Lyft Business (a division of Lyft Inc.) had a growth problem – albeit a good one. In 2018, the ride-sharing company made major strides in the health-care industry by partnering with hospitals and medical centers to provide patients with free nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT), which aims to curtail missed appointments that cost the health-care system approximately $150 billion annually.

That expansion was great for Lyft, but it also meant the company had vastly outgrown its miniscule turnkey kiosk and lanyard sponsorship from HLTH 2018, an event focused on health-care innovation and transformation. In short, Lyft needed a significantly larger presence at HLTH 2019 that reflected its rapidly expanding segment and continued to spur progress.

Heading into the 2019 show, Lyft already had a healthy dose of goals. The company wanted to continue growing its partnerships with health-care systems and providers by influencing 10 new business opportunities within the six months following the event, conduct 100 on-site meetings (a 10-percent increase from 2018), strike up at least 500 in-booth conversations about its offerings, and strengthen its relationship with the show organizer. Knowing its appetite couldn't be sated with a mere kiosk and a bunch of lanyards, Lyft needed to up its game and increase its on- and off-floor visibility.

So first Lyft secured a 20-by-20-foot booth, one of the larger exhibits at the event. Next, it sought out sponsorship and ad opportunities that would splash its brand across all the show's touchpoints beginning the moment attendees disembarked from their planes at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The company also landed two speaking gigs at the event. Finally, it would provide attendees discounted Lyft rides to and from the MGM Grand, where HLTH was being held – an add-on that the show organizer was happy to promote through its pre-event communications. With all that, Lyft felt it had the right treat-ment to help the company achieve its marketing ambitions.

To ensure its larger investment delivered the results it was looking for, the company tapped Inline Connection Inc., a San Francisco-based exhibit house Lyft has worked with for more than six years (though not at HLTH). Inline Connection conducted a full checkup on the show to find ways to help differentiate Lyft's presence, beginning with what it discovered about the other 400 exhibits from past iterations. What it found was a pretty sterile environment. "Most larger exhibitors at the show have walls that don't rise higher than 12 feet, only a few have rigged signs, and no one has theatrical lighting or music," says Brian Lew, president of Inline Connection. "We wanted to stand out in that crowd."

Per Lyft's direction, the exhibit had to be bright, open, and communal to reflect the company's welcoming, up-beat brand identity. So Inline Connection, along with its audiovisual partner Encore Group USA LLC (dba Encore Global) got to work designing a booth that commanded attention. Branded panels 16 feet tall would cast a shadow over rivals and be visible from the entrance of the exhibit hall. It would feature a rigged sign designed to look like an oversized version of the iconic Lyft Amp – the pill-shaped device Lyft drivers mount on their dashboards so patrons can quickly identify their rides as they arrive. Along with some dramatic lighting, lively music, plenty of Lyft-pink accents, and a couple sitting areas for demos, Lyft and Inline Connection felt they had developed a prescription that would ensure a stellar prognosis and a bevy of glowing five-star ratings from attendees.

While all this would help attract eyeballs, Lyft required an in-booth traffic builder that drew feet as well. Being that the show was in the MGM Grand, the company decided to use a customized slot machine to court visitors by giving them an opportunity to win a variety of branded swag. Though a slot machine isn't exactly unique at Vegas events, Lyft marketers had the foresight to include a few coveted jackpot items that were sure to flood the booth with visitors.

Everything was set. Inline Connection had the exhibit prepped and ready roll out a full two months prior to the event. Graphics and ads were ready to go up. All Lyft had to do was wait until the show opened and hit the ground running. Except the company decided to make an adjustment just five weeks before the show opened: Marketers wanted to add a memorable (but as yet undetermined) VIP experience for key prospects during exhibiting hours that also provided opportunities for in-depth business meetings in a private area. But at the same time, it didn't want to intrude on the open and inviting atmosphere of the already completed exhibit. In short, the company needed more space.

Rerouting...
Of course, Lyft faced several challenges that had to be addressed almost immediately – from getting the organizer's blessing to pull attendees from the show floor to securing a venue – not to mention figuring out what exactly the VIP experience would be. Everyone started hustling. Lyft reached out to the organizer, got permission for the add-on, and began hunting for a suitable location. It soon found that all workable options were already booked. However, the show organizer mentioned that it had a block of suites in the venue's luxurious Skylofts, and not all of them were being used. The show was willing to let Lyft have a two-bedroom suite for the same rate as it had paid, an irresistible offer. "We literally flew out to Vegas the next day to do a site visit," Lew says. The two-story suite featured a large open foyer, a dining room, a living room, and several smaller rooms on the first floor, while the second level included two large bedrooms.

The exhibiting team hit on the idea of offering a no-pressure spa experience on the first floor where VIPs could relax and unwind for a bit. The second-floor bedrooms could serve as completely private conference rooms for serious business conversations. Of course, the space had challenges since it was furnished for overnight stays. Skylofts, however, proved a willing partner and agreed to remove much of the furniture to open it up for the exhibitor's needs. The suite could work. "Two days after the site visit and four-and-a-half weeks before the show, Lyft signed a contract with Skylofts," Lew says.

Before the ink had dried, Lyft and Inline Connection began fleshing out the experience. Even as marketers developed plans, Lyft needed to ensure there would be enough VIP visitors to make the investment worth the cost and effort. Knowing it couldn't waste any time, Lyft got to work mining the attendee list to identify 150 key prospects that would be invited to the suite. The company added another goal of getting at least 50 percent of invitees to schedule and show up for appointments.

Meanwhile, the exhibiting teams continued working out the details for a VIP activation that would sweep visitors off their feet while working within the limitations of the suite. They decided to offer hair styling for women, beard trimming for men, professional headshots, chair massages, and meetings with Lyft sales personnel.

With three weeks to go until the show opened, staff compiled the prospect list and sent targeted emails informing recipients about an exclusive spa experience. A lot still had to happen: Inline Connection had to create graphics to brand the suite, acquire furnishings, and secure local stylists and masseuses.

Soon emails from eager attendees scheduling spa experiences and meeting appointments began rolling in. Each respondent was mailed a wooden token designed to look like a casino chip featuring the Lyft Business name and the tagline "Next Stop: Healthy" that would serve as a ticket into the experience. The mailer also included instructions detailing how to redeem the chip and gain access to the Skylofts for scheduled appointments.

You Are on the Fastest Route
When attendees arrived at McCarran International Airport, they were met with Lyft signage and digital ads promoting its ride-sharing services. After grabbing their bags, visitors used their business profiles (a requirement for the discounted service that served as another source of data mining for the company) on Lyft's mobile app to secure transportation to the MGM Grand.

Drivers delivered guests to the front doors of the conference center splashed with Lyft graphics, which was a bit of a coup d'etat in itself. The usual Pick-up/Drop-off (PUDO) is located inside the parking structure and is contracted by Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft's No. 1 competitor, which the company obviously wanted to cut out of the equation. Organizers agreed to let Lyft vehicles pull up directly to the entrance. When passengers arrived at the MGM Grand, brand ambassadors outfitted in pink Lyft-branded scrubs greeted them and helped them pay for their rides using the discount code in the Lyft app.

More signage promoting Lyft lay beyond the doors, and upon entering the show hall, attendees couldn't help but notice the digital Lyft Amp sign that towered over the 10-by-10s directly in front of the exhibit. It was like a powerful tractor beam along the main aisle that immediately captured eyes and directed feet. "We hit them with branding everywhere along the journey," Lew says. "And that was just the first level of engagement."

Inside the exhibit, staffers offered demos of Lyft's health-care capabilities and explained how its partnerships cut down on missed medical visits. Attendees began hitting the in-booth slot machine for swag as well. As visitors stepped up, a staffer collected lead information and handed them large Lyft Business coins to insert. Players pulled the handle on the machine, and the digital display whirled and made classic beep-boops as it spun through ride-sharing-related icons such as cars, dollar signs, Lyft's logo, etc. When the display stopped, graphics popped up showing whether someone had won, come close, or hit the jackpot. Those that won a prize received a piece of branded swag including golf tees, pencils containing seeds in one end that could be planted to sprout flowers, etc. Some jackpot winners won coupons for $500 of credit toward Lyft rides, and a lucky few received the coveted casino chip giving them access to the VIP suite. Throughout the first day of the show, word spread about the jackpot items, and visitors flocked to the booth for their chance to win. In fact, Lyft eventually had to extend its stanchions to manage the line and appease show organizers.

While jackpot winners scheduled appointments in available slots, prescheduled VIPs, chips in hand, checked in at the front desk of the booth at their appointed times. A staffer escorted the VIPs out of the exhibit hall and through the casino on about an eight-minute walk to the Skylofts lobby where Lyft had an ambassador checking people in and helping them access the elevator. The ambassador alerted staff in the suite that a visitor was en route, and then yet another staffer met attendees outside the elevator and personally led them to the suite.

When VIPs entered the room, a business-development member welcomed them. The lower floor of the suite had been transformed into a welcoming, branded, high-class spa. Staff invited visitors in for refreshments that included a variety of catered food and beverages. Some guests climbed into either of two barber chairs for hair and beard touchups from local stylists. Once they were primped, they moseyed over to update their professional headshots. When done, most opted to slip into a portable massage chair for a 15- to 30-minute tension-relieving spell in a dimmed room with soothing music.

Collectively, the space was a calming atmosphere in which attendees could exit the aggressive show floor and relax for a short while. And although meetings were an option, staffers didn't push them. If people simply wanted to take advantage of the spa offerings and walk away with a positive and memorable experience, that was fine.

However, many VIPs took the opportunity to have a private chat with business-development staff in the converted bedrooms on the second floor. While conducting business in a boudoir could have been awkward (since the beds had to remain), Lyft rearranged the rooms just enough by adding tables, seating, and lighting to be able to discuss valuable partnerships. On average, suite visits lasted an astounding 30 to 40 minutes.

You've Arrived at Your Destination
From the airport to the booth to the suite, Lyft created a cohesive brand identity that resonated with attendees. Moreover, Lyft enjoyed unexpected benefits from its expanded presence. For instance, show organizers hosted an evening reception in the exhibit hall where they dimmed the lights and hauled out tables for food and beverages. The atmospheric setting helped Lyft's booth, with its theatrical lighting, stand out even more. However, the hall was remarkably muted, so organizers asked Lyft if it would crank up its in-booth music to create a more festive vibe. Lyft was more than happy to oblige. The combination of lighting and music caused crowds to migrate toward Lyft's exhibit, further elevating its visibility and creating a positive emotional connection with the brand. Plus, the company's enhanced presence resulted in six interviews (compared to zero the year before) with Megan Callahan, Lyft Business' vice president of health care, conducted by reps from various trade publications. Furthermore, ride-share data showed a 30-percent increase in trips to and from MGM Grand during the event.

But more importantly, Lyft's integrated program delivered results that validated its increased investment from a kiosk the year before. Most impressively, a pair of scheduled meetings resulted in two deals getting inked. "This would never have happened on the show floor or across a dinner table," Lew says. "Those two contracts provided a whole lot of ROI that more than justified the total expense of the Skylofts experience." Landing those large accounts at the conference allowed Lyft's business development team to devote more time and energy to pursuing other key prospects following the show. On top of that, Lyft surpassed its goal of hosting 100 meetings and held 510 in-booth conversations, exceeding that objective as well. "From the consistency of branding to the partnership with organizers, Lyft Business showed us how a truly integrated campaign works," one Sizzle Awards judge said. "The company's astounding growth from a mere kiosk into a full-fledged face-to-face marketing master class is undeniably award-worthy." E