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ECEF 2012 Explores Key Issues Facing Industry Executives Washington, DC – Nearly 200 attendees gathered to discuss key issues facing the trade show industry at the Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) 2012, held on May 30 at the JW Marriott. Tis year's event attracted 199 verified atten- dees, a 5% increase over 2011, according to the event producer, Sam Lippman, president and founder, Integrated Show Management & Marketing. 28% of marketers plan to decrease investment in professional development, and 68% reported they are restricting department travel and related expenses. , 2012 ANA RECESSION SURVEY At the opening keynote, Nancy Walsh, executive vice president of Reed Exhibi- tions (RX) North America, discussed how the company is increasing customer value through two key initiatives — pricing and digital. "We decided the previous booth pricing model was flawed," said Walsh. "All space is not created equal." When it comes to pricing, most show organizers base decisions on existing models that can vary widely from show to show. RX Choice Pricing is based on location, attributes and timing. "It's about customer value, not volume," said Walsh. Te RX pricing structure is modeled aſter Stub Hub, where prices vary based on when you buy, as well as the cruise industry, where customers can choose to pay more for premium upgrades like ocean views. Marketing Challenges and Trends At the session on "Te Value of Face-to- Face Marketing," Bob Liodice, president and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), said, "Marketing is the new finance, where everything can be measured." Liodice discussed some of the key stats from the 2012 ANA Recession Survey, 6th edition, which was released in April 2012, and how they might impact the trade show industry. "Marketers con- tinue to spend conservatively as budgets remain steadfast," he said. Te majority of marketers surveyed (84%) are still be- ing asked to tightly manage their control- lable spending, which is a slight increase compared to last year (77%). Te survey also reveals marketers are opting for short-term budget cuts related to overhead expenditures. For example, 28% of marketers plan to decrease invest- ment in professional development (e.g., conferences, training, etc.), and 68% reported they are restricting depart- ment travel and related expenses. During the session titled, "Event Mar- keting Next: Te Major Marketing Trends Affecting Events," Jenn Heinold, vice president of events for Access Intelligence (AI), said she's employing more digital marketing. Satellite 2012's e-newsletter had 18,000 opt-in subscribers and generated 2.4% of attendee revenue (about $35,000). AI is also focused on making video a part of the B-to-B marketing mix. "Video can be inexpensive and easy," said Heinold. For its LDC Gas Forums, 30% of attendees viewed a YouTube video that was created in six hours at no cost by one staffer. Exhibitor Expectations At the session titled, "Exhibitors Speak," senior management from Phillips Health- care and Wells Fargo discussed the criti- cal issues facing exhibit managers. "Our event budget has remained flat since 2009, but costs have continued to rise," said Jeffrey Masters, senior manager of global healthcare events for Phillips Healthcare, which participates in 497 customer-facing events annually. In response, the com- pany reduced space at events for the last four years. For the 53 events where Phillips Healthcare is an anchor exhibitor, the show producer must accept its proprietary measurement systems and partner with Phillips to make these tools perform as designed. "It's critical for us to have on- demand authentication of basic registra- tion data that we can capture via swipe in real-time," said Masters. "Producers need Continued on page 16 www.TradeShowExecutive.com | July 2012 15