Reuter Exposition Services Susan Reuter, President
Background Connecticut-based Reuter Exposition Services (RES) is an independent show management firm that provides services to associations.The company manages B2B events for its clients in a variety of industries, including retail, entertainment, food, construction, electronics and manufacturing.
The Challenge For many years, RES has included telemarketing as a regular part of its marketing mix.The firm uses telemarketing as a complement to direct mail, email and exhibitor-based promotions, in order to increase attendance at its shows.
“We’re always trying to increase attendance of our events by encouraging people to pre-register,” says Susan Reuter, president.“We want them to fully commit to attending.” Before 2008, RES handled telemarketing in house with temporary staff.The disruptions caused by temporary workers appearing on the company’s premises every few months were becoming a sore point.
The Response To eliminate the problem, RES turned to Foundation Marketing Group.“We’re a show management company, not a telemarketing company,” says Reuter.“We outsourced our campaigns, so we would no longer have to worry about strangers coming and going in our office while they worked on them.”
But Foundation Marketing Group’s performance more than helped reduce annoying disruptions.In the two-year period since the agency was retained, show attendance has jumped 40 percent. “It’s obvious from the increased numbers that the effort has produced excellent results,” says Reuter.“It’s part of an overall program that effects growth in attendance.” In addition to results, RES values Foundation Marketing Group’s professionalism.
“We projected how long it would take Foundation Marketing Group to accomplish the task of contacting the 13,000 retail buyers and wholesalers on the list we gave them,” says Reuter.“They were very organized and finished right on schedule.I’d certainly recommend Foundation Marketing Group to anyone who needs to contact a certain number of people within certain timeframe.” RES plans to continue outsourcing attendee telemarketing to Foundation Marketing Group, according to Reuter.“I know we did all the right things in past two years, and working with Foundation Marketing Group was one of those right things.”