Meetings are Priceless by Drs. Kevin and Jackie Freiberg
http://www.speakernow.com/espeakers/3698/Jackie-Freiberg.html
http://www.speakernow.com/espeakers/3699/Kevin-Freiberg.html
Our need to meet is increasing and our ability to meet is improving; yet the way we meet is radically changing!
If you think you still can’t afford to host a meeting or conference—think again.
You can’t afford NOT to meet! For every dollar spent on incentive travel a business typically gains more than $3 in revenue and it’s even more for a larger gathering vs. solo trips earned by individuals.
According to a recent report done by Site, an organization of incentive and travel executives, so far this year they have seen a 63% increase for incentive travel events over last year and it is moving in an upward direction.
We are not talking about executive boondoggles, we’re talking about meetings that motivate people, meetings designed to celebrate hard work and success in the midst of change and challenge.
We are talking about incentive events, meetings and conferences that reward and celebrate the everyday employee. The employee who has busted their butt, worked weekends and evenings, missed family functions and continues to hang in there. The employee who is willing and a diehard—committed to doing whatever-it-takes because the survival of the business requires everyone to do more with less.
Bottom line, meetings are a great way to refresh and recharge people who have hung in there and gutted-it-out. If you’d like help in creating a meeting to celebrate, motivate and provide your hard working employees with better tools for driving the business forward check out our speech topics.
Let’s quickly revisit the ROI of meeting. At meetings you reap the benefits of networking and knowledge sharing. Meetings and conferences are a hotbed for making professional connections; building relationships and acquiring new skills; sharing industry information; collaborating with peers; and scouting, recruiting and evaluating talent.
Although the ROI of meeting hasn’t really changed, the approach to hosting a meeting has—these days “thrifty” rules. Everything has an air of frugality and discretion. And at last, Corporate Social Responsibility is finding its rightful place in our meetings.
Luxury accommodations and 5-Star resorts will always be nice but these days they are the exception not the rule.
Spa treatments and rounds of golf…sorry for activities like these, you’re on your own, no more all-inclusive trips. Instead, you can join an organized walk, run or yoga session.
Unlimited water bottles are an environmental “No No” and an extremely expensive line item to the budget. Instead, look for large water jugs in the back of the meeting room and you’ll be encouraged to carry your own personal water container (a gift you probably received upon arrival along with your handy recycle bag to reuse for shopping).
Pampering is being replaced with public service activities. Community service and team building initiatives are the new cocktail and happy hours. Maybe you’ll stuff backpacks for foster kids, prep meals for the elderly, sort socks and blankets for the homeless or build an activity park for kids.
The good news, the ideas and needs are limitless and regardless of how you choose to give back your contributions are PRICELESS!
It’s time to meet—gather your team, celebrate their hard work and give back. When you meet this year, everyone wins.