MEEC
Chapter Three
Meeting, Exhibition, Event and
Convention Sponsors
Who Holds the Gatherings?
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Corporations
Legally charted enterprises that conduct
business on behalf of their owners with the
purpose of making a profit and increasing the
value of the corporation.
 Public Corporations – sell stock, has board of
directors and owned by stockholders
 Private Corporations – owned privately and stock
is not sold
Corporate Meetings:
Numbers and Values
In 2001:
 844,100 corporate meetings
 51.5 million people attending
 $10.3 billion in expenditures
 1% gain from 1999
 Average attendance – 60 attendees
Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Corporate Meetings
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The Decision Makers to Hold a Meeting
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Persons with key responsibilities
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Officers
Senior managers in sales and marketing
Senior financial managers and controllers
Types of Corporate Meetings
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Stockholders Meetings
Board of Directors Meetings
Management Meetings
Training Meetings
Incentive Trips
Sales Training and Product Launches
Professional and Technical Training
Promotion and Retirement events
Corporate Meeting Attendees
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Members of the corporate “family” and
persons with close business relationship to
the company
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Employees
Stockholders
Customers
Attendance is often mandatory
Corporate Planners
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25% of corporate planners spend 80% of their time
planning meetings
15% of corporate planners spend 10% or less of their
time planning meetings
1/3 have job titles as meeting planners
Most work in a specific department (sales, finance)
that hold meetings rather than in a meetings
department
Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Who Holds the Gatherings?
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Associations
An organized body that serves a group of
people who have some interest, activity, or
purpose that they share in common for professional,
industrial educational scientific or social reasons.
Associations have some volunteer leadership
structure and many employ a staff.
Top Association Destinations
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Meetings
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Chicago
Washington DC
Orlando
Atlanta
Los Angles
New York
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Las Vegas
Denver
New Orleans
San Diego
San Francisco/Oakland
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Exhibitions
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Anaheim
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Las Vegas
Nashville
New Orleans
New York
Orlando
San Antonio
San Diego
Toronto
Washington, DC
Association Meetings:
Numbers and Values
In 2001:
 177,700 association meetings
 15.9 million people attending
 $13.9 billion in expenditures
 slight increase from 1999
 Average attendance – 90 attendees
generating $78,200 in expenditures
Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Association Conventions:
Numbers and Values
In 2001:
 11,800 association conventions
 12.5 million people attending
 $16.6 billion in expenditures
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Average attendance – 1,050 attendees
generating $1.4 million in expenditures
Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Association Meetings
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Associations’ TOTAL meetings and
conventions account for the largest sector in
the overall meetings market.
Association Meetings
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The Decision Makers to Hold a Meeting
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Board of Directors or Specific Committee
Recommends / Requires a Meeting
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Planning by staff meeting planner
Planning by volunteers or host committee
Recommendation to Board by Planner
Contracts negotiated on behalf of the Board by
Senior Staff
Types of Associations
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Four Types
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Professional – representing a profession (individuals)
Trade – representing an industry (businesses)
Not for Profits / Non-Profits
SMERFs
Geographic Representation
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Local
State
Regional
National International
Types of Association Meetings
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Conventions
Board Meetings
Committee Meetings
Regional Conferences
Training Meetings
Educational Seminars
Association Meeting Attendees
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Members of the association “family” and
persons with close business relationship to
the association
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Members and non-members
Employees of member companies
Trade Press / Students of the profession / industry
Attendance is voluntary
Association Meeting Marketing
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Appealing program to attract members
Advance notice of dates, locations, topics,
program, speakers and special events
Registration procedures
Promotion communication
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Direct mail
Advertisements
Broadcast Fax / Email / Web Sites
Association Planners
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< 50% of association planners have the words, event,
convention or conference in their titles
> 50% of their job responsibilities is other than
meetings
Independent planners and / or multi-management
companies are often contracted
Source: 2002 Meetings Market Report – Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Who Holds the Gatherings?
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Government
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City / County / State or Province
National or International
Agencies, Departments
Types of Government Meetings
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For the purpose of:
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Employee Training
Interdepartmental / Inter-agency
Agency Meetings with the Public
Legislative Hearings and Retreats
Government Meetings
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Decision Makers
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Managers of agencies
Dependent upon political interest and
budget
Attendees
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Employees of agency – mandatory
General Public - voluntary
Government Meetings
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Marketing has Characteristics of
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Association Meetings (voluntary for the public)
Corporation Meetings (mandatory for employees)
Planners:
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Staff located throughout the agencies
Independent Meeting Planning companies
Who Holds the Gatherings?
Exhibition Management Companies
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Own and Manage Shows
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Trade Shows (business to business)
Public Shows - Expositions (open to public)
Manage Shows for Association Clients
Exhibitions
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11,094 total exhibitions held in the USA
9,430 (85%) – Business to business
1,664 (15%) – Business to Consumer
38% held in Convention Centers
7,433 (67%) - owned by nonprofit associations
3,661 (33%) – owned by for-profit companies
Types of Exhibitions
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Trade Shows
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Exhibits products and services
Not open to general public
May be part of a Convention or stand alone
Public Shows
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Exhibits products and services
Open to public
Usually charges an admission fee
Exhibitions
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Decision Makers
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Owners and senior managers of company owned
shows
Association Executives and Board of Directors
Profit motive is driving force
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Too few – too many shows in the market
Attendees
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Trade Shows attendee market defined by trade or
profession
Public Shows market defined by interest and
location
Exhibition Marketing
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Marketing to two groups
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Exhibitors (sellers)
Members of Trade or Public (buyers)
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Members of trade – internal marketing
Public – extensive media advertising
Marketing efforts must result in both
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Variety and numbers of exhibitors to satisfy buyers
Enough buyers to satisfy exhbitors
Who Holds the Gatherings?
Meetings Industry Based Organizations
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Association Management Companies
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Meeting Management Companies
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Independent Meeting Managers
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Event Management Companies
Who Holds the Gatherings?
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Other Organizations
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Political Organizations
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Labor Unions
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Fraternal Groups
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Military
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Educational Groups
Review
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Corporate
Associations
Government
Exhibit Management Companies
Industry Based Organizations
Other Organizations