Turning undecided event planners into customers online
When event planners start the purchasing process, many things are still unclear. Only a minority already know where their event will take place. 8 out of 10 event planners are not quite sure at this stage which location they will choose for their event, conference or seminar.
How can hotels and event venues win over this undecided 84% of the MICE business?
The open choice of an event location is one of the biggest uncertainties for event planners. After all, choosing the most suitable location is one of the key points of their event planning.
For event venues and conference hotels, however, this uncertainty also represents the greatest opportunity. For those providers that are easily found online, the door is open to attract new customers and generate additional revenue:
ensure good visibility of the location website
provide all required information online
MICE planners use digital tools
Event planners are relying more and more on digital tools. Search engines, location websites, online MICE tools and portals have become an integral part of the event purchasing process. Online reviews have become an important decision-making criterion when it comes to selecting a destination or specific event venue.
How should locations or hotels react to this? Comprehensively, of course. All measures are important - from paid online marketing and search engine optimization to all meaningful social media channels.
Interested parties must first find the location before they can book. Good search engine visibility is therefore not only important, but essential. And everywhere where users might search for locations or conference venues online. Direct traffic to the website is the cornerstone for future sales.
The benchmark is the best digital experience
It is not enough to be just as well positioned online as “the competition”. Users do not compare websites with those of the competition. Instead, they always compare a website with the best websites that they know and use on a daily basis.
And B2B users are no exception here. Prospective customers who book events not only expect all the information they need to make a decision online. They also expect this information quickly. Excessively long loading times or non-responsive websites are taboo.
The smartphone is becoming more and more important - decision-makers in companies are increasingly switching back and forth between different devices and also using their smartphones for work. Consequently, they also use them to research locations, gather information and plan events themselves.
B2B inquiries are already mobile today
Today, 50% of all B2B search queries are already made using a smartphone. BCG expects this percentage to rise to 70% by 2020.
Transparency is the order of the day
When MICE planners research websites, they initially remain unknown. For the time being, they are just a data point in the website analysis.
Event planners gather information online, read reviews and form their own opinion before shortlisting a location. How can an event venue or conference hotel present itself to convince planners?
Transparent and fast pricing
More than 2/3 of all event planners already have a very clear idea of their budget. It is not surprising that the cost of a conference or event venue remains one of the top decision-making factors. Providers must of course take this seriously.
But what exactly is meant by costs? Event planners don't always book the cheapest option. When MICE planners assess costs, they always take into account how transparent a provider's calculations are. Likewise, how quickly calculations are made and the quality of the documents. Providers who try to hide costs will lose out when it comes to subsequent bookings at the latest.
MICE planners also want certainty - it is not the lowest price that counts here, but open and clear pricing as well as fast and complete paperwork.
Taking all questions from MICE planners seriously
And event planners still criticize the fact that their inquiries are not taken seriously. Questions are not fully answered and requested information is not provided. Providers who make the booking process as convenient as possible for the MICE planner clearly win the race here.
The comprehensive provision of relevant information increases the likelihood of a booking enormously - and avoids unnecessary question and answer ping-pong.
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