Return on Investment

Event marketing remains considered by international marketers the number one channel for accelerating and retaining customer relationships and overall return on investment (ROI)*. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with customers and build trust.

World Travel Market will strive to create more value for our exhibitors in this post-recession world and this will be at the heart of our future strategy.

Take advantage of the expertise and advice of our account managers, PR professionals, marketing and exhibition experts and enhance your ROI through the WTM marketing and PR opportunities.

If you don't do any other pre-planning, WTM recommends you take advantage of the following basic participation. All areas can be managed via the WTM Exhibitor Zone once you have received your login and password.

Basic Participation		Stand Out From The Crowd
Onsite - The Essential Steps		Post-Event Follow-Up

To ensure you get the maximum ROI from WTM 2011, focus on the initiatives below and make it an integral part of your marketing strategy. 

Maximise the WTM Exhibitor Zone

• Complete your online company description, contact details, logo and weblink
• Submit your WTM Official Catalogue entry
• Upload your exhibitor press releases
• Define your products, sector and geographical areas to match your services to visitor’s business interests
• Enhance your online profile by adding video content, press releases, hyperlinks and brochures
• Join the WTM Social Networking groups

Reach the Buyers
Take advantage of WTM's additional services that can help you deliver your marketing message and meet existing clients and new prospects.

• Submit your My Invitations to make sure the people you want to see are invited to attend WTM across all four days
• Use the WTM database list rental service which provides access to pre-registered trade, Meridian Club and press data enabling you to contact them pre-event
• Book a lead capture device to collect vital details from the visitors to your stand

Attract media attention with Press & PR opportunities:

• Attend the WTM PR Planning Day scheduled on 15 July 2011 (more details to come) to find out more about the WTM PR initiatives. Link to - 2010 PR planning day presentation
• Hire a press conference suite to directly launch new products and services to the travel industry
• Radio WTM – take advantage of the cost-effective airtime opportunities
• WTM World Responsible Tourism Day - provides a great PR opportunity to generate coverage and publicise your responsible tourism initiatives

 Apply to use the WTM WRTD logo
 

Actioning the following information will help you get the most out of your participation onsite at WTM:

• Brief your exhibiting personnel – ensure your team is briefed on your company objectives and trained well on products, uniforms, times and what is expected of them 
• Earn media coverage – deliver 30-50 press packs to the WTM international press centre on Sunday before the opening morning as a large amount of the world’s media visit on the first day of the event
• Meet the buyers – Attend the WTM Meridian Club Speed Networking sessions on Monday and meet senior industry buyers who will be divided up into five separate mini-sessions each dedicated to a specific geographical region within WTM. Last year this attracted 243 global senior buyers
• Gain free knowledge and training through the WTM Event programme – WTM showcases an array of seminars, conferences and events which provide unique insight in to future trends and innovations with the travel and tourism industry. If you miss them onsite then visit the WTM Player which provides access to video, audio and presentation content from the event programme

 More on Meridian Club Speed Networking
 Access WTM Player

To make the most of your attendance, post-event follow-up is crucial to convert your leads in to good prospects and sales, the following will help you achieve this:

• Create a database of leads to add to your prospect database and follow up with a post event message
• Target strong prospects and leads to ensure your message is reinforced
• Evaluate the event – did you meet your objectives by maximising your return on investment
• Continue to gather information – a selection of WTM’s content is available online via the WTM player which includes podcasts, videos and powerpoint presentations
• Provide feedback via the online exhibitor survey to have your say and help improve the event for the future

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*Source: EventView 2010, MPR Foundation, Event Marketing Institute and George P. Johnson