Recently, Fixation’s Megan Campbell contributed to an article by Biotechnology Industry Organization’s Tracy Krughoff  called “Listen to Members for Meeting Success” in ASAE’s publication Association Now. The article addresses a number of key strategies that BIO has employed in the last few years to optimize their annual convention’s value to attendees and exhibitors. One of those key strategies is a shift in their promotional communication so that constituents began hearing more from industry leaders and less from BIO staff in advance of the convention. BIO did not shy away from asking the tough questions, and they certainly were not afraid of the answers they found – one of them being that members of the biotechnology community wanted to know that the annual convention had strong industry leaders endorsing it, excited about it and encouraging attendance. In so doing, BIO has strengthened their event.

In reading this article, that theme struck a chord with me – attendees want to hear from other industry leaders, not just from their association. At Fixation, we see this phenomenon with almost all of our clients. There is no question that the association plays a vital role as the producer of the tradeshow. As former exhibit sales director for the Food Marketing Institute, I’ve been on the front lines and have seen firsthand how a powerful tradeshow staff is essential to raising the tradeshow experience to new levels. BIO has proven that the association’s true power as the producer of a successful industry tradeshow is in creating consistent and new opportunities for industry leaders to connect and reconnect with each other. Kudos to BIO for sharing these insights.