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FEATURE Continued from page 37 beauty, travel and landscaping. But hosted buyer programs are typically not an option for the government, medical and some financial industries because of regulations." While not every event will be a financial success, the risk to enter the market is much lower than a full-blown Popular Host. Chris Collinson and Collinson Media have used an ambitious education program to draw qualified buyers to Rejuvenate Marketplace. The hosted-buyer events for religious meeting planners have seen growing attendance and good buyer-seller ratios. trade show. "Te pain point is lower," said McKay. "Your costs include venue deposits, marketing and staff. Once your fixed costs are covered and you hit your minimums, profits can jump significantly. Hosted buyer programs can be extremely profitable and generate significant revenue." COLLINSON MEDIA Blazing the Trail in the Travel Industry With its roots as a publisher's rep firm representing travel and meetings indus- try magazines, Collinson Media decided to capitalize on its relationships in the convention and travel industries. In 2006, Collinson Media launched its first publica- tion, Rejuvenate, for meeting planners of faith-based organizations. Ten in 2007, the company launched its first hosted buyer program, Rejuvenate Marketplace. "We were the first to introduce large-scale hosted buyer programs to the meetings industry in the U.S.," said Chris Collinson, chief strategist, whose father, Newt Collinson III, started the firm in 1974. "We've been growing 35% to 40% a year for the last several years. Te com- pany has grown from a dozen employees in 2006, with five of them with the last name of Collinson, to 55 in 2012." Last year, Rejuvenate attracted 1,300 attendees, with 500 buyers and the rest suppliers. "We are striving for a 1.5:1 seller/ buyer ratio," said Collinson. "Sellers want to meet with people who are booking busi- ness. We are investing at least $1,000 for travel expenses so buyers must qualify." Since 2007, the company has launched two additional hosted buyer programs for the meetings industry, including Connect, for association meeting plan- ners, and Collaborate, for corporate meeting planners. In all, the company will host seven events in 2012. "Our goal is to build relationships that benefit both planners and suppliers," said Collinson. "We're starting smaller events in which we are looking to create a sort of summer camp experience where participants leave with new friends, memorable experiences and inspiration to work harder." Education and keynote speakers are a critical attendee draw. "Some of these meeting planners are on tight budgets, with no budget for continuing education," said Collinson. "We offer 11 hours of continuing education at each of our three events. Our education is faster paced, with multiple speakers, who offer different points of view. We also provide partici- pants with roundtable discussions." Last year, the company brought in Lisa Ling, an American journalist, best known for her role as a co-host of ABC's Te View. In October, former First Lady Laura Bush will be addressing attendees at Rejuvenate Marketplace. Is the high cost of celebrity speakers a good investment? "For me, it's always been a worthwhile expenditure. It could be the last thing that pushes a new attendee to participate." To schedule appointments at the events, Collinson Media developed soſtware in house that's customized to its team. "We invest in community relations, with 25 people on staff who work with buyers to build relationships and friendships," said Collinson. "It's hard work, and these events typically offer lower margins than a traditional trade show. But we are predict- ing continued growth at our three major events. We are also launching smaller events with more specialized education, and we are planning to expand to addi- tional markets in travel industry." Continued on page 40 38 October 2012 | Trade Show Executive