Feature of the Quarter
AMA Symposium Travel Folio
The Whelan Group
The Whelan Group had one chance to make an impression as an exhibitor on prospects attending an out-of-state symposium. After receiving the attendee mailing list, The Whelan Group (TWG) implemented an integrated marketing campaign that would connect personally with individual recipients and allow TWG to accurately measure their return on investment.
With the help of The Whitley Printing Company, Whelan created a travel folio, or small folder, that recipients could use for holding travel or other personal documents. Utilizing Variable Data Technology, the folios were designed with personalized print and graphics based on the names and known interests of the recipients. A database of symposium attendees was used to insert a personal greeting for each recipient along with images of where they were staying and the surrounding areas.
Whitley then created personalized URLs for each recipient to visit, where they not only could learn more about The Whelan Group, but also gather more information about local dining spots, shopping, attractions, and activities to enjoy during their stay. Each printed piece was unique. The Whelan Group briefly described their services, told attendees the location of their exhibit booth during the symposium, and encouraged each recipient to visit his or her personal microsite to learn more about what they could see and do during the event.
After mailing the folios to every attendee, a coordinated e-mail and calling campaign was executed driving attendees to their personal URL (PURL), and inviting them to meet with the President of TWG to discuss how they could leverage similar technology in their business. The Whelan Group was able to access a real-time dashboard that informed them of who had visited their PURL, when, and how many times they visited. This information was continuously funneled back into TWG’s marketing effort for the symposium.
The success of the integrated marketing program was overwhelming. As a new company, very few of the symposiums attendees had heard of The Whelan Group prior to this campaign. Fifty-two percent of the symposium attendees visited their personal microsite, took advantage of the information there, and were exposed to the TWG value proposition. As a result of the combined mediums—direct mail, personalized microsites, e-mail and calling—an amazing 9 percent of the attendees have engaged in a conversation about purchasing Whelan products and services.