Creating Must-Attend Events: Lessons from an Expert

1. Correct Branding: Jennifer shared the importance of consistent and clear branding for their events. In 2023, TMSA rebranded its annual conference as “Elevate” to reflect their goal of elevating attendees’ networking skills, industry connections, and sales and marketing techniques. This shift not only clarified their event offerings. They wanted to move away from using the generic term “annual conference” to reduce confusion since it holds multiple events per year and to emphasize the unique value of each gathering. It also helped in setting a thematic focus for the agency, adding depth and coherence to the event experience. 

2. Attracting the Right Audience and Providing Relevant Content: TMSA has two events each year. The Elevate conference that is geared toward every member. It always has a diverse range of attendees, from CMOs and CEOs to graphic designers, so Jennifer and her team ensure they have content relevant for every level of marketing and sales in the transportation industry. 

Jennifer noted an important example when it came to focusing their keynote speaker and his message regarding the power of storytelling. 

“When we booked him, I said we’re sales and marketing people, so everyone understands the power of the story. We don’t need to be convinced of that. We need to know how to do it better. And so, I think he did a really great job at that, and that kind of weaved through all of the sessions.”

In addition to Elevate, they have the Executive Summit, which focuses on attracting executives, typically directors or above. Content for this event must be relevant and impactful for decision-makers. Jennifer mentioned they put qualifiers on the registration page to help potential attendees self-select, such as managing a budget or leading a team. This approach ensures that the right people are in the room, fostering more meaningful and relatable interactions. 

3. Listening to Feedback: Feedback from attendees and sponsors is crucial for TMSA’s continuous improvement. Jennifer highlighted the decision to pivot from traditional expo floors to more interactive engagement opportunities based on sponsor feedback about low booth traffic. 

Activities like scavenger hunts and sponsor hours were introduced to facilitate organic conversations and meaningful interactions between attendees and sponsors. TMSA even added a wellness room – a place for people to unplug, take a break, and enjoy some peace and quiet after hearing from attendees that they can sometimes feel overwhelmed or anxious. This responsiveness to feedback helps TMSA refine and enhance their event experiences continually.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to read the feedback in the surveys, because you do try harder, but I do appreciate everyone that actually fills out the surveys and does give us ideas, because we don’t know how to improve unless you tell us,” Jennifer earnestly noted. 

4. Marketing Your Events Effectively: Effective marketing is essential for event success. Jennifer shared how TMSA uses multiple channels to keep their audience informed and engaged. From personalized video messages summarizing key event details to launching podcasts that highlight industry trends and organizational updates, TMSA ensures they reach their audience in diverse and impactful ways. These efforts not only keep attendees informed but also build anticipation and excitement for the events.