CERTIFICATE IN CONFERENCE VENUE MARKETING (CCVM)

• Those already working in venue marketing, with one or two year’s experience, and wanting to share the experiences of others.

• Those working in senior general venue management needing a firm grasp of conference venue marketing.

• Those already working in venue sales looking for a move to marketing, or being moved to a marketing position.

• Sales and/or marketing staff at venue finding agencies, event management companies, and business travel agencies.

• Marketing and sales consultants working for conference venues, hotels and hotel groups.

• Marketing and sales staff at tourist boards and convention bureaux needing a firmer grasp of conference venue marketing.

DAY ONE

The big picture – nature of the market(s) – types of organiser – the big spenders – getting achievable marketing objectives for your particular venue – the best winning strategies – SWOT and what’s really important to organisers – what must go in the conference pack – where branding fits - pricing for maximum success – affinity marketing – networking with competitors – some zero-cost marketing – dirty tricks marketing (to avoid, not emulate) – the marketing bullseye, and the marketing plan.

Advertising – magazines and newspapers, some golden rules – directory advertising – TV advertising – internet advertising .

DAY TWO

The scope of PR – what impresses organisers and what just curls their toes – some possible partnerships – evaluating the press – selecting the press and building a press list – approaching the press – press events – conceiving press stories, to impress the press – using story hooks, real news, surveys, advice, controversy – writing a press release, ten good and bad things to do – use of quotes – use of photos – delivering to the media – other ways to work with the media – how to alienate the media – what to do if you get bad press.

DAY THREE

E-mail marketing, the lowest cost option – sourcing and evaluating lists – permission marketing – opt-in and opt-out, the law on marketing e-mails – spam filters and what trips them – an editorial option.

Direct mail, some basic truths – what the objective should always be – the offer, the creativity and the list – formulating the best offers – creativity, some good tricks and bad traps – printing for direct mail – copywriting – building a database – types of lists available and how to evaluate – testing, testing – mailing to individual or job title – use and abuse of personalisation – maximising and measuring return – law on lists – Telemarketing, now it gets personal – the phone/mail/phone strategy – getting through - the best and worst approaches – some winning ways – and yes, it can be fun.

DAY FOUR

Exhibitions, the face to face medium – working out best strategy – choosing good exhibitions, not just the obvious ones – some criteria for evaluating – picking a high-traffic site – designing a stand that pulls in the right visitors – promoting the stand – managing the stand – training stand staff to work the audience and capture leads – following up.

Special events at your venue – conceiving and organising open days, educational events and receptions – running show-rounds for interested potential customers - where all the above comes together.

Examination.