Association Insight International & European Association Insights Spring 2015 | Page 31
Association Success Story | Association Insights
Association Success Story
Project
Re-inventing the European Self Storage Conference
based on a platform of quality venue, content and
sponsorship
Categories
Events, Marketing
Dates
The SSA UK proposed a new strategy to completely
rework the event, investing heavily in quality speakers
and premium venues, working with sponsors and
increasing ticket prices for delegates. This would begin
to be implemented over 2 events as the venue and
some speakers had already been secured for 2013.
There was significant financial risk in this strategy as
funding would need to be committed to investing in the
premium product, with no guarantee delegates would
May 2013 to October 2014
pay a higher ticket price. The SSA UK agreed to take on
Association
the entire financial risk of the event for the next 3 years.
Federation of European Self Storage Associations
Activities
(FEDESSA) and Self Storage Association UK (SSA UK)
Sponsor Involvement – Communication was had with
Members
existing sponsors as to what was important to them;
FEDESSA has 12 member Associations that represent
around 1300 self storage stores across Europe including
the UK
Project team
Rennie Schafer – FEDESSA and SSA UK CEO
Bryony Caswell – SSA UK Membership Services Officer
Tracey Prigmore – SSA UK Administration Officer
they wanted better trade space and more promotion of
the trade show. Major sponsors were actively engaged
in the planning process of the event. During the 2013
conference a meeting was held of suppliers and
exhibitors to explain how the event would change and
get their input. This meeting is now held as a part of the
event every year.
Venue – A venue was sought in an accessible European
City with large and suitable trade space, state of the art
Speaker Corner
plenary rooms and hotel accommodation all under the
Objectives
one roof. The priority was the venue, not the location.
The aim was by 2014 to have 330 people attend the
consideration was given to the size of the local market
event from all over Europe, make a £30k profit and
for delegate attendance. The RaddisonBlu Stockholm
double income from sponsors and trade. Importantly,
Waterfront was chosen as it had the best facilities
the event was to be reviewed by attendees as an
and negotiations then began on securing the best
essential investment in their development and a flagship
price. Pricing was not considered as part of the venue
industry event.
selection, it was purely done on the facilities and service
Introduction
offering.
The conference was declining in attendance and
Speakers – rather than just using industry speakers and
sponsorship. Attendees were viewing it not as a must
free speakers who often promote their own businesses,
attend event, but something to think about attending
investment was made into business speakers from other
every few years. Too much focus had been placed on
industries whose message could transfer to self storage.
reducing cost to the detriment of the quality of the
Industry speakers were also sought from developed
event. The event was re-invented based on a platform
self storage markets outside Europe and a professional
of quality venue, content and sponsorship and then a
moderator was hired for the event. The professional
ticket price set that reflected this.
moderator made a huge difference lifting the whole
Background
Previous “rotation” policies were discarded, however
mood of the event and freeing staff up to deal with
delegates and not have to worry about speakers
After the 2012 Conference, the event had shown
and sessions. Having high profile business speakers
declining attendance for 4 years and had lost money for
enhanced ticket sales and gave the event a huge point
the past 2 years. When attendance began to decline the
of difference to other industry events.
strategy had been to make the event as affordable as
possible, however this had also reduced the quality of
the speakers and venues.
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