Roundtable
“You can get a feeling when you just
have a webpage and test the waters
before going full ‘save the date’.”
Show Amsterdam, a geo-clone
of the organiser’s existing event,
Independent Hotel Show London.
“Our target audience is very clear,”
she said. “it depends how many hotels
are available and the star rating or
equivalent. Then we would have
someone come in and reach out to all
the associations active in that sector in
a country to establish whether there
is a sense of community that we can
tap into.”
Chesterman added even if you have
a strong event with traction in the
local market and strong partners and
associations involved, you still have
to replicate that where you’re going.
“You need to do the research. Whether
that’s through exhibitors or on the
ground with a research company.
In Thailand, for example, the TCEB
(Thailand Convention and Exhibition
Bureau) is really strong,” he said.
“Some countries are very keen to
get your business and will work hard
to make life easier for you, which
can also be significant in making a
decision.”
Trew noted that it was possible to do
too much research. “At a certain point
the event organiser just has to make a
decision and either you go or don’t go
for it,” she said.
Go or don’t go
In the early stages of a potential geo-
clone, there are strategies which can
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
reduce the risk of the launch.
Chesterman said: “You have to have
a go/no-go period, so you know what
you have to achieve by a certain point
in your sales cycle. If you’re not selling
at that level, then stop doing it because
it’s not going to work.”
Sewell pointed out there is always a
risk. “Brand damage and all the rest of
it. But I like to think we don’t go until
we’re absolutely sure. No one gets
shot in Clarion for trying, we’ve got a
measured approach to risk.”
And Trew added that there are ways
of soft-launching an event with an
established community.
Above:
Talking
risks
versus
rewards
“Geo-cloning can build your reputation, build
loyalty and enable you to take the brand into
new regions in a cost-effective way. But, there
are many pitfalls, mainly around market
knowledge and cultural issues. Solid market
analysis is therefore key, but it is also important
to choose the right venue with a convenient
location, a solid reputation and with a network
of full-scale suppliers. Being the largest
exhibition and conference centre in Norway,
located 10 minutes from Oslo international
airport – Oslo Trade Fair welcomes new
international partnerships for mutually
beneficial co-operation.”
Jan Gjære, Director of
International Host Events at
Norway Trade Fairs / Norway
Convention Centre.
Local knowledge
Macdonald asked how organisers
should navigate relationships with
local stakeholder and agents.
“We have agent networks in our
power and utilities group, which is
where we mostly focus our agent
groups because they are the areas
where we’re getting international
presence the most,” said Sewell.
“We couldn’t operate without a
strong agent network. Most of our
agents are in Germany and China, and
they are fiercely protective. “We’re
really at the mercy of some agents;
they demand exclusivity and we have
to hand over large swathes of our
key accounts and it creates internal
friction.
“Having said that, we cannot
operate without them, and even with
the geographical footprint that Clarion
has, it’s still the most cost-effective way
of getting the coverage that we need.”
Trew said she preferred to use in-
house sales team and contractors.
“Agents are a way to overcome
language barriers,” Ozfescioglu
believed. “In somewhere like China
the culture is so different that if you
don’t have an agent you won’t be able
to bring certain groups of companies
to your event.”
Chesterman said he had both
worked with agents and had offices in
international locations.
“The challenge is controlling
agents,” he noted. “Stepping back a bit,
say you have a European-run show
and you want to geo-clone in another
location, it’s quite useful to have one of
the sales guys who has the reputation
with the market to go and do the work
in that new location.
“It depends on the mix. When you
first geo-clone you use the existing
team. Agents can then help you out
but having that person who is well-
known in the market and has good
relationships can help with that first
step.”
Issue 5 2019
39