CUBO Conference Sheffield Hallam University - June 2011 -------------------------------------------- Terry Billingham CE

1. CUBO Conference Sheffield Hallam University - June 2011 -------------------------------------------- Terry Billingham CEO - Venuemasters

2. TOPICS FOR THE DAY • Company background • Mission Statement • Linking members & buyers • Membership section & services • Promotions section & activities • Administration section for enquiries & finances • Return on investment for members • Questions & Answers

3. COMPANY BACKGROUND Marketing consortium formed in 1981 by 25 academic venues that wanted to generate income by hiring out their facilities during vacation periods • Not for profit organisation owned by the member venues • Each venue nominates one representative for voting purposes • Volunteer Board of Directors elected by member venues • Employs eight full time staff to implement agreed plans • Extensive experience of academic venues and the BLT market Many developments over the years but raising the profile of academic venues & creating a positive impact on members’ business is still the key aim

4. COMPANY MISSION Creating opportunities for member venues to increase revenue and become more successful. This aim will be achieved via a range of: Promotional activities for members Campaign using online / print / direct mail / exhibition / PR activities driving traffic to our websites Enquiry options for event organisers Online form / open text email / phoning our office or members directly Support services for members Professional training / networking events / sharing experience & best practice

5. LINKING MEMBERS & BUYERS Members are involved in many different markets including meetings - group accommodation - budget breaks Promotional activities inform buyers of members’ facilities and availability MEMBER VENUES BUYERS Members receive details of buyers interested in using their facilities

6. MEMBERSHIP SECTION Responsible for membership levels & support services: Currently 85 members (target 90 by end of year) Located across UK plus Ireland (Limerick) and Spain (Barcelona) Annual subscription of £1,000 (reduced from £4,000 in 2009-10) Recruited 17 new members in 2010-11 Organised 8 training & networking events in 2010-11 Over 200 delegates from 60 venues participated Launched members website

7. MEMBERSHIP SERVICES • We organise various training & networking events for members to learn & share best practice: • presentations form a combination of professional trainers, industry experts and volunteer members • annual conference: 3 day event at Nottingham in 2010 attended by over 100 people from c50 venues • Members can access a dedicated website including an online booking option and a discussion board: • promotions • events • podcasts • market research • discussion board • resources

8. PROMOTIONS SECTION Responsible for promoting members’ facilities to buyers: Manage over 100 promotional activities during the year Spend c£200,000 on these activities Over 115,000 visitors to all our websites Over 100 articles in trade press during the year Over 40 universities exhibited at the 2011 AVS Annual ‘venue guide’ and ‘magazine’ in print & digital format Over 11,000 ‘registered’ buyers on our database

9. PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITES • Aim is to drive traffic to our websites so buyers can access details about venues and make an enquiry: • venuemasters.co.uk • meetingvenuesuk.com • groupstayuk.com • budgetstayuk.com • plus AVS and regional websites • Aim of the Academic Venue Show is to provide an opportunity for members to meet buyers face-to-face: • 45 member venues exhibited • 325 buyers attended during 6 hours open • stands took an average of 33 contact details • 94% exhibitors rated event as good or excellent • 94% exhibitors stated they would book for 2012

10. ADMINISTRATION SECTION Responsible for processing enquiries and managing finances: Around 900 enquiries received in the office during the year Data input & initial search & circulation to members Phone and email follow up with all enquirers Issue quarterly summary of enquiries to each member Manage all VM finances Provide ‘financial administration’ to CUBO Provide ‘financial administration’ to CUBO/UUK and BACHE

11. RETURN FOR MEMBERS University of Leeds (May 2011): ‘Venuemasters delivered the goods with an enquiry from the British Youth Council. The booking is great for the university’s outreach programme and great business worth c£80,000’ University of Manchester (June 2011): ‘We’ve secured more than £200,000 worth of business over the last 15 months from Venuemasters enquiries - including a language school booking taken at the Academic Venue Show’ Jane James, Sales and Marketing Executive at The University of Manchester, commented that “Membership of Venuemasters is particularly valuable to us as they are dedicated to the promotion of academic venues which has helped to increase our profile as a venue for events and generate new business - being able to attend the annual Academic Venue Show has paid rich dividends for our membership alone! The other promotional opportunities, networking and training events they organise give added value to our membership fee. With our marketing budget being stretched each year, it is very important that our membership organisations are working hard for us and we are confident that Venuemasters are.”

12. FOR MORE INFORMATION Thanks for your time Will answer any questions now or you can use the following contact details Web: www.venuemasters.co.uk Email: terry@venuemasters.co.uk Phone: 0114 249 3090