Strength in Numbers
we help meeting planners
in four ways:
1. we stimulate attendance
by writing articles forthe
company’s magazine/
newsletter 60 to 90 days before
the program, produce welcome
videos to run on the company
website before the program,
and send handwritten notes to
welcome each registrant.
2. we reward attendance by
being memorable and engaging the attendees.
3. we follow up with a Q&a
teleseminar 30 to 60 days
after the program.
4. in addition to a keynote, i
include a breakout session
and consulting on how to
use “guerrilla Marketing” to
promote the event.
So far, it’s working. we had the
best first quarter in years.
—Orvel ray wilson, cSp
golden, colo.
How are you helping meeting
planners who buy into the
“fact” that attendance is down?
Create a compelling package of live and follow-up information that meeting planners can’t afford to miss. use a green screen to film a custom video to promote your session and list the benefits of attending the meeting. Use the client’s logo in your background and speak pointedly to the issue of not attending and why that would be a big mistake. use your topic to frame your comments around meeting attendance. in my field of pro- ductivity, I could talk about how working hours have
increased due to layoffs and
how increased productivity
will allow them to be more effi-
cient, work fewer hours, and get
home to their families sooner.
Toss in valuable resources for
attendees that don’t cost you out
of pocket but provide high value,
such as online videos, e-books
or Mp3s.
—Laura Stack, MBA, CSP
highlands ranch, colo.
i write compelling
e-mails that sell the
program. i give them
to the client to send to
potential attendees at
specific times before the
conference. i also offer
extra value by providing
15-minute consultations
before and after the
program. The client likes
this, and it gives me an
opportunity to deliver value
while the “coachee” tries me
out before hiring me.
—arnold sanow, MBa, csP
We help them with marketing. We provide
descriptive copy and do podcasts—video postcards in
which i describe my session and why it’s important, etc.
it is one of our differentiators.
shift their thinking from “low attendance at meetings” to what would compel
attendees to say, “i can’t miss this event.” Then, brainstorm ways to make that shift happen.
This can be done with articles that promote the thinking and topics, pre-work that
has attendees seeking answers to questions, and Webinars that leave them wanting
more. You could even offer a post-conference Webinar for those who can’t attend the
program live where you promote the program’s key topics for revenue generation,
after the event.
—anne Warfield, csP, eden Prairie, Minn.
What Would You Do? is a regular column that presents a real-life dilemma faced by professional speakers. NSA
members are encouraged to submit a dilemma for possible discussion in this column. Please submit dilemmas to
ethics@nsaspeaker.org. NSA reserves the right to edit submissions for length and style. All dilemmas will be anonymously attributed. Opinions expressed are those of the individual respondents, not NSA.
