What’s in the CEIR Research Pipeline for 2016?

What’s in the CEIR Research Pipeline for 2016?

By Nancy Drapeau, PRC, Research Director

In a previous post, I provided an overview of research completed in 2015, now let me share research plans for this year, which by all accounts is aggressive! CEIR strives to conduct research in a broad range of areas to help industry stakeholders – exhibition organizers, exhibitors, attendees, destinations, venues and other suppliers – keep pace with evolving trends.

New Digital Toolkit Series – This multi-part study takes a comprehensive look at digital tactics attendees value and expect during their attendee journey and compares these preferences to what exhibition organizers and exhibitors use or offer. Results from this research reveal where exhibition organizer and exhibitor offerings align with attendee preferences and where they miss the mark. It is a practical resource for benchmarking and prioritizing digital efforts.

Four focus reports are included in this study series:

  1. Now available! Organizer Pre-event Communications & Registration Offerings
  2. Exhibitor Offerings
  3. Exhibition Organizer Onsite and Post-event Offerings
  4. Attendee Technology Profile

The quinquennial (that’s a mouthful!) edition of the CEIR Census is now available. Just published at the end of January, this document is updated every five years. It is a treasure trove for convention center facilities, venues, business development professionals and anyone tasked with analyses looking to define the size of the exhibition industry in North America overall, by country or by region. FMI, go here.

For those thirsting for exhibition industry performance the newest edition of the CEIR Index will be released in April. This report is the leading industry resource tracking overall market performance of business-to-business exhibitions overall as well as by 14 industry sectors.

Provided below is an overview of the additional research efforts slated for the year. So, keep a watch for reports that will be produced based on findings from each effort. Also, take a moment and visit the newly redesigned CEIR web site. We have made it easier than ever to search reports and find the data that is most important to you.

STUDY DESCRIPTION
Attendee Retention Study Series When it comes to gauging the success of an exhibition, the first measure is the event’s ability to attract a quality audience. This success begets exhibitor retention and loyalty. This study will identify the key factors which prompt professionals to become a repeat/loyal attendee as well as organizer best practices that generate high attendee retention rates.
Repeat of Changing Environment of Exhibitions Study Last done in 2011, this popular study generated multiple fact sheets articulating the power of exhibitions from the perspective of exhibitors. This initiative will update data, profiling the areas where exhibitions deliver value in supporting exhibitor marketing and sales objectives. It will also quantify commitment to the exhibition channel in the next several years.
Cost to Attract Attendees Study Last done in 2012, this study provides organizers with metrics on the cost to attract qualified attendees. In addition to quantifying costs metrics, overall as well as by type of organizer and by event demographics, this study also identifies which tactics are most effective in drawing qualified attendees.
Floor Interaction/ Attendee Engagement Preferences Study Following a two-phased research approach involving qualitative and quantitative research efforts, this study will identify the most popular and effective methods used to interact and engage with attendees on the exhibition floor, from both the perspective of activities in exhibit booths and activities in organizer-sponsored spaces on the exhibition floor.
How to Grow Attendance – Best Practices Organizers are constantly striving to find ways to retain and grow their attendee bases in competitive markets. Which tactics are most commonly used in attendee marketing to maximize the outcome of a campaign and most importantly, which tactics work best? This study will document industry benchmarks on key elements of attendee marketing campaigns and identify which tactics are effective in retaining and growing an event’s attendee base.
Industry Insight Series Reports Leading industry experts offer practical advice on how to maximize the success of exhibiting. Topics will address strategic and logistical aspects of exhibiting.
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