Marketing Showcase 2010
Innovation, Integration and Education!
The BDTA has become recognised by the dental team, trade and press for producing eye catching, award winning marketing campaigns for BDTA Dental Showcase and this is perceived as a vital part of the formula for a successful event.
From crocodiles and plover birds, to magic rabbits and treasure islands, the BDTA has injected fun and excitement to the promotion of what is essentially the UK’s largest, annual dental exhibition. The dental team has responded by registering in advance in their thousands for tickets to the event, the exhibitors have incorporated elements of the various themes into their marketing and stand activities and the press have willingly featured editorial and themed imagery in their range of publications.- 80% of visitors enjoyed the Showcase 2009 campaign (BDTA, 2009), with comments such as ‘It’s happy, it’s bright, it’s breezy’ (Dentist) and ‘I like the theme and the parrot’ (Dentist) being given (DJS Research, 2009).
- 87% of visitors stated that the publicity campaign provided all the information needed (BDTA, 2009).
- Some visitors commented that the advertising campaign should be more informative and provide details of the CPD opportunities and seminars available (DJS Research, 2009).
Having developed a winning formula for promoting Showcase it seems sensible to continue along the same lines but we have to be mindful of the need to keep up to date with changes in the profession. Registration has placed new demands on the dental team and it is important that we demonstrate how Showcase can play a role in meeting those demands. The emphasis will be on three key points, namely innovation, education and integration. The challenge is to ensure that we keep the elements that the visitors enjoy about Showcase marketing and harmonise them with the key points that want to promote.
How times have changed
Compulsory CPD introduced for dentists in 2002, followed by statutory registration and thus compulsory CPD for DCPs in 2008, has encouraged the whole dental team to focus on education and personal development to a greater extent. There is a new thirst for knowledge and a hunger for new techniques and treatments which has made the industry forward looking and responsive. Research conducted at BDTA Dental Showcase 2009 revealed that almost half of visitors come to ‘see what’s new’ (DJS Research, 2009). Keeping up to date with innovations is made easy at an exhibition as companies proudly demonstrate how the product in which they have invested thousands, can save the user time and money or improve the quality of the service offered. What’s more, several new products can be compared all under one roof making it convenient for the customer.
The New Contract introduced in 2006 was one of the most radical changes to the provision of dentistry in the UK since the launch of the NHS in 1948. Business pressure on the NHS forced dentists to think carefully about purchasing decisions and buying the most cost effective products which at the same time would allow them to optimise the type of work performed. There was a shift towards private dentistry and with it a demand for higher end materials and changes in the type and quantity of products demanded. When the dental team were asked where the highest value and volume of purchases were made, an overwhelming majority said Showcase (DJS Research, 2009). Visitors to Showcase stated that they like to feel items, watch demonstrations and compare alternative suppliers before purchasing and these are all features of a dental exhibition which are not present through catalogue or internet purchasing.
The economic downturn looks set to continue into 2010 which means there is a need not only for the dental team to deliver more value to the end user but also for the trade to deliver more value to the dental team to encourage them to take a day out of the practice or laboratory to attend events. A significant proportion of the dental team attend Showcase to ‘broaden their knowledge’ (DJS Research, 2009). This tends to be a key motivator particularly for DCPs but nevertheless, the importance of the educational aspects of the event whether it is the hands-on, interactive learning which takes place while walking around the hall talking to sales representatives or the more formal learning which takes place in the seminars.
Over the last two or three years the focus on the business of dentistry has come to the fore, with business training being offered to the team in abundance and more column inches dedicated to this in the dental press. Dentists and laboratory owners in particular are more aware of the need to understand basic business practices in order to operate effectively, remain competitive and offer a better service to their customers. The industry has recognised that patient satisfaction is more difficult to achieve as they become increasingly knowledgeable and demanding but is essential for sustaining business in the long-term.
The GDC and professional associations have been actively promoting the team approach and the fact that collaboration creates a stronger, more efficient industry over recent years. This looks set to continue as the professional associations, namely the DPA to date, open up their membership to encapsulate other members of the dental team. Another reason for the dental team attending Showcase, and one not to be underestimated, is the teambuilding which transpires when the practice or laboratory closes for the day and the team attend the event together. The social aspect is enjoyed and it encourages everyone to get involved and influence the developments materialising in their place of work.
Why the change of emphasis?
The growth in visitor numbers in recent years is a clear reflection of the growing awareness amongst dental professionals of the need to broaden their knowledge. This, in turn, creates challenges for the exhibitors who have a responsibility to get appropriate returns on their investment in Showcase. The BDTA has to target its marketing campaign to ensure that both visitors and exhibitors meet their expectations. It is true that audiences have been growing but it is important to keep in mind that sales have to grow in the same way. The marketing campaign will be focussed on attracting not just those who are keen to learn but also the key team members who are keen to buy.
The BDTA will spend the coming months explaining to them that Showcase is an essential part of the dental calendar and provides an experience which addresses the issues in their everyday working lives. The campaign will revolve around the three key words Innovation, Education and Integration, which summarise what can be gained from a trip the Showcase. They emphasise the need for the dental team to keep up to date with products, services and business practices to deliver customer satisfaction, to gain valuable knowledge through a combination of hands-on and formal learning and to incorporate what they have learned into the practice to develop dentistry for the future. It is this last essential step that has inspired the campaign for Showcase 2010.
Most musical instruments can produce pleasing results in the hands of a gifted player but the real impact comes when several play together in harmony. This simple message will be the mainstay of the 2010 campaign which will feature an array of instruments and use the musical theme to promote the benefits of a trip to Showcase.
You will see a reduction in the gimmicks used to promote the event this year, there will not be a mascot or even a YouTube video but instead there will be an emphasis on the educational aspects of Showcase and the fact it provides the whole team with an opportunity to keep up to date with the innovations in dentistry – the aspects which are most important to them. With a transition towards the business aspects of dentistry, a more informative advertising campaign which highlights the benefits to the entire practice or laboratory of attending the event was deemed appropriate and relevant. The marketing campaign will remain integrated and continue to use a combination of direct mail, advertising, editorial, online and e-marketing activity and we anticipate that the industry will be as supportive of this new, streamlined approach as the past campaigns.
So, in summary, this year’s campaign will stress the importance and value of Showcase to the whole dental team but keep some of the fun that is a characteristic of the show. It will concentrate on attracting the right audience to ensure that both visitors and exhibitors get the maximum value from attending Showcase 2010.
References:
BDTA (2009) Visitor feedback submitted post event via an online questionnaire system
DJS Research (2009) Independent visitor research conducted at BDTA Dental Showcase 2009 via self completion questionnaires and focus groups
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