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Engaging Your Audience: Before, During and After Your Event Daphne J. Meyers, CMM Red Barn Group

Today’s Presenter Daphne J. Meyers, CMM –Managing Partner, Red Barn Group –Adjunct Instructor, Events Planning, Minnesota State University Moorhead –Meeting Professional International (MPI), Minnesota Chapter, Vice President of Leadership Development –MPI Global Certified Trainer –Past life – Senior Events Manager, Microsoft, Great Plains

Today Discuss why engagement is important and more challenging than ever before Immediately executable engagement tips Hands-on with engagement tools

Engagement… a continuous process Before During After

Gallup Management Journal Holding onto a customer has never been harder -- or more important. Proprietary Gallup research shows that the key to wooing customers isn't price or even product. It's emotion. June 17, 2001

Current reality Old WAY - pushing New WAY - pulling and engaging –Audiences are more empowered than ever before –Expect customization to their needs –“I am talking, are you listening?” ALWAYS – looking for emotional connection

Social Media & Technology Technology is not replacing face-to-face - it is driving it –We are humans –Biology drives us to want to interact on a personal level Energy of room full of people is the life-blood of any successful organization

Video

Infusing emotion Trust Community Passion Processes

Engagement as a strategy Need a plan Cannot be built without customer –Where are your customers? –How do you meet them there? –Listen and dialogue –What are they saying to others about you? –Line between personal and professional is getting more blurry every day

The Plan Executive summary –Purpose –Objectives and goals Loyalty? Information Resource? Community? Set goals – chart course, be consistent visually, messaging, timing What is your sentence? –How will success be measured?

The Plan Market Analysis –Competition (look outside industry) –Customers/Audience/Potential –Delivery methods/vehicles Resource Management –Money –Time –Schedules

Engagement… a continuous process Before During After

“Before” tips Advisory councils Surveys on content, speakers and other activities Social media discussion groups Thought-provoking questions on topical, and even controversial, issues Follow your customers and competitors

“During” tips Use social media to fuel “face-to-face” –Meeting areas/times –Discussion boards –Collaboration tools Use event to do things that you CANNOT do any other way –Sensory – taste? touch? –Body language – debates, role play

“During” tips Access to Experts –Genius bar –Preferential seating (every 3 rd person) –Speed networking Low-tech –Round-table discussions –Open space (un-conference) sessions –Book club sessions –Closing session to recap event

“During” tips Make it easy for people to connect –Readable name badges –Photo and connection boards –Areas to meet –White space

“During” tips Social Network with markers and paper interactivemtgtech.wordpress.com Needed: –Larger (gi-normis) piece of paper –Markers –“Hi My Name Is” Badges –Connections can be silly and fun (have a tattoo, like mac-n-cheese)

“After” tips Advisory councils Surveys on content, speakers and other activities Social media discussion groups Thought-provoking questions on topical, and even controversial, issues Follow your customers and competitors Keep conversations going…

In summary… Engagement = continuous process Engagement = using technology to enhance it Engagement = emotional connection

Thank you for attending!