Off site corporate meetings, many companies are saying this has become a great expense that is not necessarily helpful in promoting their product and building employee morale or making them more efficient. Through research we have found that this is quite the opposite. A survey of Fortune 500 companies shows face-to-face meetings have the highest return on investment of any marketing tool available to them.
"Knowledge sessions" held throughout the day would aid companies in crafting new strategies to highlight the inherent importance of in-person gatherings. As quoted by Ben Stein, Actor, lawyer, economist and Nixon speechwriter "The truth is that business meetings are usually not a waste of time, even if they are held in Las Vegas or at a resort with a golf course near a Southern California beach," Stein said. "They are not decadent, with rare exception.
Off –site corporate presentations serve as an effective tool for convincingly presenting your company, and its products and services to your target audience. Since corporate presentations today use flash and other hi-end multimedia tools to develop highly engaging and creative presentations; it is not always within the wherewithal of the company to do this on its own. Hence, corporate firms, both big and small are today outsourcing such work to professional companies such as Charisma Productions Network, which specialize in such areas.
An impressive corporate presentation not only effectively showcases your products and services but it also helps in enhancing your corporate image and add value to your business.
A corporate meeting complete with impressive animation, videos, photos, voice over and music would definitely have more impact on the target audience as compared to a static presentation. Therefore various companies incorporate flash into their corporate meeting in order to make them more appealing and impressive. Audio video solutions help in grabbing the attention of the users in relation to the subject highlighted in the meeting or event, thus motivating them and engaging them with the subject. Moving images have a powerful impact amongst the viewers as they have the ability to portray and inspire hidden emotions.
In an off-site corporate presentation you can present all information in an interesting and user-friendly manner, giving details such as the company’s goal, product/services details, various services, catalogues, infrastructure manpower, and growth pattern and just about anything you wish to. You can use images and video clips of your company, its people, its infrastructure, etc, in the presentation. This enhances credibility and also enables your customers, dealers and investors to have a look at your company.
For creating corporate presentations, you should approach a professional production company, such as Charisma Productions Network, to create innovative presentations which would enable you to communicate to your audience easily, make them aware of your company and influence their decisions.
Offsite Meetings and Productions benefit:
Clients- With the help of a corporate presentation you can tell prospective customers in detail about your services and show details of your previous successful work. This way you lend credibility to your work and new as well as existing customers get to know what benefits they stand to derive from you.
For educating or updating employees- You can make corporate meetings to impart training to your employees, help them update themselves and improve their skill sets. It can also be used for maintaining good internal communications among employees of different departments.
Trade fairs & exhibitions- You can demonstrate about your company, various products and services at trade shows with the help of a professional looking corporate presentation.
Conferences & important meetings- In conferences and critical meetings, a presentation helps you to convey your point in a much clearer and profound manner.
Product launches- Whenever your company is launching new products in the market; you can efficiently inform the prospective buyers what your product is all about by giving a presentation.
Meetings facilitate engagement. People engage by being invited into the game. If they know the business goal, the team goal and the role they have to play then they're more likely to truly plug in to the business. If they don't know what the business is trying to achieve, how can they connect with business goals alone at their desk? Off-site meetings and presentations still hold a powerful message, one that a web conference or phone conference cannot compare to.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Cold Calling...A Curse or a Blessing
In this crazy, mixed up world of technology, how do I get to my customer without having to go through the secret service aka the receptionist? I have been in customer service and sales for most of my adult life and it used to be quite easy to do sales calls over the phone. You called a company, asked to speak to the person in charge of meetings and events and the receptionist would put you directly through. Now-a-days, it seems as if that department no longer exists, the receptionist either hands you off to whomever she thinks can answer your question or merely tells you that they no longer do that. Please, tell me of one company that no longer holds meetings.
Then there is the other receptionist who holds an inquisition when you ask who is in charge of meetings. And have you ever asked a receptionist to provide you with someone’s email address? You would think if they can provide you with the person’s extension or direct line; what difference does it make getting someone’s email address? The person on the other end can easily delete it if they do not have the time or interest in reading about your company. People just don’t want to be bothered. No matter how good of an idea or how beneficial something may be. People are very reluctant to give something new a try, unless it comes recommended from colleagues in the industry.
When you need a service and go to the internet and find a company, see their webpage, yes they look like what you need. What do you do? Do you call and find out about them, who they are, what they do. Do they know your company’s culture and understand what your scope of work is? Do you know their company’s culture?
Cold calling is definitely not what it used to be. Where has that personal touch gone? In this technology ridden world it seems that people no longer have time to talk, it’s the old adage “Don’t call us, we’ll call you”. Cold calling comes down to building a relationship and that personal touch. So when you do receive a cold call from a company that you’ve not done business with before. Take a moment and listen to what they have to offer. You may never know what added value they can bring to your business. Don’t be rude on the phone, people doing the calls do remember you, believe me. Then when you need them, those missed opportunities are the ones that can hurt you in the end. In business no one should become comfortable with a company, like an old pair of shoes. When you get comfortable, you get sloppy and you can become blindsided very quickly.
If cold calling was easy and always fun, everyone would be able to do it. But it’s not always easy and fun. A good friend of mine used to say that hospitality/meetings industry suppliers are great huggers, but not hunters. I repeat this assertion most respectfully: we forge great, often long-lasting relationships and even friendships. But many find taking the first steps very difficult.
Social media has taken over and it is getting harder and harder to get your foot in the door. I believe that all medias work, but it has a lot to do with timing. If someone is looking for your specific expertise for an upcoming event and you were able to call, or send an email at the right time, you have a chance to make a contact. Also consistency is the name of the game. Don’t just send one flyer or email or make one call. Be consistent and persistent. Eventually they’ll tire out of getting your “junk” and actually speak to you. That’s when you have your 3 minutes of opportunity. Talk to the person on the other side with the expectation that you can serve the other person that you can make them smile and make the 3 minutes they give you of value to them. Remember…I am here to serve you…like the Michael Jackson song…”I’ll be there…just call my name and I’ll be there”.
Recently I read that many meeting managers or event planners refuse to take calls or emails from new companies that they don’t know. As a meeting planner, don’t you want to be educated and know who’s available to serve you company the best? Or do you want to wait until the need is there and your decision is based more on desperation because of time constraints or whomever you found online not someone you have had a previous contact with? Isn’t it better to know what’s available out there?
As a meeting planner ask yourself one question: When I am depending on a meeting provider, do I put the fate of the meeting’s success in the care of a stranger that I looked up on the internet or someone that I have spoken to on a few occasions who really cared about getting my business and who was not hesitant to provide me with references up front?
Cold calling works in conjunction with an integrated, strategic approach that encompasses your web presence, your networking activities and the knowledge of the sales person who calls and offers a service that you may have been looking for and not found online. Be open to new ideas, as we have opened ourselves up to new technologies. In the same respect, work smart; open yourself up while other people are trying to educate you Be proactive in your decision making, don’t get too comfortable because something can always go wrong.
Then there is the other receptionist who holds an inquisition when you ask who is in charge of meetings. And have you ever asked a receptionist to provide you with someone’s email address? You would think if they can provide you with the person’s extension or direct line; what difference does it make getting someone’s email address? The person on the other end can easily delete it if they do not have the time or interest in reading about your company. People just don’t want to be bothered. No matter how good of an idea or how beneficial something may be. People are very reluctant to give something new a try, unless it comes recommended from colleagues in the industry.
When you need a service and go to the internet and find a company, see their webpage, yes they look like what you need. What do you do? Do you call and find out about them, who they are, what they do. Do they know your company’s culture and understand what your scope of work is? Do you know their company’s culture?
Cold calling is definitely not what it used to be. Where has that personal touch gone? In this technology ridden world it seems that people no longer have time to talk, it’s the old adage “Don’t call us, we’ll call you”. Cold calling comes down to building a relationship and that personal touch. So when you do receive a cold call from a company that you’ve not done business with before. Take a moment and listen to what they have to offer. You may never know what added value they can bring to your business. Don’t be rude on the phone, people doing the calls do remember you, believe me. Then when you need them, those missed opportunities are the ones that can hurt you in the end. In business no one should become comfortable with a company, like an old pair of shoes. When you get comfortable, you get sloppy and you can become blindsided very quickly.
If cold calling was easy and always fun, everyone would be able to do it. But it’s not always easy and fun. A good friend of mine used to say that hospitality/meetings industry suppliers are great huggers, but not hunters. I repeat this assertion most respectfully: we forge great, often long-lasting relationships and even friendships. But many find taking the first steps very difficult.
Social media has taken over and it is getting harder and harder to get your foot in the door. I believe that all medias work, but it has a lot to do with timing. If someone is looking for your specific expertise for an upcoming event and you were able to call, or send an email at the right time, you have a chance to make a contact. Also consistency is the name of the game. Don’t just send one flyer or email or make one call. Be consistent and persistent. Eventually they’ll tire out of getting your “junk” and actually speak to you. That’s when you have your 3 minutes of opportunity. Talk to the person on the other side with the expectation that you can serve the other person that you can make them smile and make the 3 minutes they give you of value to them. Remember…I am here to serve you…like the Michael Jackson song…”I’ll be there…just call my name and I’ll be there”.
Recently I read that many meeting managers or event planners refuse to take calls or emails from new companies that they don’t know. As a meeting planner, don’t you want to be educated and know who’s available to serve you company the best? Or do you want to wait until the need is there and your decision is based more on desperation because of time constraints or whomever you found online not someone you have had a previous contact with? Isn’t it better to know what’s available out there?
As a meeting planner ask yourself one question: When I am depending on a meeting provider, do I put the fate of the meeting’s success in the care of a stranger that I looked up on the internet or someone that I have spoken to on a few occasions who really cared about getting my business and who was not hesitant to provide me with references up front?
Cold calling works in conjunction with an integrated, strategic approach that encompasses your web presence, your networking activities and the knowledge of the sales person who calls and offers a service that you may have been looking for and not found online. Be open to new ideas, as we have opened ourselves up to new technologies. In the same respect, work smart; open yourself up while other people are trying to educate you Be proactive in your decision making, don’t get too comfortable because something can always go wrong.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
Now that the holidays are over and everyone is getting back to their routines. Charisma Productions Network thought that we can help everyone ease into the New Year with a little humor. So this edition is focused on laughter and humor.
Let’s start with company holiday parties. Did you do anything embarrassing at the company Christmas party? Did you play, who was the best and worst dressed? Did you overindulge with food or beverage? We understand, we’ve all attended our share of these. Some are fun, some are boring, some you just want to forget altogether and a few, you just lie and tell people you never attended that one. And do we have stories to tell. But we’ll keep those to ourselves for now, but if you share some of yours, we’ll share some of ours.
So, let’s move on to those vendor gifts. How many vendors sent you the all too familiar popcorn tin? Or did anyone get a fruitcake? Or what about a meat and cheese on a carving board set?
Now think about it, if you’ve received any of the above mentioned gifts, you are either on the bottom of their totem pole or they are frugal. I think we’ve all seen our share of “unique” gifts. Here’s a few funny one’with so much vendor advertisement on it that we couldn’t see the actual days on them, oh by the way, did I tell you we don’t even know who that vendor is? We have never worked with them before.
We want to know what the strangest gifts you’ve received were because we want to share them in our next issue. Or, if you would like, tell us about your embarrassing moment (We promise not to mention your name and company)?
Now the parties are done and the New Year’s resolutions kick in. We know, we know; you have to start your diet or you exercise program or you are giving up cigarettes. What about your work resolutions? How about being more organized? Well, you know? You walk into your office after the New Year and clean your desk and make new files and swear that you will keep up with it for the rest of the year. Then you get bombarded with meetings, emails that need to be read (The Charisma Productions Gazette) or responded to, memos that need to get out, events to plan, RFP’s to send, phone messages that need return calls (within 24 hours, not the usual 4 days later or not at all and hope they call back). Then sticky notes get posted around your computer screen and on your desk and all of a sudden, your desk looks just like it did last year.
Let’s start with company holiday parties. Did you do anything embarrassing at the company Christmas party? Did you play, who was the best and worst dressed? Did you overindulge with food or beverage? We understand, we’ve all attended our share of these. Some are fun, some are boring, some you just want to forget altogether and a few, you just lie and tell people you never attended that one. And do we have stories to tell. But we’ll keep those to ourselves for now, but if you share some of yours, we’ll share some of ours.
So, let’s move on to those vendor gifts. How many vendors sent you the all too familiar popcorn tin? Or did anyone get a fruitcake? Or what about a meat and cheese on a carving board set?
Now think about it, if you’ve received any of the above mentioned gifts, you are either on the bottom of their totem pole or they are frugal. I think we’ve all seen our share of “unique” gifts. Here’s a few funny one’with so much vendor advertisement on it that we couldn’t see the actual days on them, oh by the way, did I tell you we don’t even know who that vendor is? We have never worked with them before.
We want to know what the strangest gifts you’ve received were because we want to share them in our next issue. Or, if you would like, tell us about your embarrassing moment (We promise not to mention your name and company)?
Now the parties are done and the New Year’s resolutions kick in. We know, we know; you have to start your diet or you exercise program or you are giving up cigarettes. What about your work resolutions? How about being more organized? Well, you know? You walk into your office after the New Year and clean your desk and make new files and swear that you will keep up with it for the rest of the year. Then you get bombarded with meetings, emails that need to be read (The Charisma Productions Gazette) or responded to, memos that need to get out, events to plan, RFP’s to send, phone messages that need return calls (within 24 hours, not the usual 4 days later or not at all and hope they call back). Then sticky notes get posted around your computer screen and on your desk and all of a sudden, your desk looks just like it did last year.
Monday, November 30, 2009
WHERE HAS CUSTOMER SERVICE GONE?
Back in the day you could go almost anywhere and you would find a friendly face to help you find what you needed, they would give you recommendations and suggestions and always had the product information memorized, and if not, would find it for you immediately. What Happened!? Now a days when you go to a service establishment, you either can't find anyone, or they're in a small group chit chatting and planning their next happy hour. Then when you ask for help instead of helpful assistance you get a blank look.
How many times, when you shopped around for service did the representative profess customer service, quality care and let's not forget the "Call me anytime if you have a question?" Then you finally make a choice of a vendor / supplier, sign a contract and all of a sudden the calls, the service and the care disappear.
Have you experienced this recently? all too often, I have found the need to question, what happened to customer service?!
So many times when meeting planners / coordinators choose venues and Audio Visual Production companies, they are romanced and offered the sun, the moon, and the stars, but after the contract is signed, it's a whole different picture. Audio Visual companies tell you they have the "Top of the line" equipment and when it arrives, it's outdated equipment and sometimes does not even work correctly. What happened to those meetings? How does that make the planner / coordinator look, when the sound is not working or the screens are wrinkled and sometimes not matching because the projectors are not the same brand, or one has more lamp hours burned on it.
Here is a perfect example, one of our recent new-hires had this to say during their interview "Recently I worked with an Audio Visual company that told me to just make sure I got the client to sign the contract, then we could add all the extra labor and extra fees afterwards," Basically he told me to reel them in, then we could stick it to them". I was horrified that companies would actually contemplate doing that to a valued client. Having worked in the Customer Service industry all my life and knowing that if you treat a client with respect and follow your word and promise of service, you will probably have that client for many years. I found it appalling and walked out the door. This was against my belief of service and I realized that the owner ran his business in what was in my opinion nothing short of deceptive, which I wanted no part of.
Before hiring on with another company, I researched companies and did my own reference checks. That's when I came to Charisma Productions Network. I found that they not only carried out their professed quality care and customer service but they actually educated their clients and let them know when they were being over charged by a provider or venue, and in some cases actually renegotiated the terms and contracts for venues. Their work ethics, customer service standards, their attention to detail, and most importantly their honesty with the clients was the main decision maker for me.
This situation is not the rule but seems to be the norm in today's world. It's sad to think that as a meeting planer, you're thinking of what a professional event you're going to present and then you cannot even get your service providers on the phone when situations begin to pop up and changes need to be made. This is when panic begins to take effect. It seems everyone is doing it, hotels, meeting facilities, AV companies even production companies.
Some hotels tell you that it is mandatory to use their in-house audio visual company (which normally ends up costing you more money than using an outside vendor). Also, you need to read the VERY FINE print on those venue contracts. That's where they sometimes put down room space and not actual room names, which sometimes ends up with you not having use of the rooms that you were promised, and also restrict you from a reasonable time to set up you special event. Even minor changes can turn into major problems and major expense, when in reality, it should not have happened in the first place.
As a corporate planner, when the events are not 100% of what you had anticipated you look bad in front of your client or boss. Your reputation is in jeopardy of being attacked because you are the one who will have to explain the WHY? things did not run as smoothly as you had promised your client or boss, and you also end up explaining all those extra charges that were not on the contract.
When you talk about planning a meetings, conference, product launch, or corporate tours you should always get at least 3 bids, from production or audio visual companies, and see what each has to offer. Then before making your final decision, ask for references, check their websites, and look for testimonials. Referrals from other meeting planners are also very helpful. If the company you are considering is not willing to provide you with this information, you should be very cautious. Planners need to be savvy in who's who in the meeting industry. Not all who profess to have the quality care and service actually bring it to full term.
E-mail me your opinions at info@cpnevents.com
Share Your Comments On Our Blog
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Don’t Believe the Snow Job the Facilities Give You!
Back-end hidden fees
Mandatory usage of in-house AV
Charisma Productions Network
Have you ever put together an event or meeting and used a facility? Did you need AV for your event? Did the facility tell you that is was mandatory to use their in-house AV? Well, guess what? That’s a “snow job” the facilities use to make even more money from unknowing planners. Most facilities use private inhouse AV companies that have negotiated with the facility to provide service. What does this mean? Basically it means that the AV company provides an estimate of all the equipment that you request and labor needed to complete the task.
When your company sends the facility an RFP they have to make a profit on AV equipment and labor as well. In order for them to make their profit, an extra 40% - 60% is added to your cost on top of the equipment and labor rates. Let’s face it, they’re in business, like everybody else to make a profit.
In-house AV services charge you 40%-60% more than a production company. Why? Because they have contracted with facilities and they have to pay the facility to be there. So, for example, a power surge protector that you need in a conference room, can cost up as much as $50 per day compared to a using an outside AV production company which usually includes power strips and A/C cables at no charge. What a difference!
After making numerous calls in the past months and hearing companies say that the facility they are utilizing has told them that it is mandatory that they use their in-house AV, I found the need to inform planners that this is not true! You don’t need to utilize in-house AV. As a matter of fact, by doing so, you will have a MUCH higher AV bill than utilizing a production company. Not only will you get a much lower AV bill, but you will also get more personalized service.
Also, by utilizing an outside production company you get a project manager that only works on your event. Whereas using the in-house company, they are there for the whole facility and the response time is very slow. On average the response time for an in-house AV service is 7 minutes as compared to an outside production company, working only for your company, of 1.25 minutes.
When you give an RFP to a facility, they may come within your budget, but if you’re not careful and don’t read the fine print, you may get caught “holding the bag”. Every time you make a change, no matter how small, you will be charged extra. At the end of the event, when you get your final bill you’ll find surprise back-end service charges, local and city taxes, labor charges, that you weren’t expecting.
So the next time you begin planning and choosing your facility, make sure the facility can accommodate the number of your attendees and rooms needed for your meetings. Also be sure they can put this in writing and that they will not do double booking for the same meeting rooms in your allotted time frame, because, you must remember, any changes made, big or small, will be done at your cost.
One important question to ask is if they are a union or non-union facility. This can bring on even more charges because union facilities have higher labor rates.
Most importantly remember always send your RFP with your budget constraints out to bid. Get at least 3 bids, one being your facility, and see who can, not only, stay within the restraints of your budget, but can also provide you with the service that you would like to have. This is not going to cost you extra. Bids on RFP’s are at no charge to you.
Mandatory usage of in-house AV
Charisma Productions Network
Have you ever put together an event or meeting and used a facility? Did you need AV for your event? Did the facility tell you that is was mandatory to use their in-house AV? Well, guess what? That’s a “snow job” the facilities use to make even more money from unknowing planners. Most facilities use private inhouse AV companies that have negotiated with the facility to provide service. What does this mean? Basically it means that the AV company provides an estimate of all the equipment that you request and labor needed to complete the task.
When your company sends the facility an RFP they have to make a profit on AV equipment and labor as well. In order for them to make their profit, an extra 40% - 60% is added to your cost on top of the equipment and labor rates. Let’s face it, they’re in business, like everybody else to make a profit.
In-house AV services charge you 40%-60% more than a production company. Why? Because they have contracted with facilities and they have to pay the facility to be there. So, for example, a power surge protector that you need in a conference room, can cost up as much as $50 per day compared to a using an outside AV production company which usually includes power strips and A/C cables at no charge. What a difference!
After making numerous calls in the past months and hearing companies say that the facility they are utilizing has told them that it is mandatory that they use their in-house AV, I found the need to inform planners that this is not true! You don’t need to utilize in-house AV. As a matter of fact, by doing so, you will have a MUCH higher AV bill than utilizing a production company. Not only will you get a much lower AV bill, but you will also get more personalized service.
Also, by utilizing an outside production company you get a project manager that only works on your event. Whereas using the in-house company, they are there for the whole facility and the response time is very slow. On average the response time for an in-house AV service is 7 minutes as compared to an outside production company, working only for your company, of 1.25 minutes.
When you give an RFP to a facility, they may come within your budget, but if you’re not careful and don’t read the fine print, you may get caught “holding the bag”. Every time you make a change, no matter how small, you will be charged extra. At the end of the event, when you get your final bill you’ll find surprise back-end service charges, local and city taxes, labor charges, that you weren’t expecting.
So the next time you begin planning and choosing your facility, make sure the facility can accommodate the number of your attendees and rooms needed for your meetings. Also be sure they can put this in writing and that they will not do double booking for the same meeting rooms in your allotted time frame, because, you must remember, any changes made, big or small, will be done at your cost.
One important question to ask is if they are a union or non-union facility. This can bring on even more charges because union facilities have higher labor rates.
Most importantly remember always send your RFP with your budget constraints out to bid. Get at least 3 bids, one being your facility, and see who can, not only, stay within the restraints of your budget, but can also provide you with the service that you would like to have. This is not going to cost you extra. Bids on RFP’s are at no charge to you.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Event Marketing Boosts Business During Challenging Times
The economic crisis is taking its toll on nearly every industry, and many companies are slashing their marketing budgets to save on expenses. But if we all turn into penny pinchers and scale back on relationship building, our customers are likely to, well, forget about us. Tough times give companies a great opportunity to step out and get noticed; those who keep building relationships are the ones that can fly ahead of the competition.
Research shows that recessions rarely have an adverse impact on spending overall. In fact, studies in every recession since 1940 show that income – and possibly expenditures – rarely declined more than 2 percent. People are still spending money and event marketing can get your company in front of clients so they remember you, connect with you, and most importantly, turn to you first with their dollars.
If your marketing budget is still fairly small, a strategy that typically generates a high return on investment is planning an event. There are plenty of ways to work around even the tightest marketing budget, and creating meaningful events is essential to your success. Whether you’re sponsoring an event or hosting your own, a special event generates immediate interest from potential clients and positions you as a leader in your industry. The result? Brand awareness and maintaining a ‘top of mind’ status.
Staging an event also offers networking benefits; your company can work with local vendors and develop some co-marketing or co-branding initiatives in the future. One of the biggest benefits of event marketing is the word-of-mouth effect that ensues; when clients are excited about a sensational event or interesting activity, they are more than likely tell friends, family members and business associates about it – and are promoting your business as a result. Simply put, hosting an event can be a powerful marketing strategy.
As an event and marketing professional, I understand the importance of building relationships with vendors and collaborative marketing efforts to get in front of the clients by planning vendor meet and greets, client socials and industry expos. By developing one-of-a-kind experiences for your clients, you’ll naturally increase your ROI and can measure the success of the event with surveys or tracking purchases. Event technology can easily log client activity to determine if purchases were made after the event, and tally survey results within seconds.
I encourage businesses to get in front of your clients by planning events during these turbulent economic times. Here are some helpful tips to get you started on your event:
1. Plan it out. Set attainable goals and expectations for your event and give yourself plenty of time to plan out what you want to achieve by having the event, putting together a budget, and ways to be creative to wow your guests.
2. Collaborate your efforts. This sets the stage for sponsorships and co-marketing ideas by teaming up with vendors. This is a great way to cut costs, build a relationship and rely on each other for referrals as you both grow your business.
3. Hire an event planner or dedicated team member. The last thing you want to do is execute a bad event; you want people raving about the experience, not complaining! If you’re on a very tight budget, consider hiring an event planner only for the day of your event to make sure everything runs smoothly.
4. Promote your business before the event. Plan ahead to create marketing materials and get the publicity you need to promote the event long enough to generate strong interest. Call campaigning is a great strategy to personalize the invites by calling attendees to confirm attendance and provides them with the ‘ultimate’ experience from beginning to end.
5. Be resourceful and fun. Consider hosting an event at a restaurant instead of a hotel to save on room fees; most restaurants don’t charge a room fee for private rooms. Having your event at sites that provide entertainment such as a private charter, upscale venue or cooking school can also help provide a unique experience for your guests.
6. Host a late-afternoon soiree. If you can’t afford to host a luncheon or dinner banquet, consider hosting the event from 2:00 – 4:30 so you can serve lights snacks and non-alcoholic beverages instead.
As John F. Kennedy once said, “When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters-one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.”
By building lasting relationships with vendors and clients through event marketing, we can truly see the value in keeping our marketing budgets and seeking opportunity during challenging times.
Research shows that recessions rarely have an adverse impact on spending overall. In fact, studies in every recession since 1940 show that income – and possibly expenditures – rarely declined more than 2 percent. People are still spending money and event marketing can get your company in front of clients so they remember you, connect with you, and most importantly, turn to you first with their dollars.
If your marketing budget is still fairly small, a strategy that typically generates a high return on investment is planning an event. There are plenty of ways to work around even the tightest marketing budget, and creating meaningful events is essential to your success. Whether you’re sponsoring an event or hosting your own, a special event generates immediate interest from potential clients and positions you as a leader in your industry. The result? Brand awareness and maintaining a ‘top of mind’ status.
Staging an event also offers networking benefits; your company can work with local vendors and develop some co-marketing or co-branding initiatives in the future. One of the biggest benefits of event marketing is the word-of-mouth effect that ensues; when clients are excited about a sensational event or interesting activity, they are more than likely tell friends, family members and business associates about it – and are promoting your business as a result. Simply put, hosting an event can be a powerful marketing strategy.
As an event and marketing professional, I understand the importance of building relationships with vendors and collaborative marketing efforts to get in front of the clients by planning vendor meet and greets, client socials and industry expos. By developing one-of-a-kind experiences for your clients, you’ll naturally increase your ROI and can measure the success of the event with surveys or tracking purchases. Event technology can easily log client activity to determine if purchases were made after the event, and tally survey results within seconds.
I encourage businesses to get in front of your clients by planning events during these turbulent economic times. Here are some helpful tips to get you started on your event:
1. Plan it out. Set attainable goals and expectations for your event and give yourself plenty of time to plan out what you want to achieve by having the event, putting together a budget, and ways to be creative to wow your guests.
2. Collaborate your efforts. This sets the stage for sponsorships and co-marketing ideas by teaming up with vendors. This is a great way to cut costs, build a relationship and rely on each other for referrals as you both grow your business.
3. Hire an event planner or dedicated team member. The last thing you want to do is execute a bad event; you want people raving about the experience, not complaining! If you’re on a very tight budget, consider hiring an event planner only for the day of your event to make sure everything runs smoothly.
4. Promote your business before the event. Plan ahead to create marketing materials and get the publicity you need to promote the event long enough to generate strong interest. Call campaigning is a great strategy to personalize the invites by calling attendees to confirm attendance and provides them with the ‘ultimate’ experience from beginning to end.
5. Be resourceful and fun. Consider hosting an event at a restaurant instead of a hotel to save on room fees; most restaurants don’t charge a room fee for private rooms. Having your event at sites that provide entertainment such as a private charter, upscale venue or cooking school can also help provide a unique experience for your guests.
6. Host a late-afternoon soiree. If you can’t afford to host a luncheon or dinner banquet, consider hosting the event from 2:00 – 4:30 so you can serve lights snacks and non-alcoholic beverages instead.
As John F. Kennedy once said, “When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters-one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.”
By building lasting relationships with vendors and clients through event marketing, we can truly see the value in keeping our marketing budgets and seeking opportunity during challenging times.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Select Motivational Speakers for Future Events
People are negative and in the economic downturn, motivational speakers are in huge demand. So huge, in fact, that well-known conference centers are booked up quarters in advance, necessitating effective orgainzing to guarantee successful symposiums. But more vital than ideal conference venues are the right motivational speakers. And yet again, if you like the best of the best, you have to select your motivational speakers well in advance.
Motivational speakers come from all industries and segments of life. Some are athletes; others are average people who have broken through impossible hurdles - whether tough personal circumstances, severe illnesses, or difficult careers. But they share one commonality - all have a personal story to share - and audiences can relate to this. Big corporations are utilizing these stories to develop, educate and train their teams.
The drive behind having talks by motivational speakers is to inform and train employees on relevant issues in the marketplace, increase motivation of people, or share best practices to the benefit of the company.
Motivational speakers are in touch with audiences. They facitlitate improvement during conferences. Event planners do careful planning through their spreadsheets before placing motivational speakers. You also need to do your homework well before you choose your motivational speakers and make sure that they are worth the financial investment.
Motivational speakers come from all industries and segments of life. Some are athletes; others are average people who have broken through impossible hurdles - whether tough personal circumstances, severe illnesses, or difficult careers. But they share one commonality - all have a personal story to share - and audiences can relate to this. Big corporations are utilizing these stories to develop, educate and train their teams.
The drive behind having talks by motivational speakers is to inform and train employees on relevant issues in the marketplace, increase motivation of people, or share best practices to the benefit of the company.
Motivational speakers are in touch with audiences. They facitlitate improvement during conferences. Event planners do careful planning through their spreadsheets before placing motivational speakers. You also need to do your homework well before you choose your motivational speakers and make sure that they are worth the financial investment.
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