Can you feel it? Excitement is in the air. It’s that time of year where only the best are invited to the “big dance.” Productivity stalls as our attention is diverted elsewhere.
Of course I’m talking about meeting season – spring conferences, trade shows, open houses, and the perennial “Cinderella story” – internal team meetings.
How do we make sure that we advance to the next round during this time?
Our recent Lunch and Learn – We’ve Got To Stop Meeting Like This – addressed this and it was certainly a bracket-buster. Not only did we have great attendance, the quality of the content was absolutely outstanding. Natalie Ghidotti of Ghidotti Communications spoke on how to not only plan, but how to strategically implement this plan for a successful event, no matter how large or small.
Natalie Ghidotti explains why “We’ve Got To Stop Meeting This Way!”
Before the first tip-off, let’s assume you’ve done your pregame planning –
- You’ve outlined clearly defined goals for your event
- You’ve defined your target audience
- You have a communication strategy in place
- You plan to evaluate the event before, during and after
You’re ready to play ball, right?
Not so fast – let’s have a few reality checks.These are the things we must do before setting foot on the court:
- INTEGRATE – Be consistent across all marketing channels. Use the same call to action in every form of communication.
- TRACK & MEASURE – If you are not measuring, you are not marketing! Use trackable URLS, coupon codes, 800 numbers and more. Monitor click through rates.
- KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE – Look at who as attended before and invite folks like them. Invite at least double or triple the amount you want to attend. Investigate Facebook “lookalike audience” tools. Investigate here.
- ENTERTAINMENT IS REQUIRED – People expect to be entertained. Or at lease engaged. A recent study shows that our attention spans have gone from 12 seconds to 8 seconds (that shorter than a goldfish). Good grief! So if you can juggle fire at your next event, do it. (Check with your insurance carrier first!)
- WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN – Direct mail still works; email to the right audience is highly effective. Free is still a very popular word. Games, contests and storytelling are what hold this country together.
- PEOPLE ATTEND FOR REASONS YOU DON’T KNOW – select the box below to find out why:
Whether you’re planning a large meeting or a small gathering, this plan and these reality checks will help increase the success of your event. And no longer will you have the frustrated cry of “We’ve Got To Stop Meeting Like This!”
Need help with the promotion of your event? From invitations, to direct mail, to banners and backdrops and even promotional giveaways, we would love to assist. We have so many ways to help you market smarter.
Paul Strack
