Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and Expositions, Second Edition

Chapter 8

Association, Convention, and Exhibition Event Marketing

“I won't belong to any organization that would have me as a member.”

Groucho Marx, actor and wit (1890–1977)

When you have completed this chapter, you will be able to

• Benefit from the unique vertical and horizontal structure and operations of association event marketing,
• Anticipate and exploit the special challenges and opportunities inherent to association event marketing,
• Identify and penetrate the association event marketing sector,
• Develop and execute targeting strategies for association event marketing, and
• Develop and execute effective event marketing strategies for various types of association events and programs.

Associations and Corporations

Association (e.g., fraternal, religious, trade, and professional) organizations are heavily associated with events (e.g., meetings, conferences, conventions, and exhibitions), and therefore they represent a major component of the event marketing universe. Challenges in the sector have resulted in pressure upon and consolidation of association events, with resultant marketing implications. It is also interesting to note that online communication has accentuated the ability of fraternal peers to communicate with one another and has allowed the formation of new associations that are less structurally organized, yet are able to exist in a virtual sense. This virtual association has also put pressure on live event participation, as a community is able to be cohesive without ...