Ruth P. Stevens Articles and Columns: EXPO MagazineMay 2005 Promo Pointers The challenge: To broaden the marketing mix for driving attendees to the revamped Golf Industry Show. The audience: Golf course managers, owners, architects and builders. Also turf industry professionals. The solution: Broadcast voice mail messaging, recorded by a familiar voice, and integrated into the outbound contact strategy. The strategy: In 2005, several golf-related associations consolidated their events, forming the Golf Industry Show, held in Orlando in February. To make sure the new show was launched successfully, the GCSAA’s trade show manager, Julie Ozark, wanted to pull out all the stops. Her plan was to use every conceivable communications medium to bring attendees to the event. Her new weapon? The broadcast voicemail service provided by ListeNation. Ozark had two voicemails created. The first was recorded by Steve Moma, the CEO of GCSAA, and went out just as registration opened in September 2004, alerting subscribers to look out for the show brochure, arriving in the mail as a ride-along with the association’s monthly publication, Golf Course Management. The second voicemail featured the voice of Jim Nantz, the CBS sportscaster who had been a very popular keynoter at the 2004 event in San Diego. This message went out in November, and reminded listeners to register for the Orlando event, giving them the website address. The two voicemails were part of a 15-touch contact strategy that included mail, inserts, faxes, email and even a series of postcards. Why it works: The message was delivered to office phone numbers on a Sunday evening, increasing the chance of voicemail pickup, and positioning the message to be heard first thing on Monday. (If a live person answers the phone, the system disconnects.) The cost was only pennies per delivery. But the key to success is in the voice. Jim Nantz, for example, is known and loved in the industry. He is so devoted to golf, he offered to record the message for free. All it takes is leaving the message at a voicemail box. The ListeNation editors then pick up the recording, cut out any extraneous "um" or "ah," and provide edited samples of various lengths to choose from. The results: The new show grew its attendance by 19% and its qualified buyers by 35%, compared to the amalgamated shows in the year prior. The voicemail messaging received a satisfying 68% complete rate on deliveries. Advice to others: Try it. Ozark plans to use the voicemail technique frequently in 2005, and add it to her exhibitor promotional strategy, as well. ........................................................................................... © 2008 Ruth
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