I am with my tribe, the National Speakers Association. Imagine 2,500 extroverts, professional speakers all, in an annual convention, for professional speakers, with professional speakers, about professional speakers, by professional speaker and you’ll have an astounding experience that simply can’t be matched by any meeting you’ve ever seen.
We’ve got ‘em all. Keynote speaker, close note speakers, humoriststs, facilitators, educators, writers and publishers, motivational speakers, inspirational speakers, high content speakers… the list goes on.
This gathering allows the opportunity to experience the magic only live meetings can provide that will never be equaled by tele-seminars or webinars. In the stimulating environment of a variety of fundamentals in the business of professional speaking, it’s hard not to leave without gaining new perspectives and ideas to grow and develop my own business. The combination of presentations, vendors, and conversations outside the meeting rooms are catalysts for change. It’s why I love coming to my meeting.
Well, actually, it’s not my meeting. At least not anymore
Here is what is really remarkable about an NSA convention. It’s now my kids meeting. Children, grandchildren, and sundry relatives of speakers have a meeting of their own, the NSA Youth Leadership Conference, that parallels ALL of my meetings. When my day starts at 8 am and runs to 10 pm, that’s the meeting times my children between age 10 and 17 also get to experience. Children older than 17 can apply to return as leadership counselors. So it’s not uncommon to have kids who have been coming to their convention for 12 or more years.
The youth leadership program days are filled with a wide variety of activities and, naturally, national expert youth market speakers that volunteer an hour or two of their time to give a program to, this year, 110 kids from all over the country. So the kinds of youth market speakers that a school system may employ once a year, are speaking to our children two, three or more times a day with messages that leave lasting imprints on developing minds that really do change thought and behavior. While NSA has the advantage of having essentially unlimited professional speaker resources, other organizations can find speakers who do day long programs with youth or speakers who can address youth as well as adults. And I pay a registration fee for my attending children, so there is an opportunity to develop a budget.
It’s to the point where I really don’t have a choice in attending my, well, our conference. Does this sound like an idea your association could use to build membership and improve attendance with? Rather than a typical “spouse†program here and there, there really are opportunities for an entire family, (partners and staff also have special tracks at the NSA convention), to learn and grow. My whole family now has a better understanding of what I do for a living, and look forward to seeing friends every year like a four day summer camp where these lucky kids have had the opportunity to make lifelong friends, and in one instance I know of, marry!
Sharing an experience like this association gathering makes it truly a family affair. I have adapted this principle for my own business. A great way to ensure better than average physician turnout for a meeting was by providing at a client hospital a meal and program for physicians and spouses in one room, (with me), and a clown and a magician, along with a movie/pizza for children in another room. (Can you spell win-win?) Children were asking when they could come back to another one of the hospital meetings at the end of that evening!
This idea is something any organization could consider doing not just as a value added proposition, but as a savvy business decision. Try a little out-of-the box thinking with your next association or business meeting to give the whole family a reason to attend. And more importantly, return. Year, after year, after year! If you’re looking for resources, give me a call, I’d be happy to help steer you to what you might be looking for. (Note: This is not a cheap plug for my services. I personally DO not conduct youth programs, but I know folks who do!)
Post a Comment