1. Chapter Leader Training Week Communications Track PRESENTED BY STEVEN FOSTER, RANDY CRABTREE AND KRISTA ROGERS May 1, 2009

2. Review the role of Vice President/Director of Communications. Expand your knowledge of membership marketing. Recognize resources available to you. Today’s Objectives

3. 3 It’s All About Marketing Telling Your Story

4. What is Membership Marketing? The essential areas of concern: Recruiting new members Engaging existing members Retaining existing members

5. Know Your Audience Know the benefits provided and the problems they solve for each segment Important to segment Planners, Suppliers, Faculty, Students Segment examples Corporate planners, Association planners, etc. Sub- segments

6. Know Your Overarching Story MPI provides the career knowledge and resources, industry information, reinforcement, community and commerce its members need to change their game and succeed with reinforcement and support.

7. What Do You Get as a Member? A community with a professional common bond that comes together to share ideas, seek out innovations, and craft solutions for the mutual success for everyone. MPI changes careers and it changes lives.

8. Why Now Given the Economy? You get a connection to the brightest minds in the meeting and event industry at your fingertips, thinking through your same issues and empowering you with information, ideas, and resources that do more than just meet the challenges…they advance the industry.

9. Strategic Communication Channels Public relations Publications Advertising Social media Web site Word of mouth E-mail (Beware)

10. Ten Tips for Member Marketing in a Recession 1.Make your chapter indispensible 2.Understand what is going on 3.Know what is critical and deliver with a passion 4.Know what is most important to your members 5.Go for low hanging fruit 6.Know your numbers 7.Secure our budget 8.Know your best communication channels 9.Know your capabilities 10.Test, measure, adjust – repeat, repeat, repeat

11. Makeup of Marketing Plan Strategies and activities Budget Project Management Timelines (Communications Calendar) & Accountability

12. Branding/Logo –Visual representation of our/your brand MPI Chapter Logos MPI Logo Standards –Jeff Daigle, MPI Creative Services Director - jdaigle@mpiweb.org Brand Management Resources

13. 13 Your Leadership Role

14. Communications Role Support Chapter Metric Goals Marketing Plan MPI Headquarters Awareness Chapter Communications Coach/Advisor to Committee Members Liaison

15. Chapter Dashboard Metrics 1.Net Member Growth a)Measures chapter member growth and rebates b)Allows for chapters to track their member growth patterns 2.Chapter Membership Satisfaction a)Assessment of overall member satisfaction with chapter b)Allows for chapters to gauge member satisfaction in 3 areas; Network, Education and Marketplace 3.Engagement/Participation a)Gauges member participation and involvement in chapter activities b)Allows for chapters to track event/volunteer success 4.Chapter Financial Management a)Calculates financial management not budgeting skills b)Allows for chapter the freedom to manage finances and track educational expenses

16. Create plan by June 30 –Include board and CBM in process Include MPI HQ Initiatives  Member Benefits  Research and Member Surveys  Conferences and Webinars  Online Resources Marketing Plan

17. Don’t forget – Talk to all Departments –Trade Shows –Chapter Conferences –Recruitment Campaigns –Monthly Programs –Community Outreach –Job Banks –Sponsorship/Strategic Alliances Marketing Plan – Awareness

18. MPI Headquarters Awareness Review MPI Web frequently Read Chapter Leader Newsletter each month Read One + (US/EU Editions) Ensure that someone at WEC or MeetDifferent reports back to you Subscribe to MPI Social Media Outlets

19. Chapter Communications E-mail/Mail Campaigns Web Site Publications/Newsletter Public Relations/Advertising Community Outreach Social Network Support Membership Team

20. E-mail, Mail and Web Brand consistency Consolidate messages –Don’t over communicate Have a communication strategy Be timely

21. Publications Brochures (print, electronic) –Membership –Volunteerism –Member Benefit Tip # –Collateral Request Form Newsletter (print, electronic) Member Directory (print, electronic) Industry Calendar

22. Public Relations Press releases (template) –Send to MPI: jstates@mpiweb.org and kgodwin@mpiweb.orgjstates@mpiweb.org kgodwin@mpiweb.org Relationships with editors, writers (locally and nationally; inside and outside of the Meetings Industry) One + Chapter Columns Advertise in local publications

23. Community Outreach Philanthropic Activities Word-Of-Mouth Marketing Press loves community programs One + Article – jstates@mpiweb.orgjstates@mpiweb.org

24. Social Networks Blogs & Wikis FaceBook/MySpace LinkedIn Twitter GroupSpace

25. Support Membership Communicate value of membership New Initiatives – MPI Cares Program Recruitment Campaigns Tradeshows

26. Wearing Many Hats Coach and Advise Committee Members Serve as liaison –Between HQs and Chapter and –Between Chapter and HQs Look for Successor

27. 27 Resources

28. Tools & Resources Your Chapter Business Manager The Chapter Toolkits on the Web –Chapter Toolkits Check here first. Don’t reinvent the wheel. GroupSpace Industry Calendar

29. Tools & Resources – Continued Your fellow Chapter Leaders on this call Past Chapter Leaders International Chapter Advisory Council (Formerly ICLC) MPI Research - FutureWatch and EventView

30. Chapter Needs Assessment MPI Member Care Survey Chapter Satisfaction Survey MPI Foundation - Grants Tools & Resources – Continued

31. Other MPI Leadership Training: Chapter Leaders Conference (CLC) Chapter Leadership Forum (WEC) Chapter Leadership Forum (MD) Canada and Europe: Canadian Leadership University European Chapter Leadership Forum

32. 32 Questions

33. Thank you for your time and commitment to MPI!