated e-newsletters in place. The social network is built onto this platform so rather than an attendee getting many e-mails a week every time they have a match or someone sends them a private message, their once weekly e-newsletter edition comes with a social networking dashboard notifying them of new messages and hot topics, in addition to its featured announcements and content. The e-newsletter gives them all of their information about their social networking and match-making status, and if they are not active, it can get them to activate. This e-newsletter and marketing program is really a phenomenal foundation for making match-making work because you have exposure points in place to achieve the needed participation.”
IndustryConnect’s eventual goal is to leverage the audience that is now engaged around the show and continue to offer the community service year round.One way to implement that is by providing rich and engaging content, from corporate announcements, supplier directories and social networking to industry relevant RSS feeds. In short, IndustryConnect plans on putting everything a professional needs to stay on top of what’s going on in their industry in one place. The ultimate intent, according to Einzig, is “for a trade show to be able to execute this strategy around their show all year long. The show organizers have nothing to do other than partner with us to keep their audience engaged all year and keep them focused on the event. One of the greatest things about the model is that eight weeks before their show, the web site and e-Newsletter will tilt into a ‘countdown to the show’ format and will be focused on everything that is happening at the upcoming event and then it will go back into year round mode. It is a huge marketing opportunity for the event, plus they now have ties to their engaged audience all year round to share in a tremendous amount of new revenue. All of these pieces together are why our new tag line is ‘The Complete Tradeshow e-Media Solution’.”
Related Categories: Internet and Social Networking, Marketing Communications