Sponsorships - making it meaningful!

An article I recently read in one of the local business dailies got me thinking about sponsorships. Sponsors are a key stakeholder in any MICE event and their contributions (financial and otherwise) go a long way in aiding event organisers/hosts to cover event costs. With the increased scope of media coverage afforded to MICE events and the pervasive use of search engines to pull up news clips and photographs, the life-span of sponsorship branding has extended into years. This provides a very strong selling point for purveyors of sponsorship packages.

However, it is not enough for organisations to simple sponsor a MICE event. The real and high incremental value of sponsorship participation comes when a sponsor capitalises on opportunities to leverage on the sponsorship:
- gaining direct access to a group of potential clientele (in a single event), who under normal circumstances would required multiple efforts spread across an extended time frame to reach
- gaining VIP treatment for its own group of top customers during the course of the event (scoring brownie points)
- dovetailing its marketing activities to add on to what the organiser is already doing to promote, brand and market the event
- ensuring that its participating staff are adequately and properly briefed on its sponsorship objectives and are proactive in ensuring these objectives are fulfilled (if not exceeded)

Organisations which actively sponsor major sporting events have become quite adept at leveraging on the sponsorship. This same level and intensity should be applied to MICE events. No event is too small that it cannot help improve a relationship the sponsor has with at least one of its existing customers or potential customer.

Sponsors need to move away from viewing MICE events sponsorships as branding exercises, to exploring how they can better connect with their customers (or potential customers) during the course of the event. Treat sponsorships as opportunities to carry out one-to-one marketing; networking; customer relationship building.......this will go a long way in increasing the return on investment for any kind of MICE event sponsorship.

Benjamin Cassim
Temasek Poly

The EXperiential Factor

Meetings and conferences can be very monochrome in nature - colourless, officious and dare I say, boring. Two factors that stand out (in a conventional way), when refering to the attractiveness of a meeting/conference, are content and attendee profile. I am not going to address these here. Given the very competitive environment with meeting/conference organisers clamouring for the attention of potential attendees, the X Factor or Experiential Factor is now a "buzz" word when defining the attractiveness of one meeting/conference over another.

Meetings/Conference organisers need to pay close and careful attention to the overall experience of they attendees. Attendees are the best mouthpieces and their judgements (positive or negative take away from attending a meeting/conference) carry a lot of weight among their peers.

Some areas where EXperiential Factors come into play - the interface with frontline service staff (friendliness, efficiency, knowledgable etc); timeliness (sessions starting and ending on time); the ancillary activities like cocktail sessions, dinners, basically the fun stuff (with particular efforts made to showcase the uniqueness of the destination); friendliness of venue staff (something that organisers often forget to emphasise to the venue managers); and efforts made to accommodate special needs attendees.

Positive attendee experience leads to positive publicity. It is important to note that such publicity is not a one-time thing. People enjoy recalling positive experiences.....people enjoy reminiscing. So......as organisers we are in the position to create and delivery legendary memorable experiences to attendees!

Benjamin Cassim
Temasek Polytechnic

Meetings, corporate events need to flourish

I shared a short video clip featuring Dr Patrick Dixon, author of Futurewise, with my students this past week. Dr Dixon was speaking on the topic, "Future of Corporate Events, Travel and Conferences". With the advent of advanced telecommunications technologies and the current great need to trim and manage costs, real-time communications across the globe via fibre-optic cables seem to be replacing the good old "let's meet tomorrow" route. However, Dr Dixon's view is that even with such advances, the need for face-to-face meetings will not disappear. There will be times when companies will need to gather people (staff or business partners or customers) together for such events.

This is something I believe in. As much as we talk of corporations and organisations, we must not forget that such entities are run and managed by people. People are not machines; people are beings with souls and spirits. We thrive on emotional and physical contact - the need to trust and be trusted; the need to convince others of our point of view; the need to shake the hand of a customer as a means of "sealing the deal"; the need to converse with a "real" person vs across communication cables. So......companies will continue to organise and host meetings; business executives will continue to attend seminars, conferences, talks etc.

Given the current downturn in most economies today and the failure of institutions which were meant to be foundation stones on which economies were built on, TRUST will come to the forefront when companies deal with each other or deal with their customers. The "face-to-face" encounter is an important element of this trust-building process.

Meetings will live on!

Benjamin Cassim
Temasek Polytechnic

Meetings - Bad times......hold more meetings

This week I thought that I'd do something different. I want to share a letter written by Bruce MacMillan, the president and CEO of Meeting Professionals Intl. The letter is presented in its entirety.

October 22, 2008

Dear Editor,
I’ve followed with interest the coverage of executive excess at AIG and comments by Attorney General Cuomo that led to the subsequent cancellation of most of AIG’s planned meetings, events, and conferences for the coming year. I, like most of your readership, bristle at reports of extravagant corporate spending especially under circumstances like these, and fully support the forceful righting of a ship that’s gone dramatically off course.

But as the head of a 24,000 member global community of professionals who pride themselves on designing and delivering meetings and events that generate business results in both good and tough economies, I want to offer caution on the hazard of making sweeping public business decisions that might frustrate the rebuilding of AIG as a successful enterprise and also inadvertently establish a new precedent for other businesses to follow.

The bringing together of individuals and organizations to share ideas, learn new skills, co-create solutions and craft new business initiatives are crucial to American business success, even more so in a dynamic, faltering, global economy. In an increasingly faceless world, effective human connections are a powerful business weapon. Meetings and events are valuable to the individuals who participate, the organizations they work in, and the customers they serve. The revenue derived from supplying the infrastructure, products and services employs millions of middle-class workers, including housekeepers, chefs, restaurant, and support staff. These jobs and the opportunities they afford contribute to the overall financial health of both these families and the communities in which they live.

The important role that face-to-face meetings and events play in connecting people and driving business success is undeniable. The Meeting Professionals International Foundation/George P. Johnson EventView study reveals that Fortune 1000 Chief Marketing Officers view meetings and events as having the highest ROI (Return on Investment) of any marketing channel. In an increasingly competitive global economy, the ability to create and deliver strategically-focused events contributes to business value, and helps organizations deliver results.
Tough economic times demand thoughtful and transparent examination of how money is spent. The unprecedented shift in marketplace fundamentals means that business leaders must evaluate the ROI of every investment decision. But even in these tough times, or maybe especially now, to remove meetings and events from the business strategy playbook is short-sighted and ignores the role meetings, events and incentives play in business and community success.

So cancel the senior executive spa getaway and royal hunting retreat, but hold on to that sales event, educational conference, trade show and performance incentive program … the future of our businesses and communities around the world depends on it.
Sincerely,
Bruce M. MacMillan, CA
President & CEO
Meeting Professionals International

Companies need to be encouraged to continue hosting and holding meetings......

Benjamin Cassim
Temasek Poly

MICE Venues - a 360 degree approach

I recently had the opportunity to make a trip the city of Yangon. While in Yangon, I visited the region of Bago - it is located from 80km outside of Yangon. It's one of the primary rice growing regions and is also famous for some of its pagodas. One of the interesting sites near the city centre of this region is the site of the original Kambawzathadi Palace. This was the residence of one of the 3 better-known monarchs of the country.

Foundations of the original palace were discovered at the site and the authorities rebuilt what is supposed to be a replica of the palace, including the king's bed chamber. Anyway, the site now stands as a sort of tourist attraction though lacking in the usual augmentation that accompanies such sites.

My first instinct was to view this place as a possible venue for M.I.C.E. activities. There are 2 fairly spacious halls - great for holding banquents, workshops, seminars and possibly exhibitions. However, this is where we need to take a 360 degree approach when considering venues for M.I.C.E. activities. Here are some points to note:

- the venue owner needs to be open to allowing the venue to be used for such activities

- the site needs to be accessible; this palace is a good 2-hr drive from the city of Yangon

- the site needs to be equipped with proper utilities - power supply, water

- the site needs to be equipped to host visitors for a considerable length of time (i.e. 2 hours or more); this palace does not have toilet facilities

- the site needs to look the part; although a palace, the grounds of this site were not reflective of the grandeur that usually represents a palace

I hope that some of the government officers I met in Yangon will be able to convey some of these points to the relevant authorities - yes I did bring this up with them. Just imagine - a royal banquet for important conference delegates or VIP buyers attending an exhibition being held on the actual site of one of the country's greatest rulers. Now that is what I call a value experience!

Exhibitions - it's the visitor experience, dummy!

As great a platform trade shows are in helping companies to effectively reach their target customer markets, the overall environment is clogged up with marketing and advertising noise. Most potential customers now possess well-developed filtering processes that weed out the unnecessary marketing noise. It is precisely in the face of such competition that trade shows possess the mettle to succeed. We are now living in what is termed the "experience economy". Everyone one - from the general public to the discerning business customer - is looking for the value-added experience.

Trade shows are very versatile marketing instruments. A single trade show offers multiple platforms for creating positive visitor/participant experiences - the exhibition floor, the complementing education programmes (seminars, workshops); and the ancillary actvities (the networking parties; golf). The organiser has so many areas in which he can build in opportunities for very positive experiences.

It has become imparent for trade show organisers to recognise this trend to valuing the overall experience, and to deliver this to trade show participants - the exhibitors, the sponsors, the visitors and the stakeholders. The areas where value can be added to the customer experience include:

• logistics
• customer service
• trade show content - programming
• networking opportunities
• right fit

I believe most trade show organisers are very capable and work hard at ensuring that their events remain relevant to the various industry segments. I also see more and more effort made in ensuring that there are ample opportunities for networking between all participants.

Customer service - the art of making a single attendee or exhibitor feel special - is one are where industry members will need to pay more attention to. This is an important element of the "experience economy" and can be very instrumental in separating a "good" trade show and a "great" trade show. It also goes a long way in ensuring repeat business - repeat exhibitors, repeat visitors, repeat sponsors. Great service also acts as a deflector for operational or content shortfalls. The overall experience sticks in the memory.

Exhibitions - target marketing at its best?

One of the many, but crucial, challenges facing companies/organisations is how to make the most efficient and effective spend of marketing dollars. This takes on added importance in current times. Here's my quick fix to this problem - tradeshows and exhibitions.

Tradeshows and exhibitions are platforms for business exchange. They bring members of an industry together with customers/potential customers of the industry. Tradeshows and exhibitions offer a myriad of benefits:

- they are a great way for companies to market, promote and brand themselves to targeted markets;
- they provide a cost effective platform for the launch of new products;
- they offer companies a means to test/investigate new markets;
- they offer companies a means to test new products;
- they are goldmines for information on industry progress and intelligence
- they are a one-stop-centre for companies and individuals who desire to interact with members of the industry;
- they provide opportunities for networking - often resulting in some form of sales or business development.

The list can go on. Industry experts will tell you that tradeshows and exhibitions are a great avenue for companies and organisations to reach targeted markets in a cost effective environment.

Yes, a lot of commercial activity today gets conducted via the "e-environment" i.e. the internet and over the web. However, the face-to-face conducting of business still has a very important role to play.....nothing beats a handshake.

So, tradeshows and exhibitions continue to live on. I say "Amen" to that.

The M.I.C.E. Impact

Over the past week or so I have been reading about destination management and the planning and processes involved in getting a destination to be "tourist-attractive". From what I read, its not an easy thing to do....in fact, its quite challenging. This got me thinking about the M.I.C.E. segment of the tourist market and how much quicker it is to see M.I.C.E. activities impacting a destination or city. It is no wonder that most local/regional/national governments have in their tourism development mandate the promotion of M.I.C.E. capabilities.

The M.I.C.E. segment impacts economies in numerous ways:
- generating increased visitor traffic (business travellers attending exhibitions, conventions etcO
- bringing in higher yield visitors (business travellers tend to have higher spending power)
- generating repeat visitor traffic
- as M.I.C.E. activities increase in a destination, there is almost always some increased investments in infrastructure and services upgrading
- the non-seasonality of M.I.C.E. activities helps take up the slack in low periods....periods when leisure visitor numbers fall
- generate demand for M.I.C.E. service suppliers - hotels, convention venues, audio-visual equipment, catering, stage builders/decoraters, photographers/videographers, performance artistes etc

The list goes on. There are, however, certain characteristics that a destination must offer in order to successfully capture the M.I.C.E. mindshare. These include accessibility; infrastructure; a wide range of service suppliers; political stability and safety; etc.

My own conclusion is that its easier to attract a business visitor as opposed to a leisure visitor.

M.I.C.E.- IS THERE MONEY TO BE MADE???

Given the continuing focus on the state of health of global economies, I would like to keep the focus for the month of October on how the M.I.C.E. industry impacts economies and acts as a catalyst for new investments, infrastructure improvements, more spending by travellers etc. The one question that always comes to mind whenever I focus on the "impact" issue is, "Where is the money coming from?". Well, let me just share on example and this involves only 1 company - can you imagine how many companies there are out in the market!

In a recent article published in the New York Times, American International Group (AIG) reportedly agreed to cancel (with immediate effect) all conferences and events it hosts or organises. This number exceeds 160 per year. This cut-back will save the group more that US$8 million. This is just one company's budget.

The impact of the industry is therefore very real and in positive/growth times, the amount of money being generated by the industry can be very intoxicating.

Economic impact of M.I.C.E. - the other way round

The past couple of months have seen a tremendous change in the global economic landscape. The unimaginable has become reality. Even as I pen this entry, governments of various countries - 1st world to 3rd world - are scrambling to protect the financial assets of their citizens. What does this mean for the M.I.C.E. industry?


We often talk about the economic impacts the M.I.C.E. industry has on a city/country. In fact this relationship is one of the first few things one learns about the M.I.C.E. industry. The common terms used include: catalyst, investment, place/destination marketing, repeat visitors, length-of-stay, higher yields.......and the list goes on. These are all very valid reasons why state and national governments will continue to place emphasis on promoting the M.I.C.E. industry. It has a very strategic role to play.


There is, however, a dark side to this and we are beginning to walk under this dark side. As much as M.I.C.E. brings economic benefits to a destination, an economic downturn tends to put the breaks on M.I.C.E. activities. I have already had first hand experience with this. A conference I was supposed to attend (next week) has been postponed to 2009. I expect to see a few more similar casualties over the coming months or at least until the dust from the current financial turmoil settles.


There are no compact or pre-packed solutions to this. My personal take on this is that M.I.C.E. event organisers will need to dig in and work hard to convince stakeholders, corporate sponsors and attendees to not only continue to support such events but invest more as well. M.I.C.E. events offer one of the best platforms to reach targetted audiences - a great way to effectively spend marketing dollars.


Ben Cassim
Temasek Polytechnic

"application101" - why?

Before I start getting into the meat and bones of the M.I.C.E. subject, I have this need to explain my choice of the url, "application101". In my own metasphere, "application101" represents the main reason for this blog - to discuss, illustrate, explain, review......how M.I.C.E. theory is reflected in actual industry practices and real-world events - the "101" portion refering to this being just the starter kit. And I am hoping to have comments/contributions from people representing a variety of segments of the industry - this will help build up the body of knowledge for M.I.C.E. in our local context. At some stage, we can perhaps then move on to "applications201"........or maybe not!

Can Singapore's MICE industry weather the storm?

Recent media reports (Sep 08) indicate that the M.I.C.E. (meetings, incentives, conventions & exhibitions) industry in Singapore has been holding its own despite the current downturn in economies and markets around the world. The Singapore government has been paying close attention to this industryover the past few years, facilitating and encouraging the set up of new convention facilities (the integrated resorts); hotels etc. We can expect to see most of these new facilities start to come on-stream from late 2009 onwards.

It not quite enough just to have such facilities, event organisers are attracted to a destination/city for a variety of reasons (the availability of facilities being one of the factors). Costs, accessibility, political stability, vibrancy, service-oriented culture, support services......the list just goes on.

My two personal concerns with the industry in Singapore are costs and flexibility. M.I.C.E. event organisers are a cost-conscious lot (at least the ones I know......I remain a cost-conscious event organiser). Even the organisers with big budgets, keep a tight rein on costs. We have continued to move prices up and up - and its really difficult to move prices down, especially if you are providing a service. However, there are way to deal with rising costs. I will reserve my comments on this subject for now so as not to give away industry secrets......

My other concern is flexibility. M.I.C.E. service providers will have to become increasingly flexible when dealing with event organisers. This can be quite a challenge when one has become so used to conducting business in a certain way. I speak from experience. In my past 15 years or so of involvement in the M.I.C.E. industry, I have found it very trying to have to exercise flexibility in the way I have had to provide event management services. The main reason is that it costs money to be flexible and its especially difficult when you cannot transfer the additional cost to a third party.

So, members of our M.I.C.E. industry will have to be very careful in how they deal with issues like rising costs and the exercising of flexibility - especially with more foreign-based organisers holding events in Singapore. It will be interesting to watch how Singapore, as a destination, remains competitive in the global M.I.C.E. sector.

Ben Cassim
Temasek Poly

Bringing reality to theory

This is a new adventure that I am embarking on. My hope is that this blog will become a conduit for the exchange of insights, industry best practices, situational experiences and learning on all things that pertain to the M.I.C.E. industry. This is, perhaps, a tall order to meet but I realise that there must always be a starting point. Therein lies the adventure for me. This is a starting point as far as I am concerned. I do not know where this journey will take me and all those who actively contribute to this blog, but I hope that this journey will never reach an ending point.

As one of my main concerns is that this blog will provide snippets of relevant and useful information to students learning about the M.I.C.E. industry, I do ask that you list your name and the organisation you represent each time you add comments to this blog.

I look forward to active participation from both students and members of the industry. While we each play small parts everytime a contribution is made, the sum of the parts carries great value.

Ben Cassim
Temasek Poly