Successful Meetings - May 2008 - (Page 34)

Planner’s Workshop qualification is the only criterion for evaluating a supplier; there are many. But the less time planners and DMCs need to spend vetting vendors, the more time they can dedicate to what really counts—producing a great meeting. There is true transparency from day one. In shifting the onus of liability to the supplier, the process of vendor selection—always challenging for planners and DMCs—is also made much simpler and more streamlined. Knowing that a transportation company, for example, puts its “money where its mouth is,” we no longer need to do multiple layers of research into the company’s performance history and ask questions like, “How long has that driver been driving, and does he have an accident record?” All that information must be provided up front; and liability, again, stays where it belongs. There is a trail to follow. In the event of an actual accident, the chain of responsibility afterwards is easy to trace. The last thing a planner wants after an incident is to confront a CEO’s question as to who is liable without having the facts at hand to provide clear answers. Under GEP’s risk management standards, the answers are clear from the outset. The key to excellence is being proactive rather than reactive—anticipating a client’s needs, problems, or challenges, and going above and beyond to alleviate them. In a nutshell, that is what working with a DMC that has risk management standards does. It clarifies, simplifies, and expedites; but most important, it puts the DMC and planner on the same team in selecting suppliers and producing an event that is as straightforward, costeffective, and stress-free as possible. 2 > On Site A Recurring Theme By John A. Lee Would you travel halfway across the country for a meeting without knowing its purpose? Most of us need a reason—an expectation. Yet, many meetings, such as the vaguely described “annual sales meeting,” are often big unknown for attendees. Companies can conduct meetings and conferences for several reasons: to review the past year and announce goals for the next; to introduce a new product to dealers; to plot a plan of action; or to set a tone for the current business environment. Imagine how much more receptive attendees would be if they had an inkling of what to expect, rather than wondering if it is time for a pat on the back or a spanking. Ambiguity is counterproductive to crafting an efficient meeting. So, let’s get rid of the fuzziness and focus on heightening the anticipation that something extraordinary is about to occur at this year’s program. Bring on the well-thought-out, highly creative, and shrewdly executed meeting theme. mimegasite.com 3 An incredible theme will elevate attendees’ curiosity and make them eager to attend. The theme should be used throughout an awareness campaign, from the first communication to the last retention strategy that helps the attendee take the meeting content back to the office. From the management side, there are four general objectives for engaging an audience: get the attendees’ attention; create interest in what’s going to happen; make the attendee desirous of being involved; and finally, after preparing the field for the program itself, issue a clearcut call to action that sends the attendees rushing out of the room eager to make their own personal difference to the organization. But wait! It’s not that easy. As communicators, we need to be concerned with what we want our audience to know, to think, to feel, and to do. Too often, we focus on knowledge transfer and go no further toward fulfilling these MAY 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS Jennifer Patino is chair of GEP-Americas Advisory Board, and president of Baskow & Associates, a DMC based in Las Vegas, NV. 34 http://mimegasite.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - May 2008

Successful Meetings - May 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Destination News
Destination News
Suppliers
Destination News
Calendar
On the Record
Websites of the Month
Management Matters
Mouth for Sale
Meetings Law
Planner's Spotlight
Pre-Event
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Pre-Event
Counting Change
Giving Them the Business
The Magnificent Seven
All-American Gift Guide
Green Lights
Places & Spaces
Anaheim & Orange County
Upstate New York
Cincinnati
Detroit
San Diego
Phoenix
Gurus

Successful Meetings - May 2008