This slidedeck was created for a 15-20 minute talk with Meeting Professionals International on January 14th, 2010. #SMCYVR

1. Social Media: What can it do for meeting professionals? Notes fromthe social media front Kemp Edmonds Available online now: j.mp/kempmpi

2. 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 attendeescan feel they already are a member of your event’s communitythrough engagement via social media. These people talk.

3. Event planners emphasize personal attention as their core business practice

4. Top benefits for meeting planners: networking maintaining relationships competitive edge enhanced customer service discover new business strategically engage customers

5. Do… make yourself findable. Google think of the web as your 24/7 storefront think Facebook: Events, Pages, Groups, Ads. create aBlog, Twitterand LinkedIn account for you and/or your business design a system for minimum maintenance: timing, frequency, focus, idea generation

6. 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

7. (not quite) Everybody’s doing it!

8. 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 channelsto 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.

9. Connection is key formeeting 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.

10. FreeToolkit 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

11. Meeting Tools Eply Skype Karelo Meetup EventBrite TwitterFall MingleVerse

12. 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.

13. If you are still standing… This Presentation - www.j.mp/kempmpi kempedmonds@gmail.com kempedmonds.com