The management team needs to be close to the industry. Event organizers
can be at a disadvantage to print/online trade media, because events are
generally annual, while publications are weekly or monthly, and online is up to
the minute. A trade show can be seen as the equivalent to a publication, with
the readers walking around the advertising, which has become an integral
part of the content. The event needs to innovate by providing the right
content – whether it’s the conference itself, exhibitor mix, or both – and
attracting the right attendees.
 Be a part of the industry
Events become more valuable when they become an integral part of the
industry business cycle. Major aircraft orders are announced annually at
Farnborough or Le Bourget; innovations are announced at IT conferences;
rights are sold at book fairs and TV summits and so on. The trick is to make
your event a leading industry meeting place.
Events can be highly profitable. As events operate off a relativity fixed cost base and
costs do not increase materially in line with the size of the event, well-managed
organizers should be able to grow the bottom line faster than the top line – and major
brands are able to achieve EBITDA margins of 40% or more.
In summary, the success formulae in the sector are straightforward:
 Clear focus + strong management = profit
 Increased scale = increased margin
22
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