CPD Seminars, every hour, throughout all five days at Interbuild... The RIBA CPD Providers Network exists to provide quality, assessed, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), in all its forms, for architects and other construction professionals. Manufactures and suppliers from practically every sector of the construction industry are now represented on this highly respected Network. Throughout Interbuild week, at the NEC in Birmingham, RIBA took the unprecedented step of offering its members the chance to gain CPD points during the exhibition itself. It was agreed that a series of hour - long seminars would run for all five days of the exhibition, 56 sessions in total. Achieving two prime objectives was critical to the overall success of the event. First of all, members of the RIBA CPD Providers Network needed to be informed about the availability of the sessions and commit to providing accredited presentations at pre-determined times throughout the week. Once these 'slots' were confirmed and the seminar topics established, there was then the little matter of ensuring that RIBA members were made aware of the seminars and encouraged to attend. Preferably through pre-booking, but also on a 'walk-in' basis during the exhibition. Involving a lot of companies and a lot of delegates... Our considered view was that direct mail had to be the correct medium, with the activity to be carried out in two phases. The first phase consisted of an A4; four page; four colour mailer, which we produced and distributed to all of the 450 registered Network Providers. The purpose of the programme was explained on the front cover and the inside spread consisted of a timetable for the week, with a code representing each available session. The back of the mailer was designed as a dedicated faxback, allowing the Network Provider, on a first come, first served basis, to select which of the available session(s) they would like to book. As soon as the Providers had made their commitment to all of the sessions, we pressed ahead with the second - phase mailer - 6,500 being sent to CPD co-ordinators (incorporating Specifiers, Facilities Managers and Surveyors) and 25,000 placed as an insert in Building Magazine. Similar in concept to the first mailer, the front cover explained the benefits of the scheme, whilst the inside spread on this occasion carried a fully printed programme for the week. Again, each session was coded and using the dedicated faxback, the attendee was able to make the chosen booking(s). The Creative Department was responsible for the entire co-ordination and administration of the programme, both prior to the exhibition and during Interbuild week itself. In addition, on behalf of RIBA CPD, we also designed and hosted a dedicated website - www.ribacpd-at-interbuild.com - which allowed delegates the option to book their places online. An automated response system confirmed the booking arrangements, regardless of whether delegates had booked online, or by faxback. Successfully... The high-profile activity proved to be a huge success for the RIBA CPD Providers Network. In response to the first phase mailing, all peak time slots were taken within four hours and the remainder within five working days. The second phase, the RIBA members mailer, generated a high percentage of pre-bookings, with any remaining places being taken up as 'walk-ins' during the exhibition. To enquire further about this case study please go to our enquiry form.