SMC³ Elevates the Industry through Jump Start

How has SMC³ built its solid business and reputation as an industry leader? In part, through its two annual conferences, including Jump Start which takes place every January. Like many other companies, SMC³ uses events as a strategy to drive business and value to the industry. Here’s a highlight of its success in 2017, which earned a TMSA Compass Award last year. The SMC³ 2018 Jump Start Conference just concluded this week, and we’ve already been hearing good reviews! Visit www.SMC3.com for more details.

If you’ve been in the transportation industry for any amount of time, you’re likely aware of SMC³ - an industry leader that is a hub of expertise in the LTL arena. In fact, more than 5,000 North American supply chain companies rely its suite of products.

SMC³ is committed to supporting the transportation industry by creating opportunities for learning, relationship building and the exchange of ideas. Jump Start is one of two educational conferences produced annually by SMC³ as our primary means of providing this support. Increasing attendance at these industry events is among our key corporate objectives annually. 

The Strategy Behind Jump Start 2017 
Promotion of Jump Start 2017 began with a research phase culminating in a detailed marketing plan to align our strategic marketing and event development goals with regard to speaker recruitment, session content, entertainment, networking opportunities and an increased focus on technology trends reflective in our content. This exploratory process resulted in the continuation and expanded development of several campaign strategies:

TARGETS: We set out to increase attendance in two main areas: increasing our return attendee numbers and first-time attendee registrations by building participant loyalty by expanding upon our “Master Attendee” appreciation program and putting more emphasis on our authority has industry experts messaging to attract first time attendees.

TIMING: Our best practices research from 2015-16 and the success therein led us to continue our campaign timeframe to concentrate the majority of our efforts in the period between 14 and 8 weeks out from the conference.

SMC³ designed and executed a layered tactical campaign around transportation technology trends and successfully brought Jump Start 2017 to market through multiple touch points. At the center of the campaign was the event website, with a design reflective of our increased focus on technology, positioning statements and all the latest conference news. Our campaign theme was carried forward in a two-part direct mail campaign consisting of (1) a detailed brochure mailer to introduce the company, event, content and attendee benefits, and (2) a final brochure mailer to previous non-attendees.

These central campaign elements were supported by complementary email, social media, trade advertising , association and member communications campaigns. We reinforced the brand onsite through stage design, signage, attendee materials and branded screen presentations.

The messaging of all marketing measures for the Jump Start 2017 campaign targeted our four main audiences: our LTL, truckload, and international carrier audience is an executive-level group primarily interested in strategic content, industry and economic trends who are attracted to networking opportunities.

Logistics service providers and freight forwarders tend to gravitate toward market indicators, industry and economic trends and are attracted to networking opportunities with both shippers and carriers, domestic and international manufacturers, retailers and distributors who are interested in transportation industry trends, technology developments and attracted to networking opportunities and technology and software providers who produce tools that support these and other supply chain verticals.

The Final Outcome of the Event
Jump Start 2017 actually experienced a 6 percent growth - similar level to prior year - and attracted 150 first-time attendees. The goal for this event initiative was achieved! The company was succesfully able to maintain slight growth of the conference, indicating that our focused marketing efforts to grow the conference while still maintaining a total attendee number attractive to facilitating meaningful networking opportunities was successful.

> Click here to view this full case study, along with many other Compass award-winning best practices. Access to this comprehensive library is available only to TMSA members.