Ruth P. Stevens Articles and Columns: EXPO MagazineFebruary 2006 Promo Pointers The challenge: Sustain record-breaking attendance at one of the world’s largest trade shows, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005, a show run every three years by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The 2005 show was set to attract nearly 125,000 visitors. The audience: Anybody with anything to do with the construction industry: contractors, materials producers, and government officials. Seventeen percent of the audience is non-U.S. The solution: An integrated program of targeted communications, the centerpiece of which was a set of print ads featuring attendee testimonials. The strategy: Promotions for a show this large can become too generic, trying to be all things to all people. The show marketing manager, Kathryn Glynn, CEM, needed a way to develop messages that would resonate with the various segments of the construction industry, from asphalt pavers to heavy equipment buyers. So she hit on a clever approach: ads showing past attendees in 8 different buying categories. Each 4-color ad contained a testimonial quote, the person’s headshot and, for an instant visual connection, a background picture representing his business sector, like an earth mover or a road being laid with asphalt. Each version ran in trade publications focusing on that industry sector, a total of 238 insertions altogether. The ads were part of a multi-channel communications program including direct mail, email, pre-registration brochures, and co-promotions with exhibitors and supporting organizations. Why it works: This campaign took advantage of both the power of targeted communications as well as the credibility of testimonials. "It’s amazing how a testimonial sells itself," says Glynn. "An industry professional could look at the ad and relate directly to the message, saying, ‘That’s my business. I have to be there. ’" The results: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 reported the show’s highest attendance ever, at 124,220. The ads hit in the summer of 2004, just at the point when show registration opened. "The testimonial ads were part of an integrated campaign, so it’s hard to know exactly how much of the show’s success to attribute to them" says Glynn. "But they were a welcome element in the campaign, and they generated a lot of positive feedback." Advice to others: Gathering up testimonials can take time. Give yourself 4-6 months to identify the candidates, harvest the messages and go through the approval process. ........................................................................................... © 2008 Ruth
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