The Next Generation of Meetings

ESSAE & NYSHTA Meetings Institute

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

@AaronWolowiec

AaronWolowiec.com

(bonus content)

↠ Background

↠ Recommendations

↠ Strategic planning

↠ Next steps

↠ Wrap-up

• Professional development landscape

• Industry best practices • Member expectations • Accessibility of

education/learning • Competition for time

and resources• Market share• Information overload

• Business “as usual” is not an option

• Current goals/objectives• Environmental scan• Benchmarking data • Implications for the future• Align organization practice

with changing member needs• Actionable education strategy

Redefine how

success

is measured.

Drumroll,

please.

Tactic 1:Diversify Revenue

Diversify Revenue

• Percentage of annual revenue attributable to conventions, exhibits and meetings

• Type and number of meetings• Exhibitions and sponsorships• Credentialing programs• Major meeting/annual income ratio

Strategy 1:

Action item Resource(s) Completion date

1.

2.

3.

Accountability partner/team: Your turn.

Tactic 2:RewardDifference

Reward Difference

• Unique identity, culture and experience• Greater variation, creativity and innovation• Diversity of thought• Function leaders/staff• Speaker bureau and CVB services• Methods used to identify prospective speakers • Decisions about professional speakers/venues

Strategy 2:

Action item Resource(s) Completion date

1.

2.

3.

Accountability partner/team: Your turn.

Tactic 3:Value

Context

Value Context

• Your members, organization and industry• Position titles/salaries• Total number of concurrent sessions• Percentage of members attending major

meeting • Industry speaker compensation packages• Form and content of formal evaluations

Strategy 3:

Action item Resource(s) Completion date

1.

2.

3.

Accountability partner/team: Your turn.

Tactic 4:Maximize

Opportunities

Maximize Opportunities

• Relevant, competitive and sustainable

• Change and experimentation

• Industry standards, practices and networks

• Internship programs

• Blended learning• Digital meetings• Outsourcing meeting

planning activities• Optimizing speakers• Collecting evaluations• Live video streaming

Strategy 4:

Action item Resource(s) Completion date

1.

2.

3.

Accountability partner/team: Your turn.

Tactic 5:PrioritizeLearning

Prioritize Learning

• Logistics vs. learning/networking• Utilize professional/ industry speakers• Schedule intentional speaker follow-up • Call for presentations • Speaker preparation• Measure learning• Verify expanded speaker submissions

Strategy 5:

Action item Resource(s) Completion date

1.

2.

3.

Accountability partner/team: Your turn.

1. Diversify revenue

2. Reward difference

3. Value context

4. Maximize opportunities

5. Prioritize learning

Next Steps

• Refine ideas– Action items– Resources– Completion dates

• Implement ideas• Accountability– Partner/team

• Evaluate/repeat

• Elevate the quality and sophistication of your programs

• Build the reputation of your meetings department

• Improve your organization’s bottom line

Leave a business card…

I’ll email the slide deck.

Monday, Aug. 5, 2013

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Building Financial Momentum Through Meetings & Membership Collaboration

Aaron D. WolowiecMSA, CAE, CMP, CTA

(616) 710-1891aaron@eventgarde.comwww.eventgarde.com