First Posted May 21, 2010
Ask most planners and they will tell you…generally, people have no idea what they do, the stress they deal with and the fires they put out (that no one ever knows about). Post-event depression is real and here are a few tips to help your current and prospective clients deal with it.
Let’s set some ground rules: This doesn’t necessarily happen at every event and you can correctly assume higher stress surrounding an event corresponds to the amount of post-event depression a planner experiences.
Planners deal with post-event-stress-relief in different ways. Some may retreat to their home and sleep/hibernate for 24 hours (or more). Others may need to blow off some steam and get together with friends for a round of golf, a night out or a girls’ weekend. And for those who are planning multiple events simultaneously, they may save it up and, once a month, need a combination of spa and massage therapy to work out the knots in their feet, back and neck. Regardless of the remedy, the common thread is that in this ‘do more with less’ economy, planners need downtime, just like everyone else.
For suppliers, this means a few things. First, don’t call/e-mail the day after the event with your service-survey and expect an immediate response. Second, if you want to score some brownie points, find out what the planner does to relax and tailor your thank-you gift to suit that client’s needs. I can’t tell you how many spa packages I’ve received as thank-you gifts and given them away (sorry) to my team to use for their post-event treat. You don’t have to spend piles of money to achieve this result; even knowing their favourite kind of tea and buying them a little sample will be very much appreciated.
We all talk about relationships and how important they are. The best way to ensure loyalty and, ultimately, repeat business, is to remember to treat your client like a human being first; respect that they are under as much stress as anyone and helping them deal with it after a successful event will be remembered for a very long time…not to mention the great word of mouth you will receive.
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
What’s an Audit Statement?
First Posted April 20, 2010
If part or all of your job description includes marketing, you should know what an audit statement is, how it works and how it can protect your buy. Don’t throw your marketing dollars away without knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them.
Definition – An audit is when a media/publishing company hires a third party company to come in and verify the circulation and audience they claim to reach are both real and true. Audit statements are most commonly associated with magazines and newspapers. Audit statements are not mandatory; each publisher has the choice to spend the money to have an audit performed on their business. The two industry leading audit organizations, ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) and BPA Worldwide provide a publisher with a statement that verifies the distribution and type of reader they reach.
One of the first marketing questions you should ask is if a publication has an audit statement. If they do not, you as the buyer have no third-party verification that they are, in fact, mailing all the copies they claim to, nor do you have the assurance they are, in fact, reaching the audience they are claiming to reach. To mitigate the distribution question, feel free to ask the publication for a Canada Post mailing receipt. If they claim to mail 15,000 copies, then ask for a copy of the receipt from Canada Post that shows they mailed all 15,000 copies. This won’t show who received the copies (i.e. if they mailed all 15,000 to themselves), but will prove the distribution.
The areas within an audit statement that you want to understand are:
Section 3A. This section describes who the readers are. It can be by job classification or function. This proves that the publication reaches the prospects you are targeting.Section 3B. This section shows not only that the publication is mailing all the copies they claim, but also show how they built their list. Often the ‘business lists’ source is one of the largest components of a magazine’s circulation; meaning they are simply renting a list and mailing to it. Buyer Beware – There is no guarantee these rented lists are current and fresh and you have no way of checking or verifying that they are.
Conclusion – An audit gives you the assurance that your marketing dollars are going into a publication that can unequivocally prove its reach and audience…and removes any questions of doubt about that publication.
If part or all of your job description includes marketing, you should know what an audit statement is, how it works and how it can protect your buy. Don’t throw your marketing dollars away without knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them.
Definition – An audit is when a media/publishing company hires a third party company to come in and verify the circulation and audience they claim to reach are both real and true. Audit statements are most commonly associated with magazines and newspapers. Audit statements are not mandatory; each publisher has the choice to spend the money to have an audit performed on their business. The two industry leading audit organizations, ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) and BPA Worldwide provide a publisher with a statement that verifies the distribution and type of reader they reach.
One of the first marketing questions you should ask is if a publication has an audit statement. If they do not, you as the buyer have no third-party verification that they are, in fact, mailing all the copies they claim to, nor do you have the assurance they are, in fact, reaching the audience they are claiming to reach. To mitigate the distribution question, feel free to ask the publication for a Canada Post mailing receipt. If they claim to mail 15,000 copies, then ask for a copy of the receipt from Canada Post that shows they mailed all 15,000 copies. This won’t show who received the copies (i.e. if they mailed all 15,000 to themselves), but will prove the distribution.
The areas within an audit statement that you want to understand are:
Section 3A. This section describes who the readers are. It can be by job classification or function. This proves that the publication reaches the prospects you are targeting.Section 3B. This section shows not only that the publication is mailing all the copies they claim, but also show how they built their list. Often the ‘business lists’ source is one of the largest components of a magazine’s circulation; meaning they are simply renting a list and mailing to it. Buyer Beware – There is no guarantee these rented lists are current and fresh and you have no way of checking or verifying that they are.
Conclusion – An audit gives you the assurance that your marketing dollars are going into a publication that can unequivocally prove its reach and audience…and removes any questions of doubt about that publication.
7 Types of Suppliers Planners Avoid
First Posted April 20, 2010
At times, meeting planners can be a fickle bunch. But don’t forget we’re human too. Check out seven of the quickest ways to crash and burn with clients and prospects.
1. Verbal Diarrhea – As a rule, planners love to talk about themselves and the programs/problems they are working on. Know when to shut up and listen; by doing this you might be able to become part of the solution. If you don’t turn off the verbal spew, then you definitely won’t be part of any solution.
2. The Frat Boy – As a planner, I’ll be honest with you and when I tell you “No,” believe me. Don’t continue to try and change my mind. You are only damaging your credibility and closing the door to future consideration. Respect my decision and tell me you’ll call me in six months or a year to see if anything has changed.
3. The Stalker – This trait has been popular during tough times. When given a small sign that the planner might have business to book with you, you end up smothering the prospect (and clients too) trying to over-service and close the deal. Ask questions that will get the planner talking, offer ideas and solutions and you will win the business.
4. The Dealmaker – There is ample research that shows people will pay more for the same product if the service, trust and relationship are there. Don’t assume that offering a discount or the best deal is a sure-fire way to getting the business. Most planners know how to negotiate the deal they need.
5. The Magician – A planner spends hours working with the account manager to get a contract (and relationship) in place only to never see or hear from that person again once it’s signed. The planner gets handed over to catering and banquets, and the sales manager moves on to the next sale. This is the fastest way NOT to get repeat business from a client.
6. The Know-It-All – Not related to the Stephen King novel, this supplier presumes to know what the planner needs/wants based on their products/services. You have two ears and one mouth, practice using them in that ratio. Get the client/prospect talking (by asking open-ended questions) and let them tell you what they need. Then match their needs to your product(s).
And last but not least…
7. The Adulterer – Enough said!
Summary – If you have taken any sales training or read a ‘how-to’ sales book, the above seven should not be a surprise to you. However, it is surprising how many suppliers don’t practice these tried-and-true best practices. If you find yourself falling into one of the stereotypes, stop what you are doing, walk around the block and get back on track to being a professional supplier for our industry.
At times, meeting planners can be a fickle bunch. But don’t forget we’re human too. Check out seven of the quickest ways to crash and burn with clients and prospects.
1. Verbal Diarrhea – As a rule, planners love to talk about themselves and the programs/problems they are working on. Know when to shut up and listen; by doing this you might be able to become part of the solution. If you don’t turn off the verbal spew, then you definitely won’t be part of any solution.
2. The Frat Boy – As a planner, I’ll be honest with you and when I tell you “No,” believe me. Don’t continue to try and change my mind. You are only damaging your credibility and closing the door to future consideration. Respect my decision and tell me you’ll call me in six months or a year to see if anything has changed.
3. The Stalker – This trait has been popular during tough times. When given a small sign that the planner might have business to book with you, you end up smothering the prospect (and clients too) trying to over-service and close the deal. Ask questions that will get the planner talking, offer ideas and solutions and you will win the business.
4. The Dealmaker – There is ample research that shows people will pay more for the same product if the service, trust and relationship are there. Don’t assume that offering a discount or the best deal is a sure-fire way to getting the business. Most planners know how to negotiate the deal they need.
5. The Magician – A planner spends hours working with the account manager to get a contract (and relationship) in place only to never see or hear from that person again once it’s signed. The planner gets handed over to catering and banquets, and the sales manager moves on to the next sale. This is the fastest way NOT to get repeat business from a client.
6. The Know-It-All – Not related to the Stephen King novel, this supplier presumes to know what the planner needs/wants based on their products/services. You have two ears and one mouth, practice using them in that ratio. Get the client/prospect talking (by asking open-ended questions) and let them tell you what they need. Then match their needs to your product(s).
And last but not least…
7. The Adulterer – Enough said!
Summary – If you have taken any sales training or read a ‘how-to’ sales book, the above seven should not be a surprise to you. However, it is surprising how many suppliers don’t practice these tried-and-true best practices. If you find yourself falling into one of the stereotypes, stop what you are doing, walk around the block and get back on track to being a professional supplier for our industry.
The 12 Benefits of Volunteering
First Posted March 18, 2010
I firmly believe in the saying, ‘you only get out of things as much as you put into them.’ Our industry is a people industry and if you want to make connections, you need to engage people face-to-face. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by volunteering. Here’s why…
I’ve been an active volunteer in the industry for over 15 years, across at least seven different associations, large and small, national and local. I am the person I am today in part due to those volunteer roles and responsibilities over the years. Regardless of the size, budget or task required, volunteering has allowed me to grow both as an industry professional and expert, and professionally in my career in ways I did not expect.
12 Benefits of Volunteering
Conclusion
There is no excuse not to get involved in any one of our industry’s 20-plus associations. If you want to make deep and lasting relationships with customers and prospects, there is no better way than rolling up your sleeves and showing off your stuff elbow-to-elbow. Take it from me; the time you invest will pay off in spades.
I firmly believe in the saying, ‘you only get out of things as much as you put into them.’ Our industry is a people industry and if you want to make connections, you need to engage people face-to-face. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by volunteering. Here’s why…
I’ve been an active volunteer in the industry for over 15 years, across at least seven different associations, large and small, national and local. I am the person I am today in part due to those volunteer roles and responsibilities over the years. Regardless of the size, budget or task required, volunteering has allowed me to grow both as an industry professional and expert, and professionally in my career in ways I did not expect.
12 Benefits of Volunteering
1. Build deep industry relationships, globally, that you would not have had the opportunity to develop otherwise.
2. Be known as a “do-er” and people will call you.
3. Learn how associations and not-for-profit organizations operate.
4. Improve your communication skills (practicing outside your organization never hurts).
5. Learn about government relations and lobbying efforts.
6. Have fun and laugh. Your peers are there because they choose to be and this is a great environment to work in.
7. Learn how to lead and manage people.
8. Learn – the conversations you have before and after volunteer meetings are sometimes more important and valuable than you could ever imagine. Learn about your peer’s challenges as they are happening, and possibly become part of the solution.
9. Be respected as an expert.
10. Grow your reputation as someone who is knowledgeable and caring about our industry and its health.
11. Marketing – the face-to-face time you spend is a form of marketing for you and your organization.
12. Get the gossip – like most industries, ours is one of musical chairs. Associations are a great way to keep on top of not just who’s who, but who’s where, too!
Conclusion
There is no excuse not to get involved in any one of our industry’s 20-plus associations. If you want to make deep and lasting relationships with customers and prospects, there is no better way than rolling up your sleeves and showing off your stuff elbow-to-elbow. Take it from me; the time you invest will pay off in spades.
Modern Warfare
First Posted March 18, 2010
The Challenge: The meetings industry is at war with every other marketing medium out there (print, online, outdoor, direct mail, television, etc.). Like every other medium, meetings need to justify our investment and provide ROI.
The Solution: I like to study history, especially the strategy of wars. One lesson our meetings industry could steal is to form a strategic alliance with a strong partner, the results of which are 1 + 1 is more than 2.
I’m often asked what our industry’s greatest challenges are and the answer is never static. One challenge I see is the lack of integration between technology and events. Yes, online registration is as common as a coffee break, but that does not mean we are integrated. The online industry has experienced double-digit growth since the dot-com bubble burst, and is projected to continue growing at a rapid pace for years to come. We know, from the MPI FoundationCanada ’s Canadian Economic Impact Study, that meetings in Canada Canada
The popular topic of the day is ‘value for meetings’ or ‘return on investment.’ I do agree that our industry needs to be better at providing such answers. Every other marketing medium has metrics and tools in place to measure their impact. For meetings, I believe information technology can provide us with the tools that will give us those metrics.
The term ‘modern warfare’ encompasses strategy, tactics, organization, logistics and people – all core elements of our industry. We need to apply modern warfare to our meetings and events, and use technology to prove our audiences are better engaged and learn as a result of face-to-face events. Online tools such as blogs, forums, social media, chat rooms, intranets, etc., that are part of our daily culture can easily be applied to meetings – demonstrating the value of meetings, if by no other metric than one of pure engagement.
The meetings industry needs to form a strategic alliance with online, not just to survive, but to grow as we know we can.
Generally regarded as either a video game or the best practices of engaging in the act of war, modern warfare can also be defined as the concepts, methods and technologies that have come into use and are now widespread as a result of highly advanced information technology. Our industry has to either accept this as our modern warfare, or lose the war.
The Challenge: The meetings industry is at war with every other marketing medium out there (print, online, outdoor, direct mail, television, etc.). Like every other medium, meetings need to justify our investment and provide ROI.
The Solution: I like to study history, especially the strategy of wars. One lesson our meetings industry could steal is to form a strategic alliance with a strong partner, the results of which are 1 + 1 is more than 2.
I’m often asked what our industry’s greatest challenges are and the answer is never static. One challenge I see is the lack of integration between technology and events. Yes, online registration is as common as a coffee break, but that does not mean we are integrated. The online industry has experienced double-digit growth since the dot-com bubble burst, and is projected to continue growing at a rapid pace for years to come. We know, from the MPI Foundation
The popular topic of the day is ‘value for meetings’ or ‘return on investment.’ I do agree that our industry needs to be better at providing such answers. Every other marketing medium has metrics and tools in place to measure their impact. For meetings, I believe information technology can provide us with the tools that will give us those metrics.
The term ‘modern warfare’ encompasses strategy, tactics, organization, logistics and people – all core elements of our industry. We need to apply modern warfare to our meetings and events, and use technology to prove our audiences are better engaged and learn as a result of face-to-face events. Online tools such as blogs, forums, social media, chat rooms, intranets, etc., that are part of our daily culture can easily be applied to meetings – demonstrating the value of meetings, if by no other metric than one of pure engagement.
The meetings industry needs to form a strategic alliance with online, not just to survive, but to grow as we know we can.
5 Olympic Lessons
First Posted February 22, 2010
Olympic fever has swept the nation and there are excellent lessons that can be learned from the Vancouver Olympics that apply to our industry and your business.
Treat Each Day Like it’s Your Last – We’ve all seen motivational speakers who have overcome near-death experiences. Often, their message is, “treat each day like it’s your last.” With the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, I realized that expression is exemplified by those athletes who died doing what they love. Lesson: Be happy in your professional and personal life. Life is too short to be miserable.
Meeting Expectations – Own the Podium is a commendable goal forCanada
Elevator Pitch – As a Canadian watching the opening ceremonies, I was disappointed. I understand that the ceremonies were scaled back due to the recession, but the messages did not reflect who and what we are as a country. In your business, if you had the opportunity to tell 3.5-billion prospects your message, what would it be? You, and everyone in your organization, should know your ‘elevator pitch’ and be able to recite it on command. If you don’t have an elevator pitch, listen to your best customers; their words are your foundation.
Fix Mistakes Fast – As I’m writing this, controversy swirls around the waterfront Olympic flame and the chain-link fence barring people from getting close to it. We all make mistakes. It’s best to address them head-on and implement a solution. People admit mistakes, but without a fix, it becomes wasted words. I don’t know what the solution is in the flame-and-fence scenario. I just know they are slow to admit their mistake and even slower to fix it.
The Secret to Success – In 29 seconds, Alex Bilodeau won gold forCanada
Olympic fever has swept the nation and there are excellent lessons that can be learned from the Vancouver Olympics that apply to our industry and your business.
Treat Each Day Like it’s Your Last – We’ve all seen motivational speakers who have overcome near-death experiences. Often, their message is, “treat each day like it’s your last.” With the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, I realized that expression is exemplified by those athletes who died doing what they love. Lesson: Be happy in your professional and personal life. Life is too short to be miserable.
Meeting Expectations – Own the Podium is a commendable goal for
Elevator Pitch – As a Canadian watching the opening ceremonies, I was disappointed. I understand that the ceremonies were scaled back due to the recession, but the messages did not reflect who and what we are as a country. In your business, if you had the opportunity to tell 3.5-billion prospects your message, what would it be? You, and everyone in your organization, should know your ‘elevator pitch’ and be able to recite it on command. If you don’t have an elevator pitch, listen to your best customers; their words are your foundation.
Fix Mistakes Fast – As I’m writing this, controversy swirls around the waterfront Olympic flame and the chain-link fence barring people from getting close to it. We all make mistakes. It’s best to address them head-on and implement a solution. People admit mistakes, but without a fix, it becomes wasted words. I don’t know what the solution is in the flame-and-fence scenario. I just know they are slow to admit their mistake and even slower to fix it.
The Secret to Success – In 29 seconds, Alex Bilodeau won gold for
5 New Year’s Resolutions for the Industry
First Posted Januray 15, 2010
Given it’s a new decade, in addition to a new year, it’s time we looked in the mirror and gave ourselves a stiff talking-to. Feel free to agree, disagree, argue or add to my Top 5 industry resolutions…
1. Balance your chequebook – After reviewing the results of Meeting & Incentive Travel magazine's Annual Market Report Survey, there is no question measuring the ROI (return on investment) of events is still in the dark ages. The top-two metrics used to measure an event’s success are ‘attendance numbers’ and ‘attendee satisfaction surveys.’ While ‘smile sheets’ will always be important, there is no correlation to the financial impact, gain, or business done at the 673,000-plus meetings held annually in Canada (Source: MPIFC Canadian Economic Impact Study) If we’re going to evolve as a professional industry, then we need to develop and use a common yardstick to measure the events we plan.
2. Take the dog for a walk – Our industry depends on people getting out from behind their computer and leaving the office/home. If we aren’t prepared to attend industry events, then what kind of example are we setting for our clients and attendees? Events for the meetings industry should be some of the largest in the world. We need to be leading the pack (pardon the dog pun) in strong, face-to-face events.
3. Be a good Boy Scout / Girl Guide – Having been raised through Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, we were always taught to leave a campsite the way we found it…or better. The recession has overshadowed the need for our industry to improve its green practices during the past 18 months. As we come out of this recession, we must be aware that our industry is exposed to public criticism regarding our massive carbon footprint. InCanada
4. Go Back to School – Admittedly, this may be a perennial resolution of mine. Our industry has far too many accreditation programmes; I can name at least 12 off the top of my head. If you were going to build a bridge, you hire an engineer. You would not want to learn that there are 12 different accreditations of engineers, right? You would want to know your bridge is being built to the highest standard of the entire industry. Meeting planning is no different. Until we, as an industry – at least inNorth America – can agree and adopt one accreditation for meeting planning, we will continue to be misunderstood and underappreciated.
5. Get Organized – Just after Christmas, I had the pleasure of flying to theU.S.
Given it’s a new decade, in addition to a new year, it’s time we looked in the mirror and gave ourselves a stiff talking-to. Feel free to agree, disagree, argue or add to my Top 5 industry resolutions…
1. Balance your chequebook – After reviewing the results of Meeting & Incentive Travel magazine's Annual Market Report Survey, there is no question measuring the ROI (return on investment) of events is still in the dark ages. The top-two metrics used to measure an event’s success are ‘attendance numbers’ and ‘attendee satisfaction surveys.’ While ‘smile sheets’ will always be important, there is no correlation to the financial impact, gain, or business done at the 673,000-plus meetings held annually in Canada (Source: MPIFC Canadian Economic Impact Study) If we’re going to evolve as a professional industry, then we need to develop and use a common yardstick to measure the events we plan.
2. Take the dog for a walk – Our industry depends on people getting out from behind their computer and leaving the office/home. If we aren’t prepared to attend industry events, then what kind of example are we setting for our clients and attendees? Events for the meetings industry should be some of the largest in the world. We need to be leading the pack (pardon the dog pun) in strong, face-to-face events.
3. Be a good Boy Scout / Girl Guide – Having been raised through Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, we were always taught to leave a campsite the way we found it…or better. The recession has overshadowed the need for our industry to improve its green practices during the past 18 months. As we come out of this recession, we must be aware that our industry is exposed to public criticism regarding our massive carbon footprint. In
4. Go Back to School – Admittedly, this may be a perennial resolution of mine. Our industry has far too many accreditation programmes; I can name at least 12 off the top of my head. If you were going to build a bridge, you hire an engineer. You would not want to learn that there are 12 different accreditations of engineers, right? You would want to know your bridge is being built to the highest standard of the entire industry. Meeting planning is no different. Until we, as an industry – at least in
5. Get Organized – Just after Christmas, I had the pleasure of flying to the
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