How to Attract More U.S. Surgeons to YOUR Exhibit

Transcription

1 Present How to Attract More U.S. Surgeons to YOUR Exhibit The latest research on AAOS attendee behaviors and preferences about visiting and getting more from the technical exhibits Participant Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, you will... 1) Present information to help exhibitors better understand AAOS Annual Meeting attendee perspectives and behaviors. 2) Share relevant findings from three sources: 3) 2010 Annual Meeting Attendee Survey 4) 2010 Annual Meeting Exhibit Booth Evaluation program 5) U.S. Surgeons Technical Exhibits Survey - November ) Provide suggestions and direction on how to attract more surgeons to your exhibit. 1

2 1. Spending fewer days at shows How Tradeshow Attendee Behaviors Have Changed 2. Sending personnel 3. Under more to justify the time and cost to attend 4. their agenda 5. Visiting exhibit booths on average 6. of exhibit booth visits are preplanned Why Surgeons Attend the AAOS Annual Meeting 1. Update current clinical skills 85% 2. Learn clinical skills 68% 3. Earn CME credits 65% 4. Visit exhibits 60% 5. on non-surgical issues 53% 1. To see products Top Five Reasons Survey Respondents Visit Technical Exhibits 2. Evaluate and products 3. Education 4. Visit specific exhibitors 5. Find to specific problems 2

3 How Much Time They Spend in the Exhibit Hall by Day Wednesday hours Thursday hours Friday - hours Total 5.27 hours Exhibit Hall Traffic and Peak Times Total medical attendance was at 14,502 Exhibit hall traffic for all three days totaled 78,547 visits Peak exhibit hall traffic times: o first hour exhibits were open (9 10 AM) o unopposed exhibit time (12:30 1:30 PM) o afternoon beverage breaks (3:30 4 PM) Wednesday received the most traffic with 34,047 attendees and Friday received the lightest traffic with 18,052 attendees. These numbers include attendees making multiple visits to the exhibit hall. Satisfaction with Elements of the AAOS Annual Meeting 1. Instructional Courses 63.9% 2. CE Credits 61.5% 3. Symposia 55.3% 4. Podium & Poster Presentations 39.5% 5. Technical Exhibits % 3

4 Top Methods of Pre-determining Which Exhibitors They Visit 1. Current customer of exhibitor/company 2. Invitation from exhibitor/company 3. Recommendation from colleague 4. AAOS Exhibitor Directory and pull-out exhibit floor plan 5. Mail received at office prior regarding company/product 6. Advertisement in professional journals/publication 7. Contact from company representatives prior to meeting 8. AAOS online exhibitor listing and floor plan Research on What Would Make Them Want to Spend More Time in the Exhibit Hall 1. Have friendly booth staff that are not too aggressive 2. Take a moment to find out what my needs are relative to your products before presenting 3. Provide more demonstrations opportunities 4. Provide more electronic presentations/demonstrations 5. Offer more FREE educational resources 6. Add an additional hour of unopposed exhibit time in the morning and/or afternoon 4

5 Comments on What Would Make Them Want to Spend More Time in the Exhibit Hall Ability to work with presentation on a one to one basis. Actual hands on use of the products, like sawbones or something like that - More hands on displays to get familiar with the equipment - More hands on stations - More life-like and hands on exhibits - Oneon-one with rep and hands on. Be less aggressive - Less sales pitch and more info of products without pressure to buy - Stop annoying me with a hard sales pitch when I say I'm not interested Be more spread out and have several sets of demonstration instruments so several people could see them at a time. Better and more literature and documentation Concentrate on why their product adds more value for the patient than similar ones.( and be factual with peer reviewed data) - in depth outcome evidence - More peer reviewed literature supporting products - More comparisons with other materials, implants etc Consolidate areas more - Room for easy access to their exhibit Easier to get info on various products/instruments without getting a sales pitch Give individual videos of exhibits for take home review or computer access Have fewer representatives "hanging around" doing nothing - Have more reps on floor to demonstrate products Have more talks by consultant physicians and post the schedule of the talks. - Talks by well known surgeons Be more attentive to my needs when I am standing there waiting to get some help. I have been ignored and not helped when wanting to view new products More comfortable places to sit while listening - Have coffee - More sitting area within the larger exhibits. More focus, fewer products - More focused demos//they have too much STUFF to sell Show more interest in helping me learn new techniques and helping with my practice. Show new products View the Inside the Mind of the Orthopaedic Surgeon Web-Panel Discussion at 5

6 Comments from What Made An Exhibitor Stand Out From the Crowd A good striking sign Television monitors to project different techniques in orthopedic surgery A well organized exhibit where a specific entity is covered Seating available to allow visitors to sit down with representatives A new idea or tech - Always have new and interesting technology Friendly reps willing to show/explain products Educational component Good interactive demonstrations and talks by consultant physicians Large, attractive exhibit with a good variety of products New Product exhibits Good techniques with a variety of teaching of what is new Sufficient space between the exhibitor's sections. Animated demos -- they are so much easier to see & understand Their educational approach and completeness of the product line available. Being able to use the product What Exhibitors Can Do to Attract More Surgeons to Their Exhibit 1. Use media to market your exhibit before and at the meeting 2. Encourage to recommend and bring others to visit your exhibit 3. Offer interactive, educational experiences 4. Emphasize products and procedures 5. Make it easy to your booth 6. Have right number of available staff to engage visitors 6

7 Recommendations from the 2010 Exhibit Booth Evaluation Program Make sure your exhibit is to enter and exit Have clear identification of what displayed & where Have staff available to greet, guide and help visitors Provide accessible, comfortable interaction and educational areas with seating and beverages Offer presentations and details Make demonstrations more hands-on and interactive Give access to information through multiple media Provide samples, when applicable From Research to Action Which of these suggestions and research findings will you incorporate to make sure you get more U.S. Surgeons to your exhibit?