Today, Center for Exhibition Industry Research releases a new report that provides exhibition management insights into the top-ranked factors that places business-to-business exhibitions at risk for lower attendee retention rates and unattractiveness to prospects. When exhibition organizers must determine where to place their resources to assure success, this report identifies what pitfalls to avoid.
CEIR’s most recent report, How to Stop Attendee Loss, examines multiple factors that can contribute to attendee loss. Among 18 possible reasons for deciding not to return to an exhibition or avoid one altogether, the top ranked factors speak to the importance of assuring that an event offers the best location and time of week for the prospective target audience. Also, the prospective attendee must feel that there is enough value for the expense to invest one’s time and funds to attend. The top-ranked reasons for deciding not to attend an event are:
- Inconvenience of the location
- Expense of the event
- Inconvenience of days it took place
Interestingly, the fourth-ranked reason speaks to the content, which can tip the decision from a ‘no’ to a ‘yes.’ Assuring that the content meets the prospective attendee’s needs is a key strategy to apply when attracting attendees to an exhibition or event.
Additional top-ranked factors and insights on differences that correlate with a professional’s role in purchasing decisions and organization size are analyzed, as well as the managerial implications of uncovered trends.
