Events - nuisance value or sales aid?

We call this the nuisance value event - enjoyed at the time by some, hated by others and suffered by all!

Tighter marketing budgets and increased competition now dictate a change in strategy for marketing teams. Working on the 80:20 rule (20% of clients give you 80% of business), and the fact that it is cheaper to retain clients than to find new ones, Currin't Events has developed a service plan to assist companies achieve their client relationship goals and turn events into sales value. The philosophy underpinning this strategy is the development of relationships between consultant and client, thereby ensuring good personal communication and ultimately increased sales.

Step 1 is to develop an event plan linked to the communications strategy, to create a series of ongoing meetings/events. It is important to develop this plan in close conjunction with marketing teams who know their clients and client requirements. Different requirements and budgets will dictate the type and frequency of events.

Step 2 is to set budgets so that the event plan forms a critical element of the marketing costs. Events are monitored to determine what business is generated from those clients over the set period. This step is essential to the success of the plan. Without an effective annual budget for the event plan, client meetings become ad hoc and the objectives are lost.

Step 3 is to ensure regular feedback meetings are held between the event company and clients, checking that objectives are met, assessing the reasons why, if they are not and making the changes necessary to meet annual targets.

This is a simple, cost effective plan to implement, but its success requires commitment from management, adherence to the plan by staff and a longer-term view as a strategy. It's not a quick fix, nor should it be seen as party time by the team!