Planning and Marketing Conferences and Workshops Guide

Introduction

At the outset, we must begin by defining planning, which has been described as proactive decision-making within an organization. The importance of planning and marketing can initiate an ongoing process that helps an organization design its services to meet the needs of the customer. This helps shift the traditional focus away from internal operations toward customer expectations and convenience. Experts such as Weygand (1995) have suggested that a marketing audit should be an ongoing process in every organization in order to identify trends and changes taking place in the market (Planning and Marketing).

Nowadays, promotion budgets for most organizations are very tight, and a great deal of thought is given to the conferences that decision makers plan to attend. As an initial observation, it can be noted that since 2003, most decision makers have been keen on attending only the most important and large conferences, as well as local, state, or regional shows. Wherever a conference may be held, it remains one of the key areas where organizations are able to interact with the people who use their services (Making Conferences Work for You).

The Importance of Planning

Consider a situation in which an executive is preparing a marketing brief for an agency's use. The most important starting point for planning is understanding the current position of the organization, as this will help in organizing events in a manner that achieves greater success through the next plan. The first important aspect is to know the product — defined in terms of its benefits to customers, its strengths and weaknesses, and its uses. This information is critical when it must be presented on paper or through visuals. Equally important at this stage is understanding how the product differs from the competition, often referred to as the unique selling proposition (USP). The second important aspect of any product is its position in the market, which refers to trends in market share and whether that share is growing or declining (Planning a Successful Marketing Campaign).

Declines typically occur because superior products have entered the market or because of poor communication. Studying these factors may provide new insights into methods for improving a product's market position. The third important consideration is knowing the competitors well enough, along with their individual strengths and weaknesses. This can sometimes lead to the discovery of opportunities in the market that the product under review could fulfill. The next natural step is gaining knowledge of the broader market situation, particularly the activities of competitors. This knowledge helps in differentiating the product from others in the market, even when direct competition exists.

In the fifth stage, one must begin looking at the objective of the campaign, which could range from introducing a new product to capturing additional market share or informing consumers of a new development. The purpose of the campaign often determines the style of communication and incorporates the information gathered in the first four steps. The sixth important aspect of marketing planning is coordinating marketing activities with the other activities of the organization. Every campaign must fit in with all other organizational activities, which often means linking with the sales team. Any plan developed by the marketing group must therefore align with the activities of the entire organization (Planning a Successful Marketing Campaign).

The seventh important point is properly targeting the market, also known as market segmentation. Once the target market has been identified, it must be approached precisely without wasting effort on others. Agencies can assist with this, but the marketing executive should also have a clear understanding of the customers — the magazines they read, the television programs they watch, and the exhibitions, workshops, and conferences they attend. The eighth important point is deciding on the type of marketing activity to be carried out, which is often determined by the available budget, the aims of the campaign, and the presentation styles and media preferences of the target customers.

The ninth important point concerns the available budget, as it will ultimately define the scope of the campaign. The budget is often determined by the stage of the product in its life cycle, making realistic budget planning essential. If the budget does not allow for a national television campaign, there is no point in considering it — alternative approaches must be explored. The tenth important point is free and clear communication of ideas among all participants in the planning process, since no one is a mind reader and every participant's ideas are valuable. The greater the amount of open interaction, the better the quality of the resulting campaign. The final point is ensuring a clear flow of information, and for this purpose it is better to communicate only through specified channels within the marketing team to avoid confusion (Planning a Successful Marketing Campaign).