Each year, the Quebec Produce Marketing Association organizes a three-day conference with an average of 500 delegates. Intended for the organization’s members and partners, the event also welcomes government officials and journalists. This is the largest gathering of delegates from the fresh fruit and vegetable industry in Quebec, and its participants have trusted Happening’s team for more than 16 years to support them in this mandate.
A Multifaceted Congress
The objective of this gathering is threefold: to offer training sessions, conferences and knowledge sharing; to provide networking and meeting opportunities; and finally, to complement the experience with social activities, facilitating exchanges and cohesion among participants. One of the challenges is to find the right balance between these three elements.
A New Major Challenge : Partnerships
Over the years, another aspect of the event has become more important: sponsorships. This part of the association’s funding is crucial, the partners are also increasingly demanding, and rightly so. “We had to make a shift with our sponsorship plans to get more sponsors. We had to renew our offer, drop the traditional packages and make personalized sponsorships,” explains Sophie Perreault, President and CEO of the QPMA.
Customized Sponsorships
To succeed, the association relied on Happening, which participated in the development of this new service offer, in the ideation of the different visibility elements, as well as in the realization and implementation of these throughout the congress. “Pascal and his team have been very helpful. It’s a lot of detail management for them and it requires rigour, because you don’t want to forget any sponsor. It’s very demanding, but they deliver the goods well!”
Significant Benefits
The meticulous work of the Happening team has resulted in significant financial benefits for the QPMA, while ensuring increased partner satisfaction. “It really helps us to get more investment. Our sponsors come back year after year, the others notice the exposure they have received. Our customized sponsorships are sold first now!”
A Fun Working Environment
Achieving sponsorship plans, like everything else at the event, is a demanding job, but it is so much easier when it’s done with fun. “It makes a big difference to get there and see that the team has everything under control, says Ms. Perreault. People are smiling, even when they are tired or in a hurry. They work in collaboration with all my team members, and that’s essential. Our delegates recognize them from year to year and are happy to see them again!”
A Relationship Of Trust
The fact that this business relationship continues over time is a guarantee of success. “We save so much time when we already know each other and that we have a winning combination. Happening really helps us to improve the concept. At the end of each event, we are able to have constructive exchanges to identify ways to do even better, explains Ms. Perreault. I have always found important to surround myself with loyal people, with whom I could work in partnership. I like to keep people who work well close!”
