Section 5: Sales

Free searches

• Google is often an excellent first place to start although sometimes it can be difficult to identify the right events just through a Google search. You need to consider what you are looking for using the best search terms such as your sector strengths and key words relating to it.
• University: Connect with your university conference or research teams and your ambassadors to see which events they have attended elsewhere, what research projects are coming up and use them as a basis to search for new opportunities.
• Specific websites: Information about conferences can also be found at internationalconferencealerts.com where you can search by several categories and sub-categories.
• Industry Reports: Mining data from industry reports, LinkedIn groups, and CRM systems can help pinpoint prospects that align with the destination’s strengths.
• Trade Press: Other useful sources of information can be reading domestic and international trade press and association e-newsletters. 

Purchasing databases 

Databases containing information about conferences and events can be purchased through membership of groups like ICCA. The ICCA database is vast and incredibly detailed with practical information on the requirements of the association as well as often including business exchange information which is where a destination who has previously hosted the event provides inside information about the meeting.

Additionally, data can be sourced through specialised organisations and tools that focus on curated lists and targeted approaches. Using such data effectively can lead to improved engagement and a higher return on investment when marketing or bidding for events. Here are two examples of agencies who sell databases of event organisers: 

Target response

• Overview: Target Response is a service specialising in curated data lists tailored to the events industry. It allows organisations to purchase highly specific data sets, such as event agencies, personal assistants or associations.
• Use Case: Destinations can purchase a list of event managers from UK based associations which can then further be assessed and broken down to focus on key sectors of interest.
• Benefits:
  • Access to niche, verified data.
  • Enhanced ROI through precise targeting.

Moneypennies

• Overview: Moneypennies is another resource that provides tailored data solutions particularly focusing on association, corporate, and agency contacts.
• Use Case: Using Moneypennies to gain insights into decision-makers within key sectors such as finance, healthcare, and technology, ensuring marketing efforts reach the right audience.
• Benefits:
  • Access to verified, high-quality contacts.
  • Increased efficiency in audience engagement.

Using media partnerships for advertorial and database outreach

Collaborating with industry-specific media outlets allows destinations to leverage established platforms for advertorial campaigns that align with the audience’s interests. These partnerships can include advertorial content such as feature articles, case studies, or success stories showcasing the event’s value.

Additionally, media partners often have access to highly segmented databases, which can be used for email campaigns to reach their engaged audience. Instead of relying on cold data purchases, using a trusted partner’s database ensures higher engagement rates and credibility. This approach combines the impact of personalised email outreach with the visibility and authority of well-respected media channels, driving better results and fostering stronger connections with the target market.

Examples could be to work with Conference News or Meetings and Incentive Travel in the UK to target their readers. Sign up to their newsletters to see what the competition are talking to their readers about. Usually there will be a paid-for feature from a destination in each newsletter and this is an opportunity for you to promote your destination to a wider audience.

Domestic trade shows

Essentials

Your destination can focus on domestic business events by participating as an exhibitor on someone else’s stand, such as a recognised industry body like MIA (Meetings Industry Association) or Delegate Wranglers. This cost-effective approach allows you to gain exposure within established networks while benefiting from shared resources and the credibility of the host organisation. It’s an ideal starting point for showcasing your destination’s value proposition with minimal investment.

Established

You will invest in your own branded shell scheme stand, possibly in collaboration with local partners such as hotels, venues, or service providers. This option provides a dedicated space to present your destination’s offerings while still being budget-conscious. By joining forces with partners, you will enhance your stand’s appeal, increase networking opportunities, and showcase the ecosystem of support available for domestic business events within your destination.

Advanced

You will be creating a bespoke, custom-built stand in partnership with key stakeholders from your destination. This high-impact approach allows you to design an immersive and visually striking experience that reflects your destination’s unique strengths and capabilities. By incorporating interactive elements, digital showcases, and personalised engagement opportunities, you will position your destination as a leader in the domestic business events market, leaving a lasting impression on attendees.

International trade shows

Generally, international trade shows will be an important route to the international market for advanced and established destinations. If you are considering the international market it could be a good idea to attend one of the trade shows without exhibiting to understand if it is suitable for your destination. 

Essentials

For destinations looking to tap into the international business events market, the first step approach involves exhibiting under a larger, country-level stand, such as VisitEngland. By paying for a dedicated space on this collective stand, you can showcase your destination’s offerings while benefiting from the broader visibility and support of the national brand. 

This is a cost-effective way to gain exposure and network with international buyers without taking on the responsibility of hosting your own stand. You can also benefit from the wrap-around activity organised and delivered by MeetEngland who provide additional opportunities to meet with and present to a range of event organisers.

Advanced

Whilst you will still most likely be exhibiting with MeetEngland to take advantage of the benefits of the national brand identity and client engagement activities, here you’ll go beyond simply exhibiting by securing speaker opportunities for your destination representatives. Signing up for notifications when speaking slots become available ensures you can proactively position your destination as a thought leader in the international market. 

On your stand, you can enhance engagement by hosting activities designed to attract buyers, such as on-stand promotions or giveaways. To further strengthen connections, create a targeted CRM tag to invite key buyers to exclusive events like a drinks reception on your stand or a hosted dinner/breakfast for your invited guests. Additionally, consider working with industry partners to deliver post show educational visits for potential clients. 

ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Business Exchanges

These events are organised by ICCA and focus on providing face-to-face business opportunities for venues and suppliers to connect with international association event planners.

M&IT (Meetings & Incentives Travel)

A UK-based industry event for meeting planners, showcasing the latest destinations and suppliers. M&IT also runs awards and networking activities, although the specific event details may vary year to year.

Northstar Incentive Summit

This event targets the incentive travel market, bringing together suppliers, meeting planners, and incentive professionals to explore new solutions, network, and learn about industry trends. 

These trade shows and industry events offer valuable opportunities for destinations to build connections, showcase offerings, and learn from other leaders in the MICE sector. For more information about these events and how to participate, you may need to visit the individual event’s websites or consult the relevant organising bodies.

M&I Forums, The Meeting Space, and MICEBOOK

These platforms provide practical support for professionals in the meetings and events industry. M&I Forums facilitate one-to-one meetings between event organisers and suppliers in key destinations. The Meeting Space focuses on connecting buyers and suppliers in the MICE sector through structured networking. MICEBOOK is an online directory offering supplier details, industry updates, and tools for event planning as well as a series of events. 

These resources help organisers connect with the right partners and access relevant information efficiently. MICEBOOK also organise MICEBOOK Expo which provides is a high-quality educational and workshop event attended by UK agencies and corporates.

When bidding for business events, you need to approach the process strategically to increase the chances of success. Incorporating ambassadors, industry leaders, academics, and community figures into the process can significantly enhance the credibility and appeal of a destination’s bid. Before preparing your bid, read the RFP (request for proposal) carefully — some require you to follow a specific format or word count; others are more flexible. If they ask for specific sections in a certain order be sure to follow the requirements.

1. Researching and identifying leads

The first step in the bidding process is identifying the right events to target. This involves thorough research into upcoming conferences, conventions, and industry events. You might use key tools like:

• Industry-specific databases (for example, ICCA) for leads on associations and major conferences.
• Networking with event organisers, industry leaders, and through academic partnerships to learn about future events.
• Engaging with ambassadors early in the process is crucial. Ambassadors can help identify the most relevant events, leveraging their networks and insights. For example, if your destination has strengths in technology or life sciences, reaching out to local experts in these sectors can help pinpoint which events would be the best fit.
• Research key associations, identifying if any academic or sectoral leads from the destination are active members, especially if they hold influential roles such as board memberships. This can help in leveraging their connections and influence for event bids.

When reviewing the RFP you will also need to establish the financial ask from the association. What are their expectations from the destination or the venue? Are they expecting the venue hire to be free of charge or complementary site visits after shortlisting? Ensure that you have relevant funds in place before preparing and submitting your bid to avoid any embarrassing situations where you may have to retract your offer. Your ambassador’s institution, for example, university might be willing to offer some funding so be sure to check all avenues before proceeding. 

You may also be required to attend the conference to present your bid or pay for the board to come to your destination on a site visit. All costs need to be accounted for in advance.

2. Bid proposals and tailoring the bid

Once you’ve identified a potential event, you might begin preparing a tailored bid proposal. It’s crucial to address the specific needs and expectations of the event organisers. You might want to focus on:

• Highlighting your destination’s strengths, such as accessibility, infrastructure, and any sector-specific advantages.
• Showcasing local venues and accommodation options, pointing out any unique selling points, such as sustainability initiatives, cutting-edge technology, or distinctive local experiences.
• Incorporating endorsements or support from local ambassadors who can speak to the destination’s capacity and its relevance to the specific industry or event. Personalise your bid to show the people who are behind it and who can offer the support required at a local level.
• Offering value-added incentives, such as local experiences, customised networking opportunities, or enhanced event services.
• Focus on impact. Tailor your proposal to show how hosting the event at your destination will meet and exceed the association’s mission. Collaborate with a wide-ranging Local Organising Committee (LOC) and stakeholders to demonstrate how your city’s resources, expertise, and community align with the association’s goals — whether advancing research, fostering global collaboration, or driving societal impact.
• Leverage local expertise. Showcase the destination’s intellectual capital, sector specialisms, and past successes in hosting similar events to build confidence in your ability to deliver a successful event.
• Customise the value proposition. Emphasise the unique benefits of your destination, such as accessibility, variety of venues, sustainability credentials, and cultural appeal, ensuring the proposal directly addresses the association’s priorities.
• Make it easy. Show how easy it is to reduce their event’s carbon footprint in your destination. What tools can you offer to support them in this?

A tailored, impactful bid demonstrates a deep understanding of the association’s objectives while highlighting the destination’s strengths, increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.

3. Checklist for a successful bid proposal

When preparing your bid, you might want to use a checklist to ensure you cover all necessary elements. This list is not exhaustive but covers the major elements usually required in bids:

• Detailed event requirements (space, accommodation, transport, etc.).
• Proposed dates and calendar fit.
• Information on the destination’s infrastructure (conference venues, hotels, transport).
• Sustainability credentials.
• Legacy and impact opportunities.
• In-depth profile on your destination’s sector strengths (relating to the conference sector/theme) demonstrating your leadership in this field.
• Track record of similar events in your destination.
• Support from local stakeholders (city government, tourism organisations, hotels) e.g could be letters of support.
• Cost structure (including subsidies or incentives, if available).
• A personalised message highlighting why your destination is the best fit for the event.
• Endorsements from ambassadors to strengthen your credibility.
• Letters of support from government leaders at a national level.
• Executive summary including the key USPs.
• Images (and/or video) to enhance the bid.

4. Building partnerships: CVB and PCO relationships

Partnerships are often a key part of the bidding process. You might want to collaborate with PCOs who specialise in managing large association events. It’s important to clarify the nature of your partnership:

• Core PCO for the client: Some clients may already have a preferred PCO. In this case, you would need to work closely with the PCO to ensure the destination meets their needs.
• Local PCO for post-win collaboration: If the bid is successful, you might partner with a local PCO to help execute the event. This relationship is essential to ensure the CVB’s promises are met.
• Association Management Companies (AMCs): For certain events, particularly those hosted by associations, you may also collaborate with an AMC, which represents the association’s interests. Building strong ties with AMCs can help attract long-term events.

Remember if you are expecting to earn commission from your venues and hotels if you are successful in winning your bid then you will need to ensure you have that conversation with the PCO at the outset. The PCO may still require your support but may also expect to receive all of the commission due so it is essential to agree on the terms of your working relationship from the start to avoid confusion further down the line. It’s also important to ensure that your venues and hotels understand who the commission is to be paid to and at what rate. 

5. Subvention

Subvention is a financial or in-kind subsidy used to help secure events of all types to a destination. Sometimes they are explicitly requested in a conference RFP (request for proposal), for example, the Association expects the conference venue to be provided free of charge by the city. Sometimes it is not requested at all, but destinations may offer something anyway in order to try and give them the edge to win the conference. 

Not all destinations have access to a subvention pot of money, however many will offer added value services or discounts via partner organisations. 

• Specific payment directly in cash to the association.
• Complimentary venue hire (paid for by the destination).
• Flights/hotels paid for speakers or board members.
• Gala Dinner hosted by the city.
• Speaker provided by the city, for example, Mayor.
• Transport to and from the airport.
• Transport around the city (or to / from the convention centre).
• Site visit costs (flights / hotels / subsistence).
• Entertainment (for example, local band or performance).
• Hosted lunch or other event during the conference.
• Local experience, for example, ferry trip / walking tours / museum entry.
• Additional marketing support to promote the event.

Having a subvention pot does not necessarily guarantee that you will be successful in securing a particular event as there are many factors that go into making a decision on where to host a conference. However, you should be aware that you may be competing against other destinations globally who do have access to these types of funding pots so you will need to make sure your bid is as compelling as possible.

6. Presenting the BID

When presenting your bid, you might want to ensure that event organisers are fully engaged and see your destination as the ideal choice. Consider these steps:

• Personalise presentations: Directly address the event’s needs and demonstrate how your destination can meet them.
• Use of digital media: Presenting the bid through interactive presentations or virtual tours of the venues can help bring the destination to life.
• Engaging ambassadors: Including ambassadors in the bid presentation can make a significant impact. Their industry influence and first-hand experience can add credibility to your destination. The ambassador should also lobby for support from within the association particularly where decision is made through a vote by the members.
• Clear timelines and next steps: Ensure your bid outlines a clear, actionable plan for what happens after the event is won, including logistical details and timelines.

Advanced bidding skills

• Bespoke, well-designed bids — you may look to invest in specialist software and design experts to craft a unique look and feel to your bid. It may not be essential for every conference you are bidding for but a possible option for high-value, high-impact conferences.
• Organise regular feedback from your venues and hotels (and even previous clients and ambassadors) to provide honest comments on your bid documents. This way you can continuously improve and keep ahead of the competition. It will keep your document relevant and engaging.
• Develop partnerships with local PCOs so that you can create joined-up bids for future conferences leveraging their expertise to help win more business for your destination.
• Create personalised welcome / promotional videos from your destination’s mayor or city leaders with a succinct and clear message to show how hosting their event in your destination will help them in their mission.

Roles and responsibilities

Creating a bid represents a significant investment in time and resources so you need to use this wisely. 

• Who do you want / need around the table and contributing to this bid? You may want to consider creating a task group / local organising committee to support the bid creation.
• Nominate a decision maker who makes the final decision on inclusions / content for the bid — particularly useful when you have conflicting views from a group of what should included or how something should be worded.
• Ensure everyone has a role and is clear on deadlines, expectations and their input.

Handling destination enquiries is all about being quick, clear, and helpful. Start by responding promptly and gathering the basics: what type of event it is, the dates, number of attendees, and any specific needs. Ask the right questions to get a good idea of what the client is looking for — whether they’re a corporate group or an association — and if they have particular priorities like sustainability or unique venues.

Use this to suggest solutions that match their needs, highlighting what makes your destination a great choice. Share a proposal that’s easy to adjust for different events and includes clear, straightforward pricing. Once the proposal is sent, follow up to answer questions, tweak details, and reassure the client. Focus on the benefits of your destination and offer a little extra incentive to help seal the deal.

Keep track of enquiries and have a process in place for managing them:

• 24hr / 48hr response time.
• Automated responses.
• Generic email address for incoming enquiries.
• Phone number — would you want or need one?
• Enquiry form — complete online.
• Keep CRM updated / excel file and track your incoming enquiries and responses.
• Create an proposal template that can easily be adapted to turn around responses quickly and professionally.

Example proposal template