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With record number of participants registering for fun runs, marathons, ultra events, off-road events, obstacle races, cycling races, open water swims, triathlons and other community iterations, ROI 4 Events (ROI4E) is supporting operators in dealing with the challenges that are symptomatic of the industry.

Created by industry experts, Chris Heverin and Simon Allatson, ROI4E pairs the considerable consumer assets of MPEs with major commercial businesses to deliver four key outcomes for the events sector: generating revenue; reducing costs; alleviating cash flow impacts; and enhancing the experience of event participants.

Challenges that ROI4E address include: event income narrowing to being overly reliant on entry fees; sponsorships harder to come by; higher event costs across the board; increasingly unaffordable insurance; merchandise wastage; cash flow pressures; and, importantly, ensuring participants continue to enjoy their event experience.

In an industry-defining initiative, ROI4E has developed the concept of ‘The Brand Zone’ whereby FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) brands can showcase their products at events through personal contact with the sizable healthy consumer group that participate in mass participation events (MPEs).

Heverin explains “think shopping centre activations but on a larger and more targeted scale.

“The beauty of this approach is that the cost per contact is substantially lower at MPE’s, due to the sheer volume of people who enter and attend these events, making the activation a very attractive proposition for brands, whilst the cost to access represents a very worthwhile new revenue stream for event operators. It’s the ultimate ‘win-win’ scenario.”

In keeping with ROI4E’s approach of bringing major commercial partners to the MPE sector, ROI4E partnered with Australia’s leading field sales and retail marketing group, Strikeforce, to deliver the Brand Zone from January this year.

Matt Lloyd, Strikeforce’s Managing Director, and a cyclist of some renown, recognised the opportunity immediately when approached by ROI4E, advising “our brand partners are always on the lookout for more cost-effective and impactful ways to reach consumer and shopper audiences en masse. And, in an increasingly segmented market, being able to put brands in front of such large numbers of fit, healthy and active Australians, whilst engaged at these participation events via a physical brand expo, makes great business sense.

“Our brand partners see the numbers of Aussies participating in Fun Runs, Marathons, Cycling, Triathlon, Obstacle Races and all the other Mass Participation Events around Australia, and have one question: how can we get involved? Well, through our partnership with ROI4E, we will now be able to make that happen - it’s the perfect alignment for all concerned.”

Feedback from the sector has also identified merchandise and insurance as core areas of operational concern and business angst.

Allatson explains “having to purchase merchandise well ahead of an event, wearing the cost of warehousing and fulfillment, hoping the right numbers and sizes have been ordered, staffing the merchandise stand at the event and then dealing with the waste, ie the products not sold, are all headaches that have troubled event organisers for decades.

“ROI4E has resolved these headaches for the sector by partnering with Australia’s leading digital sports merchandiser, TPF Sports, to provide a free permanent e-store branded to the event organiser’s specifications and operational year-round.”

TPF Sports, who already services the bulk of Australia’s professional sports market including the AFL, NRL, A-League, Supercars, Super Rugby and Super Netball, with state-of-the-art fulfillment services, decorates orders as they are received while the event organisers receive the retail margin.

Heverin adds “as an added feature and benefit, the range is more extensive around designs and colourways and can be personalised as the participant wishes. So, whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, you can be identified on the start line, as you cross the finish line and as you are passing through the supermarket checkout. Children, especially, will get a kick out of this innovation.”

Recognising that insurance is certainly one of the most challenging, and obligatory, issues that event organisers face, securing insurance is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the economies of scale and aggregation approach ROI4E has brought to the mass participation sector.

ROI4E has secured the involvement of global insurance broker Lockton and Canopius, along with the innovation of Flip, a subsidiary of HCF. Lockton and Canopius are providing market-leading liability cover and, in another first, a group policy for event industry ABN-holding contractors, resolving yet another thorn impacting the sector.

Flip’s opportunity in the MPE sector is through its provision of personal accidental injury cover able to be purchased per event under a group policy by event operators. The innovation brought by Flip is that the cover is on-demand, whereas traditional covers usually run for the entire year. Businesses and participants can now get cover for accidental injuries and pay only for the day or days of the event, delivering substantial simplicity and savings.

Flip Insurance General Manager, Crystal Petkoff states “Flip provides an extra layer of protection for businesses and their customers. It helps businesses show they care about the safety and well-being of their customers while boosting brand loyalty, attracting new customers and increasing your revenue." 

ROI4E’s first insurance client was Western Australian-based The Event Team.

Heverin recalls “leading event professional, David Budge, approached us in exasperation after receiving a quote, which he was clearly unhappy with, for two events from his then broker.

“He asked ROI4E if we could better the quote of $13.60 per participant for liability and accident cover.

“In less than a week, ROI4E had arranged cover through its partners at $5.42 per entrant and provided the CoC.

“’Budgie’, as he’s affectionately known throughout the sector, was delighted and in confirming acceptance said, ‘this is the circuit breaker the industry needs to combat the ridiculous price rises we’ve been stuck with for years - well done ROI4E’.”

ROI4E Business Advisory Services
ROI4E also offers financial assessments, restructuring, marketing strategies and operations planning for events, local government, sporting clubs and charities.

For more information go to www.roi4events.com

Lower image: ROI4E's The the Brand Zone concept.

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