THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CONSULTANT PHARMACISTS (ASCP)
is a nonprofit association of pharmacists and pharmacies that manage medications of older people and the medically complex. ASCP is an international organization with members located in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and 12 countries. The society’s mission is to promote healthy aging by empowering pharmacists with education, resources, and innovative opportunities.
ASCP’s Annual Meeting and Exhibition is the association’s flagship event, bringing together consultant pharmacists, healthcare professionals, and industry partners from across the country. Exhibits and sponsorships generate a significant portion of ASCP’s non-dues revenue, directly supporting the organization’s ability to advance senior care pharmacy.
Since 2021, SB Expos & Events has partnered with ASCP to lead expo sales and operations, increasing sponsorship engagement, improving exhibit performance, and enhancing the exhibitor experience. This partnership has strengthened revenue generation while delivering greater value to both ASCP and its industry partners.
THE CHALLENGE
When ASCP partnered with SB, their expo had limited sales infrastructure to realize its amazing potential. Without a dedicated sales team, a systematic outreach process, or a scalable technology platform, the association was largely dependent on returning exhibitors and inbound interest.
ASCP needed an outsourced partner who could take full ownership of the sales function. They needed someone to build a prospecting strategy, execute outreach consistently, manage exhibitor relationships year-round, and show up onsite ready to sell for the following year. They needed to accomplish this without pulling their staff away from delivering an exceptional member experience.
“Before partnering with SB, our team was stretched thin trying to manage exhibitor sales alongside everything else that goes into running the Annual Meeting. SB brought a real sales infrastructure — consistent outreach, a sponsorship strategy that actually grows year over year, and an onsite presence that keeps momentum building into the next event. What that’s meant for us is that our staff can stay focused on our members and our programming, knowing the expo is in good hands.”– Erik Koster, Senior Director of Engagement and Events
THE STRATEGY
SB brought a complete expo sales strategy and system to the ASCP partnership from day one. That system has five core components, each of which builds on the last.
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A Sales Strategy Built Around ASCP’s Audience
SB developed a targeted sales strategy grounded in research. This included identifying the right companies to approach, understanding why exhibiting at ASCP’s Annual Meeting would deliver ROI for them, and reaching each prospect with a message tailored to their fit. Outreach ran across four contact categories: 1) past exhibitors and sponsors, 2) potential companies identified through SB’s research, 3) companies in SB’s database of 65,000+ organizations, and 4) leads provided by ASCP. Each category received a different contact frequency and message. Past exhibitors heard from SB regularly in the months leading up to sales opening. New prospects received outreach matched to their relevance to ASCP’s audience and goals.
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A Prospectus that Makes the Case for ASCP
Every year, SB builds an exhibit and sponsorship prospectus designed specifically for the companies most likely to find value in front of ASCP’s audience. SB researches the market, identifies the right sponsorship opportunities, and builds materials that give prospects a clear picture of what their investment will return.
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How SB Protects Relationships and Builds Momentum
SB gives returning sponsors the first opportunity to renew their item from the previous year. This protects sponsor relationships, tells returning partners their business is valued, and creates a more predictable revenue base for ASCP going into each sales cycle. At each Annual Meeting, SB conducts onsite sales and booth selection for the following year’s event while exhibitors are energized on the show floor. By the time the current meeting ends, next year’s expo is substantially sold. That forward momentum compresses the sales cycle and gives ASCP a stronger financial foundation heading into the planning year.
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Pipeline Analysis and Salesforce Tracking
SB uses Salesforce to track outreach, engagement, and outcome across the sales pipeline. This gives the team a clear picture of where prospects stand, which contacts need follow-up, and how to prioritize effort as the meeting approaches. This discipline is what makes high contact volumes manageable and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
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Research That Drives the Pipeline
SB conducts targeted research each year to identify companies that are a strong fit for ASCP’s audience. Those companies enter the pipeline with a carefully tailored pitch, which is why new exhibitors have consistently represented 20–28% of the ASCP floor each year.
THE RESULTS: Five Years of Expo Growth
Five years of consistent execution have produced steady, measurable growth across every dimension of ASCP’s expo program.
Revenue grew approximately 35% from 2021 to the partnership’s peak year. That growth was not accidental. It was the product of a strategy that created a qualified pipeline, a sophisticated sponsorship program, and a sales system that operates year-round rather than only in the months before the meeting.
Exhibit budget attainment has been consistent and strong. After a 2021 shaped by pandemic recovery, SB hit or exceeded the exhibit budget in three of the four subsequent years, including reaching 104% of budget in 2024.
SB reached 147% of the sponsorship budget in 2022 and 138% in 2025.
Sponsorship has been the breakout story. SB reached 147% of the sponsorship budget in 2022 and 138% in 2025. The total number of unique sponsorship opportunities has grown as SB identified and created new categories — including the launch of Express Talks on the Main Stage in 2025, which sold out in their first year.
New exhibitors represent 20–28% of the floor each year. A consistently refreshed exhibitor mix signals a healthy, growing expo to the companies already in the room.
Forward momentum has strengthened year over year. The number of companies confirmed for the following year’s meeting at onsite signup has grown steadily.
Communications quality has improved measurably. The average open rate for SB’s exhibitor outreach e-blasts grew from 15% in 2021 to 36% in 2025, more than doubling over the partnership. This reflects more targeted messaging and a prospect list that has been actively cultivated.
Exhibitor engagement with the Cadmium portal has grown steadily. From 676 tasks completed in 2021 to 919 in 2024 — a 36% increase — the growth reflects both a larger exhibitor community and deeper platform adoption. The portal also benefits expo sales directly: companies can purchase exhibits and sponsorships at any time, with upsell opportunities built into the experience.
What Became Possible for ASCP
The most important result isn’t a number. It’s what ASCP’s staff were able to do.
When SB owns the prospecting, outreach, follow-up, onsite selling, sponsor stewardship, exhibitor communications, and operations — ASCP’s team can stay focused on advancing their mission, serving their members, and building the programming that makes the Annual Meeting worth attending.
That’s not a side benefit of the partnership. It’s the point.
SB delivers events that create non-dues revenue for our clients. You stay focused on your mission. We’ll handle the rest.
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