1. The Tri-City Academy of Business Meeting
Organizers
New trends of destination promotion on the foreign
markets.Trend in meetings industry
Rob Davidson, University of Greenwich, London.
Hotel Radisson Blu, 08 December, 2011
Promocja turystyki biznesowej jako markowego produktu Gdańska i Pomorza
Projekt współfinansowany przez Unię Europejską z Europejskiego Funduszu Rozwoju Regionalnego

2. TODAY‟S PROGRAMME
 Market segments in the meetings and
events industry: who buys what?
 Sources of meetings and events business
 Appointments with buyers
 The art of negotiating
 Selling at trade shows
 Developing profitable relationships with
your clients
 Trends in the meetings industry
 WHAT ELSE ….. ?

3. MARKET SEGMENTS IN THE
MEETINGS AND EVENTS
INDUSTRY
WHY BUYS WHAT?

4. • Private companies (training courses, product
launches, Annual General Meetings …)
• - Financial / Medical / Automotive / ICT
• Associations (local, regional, national,
international)
• Governments (municipal,
• regional, national, international)
• Academics
• Common-interest groups

5. SOURCES OF
MEETINGS AND EVENTS
BUSINESS

6. PAST CUSTOMERS
 Why didn‟t they come back to
you ?
 Contact them to find out !

7. CURRENT CUSTOMERS
 Repeat business
 Referrals
 Testimonials

8. NEW CUSTOMERS
 Prospecting: the
20% rule
 Where do you start?

9. SOURCES OF NEW BUSINESS
 Business you lost in the past
 Friends and family
 Trade shows
 Trade publications
 Industry association contacts
 Websites/social networking sites
 Convention Bureau !

10. SOURCES OF NEW BUSINESS
 Commercial databases
 Newspapers, business
directories
 Networking lead-sharing
groups
 ON THE ROAD !

11. APPOINTMENTS WITH
BUYERS

12. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 Ishe/she really the decision-
maker? Identify the key decision-
makers and those who influence
them
 Pre-meeting research
 Plan your strategy
 Plan your presentation

13. PREPARATION
 What is the company profile? (Their
background, activities, locations, press
coverage …)
 What is their company history with your
business?
 Set some appointment goals and objectives
–what do you want from the appointment?
 Collateral and gifts?

14. PREPARATION
 What is your strategy?
 - your budget boundaries
 - the benefits you are prepared to offer
 - up-selling / cross-selling

15. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 QUALIFYING QUESTIONS
– WHAT SHOULD YOU ASK?

16. PERSONAL SELLING
 1.The event:
- What is its purpose?: “What are your
objectives in holding this event?”
- How confidential is it?
- How frequently is it held? (Repeat
business?)
- Who are the delegates?: “What is the
personality of the group?”
- How much free time will they have?

17. PERSONAL SELLING
 2.The date:
- How flexible can you be with your chosen
date?
- If we were able to offer you a better deal
on an alternative date, would you be
interested?

18. PERSONAL SELLING
 3. Other destinations and venues:
- Which other venues/destinations have you
used previously?
- What was your experience like?
- Which other venues/destinations are you
considering for this event?
- Why have you decided not to return to last
year‟s venue/destination?

19. PERSONAL SELLING
 4.The decision
- When will the decision be taken on the
choice of destination/venue?
- Who will be making the decision?
- Who is the main organiser?
- When do you expect delegates to book?

20. PERSONAL SELLING
 5.The budget
- What is the budget for the event?
- How will payment be made ?
- How important to you is price, in your
choice of venue ?

21. PERSONAL SELLING
 6.The client’s priorities
- What is important to you about the
venue you select?
- How will the success of the event be
judged?

22. PERSONAL SELLING
 7.The site visit
- When can you visit us?
- How long can you stay?
- What are you looking to achieve from
your visit?
- Who will be visiting?
- What would you like to see?

23. NEGOTIATING
 Successful negotiation is about achieving a
„win/win‟ situation for both the client and
your venue. It:
 Meets the needs of both parties
 Leads to a decision which is not
unacceptable to anyone
 Requires two-way communication
 Has an emphasis on flexibility
 Concentrates on objectives
 Maintains a long-term relationship.

24. NEGOTIATING
 Unsuccessful negotiations are normally
due to:
 Inadequate preparation
 Ignoring the „give/get‟ principle
 Use of intimidating behaviour
 Impatience and loss of temper
 Talking too much and listening too little
 Arguing instead of influencing
 Ignoring conflict.

25. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 LISTEN ! (the 20/80 rule)
 Take notes
 Smile when appropriate
 Show interest - make them feel
important

26. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 Summarise the clients‟ needs
and offer solutions
 Sell your UNIQUE strengths
 Prepare for objections (liabilities
or misunderstandings?)

27. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 OBJECTIONS:
misunderstandings – or –
liabilities ?
 What objections could you
face, about your venue?

28. APPOINTMENTS WITH BUYERS
 ACTION
 IMPLEMENTATION
 FOLLOW-UP
 KEEPING CUSTOMERS

29. SELLING AT
TRADE SHOWS

31. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 HOWDO YOU PREPARE FOR
AN EXHIBITION ?

32. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 Thefront of your stand should be
open – inviting visitors into „your
space‟
 Graphics: clear, simplemessages –
visible from a distance.You have 3
seconds

33. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 Havesomething „unexpected‟ on
your stand, to attract visitors –
competitions, gifts, a lottery.
Keep literature at the back.

34. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 Arrive early – and stay until the
end
 Staff should be friendly,
knowledgeable and courteous:
acknowledge each visitor
 Only sit down when conducting
business

35. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
A smile, eye contact – and a good
solid handshake
 Ask (open) questions – propose
solutions
 No eating, drinking, smoking on
the stand – or chatting between
staff

36. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 Be ready with a short description
of what you are selling (your
„elevator speech‟) You have 15
seconds
 Have enough brochures, business
cards

37. SELLING AT TRADE SHOWS
 Have at least 2 people on the
stand
 Frequent breaks, change of
shoes, thick carpet. Love your
feet.

38. POST - SHOW
 Follow up quickly all the new leads
/ enquiries
 Also follow up: all visitors to your
stand
 Try to get a complete list of
visitors to the show

39. DEVELOPING PROFITABLE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR
CLIENTS

40. THANK YOU!
Rob Davidson
R.Davidson@greenwich.ac.uk