CMP SERIES CERTIFICATION MADE POSSIBLE
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‘For me, it’s been, what’s our start- to-finish [plan], helping develop the marketing pieces, and then being able to go to [leadership] and have a conversation about what’s the importance of the meeting.’
You Will Not Forget ROI
Kristin Foldvik, CMP Senior Global Program and Events Manager Blackbaud Inc. ›
blackbaud.com › @kfoldvik
I’m seeing a trend [in the way meetings are evolv- ing] toward really interactive conferences. People’s attention spans are definitely much shorter, they have phone calls to make, they still have to keep up with work. So I think changing the formats of [sessions] in general is what we have to do, involv- ing more discussions, Q&As, and using technology, such as when people use their smartphones to do instant polls.
Fearlessly creates immersive and sen- sory environments.
From an attendee and learning experience, I think face-to-face meetings are still important. Again, I think it goes back to the interaction that people still crave and still want, being able to talk to their peers and see what’s happening in other areas. In our case, from a company perspective, we have offices across the world and we’re just fac- ing this now — trying to work with IT to find a solution to where we can have team meetings that are live-streamed or virtual solutions for those team meetings. We’re on the cusp of something big changing as far as our company meetings. But I think for our user con- ference, the interaction piece will still be important, because we focus on nonprofit technol- ogy. That world, I think, will still crave that interaction.
I think meeting planners are being asked to look at the strategic piece a lot more — strategic plans, ROI skills. I also have a master’s degree [in business]. So any type of business skills are definitely impor- tant in helping meeting planners stay current.
50 PCMA CONVENE JUNE 2013
For me, it’s been, what’s our start-to-finish [plan], helping develop the marketing pieces, and then being able to go to [leadership] and have a conver- sation about what’s the importance of the meeting, what’s the ROI, and cost per attendee. And even have that conversation on future locations and future growth, and how to present that to them so that they understand it from my world but also from their world on a financial line. Within the two years I’ve been here at Blackbaud, I’ve defi- nitely had to — I wouldn’t say let go, but reduce the amount of time I’ve spent on logistics and spend more time on the strategic goal-planning and messaging.
For our annual user conference, we’re looking at [whether we] should continue these big meetings or should we be taking this on a road trip and doing it on a smaller scale regionally. Because people don’t neces- sarily have the funds and the time to be away on travel for three or four days — and what becomes five or six really in this reality of today trying to get to destinations sometimes.
I think the other big trend is creating memorable events. We still have to
figure out how in this world of keeping bud-
gets low, creating that ROI, creating that strategic messaging, and still getting the attendee the learn- ing experience — how do we still give them that wow factor that they will remember? — Michelle Russell
PCMA.ORG
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