Opinion
FM Future directors Marcus Timson
and Frazer Chesterman
preconceptions out of the equation and
build an event around industry feedback
and research.
Research, research, research
It’s not uncommon in the world of
exhibitions to hear anecdotes about
hefty research folders explaining the
pros and cons of a potential launch
being thrown unceremoniously into the
nearest bin.
A new launch should put the visitor
and exhibitor experience front and
centre, and research is an invaluable
part of perfecting that process. Talking
to key stakeholders in the industry can
give you valuable insight, but research
gives you scale and scope.
Importantly, research will give you a
fact-based answer to the hardest launch
question of all, especially in an already
crowded market: “Why?”
Content is king
It’s becoming a hackneyed phrase but
“By far the best way
to sell something is to
have someone else do
it for you”
delivering the right content is vital to an
event’s success. Whether this is through
your seminar programme, networking
sessions, feature areas, online content
or the exhibitors themselves – every
element of your event can either entice
visitors or discourage them.
Your research and conversations with
industry stakeholders can inform the
content at your event (and what form it
should take), while partnerships with
key industry bodies and publications
can ensure you’re providing relevant,
intelligent and original thought
leadership.
Be willing to surrender ownership
Events are, by their very nature,
collaborative. In addition to seeking
advice and feedback from key industry
stakeholders, you should be seeking
genuine buy-in. Be open and flexible and
allow them to feel ownership over the
launch. Allow it to transition from “your
event” to “our event”.
Whether it’s in the form of an advisory
board or a founding sponsor, make a
point of acknowledging and crediting
those who help you in the early stages
of a launch. Often they’re not just
investing money (if at all); they’re
investing trust and time in you and
putting their name to something that’s
untried and untested.
Harness the value of ambassadors
By far the best way to sell something
is to have someone else do it for you. A
38 — March
coffee shop’s website could be perfectly
constructed and thought-out but it’s
the online review that often ultimately
sways the consumer.
Establish a team of people in the
market who have an interest in your
event succeeding. Every industry has
its influencers, thought leaders and
respected veterans, and they can help
you gain credence and spread the word.
Commercial gain cannot be the (only) driving
factor
When you attend a trade show, you
love nothing more than a theatre full of
sponsored content, a queue of people
you don’t know who’ve paid to meet
you and a confusing hierarchy of VIPs,
correct? Unlikely.
It can take resolve and nerves of steel,
but you have to unfailingly work to the
benefit of your visitors. The content
they’re interested in, the products they
want to see and opportunities they want
to be presented with should form the
bedrock of the event from day one.
Exhibitions can be an incredibly
effective educational, networking,
marketing and business tool. While
no two events are exactly the same, by
following best practice and doing your
due diligence when launching you can
ensure your event has all the elements
needed to succeed. EN
To learn more about FM Future’s launch
training course visit eventlaunchpad.show.