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CVM is free and circulated to around 5000 marketing staff at UK conference venues and 5000 overseas, mostly Europe. It is published by the Society of Event Organisers (SEO) and includes a listing of products and services offered for use in the marketing of conference venues.
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The RSVP exhibitions staged by organiser Tim Etchells of Single Market Events have been sold to an Australian company, one of whose three directors is also a director of an exhibition conglomerate MICE Group, currently in receivership with creditors and shareholders bills of a record £64 million and “no prospect” of repayment, according to the receivers.
The company now owning the RSVP event sector exhibitions is Exhibition and Trade Fairs (UK) Ltd incorporated last November and showing Jeffrey Sam Krug of New South Wales as the secretary and a director, Michael Richardson Gardner of New South Wales as a director and Brian George Stormonth Shepherd of Steeple Aston, Oxford as the only UK based director.
Shepherd is a director of 82 companies of which 31 are in receivership, 41 have seen his resignation mostly in October 2007, and three of which have been dissolved. Of the other seven, five appear to be exhibition contracting companies, to which Shepherd was appointed director last year. The remaining two are Exhibition and Trade Fairs (UK) Ltd and another new firm called SCGL Ltd, both incorporated last year and both having Australians Krug and Gardner as Shepherd's co-directors.
According to records at companies house SCGL Ltd is sole shareholder in Exhibition and Trade Fairs (UK) Ltd and is based at Shepherd's home in Steeple Aston. In turn the sole shareholder in SCGL is another firm, Staging Construction Group Ltd, from New South Wales, which seems like a curiously convoluted way to set up a financial interest in the RSVP exhibitions, and the exhibitor's money. According to Haymarkets Event magazine the RSVP shows will continue to run under their current management for the next three years but with the new owners as above.
RSVP London takes place at the Business Design Centre, April 2nd - 3rd , and RSVP North at Manchester Central, April 23rd - 24th.
Those organisations needing a PR firm to lie for them will be re-assured to hear that telling porkies is all part of the PR ethos, and now comes with the approval of academia.
A recent debate at the University of Westminster - attended by a mix of 350 PR practitioners and impressionable students - found that PR people “have no duty to tell the truth”. In fact as well known PR liar Max Clifford and senior lecturer Simon Goldsworthy argued lying for clients money is a very necessary part of the job of being a respected and trusted PR person.
Opposing the motion, and arguing for an honest approach, were journalist and author turned PR man George Pitcher and Simon Lewis, a former director of communications for the Queen.
A PR and marketing company specialising in the venues and events sector was liquidated last May. Davies Tanner Ltd supplied services to Excel, Alexander Palace, Church House Conference Centre Radisson Group, Accor, Novotel, Chartered Accountants Hall, Regents College Conference Centre, Q Hotels, Ascot, Dolce Hotels, Whittlebury Hall and Chelsea Football Club, as well as venue groups Venues etc, Unique Venues London and the Westminster Collection. Also clients were caterers Sodexho, tourism group Visit London, convention bureau Conference Oxford, exhibition organisers CMP Information (Confex and National Venue Show exhibitions) and event industry associations, the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) Meeting Professionals International (MPI UK) and the International Special Event Society (ISES) of which Davies Tanner director Robert Wright is also a director.
Davies Tanner Ltd started life in July 2002 as Whiterose Solutions with directors Robert Wright, Sue O'Gorman and secretary and accountant Paul Dadson, all based in Kent. The name was changed to Davies Tanner Creative Services Ltd in September 2002 and to Davies Tanner Ltd in May 2004. In May 2007 the company was placed in voluntary liquidation with creditors bills of around £200 000.
Two months prior to this Wright, O'Gorman and Dadson had formed a new company, Davies Tanner Marketing Services Ltd. A week after the resolution to liquidate Davies Tanner Ltd Wright and O'Gorman resigned as directors from the new company and another director Alistair Turner, the PR account director for the Confex exhibition was appointed to join secretary Dadson, this in May 2007.
On the Davies Tanner website the company is still described as “Davies Tanner” with no mention of the liquidation.
The company is also described as one of the most “trusted” in the sector with an “honest” approach to business, something on which its creditors have a rather different view. It is also still misleadingly described on the Confex website as “Davies Tanner” although it is possible that Confex director Duncan Reid is completely unaware of the above.
Confex takes place February 12th - 14th Earls Court, visit www.international-confex.com
The SEO publishes six e-mail newsletters aimed at event organisers in six different sectors of the events market and these are also available free to marketing staff at venues who want to keep up with what’s happening in the events sector.
These are: EVENT ORGANISERS UPDATE, INTERNATIONAL EVENT ORGANISERS UPDATE, CORPORATE HOSPITALITY AND PARTY UPDATE, ASSOCIATION UPDATE, EXHIBITION UPDATE AND TRAINING EVENT UPDATE.
All are available free at www.eou.org.uk where archived copies can be viewed and free subscriptions taken out. A limited amount of classified advertising is available for conference venues to book under the Announcements section.
www.eou.org.uk
Prospecting for Leads is a half day in-house training session for stand staff on getting the most leads from an exhibition. It covers such aspects as attracting visitors, psychology and body language, opening conversations, asking the right questions, selling benefits, closing conversations and following up. It can be held anywhere in the UK for a cost of £250, plus £10 per delegate, plus travel, accommodation and VAT and is staged by the National Exhibitors Association (NEA). Call 01767 316255, Fax: 01767 316430 or e-mail to info@seoevent.co.uk for a no-commitment discussion.
These organisations represent 30% of the UK Domestic Meetings Market. How can you meet some of these leading organisations? Exhibit at CHASE 2008 – The Charities and Associations Exhibition to be held at the Business Design Centre, London N1 on 26/27 February. Approximately 2000 visitors expected at the leading business to business event for the non-profit sector. For more information, visit www.chase2008.org.uk or call 01727 896041.
Starting week commencing March 3 2008 and running to week commencing May 5 2008 the Society of Event Organisers (SEO) is mailing its training programme to 8000 UK-based in-house corporate and association event organisers at a rate of 1000 a week for eight weeks and is offering a shared mailing service as below.
The mailing format is A5 and all items inserted will need to have a maximum size of A5, or already be folded to A5.
WEIGHT; COST PER MAILING; TOTAL
Up to 3 gms; 5 pence; £400 + VAT
Up to 4 gms; 6 pence; £480 + VAT
Up to 5 gms; 7 pence; £560 + VAT
Up to 6 gms; 8 pence; £640 + VAT
Up to 7 gms; 9 pence; £720 + VAT
Up to 8 gms; 10 pence; £800 + VAT
Up to 9 gms; 11 pence; £880 + VAT
Up to 10 gms; 12 pence; £960 + VAT
The price includes the cost of the list, the postage, the envelopes and the labour – all you need to do is deliver your 8000 inserts by Friday February 22, pay the invoice and we’ll do the rest. (Note: to get an accurate weight for your leaflet, check with your printer or weigh 10 together and divide by 10).
To book your insert in the mailing please print and complete the booking form that can be found on the website www.eou.org.uk and send a copy by fax or post to the SEO, or call 01767 316255 for more information.
The Society of Event Organisers (SEO) runs regular training courses for event organisers, usually at quiet times for events and is always interested in discussing hosting opportunities with venues in the UK and Europe.
Currently residential offers are being considered for Central London, Amsterdam and Brussels for 2008 and UK Home Counties and Northern locations for 2009.
Call the SEO on 01767 316255 for details and visit www.seoevent.co.uk for course details.
is a unique, four-day non-residential course, with a unique qualification for those who attend and pass the 1½ hour examination.
It is staged by the Society of Event Organisers (SEO) and sponsored by RGA UK Ltd, a specialist event industry direct marketing company, and the material is presented at all times from the event organisers (your customers) point of view with some eye-opening feedback from organisers on how they like, and definitely don’t like to be marketed to. In addition, and also uniquely, the material is all presented by marketing practitioners, sharing practical and proven tips for success, also incorporating what not to do.
THE CERTIFICATE IN CONFERENCE VENUE MARKETING is delivered to delegates as an instructive and enjoyable mix of presentation, interaction, discussion and exercises.
It will also feature significant time for the important delegate to delegate networking that invariably results in a mutually beneficial and invaluable exchange of tips, ideas and experiences in the specialised world of venue marketing.
The CCVM will be of most use and benefit to the following groups:
o Those already working in venue marketing, with one or two year’s experience, and wanting to share the experiences of others.
o Those working in senior general venue management needing a firm grasp of conference venue marketing.
o Those already working in venue sales looking for a move to marketing, or being moved to a marketing position.
o Sales and/or marketing staff at venue finding agencies, event management companies, and business travel agencies.
o Marketing and sales consultants working for conference venues, hotels and hotel groups.
o Marketing and sales staff at tourist boards and convention bureaux needing a firmer grasp of conference venue marketing.
The first Certificate in Conference Venue Marketing for 2008 is being held at 16, Park Crescent, London W1B 1AH (nearest tube stations at Regents Park and Great Portland Street) Tuesday August 26, 2008 to Friday August 29, 2008, to coincide with a traditionally quiet time for most UK conference venues.
The fee, on a non-residential basis is £1,200 plus VAT per delegate with a reduction to £950 plus VAT per delegate if two or more delegates attend from the same organisation.
The Certificate in Conference Venue Marketing is a unique opportunity to acquire the valuable experiences of other practitioners. For many conference venues the profit on one extra booking in a year will more than pay for the fee.
The programme follows. To book places please complete the booking form (this can be downloaded) and fax or post a copy to the SEO.
Note: The CCVM will be an annual event, always held on the last week in August. In 2009 this will be August 24-27.
The big picture – nature of the market(s) – types of organiser – the big spenders – getting achievable marketing objectives for your particular venue – the best winning strategies – SWOT and what’s really important to organisers – what must go in the conference pack – where branding fits - pricing for maximum success – affinity marketing – networking with competitors – some zero-cost marketing – dirty tricks marketing (to avoid, not emulate) – the marketing bullseye, and the marketing plan.
Advertising – magazines and newspapers, some golden rules – directory advertising – TV advertising – internet advertising .
The scope of PR – what impresses organisers and what just curls their toes – some possible partnerships – evaluating the press – selecting the press and building a press list – approaching the press – press events – conceiving press stories, to impress the press – using story hooks, real news, surveys, advice, controversy – writing a press release, ten good and bad things to do – use of quotes – use of photos – delivering to the media – other ways to work with the media – how to alienate the media – what to do if you get bad press.
E-mail marketing, the lowest cost option – sourcing and evaluating lists – permission marketing – opt-in and opt-out, the law on marketing e-mails – spam filters and what trips them – an editorial option.
Direct mail, some basic truths – what the objective should always be – the offer, the creativity and the list – formulating the best offers – creativity, some good tricks and bad traps – printing for direct mail – copywriting – building a database – types of lists available and how to evaluate – testing, testing – mailing to individual or job title – use and abuse of personalisation – maximising and measuring return – law on lists – Telemarketing, now it gets personal – the phone/mail/phone strategy – getting through - the best and worst approaches – some winning ways – and yes, it can be fun.
Exhibitions, the face to face medium – working out best strategy – choosing good exhibitions, not just the obvious ones – some criteria for evaluating – picking a high-traffic site – designing a stand that pulls in the right visitors – promoting the stand – managing the stand – training stand staff to work the audience and capture leads – following up.
Special events at your venue – conceiving and organising open days, educational events and receptions – running show-rounds for interested potential customers - where all the above comes together.
Examination.
To book delegate(s) on the SEO Certificate in Conference Venue Marketing (CCVM) course please download and complete the booking form: www.eou.org.uk
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