--- title: "Economic Buyers: The Attendees That Matter Most" id: "15916" type: "post" slug: "economic-buyers-the-attendees-that-matter-most" published_at: "2013-02-14T22:30:25+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:40:41+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/14/economic-buyers-the-attendees-that-matter-most/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/14/economic-buyers-the-attendees-that-matter-most.md" excerpt: "Not all attendees are created equal, so make sure you pinpoint your economic buyers. Also: How a new Florida law, currently on hold, could have given international attendees issues." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "attendees" - "conference strategy" - "Marketing" - "Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Economic Buyers: The Attendees That Matter Most When it comes to your event’s strategy, who are you really targeting? Why it’s important, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Narrow Things Down > Who Is Your Conference Really Attracting? [http://t.co/LzYEmtej (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/LzYEmtej) > via [@JeffHurt (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/JeffHurt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Klover Events (@KloverEvents) [February 14, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/KloverEvents/status/302112626245267456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Who are the people attending your conference?** No, not the ones you invited. Not the vendors. Not the volunteers, either. The ones you should be focused on if you’re going to expand your revenue. Dave Lutz of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting argues that, if you’re going to draw high-quality attendees, [you need to focus on your economic buyers (opens in a new tab)](http://jeffhurtblog.com/2013/02/11/who-your-conference-really-attracting/) . “Having a deep understanding of who they are and the problems they face is the starting point for winning their share of wallet and loyalty,” he explains. “If you are successful in identifying and attracting the right economic buyers, everything else takes care of itself.” *(ht [@KloverEvents (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/KloverEvents/status/302112626245267456) )* ### A Controversial Law, Paused > New [#Florida (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Florida?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > law & requirements for intl. tourists drive could hurt [#tourism (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/tourism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > . [#mpi (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/mpi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#pcma (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/pcma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#asae (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/asae?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventtable (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventtable?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/MIOIQBGZ (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/MIOIQBGZ) > > — FocusForum (@FocusForum) [February 14, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/FocusForum/status/302167441746845696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Are your attendees coming from abroad?** In Florida, international meeting attendees could have faced some problems, particularly if they were looking to drive. The state had recently implemented a law requiring people visiting from abroad, including conference attendees, to get international permits to drive legally. [There was one problem, however (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/florida-won-t-immediately-enforce-international-driver-s-licence-rule-officials-1.1156483) : “It has come to the department’s attention that this requirement may violate the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949), an international treaty to which the United States is a signatory,” the Florida DMV said in a statement regarding the rule’s pause. For now, the law is on hold, but it could come back. *(ht [@FocusForum (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/FocusForum/status/302167441746845696) )* What else is on your mind? Tell us all about it in the comments. [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#attendees](https://associationsnow.com/tag/attendees/) [#conference strategy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/conference-strategy/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [ArticleWhen Less Becomes More: The Case for Strategic Event ConsolidationAugust 20, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/20/when-less-becomes-more-the-case-for-strategic-event-consolidation/) - [VideoASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition Welcome video for attendeesJuly 20, 2016](https://associationsnow.com/2016/07/20/asae-annual-meeting-exposition-welcome-video-for-attendees/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [Video2015 ASAE Annual Meeting — Welcome First TimersJune 16, 2015](https://associationsnow.com/2015/06/16/2015-asae-annual-meeting-welcome-first-timers/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F02%2F14%2Feconomic-buyers-the-attendees-that-matter-most%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !