Chapter+2

The last day of a conference is almost always the day with the least attendance. This year at the HCEA Annual Meeting, the meeting organizers have various aspects they offering to increase attendance on the last day of the meeting. The meeting has the remaining three workshop (6,7,8) which last all day. There is also a lunch with a presentation on New Orleans, the city that will host the event next year. The lunch will also include prizes given out for the treasure hunt that will take place through the course of the event. Lastly, the there is a closing Gala Party in the evening for the attendees to enjoy following the end of the 2009 HCEA Annual Meeting. To attract attendees to attend the 2009 HCEA Annual Meeting the 5 W’s of marketing are utilized. The reason guests should attend the Annual meeting is because it is their source of industry enlightenment, education, networking, industry issues and updates on marketing laws affecting the healthcare conventions field, and economizing their exhibit program. The people who should attend the Annual Meeting are healthcare convention and exhibit marketers, managers and coordinators, medical association show organizers and exhibit managers, medical meeting planners, exhibit and convention industry product and service companies, pharma, medical device and biotech marketers, and CVB and destination marketers. The HCEA Annual Meeting will take place June 13-16th, 2009 in Tampa, Florida at the Tampa Convention Center and Tampa Marriott Waterside. What the Annual Meeting will offer its attendees is workshops and sessions organized into thirteen learning tracks. The event also offers entertainment, eleven networking events, industry specific case studies, the one of a kind HCEA exhibition, panel expert discussions, meals, keynote speaker (Steve Donahue), and ancillary events and much more. 
 * Chapter 2 **

When doing a internet search of the HCEA Annual Meeting there were various sites that had promotional and advertising material about the event. I found an article on the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) website under the industry events tab that just gave a short summary of the annual meeting with the date and location. I also found a news article on ENN Show News about the annual meeting on the website Exhibitor Online. On this website they gave a lot more information and it was similar to a press release. On the website Trade Show Week there was an article “ HCEA Distinguished Service Award Nominees Sought,” which talks presenting an award an individual for the first time since 2005 at the annual meeting this year. Lastly, on Medex-Media, a exhibitor at this year show, has a small advertisement on the annual meeting, “ Medex-Media will be exhibiting again at this year's 2009 HCEA Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida. Visit the Medex-Media     booth to gain insight into Healthcare exhibits industry trends including the:   impact of the economic downturn on exhibit investment, key selection criteria used when choosing an exhibits house or design agency, importance of choosing vendors who understand the current regulatory environment need to develop affordable, environmentally sensitive alternatives.” To better promote the HCEA Annual Meeting there are various opportunities that can be used to maximize the events exposure. One way would be to advertise the event in exhibition industry magazines for example; Exhibition Bulletin Magazine, Exhibition News Magazine, Exhibitor Magazine, Exhibition World Magazine, and Conference and Meeting World magazine. There are just some of the magazines that would be good opportunities to advertise in since industry professionals probably read these frequently. There are also various online e-zines that the meeting could advertise on for example; ExpoABC.com which is an online source for the exhibition and events industry. Another example could be the ENN Exhibitor News Network. Other ways to better promote and advertise the annual meeting would be to send out direct mailers to exhibitors, previous attendees, and sponsors. By sending them some extra they could hand them out to people they do business with, which could help spread the word. Television ads could also be used to advertize the event, they could promote the event on Bay News 9 in Tampa, Florida to promote the event. The HCEA Annual Meeting has a program available on their website for attendees to view the meeting agenda, but unfortunately they do not offer mailing hard copies of the program out to attendees. It is possible that they don’t send out hard copies until after you register, but if this is how itis done then it really isn’t catering to the older, less technologically savvy consumers. A view the meeting program, refer to Appendix 1. The specialty advertising items the HCEA Annual Meeting could giveaway for the attendees are a beach ball since the event has a nautical theme. This would be the smaller, less expensive item given out to all registered attendees. There would need to be at least 1000 ordered to be safe. The cost for the beach ball $1.25 for 900, which would come out to a total cost of $1,180 not including shipping or tax. There will be additional set-up charge of $55 and freight charge of $14.88 for ground shipping. All together the grand total would be $1,194.88. The 4 Imprint website does not charge for extra colors. For the board members, committee members, and VIPs I would give out a 12 can convertible duffel bag as the more expensive item. This would be a nice item for them because they could use it while they are visiting Tampa and on the beach, and also in the future as a carry-on bag when they are traveling. There would need to be about 200 ordered at the price of $13.16 each, which totals $2,632. There is an additional $100 set-up charge and $130 additional color charge totaling $230. The cost of freight for the item with will be $170.60 which makes the grand total of $3,032. Both items go along with the nautical, summertime theme, which makes them great items. To view the specialty advertising items, refer to Appendix 4.  For a press kit that will be given out to the media I included various pieces of information on the 2009 HCEA Annual Meeting. I have the logo affixed on a blue folder to go along with the events colors. Inside I included venue information, the press release, keynote speaker information, hotel information, specialty advertising information, and an event brochure, a letter to the media source and complementary tickets to the annual meeting. The press kit I have put together is attac