by Patricia Nygaard

We recently attended the Attendee Acquisition Roundtable hosted by Lippman Connects in Chicago, USA. The event brings together professionals from across the North American events industry with a focus on sharing strategies to find, attract, and retain attendees. Here’s a quick rundown of our highlights and insights from the day.

Innovation and Engagement: Tyler Day (mdg) & Kim Vinciguerra (ICA) on Sparking New Ideas to Attract Attendees:

• Innovation as a Growth Driver: 
  The Car Wash Show has seen year-on-year growth by focussing on innovation. One such initiative was an 'Innovation Alley' to showcase first-time exhibitors, directing attendees to the latest technologies.
   
• Learning from Other Shows:
  Attend other events, even outside your industry, to gain fresh perspectives, ideas and strategies.
   
• Leveraging Social Media and Influencers:
  Utilize platforms like TikTok and collaborate with influencers to create engaging short video content.
   
• Refreshing Show Branding Annually:
  Keep the event exciting by introducing new themes and branding each year.
   

AAR Research Roundup: Joe Federbush from EVOLIO Marketing

The main focus of Joe’s session was research around attendee acquisition but he did spend some time sharing his advice on the fundamentals for event websites. He very kindly (and without prompting, we promise) gave ASP a shout out when he was explaining the importance of an optimised event website. He recommended a back-to-basics approach (and we’d agree with him) to ensure a user-friendly and informative event website.

• Next-Gen Event Goer (NGEG):
  The acronym of the day was NGEG! Understanding the needs and behaviours of these next-gen event attendees is crucial.
   

• Event Website Best Practices: 
  • Attendee's POV: Design your website with the attendee's perspective in mind.
  • Detailed Venue Information: Provide specific venue details, not just the city.
  • Responsive Design: Ensure the site is accessible on tablets, mobiles, and desktops.
  • Sizzle Reels: Use highlight videos from past events to generate excitement.
  • Specific Dates and Hours: Clearly list the event's specific dates and a daily schedule.
     

Destination Collaboration: Rose Horcher from Choose Chicago on Partnering with DMOs

Leveraging DMOs:

• Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can assist in sourcing venues, local speakers, and community service opportunities.
• Collaborating with them can enhance the event experience and local engagement.
   

Effective Strategies: Nicole Bowman from IAEE on Driving Attendance

Event Case Study – EXPO!EXPO!:

• Personal Outreach:
  Address negative comments through personal outreach to better understand and resolve issues.
   
• Influencer Marketing: 
  Engage influencers to expand reach and credibility.
   
• New Marketing Strategies: 
  Continuously innovate exhibition marketing tactics to attract and retain attendees.
   

Nicole's presentation was packed full of energy and everyone in the room was engaged with the insights and practical strategies that have proven successful for EXPO! EXPO!
​​​​​​In Summary

The Attendee Acquisition Roundtable provided some fantastic insights and practical strategies for growing event audiences. From innovative approaches and effective use of digital platforms to the importance of solid event website fundamentals and strategic partnerships.

Thanks again to Sam and his team for hosting us. We’d highly recommend attending one of the Lippman Connects conferences if you’re looking for inspiration for your own event.

If you'd like our help with your own events website, get in touch today!