Live from the IMA Executive Summit: Action Plan Addresses Criticism of Incentive Show

An action plan has been put in place to rebuild the Incentive Show after a steady decline in attendance by both attendees and exhibitors drew criticism from the Incentive Marketing Association.

Donna Oldenburg, show director for VNU Expo, which produces the show, said the plan calls for a strong East Coast show and a positive return on investment for attendees. To achieve those goals, VNU will focus on increasing both attendee and exhibitor attendance and implementing an enhanced marketing plan, which includes a 250% jump in the budget.

“These are not just cosmetic changes,” Oldenburg said yesterday.

To encourage exhibitor participation, VNU is introducing new incentives, including reduced booth fees and other discounts such as an additional 5% reduction on booth fees for exhibitors who produce 25 to 50 qualified buyer names. A 50% discount will be offered on booth carpeting and another 50% off the show directory for IMA members. A new decorator, Freeman Decorating, has promised to cut decorator expenses for exhibitors by about 5%.

Public relations efforts will be extended from three to 10 months to help drive traffic. RFPs for a new firm to be added in September are being evaluated. A partnership with USMotivation will offer an onsite auction as an incentive to attendees. Car service will be available for VIP buyers, who have said that getting to the show can be difficult. A high-profile keynote speaker is being sought.

Oldenburg declined to give specifics on the budget but said that the new push includes advertisements in both consumer and trade publications beyond the VNU family. Direct mail efforts will be increased from eight to 12 mailings. E-mail transmissions will increase significantly with monthly e-mails from January through March and then weekly in April and May. Telemarketing and radio spots support the efforts. The show Web site will be updated and the show will be cross-sold on exhibitor Web sites.

Paul Spitzberg, the VP of the IMA board and the VP-special markets for Coach, has been an outspoken critic of the show because of the lack of “support in getting the show back to its more vigorous state.” He said the new action plan is a good start to spur future growth.

“It’s positioned to be successful down the road if they continue to execute the plan successfully,” Spitzberg said yesterday.

Last year’s Incentive Show drew 4,500 attendees and 264 exhibitors. The next show, to be held May 24-25, 2005, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, has been scaled down from three days to two full days to save exhibitors show and travel costs.

This year, VNU is sponsoring a contest to find a new tag line for the show that demonstrates its renewed momentum. Interested parties can submit suggestions to [email protected]. The winner receives a 50% discount off booth space up to $1,000.

“We needed a little kick in the pants to stop the decline and right the show,” Oldenburg said.

The Incentive Marketing Association’s Executive Summit, held in Naples, FL, began on Sunday, Aug. 1 and ends Wednesday, Aug. 4.