Why Your Chapter Must NEVER Do A Directory Again!

NOTE: when this was originally written our chapters were big at creating printed directories for their members... now most chapters do not print directories but they make the same mistake with their web-sites... I highly recommend that you follow these same guidelines to make your website work for your members and for the "meetings industry"...

by Michael Scott Karpovich, Certified Speaking Professional

    No one sees value in a "directory" or a "web site" except the member trying to get information about another member… So create something that will be valuable to your clients and get your membership booked!

First, let’s build our case…

Q: Again!

NOTE: when this was originally written our chapters were big at creating printed directories for their members... now most chapters do not print directories but they make the same mistake with their web-sites... I highly recommend that you follow these same guidelines to make your website work for your members and for the "meetings industry"...

by Michael Scott Karpovich, Certified Speaking Professional

    No one sees value in a "directory" or a "web site" except the member trying to get information about another member… So create something that will be valuable to your clients and get your membership booked!

First, let’s build our case…

Q: Why do we, as a chapter, want to provide our membership with a "speakers directory" (or a chapter web site)?

A: To allow clients to find us and book us!

Q: Do you appreciate pushy salespeople, junk mail, or obnoxious, poorly-timed sales calls?

A: NO! However, to a meeting planner, so many directories look like nothing more than junk mail (or just another web site)!

Q: What do most NSA chapter directories (or website) look like?

A: If it is well-done, it is an attractive booklet that discusses the advantages of chapter membership, goes on and on and on about the inner workings of the chapter, and contains endless listings, bios, and photos of speakers.

Q: What does such a "CHAPTER PROMOTIONAL DIRECTORY OR WEBSITE" piece do for the meeting planner?

A: It frustrates them, bores them, makes them cynical towards effective marketing! They toss the paper directory and never visit the web site again!!

Q: What does a typical chapter directory and web site have to compete with?

A: The NSA directory, beautiful directories provided by agents and bureaus, listings in meetings industry magazines and the interactivity of the Internet!

Q: How can we inform potential clients about what our members have to offer without coming across as a pushy salesperson or looking like junk mail?

A: By becoming a partner, by offering help, by being a resource to the entire industry… by creating a "Meetings Industry Resource Guide!"

Q: What does the best chapter in NSA do when creating a directory of members is looked on cynically by the consumer? As a brilliant chapter leader, what do you do when what has worked in the past no longer works?

A: Change the rules and change the way the game is played. Provide something completely different!

Imagine you are a meeting planner and you have an event to plan. Participants want entertainment, a beautiful location, a comfortable hotel, a nice place to eat, things they can do between programs and brilliant programming. 

Do you want to look up a city that is a good location in a Convention and Visitors Bureau listing... 

  • ...then find appropriate corresponding hotels in the yellow pages, 

  • ... then locate an appropriate golf course on the internet, 

  • ... then find a restaurant guide for the area, 

  • ... a local AV professional in another listing, 

  • ... and finally some speakers in a speakers directory…? 

Or would you like to have a "tool" that could provide all of that information in one format? Would you keep such a resource or would you glance at it and then toss it?

Your Meetings Industry Resource Guide will remain on every planner’s desk (or your website will be on their "favorites" on their desktop...) and will become their prime resource for planning both big and small events. It just needs to position itself as more than a self-serving directory of members. 

FACT: Most chapter directories are used primarily by members who are looking up other members! 

If you and your chapter will buy into this new approach of creating a resource rather than a "directory" and follow each of the following steps, membership in your chapter will become priceless, the strength of your meetings industry council will grow, your chapter will (eventually) make money off the sale of ads, and successful speakers will join the chapter just to be included in such a priceless resource guide.

So you are the one who gets to do the "chapter directory?" Congratulations! I mean that – congratulations! I promise if you follow this recipe you will be thrilled with the results! (Hey - you may even create a tool that will get you booked!) Everyone knows the conflict between the desire to do something for the good of an association you care about and the pain of volunteering for an overwhelming task; the stress of all the things you feel you "have to do" and the joy from the accomplishment of a great result. At times you will say "it just isn’t worth the pain!" or "it is taking too much time from what really matters!" The trick is for us to not re-invent the wheel and find a formula that works. In the end, our job is to figure out a way to have the entire chapter on their knees bowing and saying, "I am not worthy!" (Ok, so that was over the top!) Please consider me part of your team. Call me after 5p.m. at 989-673-1478 or e-mail me at Michael@Karpovich.com so I can make this tool work for all of us.

As you may know, I am a proud member of four of the best chapters in NSA, and although all of them have great "directories" and one has a great Meetings Industry Resource Guide – there is still room for improvement to increase the value of this tool. I want to be a part of helping you build a more effective and valuable Resource Guide. 

My roles in the Michigan chapter have included creating both the newsletter & the directory, and, after serving as president, I served as chair of the Meetings Industry Council. It was this final role that helped me realize something that changed my whole professional outlook. I realized that I had to stop being a "vendor" and become a "partner." I had to stop being a "speaker" and start being a "resource." 

When I made this change in perspective, I became someone that meeting planners wanted to work with. I translated this to what we used to call our "directory"… and now call the Meetings Industry Resource Guide – and it blew the chapter away. Not because it looked so nice (it did), not because it was so different (it was)– it blew the chapter away because more than the previous seven "directories," the Meetings Industry Resource Guide got them booked! As crude as it may sound, my friend, in the end it is always about the bottom line!

I boldly recommend that you start creating your Meetings Industry Resource Guide with the following steps (it will make your life easier during this time), but don’t hesitate to improve beyond these steps. You may not agree with all of the "steps" I am suggesting, but I must humbly urge you to follow them! From trial and error, I know that these are the minimum steps we must follow to create the best publication our chapter has ever seen. Simply follow these steps, in this order:

  1. Create a guide with the MEETING PLANNER in mind. Always ask yourself, "What would they want?"

  2. Develop a team of at least four respected, professional members other than yourself who understand and are passionate about the RESOURCE GUIDE concept and tell them their job is to simply go and find more "converts!" That’s right! They should not sell ads or do page layout… they must simply (aggressively) get the whole membership excited about the GUIDE! It seems that four strong & committed members will help a chapter reach critical mass and accept the concept.

  3. Now is the opportunity to create a team of "doers" in your own workforce! I know as well as you do that in NSA most of us are "solo acts" and to be frank, as chapter leaders, all too often we feel better if we simply do it ourselves. However, if you are a great leader, and can delegate and manage, I strongly recommend a team of ten to join you. These may be outside professionals you hire or volunteer chapter members, but they must not be the four "standard bearers" you found in STEP #1. (Those four people have a crucial job of convincing as many chapter members as possible to understand and passionately believe in the RESOURCE GUIDE.) Of course, your TEAM OF TEN should also have a clear vision and buy into the RESOURCE GUIDE concept: TEAM MEMBER 1 is someone qualified to do a professional layout. Obviously, the printer may do this. (STEPS # 5-10, 15-17, 19,46,50) TEAM MEMBER 2 is someone to stay in touch with the printer. (STEPS #2, 21, 46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 3 is someone to create the Media Kit & stay in touch with the advertising efforts. (STEPS # 22-28, 30-32, 46, 47, 50) TEAM MEMBER 4 is someone to do any extra fundraisers (if necessary). Hopefully, this task will not need to be resorted to and this team member can assist Team Member 3 in advertising efforts. (STEPS # 29, 46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 5 is someone to stay on the members to get their information in. For obvious reasons, this could be your membership chair. (STEPS # 18, 30, 46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 6 is someone to gather comprehensive lists of CVB’s & meetings industry vendors. This Team member should aggressively ask for help from the entire membership. (STEPS # 12, 14, 46, 47, 50) TEAM MEMBER 7 is someone who works to gather appropriate lists of bureaus, corporate, association and independent meeting planners who will eventually receive the NEW RESOURCE GUIDE. Hopefully, this person will also tap the resources of the entire chapter. (STEPS # 34-46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 8 is someone who will find extra resources for the appendix. The more chapter members helping this team member, the more value our guide can provide. (STEPS #11, 46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 9 is someone to stay in touch with and get letters from other meetings industry association presidents like MPI & ASAE. It would be appropriate for this person to be the chapter president or at least the liaison for the Meetings Industry Council. (STEPS # 20, 46, 50) TEAM MEMBER 10 is someone to make the web site as meeting planner friendly and meeting planner focused as the Resource Guide. (STEPS # 46, 49, 50)

  4. Get bids from at least three different printers and ask for samples of what they have done similar to this project.

  5. Create a calendar with deadlines for each of these steps… Ideally, you will have a 12-month calendar or at least a 9-month calendar (most of the time is spent selling ads).

  6. Now is the time to start the "design process" which will actually last until the printers actually print your first copy. Consider clip art that can be purchased on-line or can be found on some computer programs. You may use this art as filler or as symbols or even on the creation of the cover.

  7. The cover should be four colors (full color) showing audiences, or meeting locations, or well – attended events… giving the idea of a successful meeting or event. (Think like a planner!)

  8. The title should be something like "MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE" (actually, I would use this title exactly word-for-word)! Do not limit your guide by using the name of the chapter or the state or the region because it will likely get to people outside the area, too. One of Michigan’s few mistakes was calling it "Resources for Successful Meetings." This was a problem because it did not say what it was plain enough. (The appropriateness of this title may be debated – a debate I am willing to lose!)

  9. Do not put the chapter, national or international names or logos on the cover. That would position it as a "speakers directory," and we will never be that again.

  10. Put a price on the cover. I recommend at least $25 but more would be appropriate. You will send this as a gift from you or from your association to many meeting planners but doing this suggests value and believe it or not, you will make a few sales to other speakers, meeting visitors and even other chapter leaders who want to copy your success but lost the complimentary copy you mailed earlier.

  11. Immediately inside the front cover (unless this space is sold to advertisers), you should have letters of introduction. I recommend a letter on one page from the president of the local MPI, a letter on another page from the president of the local ASAE, and on a third page a letter from your own chapter president. In each case, include the logo from the corresponding association and the photo of the president. Nothing will do more to suggest value across the entire meetings industry. (NOTE: There may be other associations that have merit for a letter inclusion but make sure they are a "player" within the meetings industry and be careful not to overdo it.) The instructions to these three chapter/association presidents are to "write a letter about our partnership within the meetings industry" (i.e., the meetings industry council) or "write a letter about the importance of vendors and planners partnering." Do not write about the resource guide within these letters.

  12. Look for brilliant one or two-page resources like "how to find the right location" or "finding the right facility." You may find these provided by CVB’s, Hotel & Motel associations, MPI or ASAE. Here would be the perfect place to include the "How to Find the Right Speaker" that NSA uses in its directory. (HINT: Do not put the speaker one first) Include these before the listing of CVB’s and Vendors… brainstorm for other resources that would be valuable to a meeting planner (see STEP #0)

  13. Next, after these resource pages, list every Convention & Visitors Bureau in the state or region. Include name, address, phone, fax and e-mail or web site.

  14. FOR THE FIRST YEAR – Ask your membership for a comprehensive list of vendors (not speakers) who serve the meetings industry brilliantly within the state or region. Ask for everyone that works within the categories of: Accounting / Financial Services, Advertising, Audio Visual, Caterers, Communications, Computers, Convention Bureaus, Decorations, Entertainment, Exhibits & Displays, Florists, Golf, Hotel/ Meeting Facilities, Internet Services, Mail/Shipping Services, Management Services, Meeting Facilities, Motels/Hotels, Photographers, Printing & Duplication, Publishing Services, Restaurants, Signs/ Banners, Speakers Bureaus, Tennis Centers, Transportation and basically any other groups that serve the meetings industry. There are certain things that "everyone thinks of" when they think of meetings in your area – like that one resort and convention center. Any resource without that place listed would obviously be incomplete. You may even go to your local ASAE and MPI chapters and get a list of their vendor members (that are not speakers) and include them. Take that extensive list and put it in your Resource Guide immediately after the list of CVB’s.

  15. Contact those who are now getting a free listing, the vendors and the CVB’s, and let them know that out of the kindness of your heart you are including them in the first annual Resource Guide. Also, let them know that they may purchase an advertisement if they are interested. Enclose a media kit (see Step #21). Ideally, in year two or three, you will no longer offer "free" listings.

  16. VERY IMPORTANT! Literally, the first half of your resource guide should not mention "speakers" or the association (other than, perhaps, the letter from the chapter president). Make the first half or more full of all of the other resources. Fill it with vendor ads if necessary. In Michigan, members complained about this. They asked, "Why are the speakers buried in the back?" The reason, of course, was to suggest that we are a complete resource guide, not just a speakers directory. The wealth of other resources provided the 1998 Michigan Resource Guide with long-term value. (Unfortunately, in 1999, when Michigan moved the speakers to the front, it diluted the power of our resource guide.) Don’t worry -- a real planner and a real potential client will never be stuck in the first half of this guide… they will devour the entire guide and return to it again and again throughout the year. [RECOGNIZE that throughout this process you will have many "nay-sayers"... specifically those who say, "Why are we changing the way we do things?" or "I liked the friendly/family feeling of our old directory." Please remember that unfortunately, throughout NSA, we have a large segment of members that is not really making a living speaking and may never speak professionally – they think of us as a club rather than an association!]

  17. Before you list the speakers’ brief bios & photos, include the National Speakers Association Code of Professional Ethics, and some note that every member of this association has agreed to adhere to these professional standards. (We did sign an agreement when we joined NSA.)

  18. Before you list the speakers’ brief bios & photos, list definitions of CSP, CPAE Speakers Hall of Fame, & The Cavett Award along with definitions of CAE (Certified Association Executive), CMP (Certified Meeting Professional), CMM (Certified Meeting Manager) and any other meetings industry credentials! Then include sections like "speakers by topic" or even a list of speakers by their "Professional Emphasis Group Memberships." Planners consistently consider this more valuable and more bookings come from topic than speaker bio. Just find out what a meeting planner is looking for when they book us. Do they look us up by name or topic? (Personally, I do not like listing speakers by geographical location as I see no value in it for the members or for the planner. This may be an argument I would again be willing to lose.)

  19. With the speaker listings (bio & photo), include their name, their company name, address, phone, fax, e-mail and web site. Limit the speaker to three topics or titles (trust me -- you are doing them a favor). Have them list no more than five past clients. Again, you are doing them a favor by limiting them. Limit the bio itself to 300 characters & spaces. You must limit the size of the entries for ease of layout. For several reasons, I like the saddle stitched 8½" x 11" (11" x 17" folded) format in which you would include six bios on each page. (HINT: If you will be required to input data for this, ask the membership to e-mail it to you as this will save hours and hours of work. Unfortunately, you will quickly learn that many of our peers have problems writing effectively—decide early on whether or not you will "edit" their submissions.)

  20. After the speakers’ bios, you may finally list information about the national and local associations. List board members, past presidents, other award recipients, and benefits of NSA and the chapters. Do your best to limit the number of pages for this part. Remember, it has little value to most of the target readers of the Resource Guide! (See STEP #0)

  21. Approach meeting planners and meeting industry vendors you know (ask your speaking colleagues to do the same) and ask them for samples of forms they use, or perhaps checklists that make the planner’s life easier. For example, in the ‘98 guide for Michigan we included a sample Independent Contract Agreement and an Event Specification Sheet. They are both very basic but they continue to suggest value. As a goal, I would think that five of these types of forms or checklists would be priceless. You may also find these from MPI or ASAE directly – check out their web sites. Put these in the back of the Resource Guide as a duplicable tool for the planners.

  22. It is hard to know how many MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDES to print but I recommend at least 2,000 to make it worthwhile for the advertiser. (Trust me, if at this point you think about what is best for the advertiser, you are doing the right thing for the GUIDE and the chapter members!)

  23. NOW THE EXCITING PART…Selling Ads! Contact the state chapters of MPI and ASAE and ask for their newsletter, magazine and/or directory "media kit." (As a meetings industry speaker, you should ask on your own behalf. HINT: It may be worth your while to consider advertising in such publications.) You may also contact the national versions of these associations for more ideas. Using them as examples, create a "Media Kit" like any professional association publication has. The nicer the appearance of the media kit, the more it will be apt to sell ads. I recommend creating a "tri-fold self-mailer" with a nice stock paper with two colors of ink! See the attached example and feel free to update or even use it as is. To increase your response rate, do not use them as a self-mailer but send them in an envelope with a cover letter from yourself or the chapter president. Although you may choose to use chapter letterhead, it may be smarter to avoid the chapter letterhead; you may use your own letterhead, or you may create a "Meetings Industry Resource Guide Letterhead".

  24. Immediately send the Media Kit to all the groups that got a free listing… several of them will invest in an advertisement to add value to their listing.

  25. On a national and local level, contact every major hotel / resort chain, every major airline, every convention center, every printer, every vendor that you can think of -- find out who their advertising reps are and then send them a copy of the Media Kit! Most of these, if not all of them, got a free "listing" but you may now want to think of selling to them, i.e., full page ads, half page ads, cover, centerfold, etc.

  26. Recognize here the advantage of a 8½" x 11" format – most regular industry advertisers already have ads created for that size publication. A smaller format may get in the way of many ad sales as it will make it inconvenient for the vendors.

  27. Note the entire advertising lingo on the media kit… "bleeds," "ad agency commission," "processing," "mechanical requirements," and "camera ready." Having a handle on these terms is very important.

  28. With regard to the "advertising agency commission," capitalizing on this will help us sell the ads.

  29. Consider seeking out independent advertising agencies to sell ads for this publication for a 15% to 30% commission. If they sell many ads, it will be more than worth it. I recommend you extend this offer to members as either a hard cash offer or a discount on chapter expenses -- maybe even their own ad in the RESOURCE GUIDE.

  30. Some chapters have had success with membership contests when selling ads. Whoever sells the most gets an ad for free or if you sell 4 ads, your ad is discounted by 50%. My opinion is that too many chapters rely on this method and end up missing deadlines, consequently losing money.

  31. A BRILLIANT IDEA! (If I may say so myself.) You will likely have a vendor advertising rate and a discounted member rate for ads. Consider making the difference in cost between a member’s ad and a vendor’s ad the price of membership in your association. This way, if a speaker sees value in being listed in this delightful guide, they can either join the chapter just to get the member rate in the guide or they can invest in a "non-member ad rate" and immediately become a member – a value to the advertiser and a value to the membership rolls!

    Member Rates

    Non-Member Vendor Rates

    Ad Cost

    $300*

    $500*

    Membership Cost

    $200*

    TOTAL

    $500*

    $500*

    *note: these are simply arbitrary numbers to make my point.

  32. Another idea -- Many chapters honor a "meeting planner (or partner) of the year." If you highlight that award winner as well as past recipients on one page in the Resource Guide, find a sponsor for that page. For example, THE COLUMBUS MARRIOTT HONORS THE 1999 MEETING PLANNER OF THE YEAR with their logo on the top of the page or in the corner of the page. (Note this does not say "… honors the NSA Chapter’s Meeting Planner of the Year" – act as though this is THE meeting planner of the year!) Frankly, a vendor can sponsor any page: "How to choose the correct hotel brought to you by Holiday Inn," or "Ten Questions to ask when choosing the city to host your next meeting sponsored by the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau."

  33. You will, of course, want to spend a lot of energy selling the back cover, the inside covers and the centerfolds! These sales alone can pay for the entire resource guide -- not to mention a great commission for the person who sells it.

  34. As you are selling ads, it is crucial that you get the general chapter membership to "buy into" the RESOURCE GUIDE CONCEPT. (see STEP #1) If they don’t understand the bottom line value of this tool, they will complain about the fact that their bio is in the back of the resource guide. This is the step you must take so that all the greatness you are accomplishing this year is improved on next year… too often we have one great year but then no one understands or appreciates the concept to pass it on. You will be able to measure the "buy-in" by the number of membership ads you sell.

  35. THE BIG RISK… Unconditionally, the biggest risk is selling enough ads to "pay for" the cost of this beautiful MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE . However, the other big risk is having the correct people to mail it to.

  36. When the MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE is "finished," do not pass it out to members at the meetings. Mail it to them, as this will add to the perceived value of it. I know it is easy to nickel & dime at this point but mailing the GUIDE is worth it. You may intelligently limit internal distribution to one copy per member… this may lead to a few members wanting to "purchase" an extra copy or two! Give members a discount if they want to buy them… but do charge them. This will again raise the perceived value! (crucial)

  37. Mail the MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE to all of the advertisers (and the individuals who should have been advertisers). Enclose a personal letter from the president with this copy of the GUIDE, thanking them for being part of such a brilliant project and encouraging them to start thinking about next year, which will be "bigger and better!"

  38. If you can, buy a list from the local MPI and ASAE chapters of all of their members to create a comprehensive mailing list. (Although many vendors will be included in this mailing, they are also potential advertisers for next year.) Or, you may specify just the planner members.

  39. Again, I would have a cover letter from you or the president go out with each Resource Guide that is being distributed to the market and the potential client. This letter should not speak about the chapter or the association; however, it should mention the partnership between the aspects of the "players" of the meetings industry. This letter can also direct them to the cover letters from the association presidents or the listing of resources or CVB’s! Maybe it will even mention the duplicable resources in the back of the guide. In other words, this note can get the planner to crack the book – that is all it will take!

  40. If there are any meetings industry events like the state’s MPI annual convention, consider getting a booth at this event where the MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE will be available for free distribution. I think it is classy for NSA chapters to have a booth at events like this anyway! As the GUIDE has a fee ($25) on it, you will need to put a sign up that says something like "FREE MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDES, compliments of the NSA CHAPTER! Limit one per company, please." You set a limit to further suggest the value of the GUIDE.

  41. Some of the bigger Convention & Visitors Bureaus will have the opportunity to assist large groups coming into town. Send such bureaus five or ten copies of the RESOURCE GUIDE, informing them that it is a tool they can share with meeting planners. Some bureaus will not be interested because all the CVB’s are listed in the guide and they will think of it as competition. On the other hand, some will call back quickly for additional copies – be careful that this second group isn’t sending this valuable RESOURCE GUIDE out to every 4-H club that wants to have a meeting in town. If necessary, give them a limit on how many they can get ("we can only give you ten more…").

  42. As a gesture from the local NSA chapter, I would mail a copy of the resource guide to every speakers bureau you can find – local, national… even international!

  43. For some odd reason, some speakers are caught in a "poverty consciousness" and are uncomfortable sharing names of planners/clients with the chapter. However, you might ask them to share a set of labels for the resource guide mailing, and include a cover letter from them personally. For example, "Dear client, I wanted you to see my ad in this resource guide, and I thought you might find it useful in your future planning. You know I am part of your team! Signed, Your SPEAKER!" For the very insecure, you may even invite people to join you and the volunteers at the resource guide stuffing party and encourage them to bring their labels and corresponding letters. WHAT ADDED VALUE!

  44. Do not forget the corporations that plan events… some of our members never speak to associations but do the bulk of their trainings, consulting and speaking in corporate settings. You may consider ASTD contacts and any "human resource" contacts, not to mention the company itself.

  45. Look at directories for mailing lists… there are Salesmen Guides that list corporate contacts, there is the National Trade and Professional Association Directory & its sister the State and Regional Association Directory, both put out by Columbia Books. There are also all of the meeting planning associations which certainly have directories, i.e., American Society for Training & Development, American Society of Association Executives, Association for Convention Marketing Executives, HealthCare Convention & Exhibitors Association, Insurance Conference Planners Association, International Association of Assembly Managers, International Group of Agents & Bureaus, International Special Events Society, Meeting Professionals International, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Religious Conference Management Association, Society of Corporate Meeting Professionals, Society of Government Meeting Professionals, etc. (By the way, if you are stuck with this job, this list has just paid for all the work you are doing! )

  46. Many years ago the New York Tri-State Chapter did a brilliant thing. They created a survey on a pre-stamped post card. It asked if corporate contacts planned meetings or events, how many, local or nationally, did they hire speakers, what type of meetings, did they have trainings, were they ever in the market for consultants, were they looking for locations to host their events, would they like to attend a speakers showcase… and finally, would they like a free copy of the MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE. You can imagine the value of the feedback they got… it was a very ripe list and the people who wanted the GUIDE got it. (Thanks, Ron Karr!)

  47. PLEASE DON’T LOSE THESE SHEETS!!!! PLEASE MAKE SEVERAL COPIES AND SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE YOU CAN! UNLESS YOU DECIDE (BRILLIANTLY) TO HOG THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOURSELF, IN WHICH CASE YOU MUST LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE IN YOUR WILL! NO MATTER WHAT, MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT TEAM HAS IT FOR THE NEXT YEAR’S MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE! FOR SOME REASON, WE TEND TO LOSE OUR TOOLS FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND OFTEN HAVE TO REINVENT THEM… PLEASE MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN!

  48. In future years, you may decide not to give the "complimentary listings" that you gave away in STEP #10 – STEP #12. However, the only reason to limit them is if you have a significant number who are ready to buy!

  49. Remember, this isn’t about who gets "credit" for the GUIDE. In the end, it is really about how can we get more business for ourselves and our chapter members. So in the future, you may consider "joining forces" with MPI or ASAE, allowing them to partner with you in creating and listing their members in the MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE! The advantages are obvious: If this becomes the membership listing for MPI and ASAE, as well as the chapter, it increases the value for everyone involved as well as the likelihood that members and advertisers will get business from it. Remember, a significant number of MPI & ASAE members are vendors trying to work with the same planners we are trying to work with! The downside would be the potential loss of income for the NSA chapter. You may be able to continue to cover the expense and earn the income by doing all the work. If that is the case, you may consider limiting the type of listing ASAE & MPI members would put into the GUIDE (no photo or less words). However, you will get more bookings if there is a full buy-in from everyone else. I would be cautious if there is a chance that the MPI or ASAE chapter may consider walking away … and in doing so, diminish the perceived value of the GUIDE. (Recently, the ASAE chapter president in Michigan opted to not write a letter for the front of the GUIDE and as a result, the MPI chapter president letter was not included – this diluted the perception of the ’99 Meetings Industry Resource Guide!)

  50. The final stage of this process is just as involved as the entire preceding steps and just as crucial: REPEAT the whole process for the chapter’s web site. It is an exercise in futility when our chapters create web sites that tell us what we are doing as speakers and as a chapter! (UGGGH!) The web site should be a resource for the end user… the client, the independent planner, the corporate planner, the association planner, etc. I don’t want to go to my association’s web site to discover what we are doing next month… I want others to go to my association’s web site and discover ME!!! I want to get booked!!!! If we decide that we should put information about local chapter events in, that is ok but set it two or three "clicks" away – serve the Meeting Planners first!

  51. THIS COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN THE PROCESS after the Resource Guide is out and then after the web site is updated. Seek out any and every positive comment (and get it in writing). If members get booked, note it. If an advertiser is thrilled, ask for a letter of endorsement. If a meeting planner has positive comments about the resource guide, ask for it to be put in writing! It is easy for greatness to happen unrecorded…don’t let that happen with this project! (Just as we built our reputation as speakers, we need to build the reputation of the New Meetings Industry Resource Guide or the "nay sayers" will arise and undo all the greatness we’ve accomplished.) If the web site is updated, you may even put a place on-line for people to give comments. As the good words come in, have your team of four standard bearers (STEP #1) join you in informing the chapter about the successes of the GUIDE! With your four professional & respected peers and you – each of you may choose a different way to communicate with the membership to let them know how the new Resource Guide is changing the way a chapter is valuable to all of us. It can be done as chapter event announcements, it can be done in articles in the newsletter, it can be done as an e-mail broadcast to the chapter membership or better yet, it can be done with one-on-one conversations. In fact, your entire team of fifteen leaders (4 standard bearers, 10 team members and yourself) can make an unforgettable impact on the bottom line of the chapter and the bottom line of the members!

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Meetings Industry Resource Guide

MEDIA KIT

Insert Chapter Name & Chapter address,

phone, fax, e-mail or web site here

RATES (Black & White)

Full Page $500.00

½ Page $350.00

¼ Page $225.00

1/6 Page $200.00

Listing $ 75.00

Two Pages – 15% discount on second page

SPECIAL POSITION RATES

Back Cover – $1950.00 includes full color.

Inside Covers – $1,750.00 includes full color

Right facing pages other than center – add $100

Center right facing – $1,650.00 includes full color

Center left facing – $1,550.00 includes full color

Other Guaranteed Positions – add 25% to above rates

SPECIAL PROCESSING

Bleeds – add 10% to above rates

Spot Color – add $275.00 to the above rates

Four Color – add $600.00 to the above rates

Color separations must be provided. If unavailable, RESOURCE GUIDE will produce at cost.

COMMISSIONS

Agency Commissions: 15% of gross billing allowed to recognized advertising agencies on space, color and position. Recognized agencies are those whose purpose and main focus of business activities are dedicated to advertising and who represent more than one client.

Cash Discounts: 2% cash discount on net (after agency commission), if prepaid.

Chapter Membership discount of 35% off net.

Mechanical Requirements

Offset printed. Halftones: 133-line screen. Color separations: 150-line screen. Camera-ready copy or negatives required. Halftones and other printer production charges billed at cost.

Advertisements not camera ready are subject to typesetting, design and key lining charges of $40/hour. The advertiser will be billed for camera work, including enlargement or reduction of copy to fit contract space.

SIZES

Approximate Size in Inches

Width Depth

Full Page 7½" 9 7/8"

½ Page horizontal 7½" 4 7/8"

½ Page vertical 4 7/8" 7 3/8"

¼ Page 2 ½" 3 ½"

1/6 Page horizontal 4 7/8" 2 3/8"

1/6 Page vertical 2 ¼" 4 7/8"

DEADLINES

Contracts due November 15th

Mechanicals due November 30th

Distribution December 30th

QUICK GUIDELINES FOR THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

  1. Hide the chapter -- highlight the benefits to the planners.

  • Bury the chapter logo and the chapter information.

  • Include an introduction from ASAE president, MMPI president as well as chapter president.

  • How to select a location.

  • How to select a speaker.

  • How to run a meeting.

  • How to work with CVB’s.

  1. List definitions of CSP, CPAE, & Cavett along with definitions of CAE (Certified Association Executive), CMP (Certified Meeting Professional), CMM (Certified Meeting Manager) and any other meetings industry credentials!

  2. Sell Ads to members, vendors, suppliers… ask yourself, "What would a meeting planner want to buy?" Don’t just think of yourself!

  3. Create a "Media Kit" which lists ad prices including cost for 4-color, spot color & preferred placements (cover, centerfold, and right-facing page).

  4. Input extra data and resources for the meeting planners (e.g., sample forms, useful planning tools)

  5. List all the CVB’s in the state or region.

  6. Suggest perceived value by putting a price on the cover.

  7. Partner with the meetings industry (see your Meetings Industry Council)

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NATIONAL MEETINGS INDUSTRY COUNCIL MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS:

  1. Air Transport Association of America

  2. American Hotel & Motel Association

  3. American Society for Training & Development

  4. American Society of Association Executives

  5. Association for Convention Marketing Executives

  6. Association for Convention Operations Management

  7. Center for Exhibition Industry Research

  8. Exhibit Designers & Producers Association

  9. Exposition Service Contractors Association

  10. HealthCare Convention & Exhibitors Association

  11. Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International

  12. Insurance Conference Planners Association

  13. International Association for Exposition Management

  14. International Association of Assembly Managers

  15. International Association of Conference Centers

  16. International Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus

  17. International Group of Agents & Bureaus

  18. International Special Events Society

  19. Meeting Professionals International

  20. National Association of Catering Executives

  21. National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners

  22. National Speakers Association

  23. Professional Convention Managers Association

  24. Religious Conference Management Association

  25. Society of Corporate Meeting Professionals

  26. Society of Government Meeting Professionals

  27. Society of Incentive & Travel Executives

  28. Trade Show Exhibitors Association

  29. Travel Industry Associates of America

Making the Meetings Industry Council Work....

Only a couple of years ago, the National Speakers Association became a part of the Convention Liaison Council, positioning us as a national association within the "Meetings Industry." Several years before that, the Colorado chapter started the first NSA Meetings Industry Council. As NSA is doing its best to be a player on the Convention Liaison Council, it is also appropriate for chapters to do their best to be "players" within their local meetings industry and be part of a local, state or regional Meetings Industry Council.

In Michigan, we have three lead players... the Michigan chapters of: The American Society of Association Directors, The National Speakers Association, and Meeting Professionals International. The other national associations represented in the Meetings Industry Council of Michigan are:

  1. Air Transport Assn of America

  2. American Buyers of Meeting & Incentive Travel

  3. American Hotel & Motel Ass’n

  4. American Society of Ass’n Executives

  5. American Society for Training & Development

  6. Ass’n for Convention Marketing Executives

  7. Ass’n for Convention Operations Management

  8. Center For Exhibition Industry Research

  9. Exhibit Designers & Producers Assn

  10. Exposition Service Contractors Assn

  11. Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Assn

  12. Hospitality Sales & Marketing Assn International

  13. Insurance Conference Planners Assn

  14. International Assn of Assembly Managers

  15. International Assn of Auditorium Managers

  16. International Assn of Conference Centers

  17. International Assn of Convention & Visitors Bureaus

  18. International Assn of Hotel Ass’n Executives

  19. International Assn of Seminar Management

  20. International Assn for Exposition Management

  21. International Exhibitors Assn

  22. International Group of Agents & Bureaus

  23. Meeting Professionals International

  24. National Assn of Catering Executives

  25. National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners

  26. National Speakers Ass’n

  27. Professional Convention Management Assn

  28. Religious Conference Management Assn

  29. Society of Corporate Meeting Professionals

  30. Society of Government Meeting Professionals

  31. Society of Incentive & Travel Executives

  32. Trade Show Exhibitors Assn

  33. Travel Industry Assn of America

Copyright © 2000 Michael Scott Karpovich 
E-Mail: CLICK HERE! 
Home Page: http://www.karpovich.com

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