The document outlines recommendations from a meeting on improving meetings and member engagement. It identifies 5 strategies: 1) Diversifying revenue sources beyond conventions; 2) Rewarding new ideas and diversity; 3) Understanding member and industry needs and values; 4) Maximizing digital opportunities; and 5) Prioritizing member learning over logistics. Each strategy includes action items and accountability partners. The presentation encourages refining the ideas, implementing them, evaluating results, and repeating the process to elevate program quality and the organization's reputation and finances.

1. The Next Generation
of Meetings
ESSAE & NYSHTA Meetings Institute
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

2. AaronWolowiec.com
@AaronWolowiec

4. ↠ Background
↠ Recommendations
↠ Strategic planning
↠ Next steps
↠ Wrap-up

5. • Professional
development landscape
• Industry best practices
• Member expectations
• Accessibility of
education/learning
• Competition for time
and resources
• Market share
• Information overload

6. • 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

12. 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

13. Strategy 1:
Action item Resource(s) Completion date
1.
2.
3.
Accountability partner/team:

15. 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

16. Strategy 2:
Action item Resource(s) Completion date
1.
2.
3.
Accountability partner/team:

18. 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

19. Strategy 3:
Action item Resource(s) Completion date
1.
2.
3.
Accountability partner/team:

21. Maximize Opportunities
• Relevant, competitive • Blended learning
and sustainable • Digital meetings
• Change and • Outsourcing meeting
experimentation planning activities
• Industry standards, • Optimizing speakers
practices and • Collecting evaluations
networks
• Live video streaming
• Internship programs

22. Strategy 4:
Action item Resource(s) Completion date
1.
2.
3.
Accountability partner/team:

24. 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

25. Strategy 5:
Action item Resource(s) Completion date
1.
2.
3.
Accountability partner/team:

26. 1. Diversify revenue
2. Reward difference
3. Value context
4. Maximize opportunities
5. Prioritize learning

27. Next Steps
• Refine ideas
– Action items
– Resources
– Completion dates
• Implement ideas
• Accountability
– Partner/team
• Evaluate/repeat

28. • Elevate the quality and sophistication of
your programs
• Build the reputation of your meetings
department
• Improve your organization’s bottom line

29. Leave a business card…
I’ll email the slide deck.

30. Monday, Aug. 5, 2013
3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Building Financial Momentum Through
Meetings & Membership Collaboration

31. Aaron D. Wolowiec
MSA, CAE, CMP, CTA
(616) 710-1891
aaron@eventgarde.com
www.eventgarde.com