From time to time we’ll hear from a supplier that ECRM Sessions are too expensive when compared to traditional trade shows. In this blog post, we’re going to prove to you that this is not the case. In fact, we’re going to show you that ECRM Sessions truly deliver the best value when it comes to your investment of time and money spent and – most importantly – in the results you get in terms of dedicated time in front of relevant buyers.

Of course, when you do a simple comparison of the price of a Session vs. the price of a trade show booth registration, our listed price versus theirs, the price tag on our Session page is higher. We can’t argue with that. But if you look below the surface, and take into consideration all that is included with the ECRM registration, all of the time, effort and costs saved not having to pay for your room and meals, elaborate trade show booths, or marketing, and the fact that you are getting guaranteed facetime with the right buyers, you realize that in the end, it’s ECRM that is the real bargain. 

It’s all about ROI, folks.

An all-inclusive, turnkey experience

What is often overlooked is the fact that with traditional trade shows, suppliers must completely fend for themselves before, during and after each event. They have to arrange and pay for their own hotel rooms and meals, buy an expensive, elaborate booth setup to attract buyers, and pay for and coordinate freight with a third party vendor (and we all know what a hassle that can be sometimes!). 

On top of this, they need to engage in extensive marketing campaigns and outreach for the mere possibility of a buyer stopping by their booth for a distracted two-minute conversation – and the buyer is often not even the right person for their category! There are no guaranteed meetings at traditional trade shows.

ECRM flips this paradigm on its head, providing a turnkey experience that eliminates busywork and frustration for suppliers and guarantees private, prescheduled face-to-face meetings with the right buyers in a distraction-free environment. We give you advance notice of the buyers with whom you will be meeting and we share details on their goals and objectives for the Session. On top of this, we provide online tools to help you prepare for and follow up from each meeting. So not only are we bringing the buyers directly to you, but we are arming you with the information and resources you need to squeeze every ounce of value from your time with us.

Plus, since suppliers lodge at the Session hotel, there are tons of networking opportunities before, during and after your scheduled meetings, giving you two to three days of solid engagement with the right buyers (For those of you not familiar with us, here’s an overview of the ECRM Session experience). 

What’s included with your registration

Following is a breakdown of everything that comes with a supplier registration at an ECRM Session. As you will see, it’s a lot!

Hotel accommodation

All supplier registrations include your sleeping rooms for the duration of the Session – from setup day through your last meeting. 

Meeting spaces

Your dedicated buyer meeting space includes either a tabletop (for Discovery Hub participants), a 10’ x 10’ booth (for Innovation Pipeline Participants) or a sleeping room with the bed removed and meeting and display tables added (for Planning Session registrants). Click here to see what each type of space looks like.

Meals

Sessions also include meals. Breakfast and lunch each day, as well as cocktail receptions and a big dinner function, which typically includes live entertainment, complimentary chair massages (to ease tired muscles after a long day of buyer meetings). Occasionally we’ll have dinner off site at a top restaurant or fun location like TopGolf, PinStripes and Howl at the Moon.

Freight

Since ECRM literally brings the buyers directly to your meeting space, there is no need to build an elaborate and expensive booth, or to deal with the hassle and costs associated with shipping it. With ECRM Sessions, your meeting space can be as fancy or simple as you like (Mekor Corp.’s Sapan Nainani, for example, has grown his business 10X over 21 sessions, and he always chooses the Innovation Pipeline registration with simple signage and his products laid out on the display tables). All you have to do is send your product samples and setup materials to the hotel, and they will be waiting for you in your meeting space when you arrive!

Super High-Touch Service

All suppliers get a dedicated Client Success Manager that they can call or email anytime. The CSM will get them up to speed on all of the prep and follow up tools on the ECRM Portal and share best practices on how to get the most out of their experience with us. At the Session, ECRM team members are everywhere, and each meeting area has dedicated staff who are on-hand at all times to guide you and address any issues. 

What’s not included - extra fees and hassle

Indeed, the only thing that is not included in your ECRM Session registration is the added hassle and costs of doing everything on your own. We find the relevant buyers, we set up your meeting schedule (and ensure that every meeting takes place), we provide your meeting space, help you prep for the meetings and give you some awesome tools to help you follow up from your meetings and a dedicated customer service representative.

All you have to do is focus on what’s most important – your buyer meetings and networking. 

And if you want to do a dollar-for-dollar comparison, we’ve made it easy for you. Just check out the chart below and you’ll see that, when you take into consideration the added costs, even on a pure dollar-for-dollar comparison, ECRM Sessions are the best value!

To see our full lineup of category-specific Sessions, click here.