Having attended The Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) I have been impressed by the number and level of attendees Sam Lippman is able to garner at each one. In my mind, it succeeds for three reasons:
1) Its location in DC where many of the attendees work or can easily get there and back in a day;
2) Its impressive list of attendees which in itself a marketing tool;
3) Interesting sessions given by either industry experts or people with unique perspectives.
Rather than hypothesize how he attracts C-level attendees, I had a quick conversation with Sam to find out what the secret sauce of ECEF is:
WARWICK: The 15th anniversary of ECEF is coming up on June 1st. Why does it continue to succeed?
SAM: The first reason is attendance quality. This is determined not only by executive level of the prospective attendee, but also by the size limit of ECEF. Attendance is limited to 200 executives and is consistently sold out. We could have reached 250 or even possibly 300 if we chose to. I believe very strongly that with too many attendees, ECEF would lose focus. So determining the right size of a C-level event can mean turning registrants away.
This applies to the sponsor side of the equation too. We maintain a sponsor-to-attendee ratio of 1-to-3. It’s not something we publicize widely, but it adds value to ECEF for both attendees and sponsors. By limiting the number of attendees and the sponsor/attendee ratio, we accept the limitation on revenues. On the other hand, even after 15 years, ECEF sells out every seat.
WARWICK: What’s the second reason?
SAM: Consistent program innovation and feedback loops. Our attendees are not divas, but they are busy people with highly demanding jobs. We are always fine tuning ECEF to meet the changing expectations and based upon the feedback of our community. After every ECEF we poll attendees on how to serve them better, and they tell us. This year alone, we made over a dozen large and small adjustments. We never lose sight of the fact that every moment an executive devotes to ECEF is highly valuable and hard to come by. So whether it’s an email reminder or the networking reception, we try to make every second count.
WARWICK: I am guessing the third reason is the executive networking opportunities?
SAM: Yes but every aspect of ECEF has to be unsurpassed not just the networking opportunities. You might think Lippman Connects could devote all its attention to program development because the networking takes care of itself. You would be wrong. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the subtle interaction that each has upon the other. Both the program and the networking opportunities define attendee satisfaction with ECEF. Every year, attendees compare both with their prior experiences. The pressure to keep both at top level is always there. How well are we doing? Our Net Promoter Score consistently exceeds 90%, which means almost every attendee would recommend ECEF.
WARWICK: Given that most of the leaders of the top association and event organizers are in the same room, you’re under a lot of pressure. What does ECEF do well that goes unnoticed or underappreciated?
SAM: That ECEF starts and ends on time is not entirely unappreciated. Attendees like it and they know how few events achieve it. At the same time, I would say it adds a lot more to the energy in the room than most observers realize. And while organizers may be aware of how rare it is to run on time, they may not always fully appreciate how hard it is to pull off. Meeting facilitation and moderation is a high-wire act.
There you have it, constant innovation, attention to detail and an incredible word of mouth network built over time seems to be paramount if you are to build something which lasts fifteen years. What efforts have you made for your success?
One Response
Sam's flagship event succeeds, year in and out, for two reasons. 1. Old-fashioned hard work on the part of the principal. If your association's executive director spent as much time dialing your convention's key stakeholders as she does board members and Congressmen, your event might rock, too. 2. Community. Are you trying to make your event "all things to all people?" Stop. Now. It's a losing proposition. There are exceptions, of course, like CES, BIO, NAB Show and Global Pet Expo. But they're exceptions.