Every year 200 leaders of the exhibition and convention industry gather for the Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF), the event exclusively for C-executives — CEOs, presidents, executive directors, and vice-presidents — at associations and independent organisers. This year, the main event takes place in Washington, DC on 30 May; 2018’s preliminary programme to follow.
Event leaders make connections, discuss business opportunities, and explore ways to increase revenue. C-level content focuses on innovations and field-tested strategies for keeping conventions and exhibitions relevant.
ECEF packs nine hours of peer learning and networking into one day. The event begins with a Welcome Reception (29 May, from 19h30 to 21h30) with over 100 of the "Who's Who" in the industry coming together for C-level networking in an informal setting. It continues on 30 May with more than six hours of interactive programming and more networking. Attendee-speaker and attendee-attendee exchange are the hallmarks of ECEF.
What to Expect: 2018 preliminary programme
· Five key data points in five minutes: 2018 ECEF pulse summary
Sam Lippman (pictured), president, Lippman Connects, will start the day with a data-driven perspective on all that will follow by spotlighting top-line findings of the 2018 ECEF Pulse research.
· Opening keynote: Working on the engine while driving down the highway
John Barrett, executive director, ISSA, will explain how he doubled the value of ISSA’s events to attendees, exhibitors, and the industry in five years. Barrett will discuss how his acquisition strategy was executed, and the insights gleaned as ISSA increased attendee and exhibitor numbers, revenue, and profit.
· She had me at hello
Technology is revolutionising many facets of the event business; however, would you trust a bot and AI to communicate with your audience? Learn how BizBash implemented a ChatBot into their 2017 events. Nicole Peck, executive VP, BizBash Media will share how ‘Betty the Event ChatBot’ aka BettyBot aided their events in ways no one had imagined. Peck will share lessons learned, successful strategies, and what didn't work quite as anticipated.
· Life after a signature event retires
Mark Baum, senior VP & chief collaboration officer and Margaret Core, VP, marketing & industry events, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) share the inside story behind the retirement of the 80-year-old FMI Show. Learn how a business plan was carefully developed to move from an orderly retirement to a new event strategy that would fill the financial and programmatic void.
· Your data capture program will probably fail: Here’s why and what you must do now
Smart exhibition organisers are investing significant resources to capture and leverage customer data. Most will fail. Michael Clapperton, CTO, Informa, has witnessed these catastrophes and has the scars to prove it. Clapperton will map the steps that lead to failure and share the path to success. Take away lessons learned that technologists and non-technology leaders can understand and act upon immediately.
After the final networking break comes Sam Lippman’s conclusion. To find out more about the day's goings-on, click here.
