Feb 19
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows attendee interaction, meeting attendance, meeting ideas
Redefining value has become more important than ever before. What worked last year or the year before may be out the window, especially with a rapidly changing economic landscape and competitors scrambling for market position.
Here are some creative marketing ideas to help build meeting attendance:
Go Viral – Forget the swine flu! We’re talking about viral exposure in the social media. Come up with unusual – even outrageous – ideas for your meeting that will start tongues wagging and tweeters tweeting. Get your executive director to volunteer to sing a song onstage at the Opening General Session if the meeting attendance sets a record (be sure to post a video of him/her singing a few lyrics on YouTube as a sneak preview). Then have your Board members, convention planning committee members, and other leaders start tweeting about this and posting links to the YouTube video and your meeting website.
Talent Search – Everyone has talent, right? (OK, maybe some people are more talented than others.) Have a “Talent and Great Ideas Show” at your next meeting. Use your e-newsletter, online convention promotions, and the social media to recruit members to participate. Each person needs to demonstrate their talent for a minute or so (do a card trick, play a musical instrument, sing, dance, juggle, do an impersonation, etc.) and then deliver one industry-related great idea that attendees can take home and use in their business. Record a couple short videos with willing members to show how it works and post these on YouTube as examples. The show will add fun and value to your next meeting, and create powerful social media marketing leading up to the meeting to promote attendance.
Jeopardy – Think of an important topic in your industry and imagine how that might play out in a Jeopardy-style game. (Remember, answers must be phrased in the form of a question!) Creativity is the bottom line, of course – think about how the game can be built into into a PowerPoint presentation, for example.
What are you waiting for? Step out of your comfort zone, toss ideas around with colleagues, and think about the wow factor!
Feb 09
Ashley SpitzerContests, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows economy, environmental-friendly, food and beverage, meeting ideas
If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to save time and money, meeting planners have a lot of suggestions to cut food and beverage costs.
Each of the planners mentioned below shared their advice in the “Stellar Tips” section of ConventionPlanit.com.
Food and beverage charges are always a major cost center. Customizing menus can allow for greater variety, fresher ingredients, and cut costs.
“When working with a limited budget for a full day of meals, I provide my total dollar amount to the chef or catering manager and request that they customize menus for me, keeping in mind any specific requirements I have for each event,” says Kathleen Zwart of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.
“This allows them to use seasonal or local specials, piggyback onto other events being held that day, take advantage of specials offered by their food suppliers, and offer smaller, healthier portions. I stay within my budget, my attendees are offered healthier options, and the chef is able to use some creativity instead of the same old banquet menus. It’s a win-win for all.”
Even simple changes in how food is presented at meal functions can save money.
“If you’re having a reception, pass/butler the more expensive items,” says Debbie DeJacques of GMA Washington.
“You’ll be able to make them last longer and save money. Don’t set plates on the display table – use only napkins (this will ensure your attendees get to sample all the offerings but won’t walk away from the display station with a mound of food) and stick with beer and wine at the bar.”
Laura Johnson of Market*Access International recommends asking the caterer to slice bagels, croissants and muffins in half. Attendees will take smaller portions – leaving more food to go around and wasting less while stretching your breakfast budget.
Stacey Petersen with MHA Ventures, Inc., eliminates canned soda:
“I have found that canned soda costs a lot of money to provide at our conventions. To save on money, and save on the waste of half cans of soda being thrown away and people taking two or three cans ‘for the road,’ two years ago I moved to using a self-service soda fountain station. These stations are conveniently placed near break areas, and are serve-yourself.
All the venue has to worry about is ice, 6-ounce disposable cups, and replacing the canisters once a day (instead of counting and recounting soda cans). It’s a win-win situation – it’s saved me on my budget, members are happy, the hotel staff is happy to not have to count cans anymore, and the waste is significantly decreased!”
Claire Modarelli of Moffitt Cancer Center, replaces bottles of water with water coolers and pitchers. It saved her $1,000 last year!
Stray from a traditional break time – offer variety and cut costs with a voucher program.
“We worked with a hotel to provide vouchers for breaks instead of serving an expensive break time. Each participant was given vouchers to go to the snack shop located in the hotel lobby.
Each voucher was worth $3. For each item the participant chose, they turned in a voucher. The vouchers were then counted and charged to the master account. This wound up costing considerably less than paying for breaks,” shares Kathy Craig of the Ecumenical Stewardship Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Closely monitoring a beverage manager can also pay off, as Stacy Wald of Orthopaedic Associates explains,
“When I do my banquet event orders I let the manager know at that time that I would like to be with the beverage manager when they tally the bars and empties. Liquor is counted by tenths of a bottle and then billed accordingly.
If I disagree with a count and the measurement is changed it could be the equivalent to 10-12 drinks. It also keeps the beverage manager on his toes! I have saved hundreds of dollars just by checking the bars before the totals are finalized.”
What is your cost saving tip? Share your ideas by commenting on this post!
Jan 06
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows cvbs, environmental-friendly, green meetings, meeting ideas, pcma
Are you attending the PCMA Annual Conference in Dallas later this month? If so, here’s the inside scoop on how the conference is working hard to go green:
Getting Started: Choosing a Green Location
Make a difference from every aspect of your conference by choosing a green city. For example, 40% of the energy used in Dallas is renewable. Dallas was also one of the first cities to implement green building guidelines, and is committed to city-wide green programs including park construction.
Green-friendly destinations are eager to work with you to meet your green requirements and implement your ideas at the convention center. PCMA Vice President of Meetings & Events Kelly Peacy said she worked closely with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau to infuse green elements into all areas of the conference, including area, including the destination, accommodations, food and beverage, communications, and operations.
Implementation: Make a Difference
This year’s conference supports local organically grown food as much as possible – quite a feat with the thousands of expected attendees! Leftover food will be donated to a local food bank and other unused food will be composted.
PCMA partnered with green hotels for conference housing, like the Hyatt Regency Dallas, who donates leftover soap to a recycling effort to provide people in developing nations with soap.
Words of Encouragement:
“You don’t just go out and suddenly become a green organization,” Peacy said. “You have to build on it. You need to decide how high green ranks on your list of organizational strategic objectives. We asked that question and determined that it was very important, so we put significant resources toward it. At PCMA it is half of one person’s job. Every year we build new objectives. If PCMA can be recognized as an industry leader to educate our members about green that would be a success.”
If you’re attending the conference, be sure to tell us what you think of the green efforts!
Dec 21
Damion RutherfordTips for Meeting Planners meeting experiences, meeting ideas, meeting industry, meeting planner help
Meeting professionals know that the best ideas often come from their peers, who are usually more than willing to share them with people who show an interest. In 2010, planners are talking about adding value to their meetings to attract attendees.
Maureen Thompson of ASBO International taps the knowledge of the hotel staff by hiring some of them to put in extra hours staffing the meeting registration desk instead of hiring temps to do this. “The person’s knowledge of the venue, location and even access to the ‘behind the scenes’ places of the hotel is invaluable,” she says.
For more great meeting ideas, check out the Stellar Tip Archive, and search through a variety of tips and advice submitted by other meeting professionals.
What are some ideas you will be implementing? Let us know, and share the information with your peers. It’s the most effective way to learn!
Dec 11
Damion RutherfordTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows MACE, meeting ideas, meeting industry, MPI, Tips for Meeting Planners
Yesterday I attended the Potomac Chapter of Meeting Professionals International’s (PMPI) Mid-Atlantic Conference & Exposition (MACE!2009). Instead of a traditional trade show, the event organizers introduced a ‘flipped marketplace’.
The flipped marketplace gave each planner and supplier the opportunity to schedule up to 10 one on one 15 minute-long appointments – with the planners seated at booths and the suppliers moving throughout the room.
Like many attendees, I was skeptical of the marketplace before experiencing it, but found it to be an absolutely brilliant concept.
Why PMPI’s Flipped Marketplace worked:
1. Mutual Interest - suppliers requested appointments with planners (suppliers had access to organization names, planner’s role in the decision making process, location of meetings, budget, average peak room night, and next available planning year…but NOT the planner’s name). The planners could approve or decline the appointment request via email, or propose a new meeting time. Giving both planners and suppliers the ability to choose to meet with one another gave value and meaning to the conversations before they actually even occurred.
example: When I arrived for the morning introduction session, I took my cup of coffee and introduced myself to the colleague seated next to me at the table. The planner turned out to be one of my appointments for the marketplace! This realization that we had selected one another for the appointment gave us a connection for the rest of the day when our paths crossed.
2. Length of Meeting Time - With a solid 15 minutes to converse, planners and suppliers were able to build solid connections and relationships with one another. This was a refreshing change from the traditional exhibit hall, in which booths often become crowded, making it difficult to have an in-depth conversation. The halls, in general, are constantly in a flow of motion; it is rare for a planner to spend 15 minutes of their time in the hall at one booth…and who can blame them. The 15 minute appointments allowed both planner and supplier to walk away with knowledge and understanding of one another that will not be forgotten as easily as tossing a business card into a drawing for a give-away while walking past a booth.
3. Supplier Cost - While suppliers did pay to participate in the Flipped Marketplace, the cost compared to that of booth space, decorations, furniture, internet, electric, carpet, popcorn machine, etc. was very reasonable; especially when the quality of interactions with attendees and ROI is factored in.
4. Scheduling - The time period for the marketplace did not coincide with any educational sessions. This allowed for the largest possible number of participants at the marketplace, and eliminated the possibility of distraction.
5. Spotme Devices -Spotme, a networking and data gathering handheld device company, provided every show attendee with a device for the day. These devices are far more valuable than electronic scanners. Spotme electronically transfers business cards by touching the devices to one another – no paper involved. Attendee’s appointment schedules were preloaded onto the devices, as well as a photo. The search component allowed users to search for individuals by company or name, and see the person’s photo. Setting the scan feature for an individual causes the device to vibrate when the individual enters the room. This is extremely helpful in a large conference area. Electronic surveys for sessions appeared on the devices at the end of each session. Maps of the Flipped Marketplace as well as the corridor of the conference center were also loaded onto the devices. The devices, overall, contributed to the ease and flow of the day.
For its first year, I believe the Flipped Marketplace at MACE was a huge success among both planners and suppliers. There are a few kinks that will most likely be ironed out for 2010, and the show organizers were very eager to hear feedback.
Kudos to PMPI for successfully implementing the Flipped Marketplace. The meetings industry should be experimenting and constantly pushing forth new ideas; I believe this concept has done just that!
Sep 16
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows attendee interaction, hsmai affordable meeting, meeting ideas, social media
Affordable Meetings National Day 2 – keynote speaker Scott Klososky takes control of the audience with engaging and useful social media tips and tricks.
If you weren’t lucky enough to attend, we’ve got some of the highlights for you (we took lots of notes) -
Live Q&A: Screens posting Twitter feeds for an educational session are becoming popular, but Klososky’s method, we felt, was more effective. Attendees text messaged questions to a specific number and code, which would then appear on the presentation screens. Klososky flipped his presentation to view and answer the live questions in between segments.
We felt this was more effective because:
- The internet at the convention center could not control the posting speed (which was slow, of course, considering the large number of people using the server)
- Attendees could interact specifically with one another; Tweeting questions to a general hash tag for an event can become confusing if it is used by too many attendees. What if attendees are tweeting to the same hash from several educational sessions? It is difficult for attendees and presenter to quickly interact with one another.
Social Media is the most democratic form of communication: Klososky noted that never before have users had so much control over the information we receive. If we don’t find something interesting or important, we don’t share it. The media has lost control over the information we receive and deem valuable. The media has no choice but to embrace the new, democratic communication we have, and create thorough content to compete.
Useful Websites: Klososky shared some very useful websites for our industry. Here are a couple –
- Addictomatic.com: enter your event name, company name, etc. to see what people are saying on social media websites. Very helpful from the brand control standpoint as well as from the user standpoint.
- Namechk: Enter a username or vanity URL into the search field, and the site pans virtually every social networking and bookmarking site checking for availability. Even if you don’t use all of the sites, it is a good idea to reserve your usernames just in case.
Sep 03
Damion RutherfordTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows meeting ideas, meeting planner help, Trade Shows
Dr. Radde's book Seating Matters offers innovative setups for meeting rooms
Quick, what’s the best way to get the most seats in a meeting room?
Straight across, theater-style, right??
“Think again!,” says Dr. Paul O. Radde of The Thrival Institute, who has authored a new book, Seating Matters.
“The industry mindset is that straight rows maximize a room, but they don’t – they create dead space,” he says.
“Dead space is any excessive or wasted space in a room that could be excellent seating for participants, such as up front around the stage or down the center of the room. For example, the center aisle, the best seating space in the room, is not set for chairs.”
Radde recalls a meeting at a major hotel where he had arranged to have curved rows with all the seats facing the center of the stage. When he arrived for the event, however, he found that the hotel staff had lined up straight rows instead, believing that was the only way to fit 1,800 seats in the ballroom.
That evening, Radde worked with the staff to reset the room with curved rows and showed them how to fit not only the required minimum of 1,800 seats in the room, he easily had room for another 300 seats for a total of 2,100 – even with the fine tuning of widened aisles toward the back of the room to create adequate space for schmoozing.
Straight-row seating is problematic for Radde on several counts:
1.) It requires people seated facing the wall on the outside of front rows to turn in their seats and turn their heads up to 85 degrees to view the stage.
“Unless people are within the three seats closest to the aisle in the center of the room, they report discomfort within 15 minutes,” Radde says, “and this detracts energy and attention from their positive meeting experience.
2.) “You come all the way across country or the world to meet, network, and learn with your peers and colleagues,” Radde explains. “So you don’t want to be slotted into a straight row when with a little imagination you could be in a more interactive setting.”
Angled and curved row innovations allow people who cannot see each other in straight rows, to see and interact with each other across the entire room.
Seating Matters lays down five principles to troubleshoot and design state-of-the-art seating arrangements in any meeting room. These principles not only increase seating capacity but also reduce stress, promote networking, and enhance learning. More than 70 illustrations and photos give the reader accurate descriptions of innovative setups.
Replacing Rounds
Meal functions at rounds present yet another challenge addressed in Seating Matters. Round tables crowd the room, create huge dead space, and make it difficult for people to talk with colleagues seated directly across the table. They raise their voices to cover the distance, but soon give up and chat with the persons next to them. Then too, half the people at a full round are facing away from the speaker. Turning chairs around is a cumbersome option.
Radde suggests using rectangular tables with the short ends aimed at the stage, forming a room-wide “starburst” pattern. Participants sit on the long sides of the table with one person seated at the head of the table facing the stage. This creates a more intimate setting, allowing people to see and talk to each other and to see the stage without turning chairs around. Tables shaped like trapezoids can also be used to create this type of setting.
“Meetings are supposed to bring people together, but even before people arrive, the straight row seating arrangements have limited the potential interaction and dynamic of the meeting.” Radde declares.
“I hope planners and facilities will read my book and see how a little creativity and innovation with seating will vastly improve the meeting experience for their participants. Best of all, it costs nothing to do this, while creating more value for the meeting.”
The book Seating Matters is available at www.Thrival.com.
Aug 04
Ashley SpitzerContests, Tips for Meeting Planners attendee interaction, economy, meeting ideas, meeting planner feedback, Tips for Meeting Planners
A smart way to save on your meeting costs is by cutting back on the breaks.
We worked with a hotel to provide vouchers for breaks instead of serving an expensive break time. Each participant was given vouchers to go to the snack shop located in the hotel lobby.
Each voucher was worth $3. For each item the participant chose, they turned in a voucher. The vouchers were then counted and charged to the master account. This wound up costing considerably less than paying for breaks. Hope this tip helps you in your planning!
…this idea comes from Kathy Craig, Administrative Assistant with Ecumenical Stewardship Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, who just won our July Stellar Tip Contest.
If you have a meeting tip to share, enter the August contest to win a $100 prize!
Jul 22
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits, News, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners Bethenny Frankel, meeting education, meeting ideas, Real Housewives of NYC, Trade Shows, travel, travel tips
If you didn’t receive the ConventionPlanit.com newsletter yesterday, you missed out on an interview with Bethenny Frankel from Bravo’s Real Housewives of NYC.
Bethenny dishes out smart menu and eating habits for on-the-road meeting planners.
Check out what Bethenny has to say – and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more great tips and meeting ideas!
Jun 26
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits, News, Tips meeting ideas, meeting industry, meeting planner feedback
Be sure to check out the ConventionPlanit.com Homepage…
…today we unveiled our new look!
The new homepage design and navigation will help planners to locate their favorite features faster.
The new design was made with the input of our Advisory Council of meeting professionals – to make sure it’s exactly what you want.
What do you think? Any thoughts or comments?
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