Social Media: What can it do for meeting

professionals?Notes from the social media front

Kemp EdmondsAvailable online now:

j.mp/kempmpi

People come to meetings to learn, but they also attend to become part of a community.

Using blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social

media tools is an extension of that community. Prospective attendees can feel they already are a

member of your event’s community through engagement via social media.

These people talk.

Event planners emphasize personal attention as their core business practice

Top benefits for meeting planners:

• networking • maintaining relationships• competitive edge• enhanced customer service• discover new business• strategically engage customers

Do…

• make yourself findable. Google • think of the web as your 24/7 storefront• think Facebook: Events, Pages, Groups, Ads.• create a Blog, Twitter and LinkedIn account for

you and/or your business• design a system for minimum maintenance:– timing, frequency, focus, idea generation

Don’t…

• ignore social media• lead with your business card• make a page/account/profile for every event• make a Twitter account for a one time event• lose sight of your audience• forget to offer social media to your customers• forget the importance of email

(not quite) Everybody’s doing it!

You should...

• build a blog and talk about what works• be networking outside your normal spheres• be helpful by telling not selling• engage the communities you serve• use existing channels to promote an event• use social media if a client would like to• ask clients about their current social media• know your audience: – Create a #hashtag - email list - mailing list - a connection.

Connection is key for meeting attendance and membership retention to connect with Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millenials/Gen Y.

One way to do that is through online marketing

using social media. Each generation has its own way of communicating.

Planners would benefit by using various forms of

social media in order to appeal to everyone.

The tools are free to use.

Free Toolkit

• Hootsuite – Manage Twitter, FB and LinkedIn• Dropbox/Google Docs – Share Files• Slideshare – Share Slideshows, PDFs & Docs

• Flickr – Make a tag. Get your photo take! Have a photog for the event? Use it.

• Youtube – Video: Simple, Cheap, Ad Value• bit.ly / j.mp – Always Be Tracking

Meeting Tools

• Eply• Skype• Karelo• Meetup• EventBrite• TwitterFall• MingleVerse

Three ways to ensure attendance

• Use an online registration tool like Eply, Eventbrite or Karelo (these are just a few).

• Send out an email blast the morning of the event reminding your guests of the start time and location.

• A brand new text alert service available through Quick Mobile.

If you are still standing…

• This Presentation - www.j.mp/kempmpi• kempedmonds@gmail.com• kempedmonds.com