Fitzwilliam Institute run Practical Skills Training Courses with Arranged Work Experience in Event Management, Public Relations, Online Marketing & Advertising Starting 23rd February 2010 (6 Months)

Postgraduate Diploma Courses with Arranged Work Experience
- designed to get you where you want to be…Your Dream Job!

Our Full-time Postgraduate Diplomas include 14 weeks full-time Case Study Based Training which is followed by 12 weeks Arranged Work Experience within the industry.

Delivered by Industry Professionals and are ideal for bright enthusiastic students who wish to progress their career or develop specialist skills in these Specialist Areas

Year on year students are experiencing great success with Fitzwilliam Institute with over 95% of participants being placed in full time employment after the work experience module of the programme.

Placement Companies include: Bravo, Ovation, Verve Marketing, MCD, Creative Events, Synergy Project Management, Special Olympics, Diffusion Events, Ogilvy One, Mc Connells, Cawley Nea, MCD, BskyB, Mediavest, Channel 6, TV3, TMP, Pigsback, Pierce Media, DMA, Owens DDB, Today FM, O2, Independent Newspapers, Bloom, Ocean, Mindshare, Medialink, FM104, Initiative. Fleishman-Hillard, Hill & Knowlton PR, Tipperary Water, Elevate PR, Grayling PR, M.C.D., Slattery Communications, Wilson Hartnell, Irish Distillers, Bank of Ireland, Ryanair, Conference Partners & Heneghan PR to name a few!

Fitzwilliam Institute is part of an established group of training companies which is wholly Irish Owned, training over 3,000 people each year in Ireland, UK, Australia & USA.

Benefiting from over 25 years experience in the training area Fitzwilliam Institute’s International status presents course participants with opportunites to liase with industry contacts via its International Training Network.

Postgraduate Diploma in Event Management – 23rd February 2010

- Postgraduate Diploma in Event Management & Public Relations (PG Dip. Event Man.) with Online PR, Wedding Planning & Arranged Work Experience Modules – PRII Accredited

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations – 23rd February 2010

- Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations & Event Management (PG Dip. PR.) with Online PR, Wedding Planning & Arranged Work Experience Modules – PRII Accredited

Postgraduate Diploma in Online Marketing & Advertising – 23rd March 2010

- Postgraduate Diploma in Online Marketing & Advertising (PG Online Mkt. & Adv.) with Online PR & Arranged Work Experience Modules – AAI Accredited

Final Consultations – Wednesday 3rd February 2010
~All courses are Industry Recognised and Internationally Accredited~

For further information regarding these courses please log onto our website www.fitzwilliaminstitute.ie

Should you wish to be considered for these courses or indeed if you have any friends or contacts who may be interested please call (01) 2834579 or e-mail us at info@fitzwilliaminstitute.ie

Do you have a job that’s just like everyone else’s? Are you looking for a 9-to-5, but wish you weren’t? Do you wish there was another option, one that would lead to an exciting, unique, and fulfilling line of work?

I recently interviewed more than 100 people who currently hold their dream jobs as research for a new book called “How’d You Score That Gig?” These individuals, who are travel journalists, event planners, fashion designers, forensic scientists, interior decorators, Internet business owners and more, have one thing in common — persistence.

As unattainable as a dream job might sound, with the right amount of forethought and preparation, you can make the move as well. Following are six tips to get you started.

1. Learn about yourself.

Take time to do a self-assessment of your values, how you like to work, and what you’d be compelled to do even if you never got paid. Research careers and industries that map to your skills and interests. Hit the Internet, set up informational interviews, take relevant coursework, and arrange to go onsite at a company in your chosen field.

2. Don’t be deterred by a lack of experience.

In developing a resume and other promotional materials for the field you want to pursue, think about how your current skills and talents apply to the responsibilities you’ll hold in the new job. For example, knowledge of project management, client relations, information technology, and sales will take you far in most types of careers.

3. Ease into a new career one foot at a time.

Perhaps this means earning a paycheck at your current job while doing a part-time internship in your new field, or taking an adult education class or workshop on the weekend. The only way to find out if you’re passionate about something is to try it — ideally with as little risk as you can manage.

4. Remember that any progress is good progress.

Even confident people stay in unsatisfying jobs because they feel safe, and because they’re afraid of making a bad decision. But in the quest to uncover a source of meaningful work, though, your worst enemy is inertia. Make an effort to do one thing, like emailing a networking contact or attending an event — that moves you a bit closer to your big-picture goal.

5. Start early.

Twenty- and thirty-somethings have more flexibility when it comes to test-driving different careers. The process of self-discovery is much easier when you’re unencumbered by family responsibilities and substantial financial burdens, and when you haven’t yet reached a level in a career where it’s tougher to turn back. That said, it’s never too late to pursue your passion. More and more baby boomers are leaving the world of traditional employment for alternative career paths that will fulfill them well into retirement age.

6. Have realistic expectations.

Even if you’re lucky enough to hold your dream job, there’s no such thing as the perfect work situation. Every job has its ups and downs, and aspects we love and aspects we don’t love. And “dream job” doesn’t mean “cushy job.” As your mom always told you, anything worth having in this world requires some effort. There will be some days you feel like shutting the alarm off and going back to sleep, but many more where you feel more energized by the prospect of work than you ever thought possible!

Alexandra Levit is the author of “How’d You Score That Gig: A Guide to the Coolest Careers – and How To Get Them” She speaks at corporations, universities, and conferences around the country about workplace issues facing young employees, and her career advice has been featured in more than 800 media outlets.

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Whilst employed, you will naturally build and develop your skill set, which can be used to sell yourself into your next role. However, in order to assist the development of your skills there are several things you can do. Having new skills and knowledge can be invaluable to receiving a promotion and moving up the career ladder.

Transferable Skills
There are several transferable skills that can be used from trainee level right up to CEO level, for example, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, negotiating and organisation skills. These are all transferable skills that if can be performed properly will help you promote yourself and move up the ladder at every stage. Try to make sure you are capable of performing these skills and if not, practice them until you are confident.

Join an Association
By joining an association or club that interests you, you will meet new people and get involved in activities where you can develop and learn new skills. These may or may not be work-related but whichever type it is, it will help you build a network and get involved in things outside your daily routine. As well as building your transferable skills, you will also learn new skills that you can bring to the job and organisation.

Ask for a Mentor/Supervisor
These people will look after you and help you develop the skills you want to build. By talking to them about what you want to improve on, they can help coach and manage your learning.

New Tasks and Responsibilities
By getting involved in new tasks at work, you will increase the chances of learning new skills. Volunteer for jobs outside your allocated role – not only will this impress your boss itself, but the new skills you develop can be highlighted when you want to move up the career ladder.

Take a Course at College/University
You can take a course in the evenings, at the weekend or even a distance-learning course to develop your knowledge in an area that you want to take forward. This will show your boss you are interested in personal development and willing to invest time in learning. Once you have completed a course, you will have new knowledge and skills that are invaluable to promotion.

Do a Professional Qualification
Depending on what line of work you are in, you can always decide to complete a professional qualification e.g. CIMA for marketing or CIPD for HR. These involve a lot of hard work and will allow you to gain professional knowledge that can practically be applied to your current role.

Conferences, Exhibitions, Workshops and Seminars
Find out about events going on in your industry. Exhibitions and seminars will normally be free and you can spend a whole day at the events talking to people, asking questions, listening to others and just generally learning. Industry leaders who have a great deal of knowledge and many years experience will usually take the seminars – these people are inspiring and you can learn a lot from them. Conferences and workshops will cost you some money to attend so you may have to ask your company if they will pay. These industry events can provide you with great ideas, future trends and they are a great place to network and seek informative information.

There are various ways to develop your knowledge and skills and it is about being proactive in order to do so. You personal development will allow you to build a positive, impressive picture of yourself when going for promotion and is invaluable to moving up the career ladder.

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Life-long learning is vital for the future of the economy

THE drive towards further education within the workplace has taken a determined and definite step forward.

Concerns about the future competency of the workforce have led to a new push from employment bodies such as FAS and the Small Firms Association to encourage a system of life-long learning.

Recent statistics from FÁS indicate that 60pc of those people who will be working in 2020 may be unemployable if they do not upskill.

As such, the State agency has multiplied its investment in training by five times over the last two years to €40m in 2007.

In the same sense, the Small Firms Association has launched a major new training system to tackle the large number of SMEs which fail due to a lack of management skills.

The ‘SFA/FÁS centre of excellence for owner-managers’ acts on a similar basis to the Irish Management Institute (IMI), but for smaller companies.

The moves by both of the bodies illustrate the importance which all in the economy, including the self-employed and SMEs, need to attach to future learning and education.

One of the most popular avenues for business people to go down when looking to upskill is the IMI, through which about 4,000 people per annum take part in courses.

“It tends to be someone who has been running their business for at least a couple of years,” said Siobhan McAleer, who specialises in dealing with SMEs for the IMI.

Businesses looking to avail of help should contact Enterprise Ireland and their local enterprise board to see what financial help might be available.

“Microbusinesses or start-ups get a lot of help from the enterprise boards. You find that it is a few years down the line or ten years down the line that they want to grow their business or they have realised their own limitations – and so it is really looking for ways to help them do that with their business.”

The majority of SMEs’ owners that come for further education are looking for a “direct application” for their firm. “Relevance is a big issue for them. The way we look at it is that they are looking for something which can help them solve problems and we try to focus our development around that,” said Ms McAleer.

“One of the issues is time away from the business, so they tend to prefer shorter programmes – but where they get the real benefit is from the longer ones.”

As time is at such a premium in today’s society, especially when working for yourself, there is a wide variety of flexible hours in which executive training courses can now be taken, whether from a few hours a week to the full-time college option.

Ms McAleer says that it is often the case that business owners realise their own limitations and, as a result, look for further education.

The benefits are clear. Recent research indicated that people achieving a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) can achieve a wage increase of 70pc within two years of completion.

Diploma brightens the horizon for web firm Red Sky’s founder

Case Study WHEN Keelan Cunningham took the step to set up his own business in 2001, he wanted some academic support to help him with his new venture.

Having already achieved a degree in agricultural science from UCD and a Masters in interactive media from DIT, Mr Cunningham looked for a business qualification to help with setting up web design company Red Sky.

“I was looking around for something which would give me some support. Starting your own business is high-risk as it is,” he said.

“I wanted to do something which would give me a perspective into how to grow a business – starting is easy but growing is the difficult part.”

Through an Enterprise Ireland incubation programme for high-potential start-ups, Mr Cunningham achieved a diploma in business development from DIT.

As a focused entrepreneur, he says he got more from the experience.

“I got a lot out of it because I wanted to get a lot out of it. I wasn’t just there for the craic,” said Mr Cunningham.

“I was running a business at the same time as getting myself educated, so it was a sacrifice on the business to actually work on the more strategic thinking side of things.

“There is a theory out there that the most successful businessmen in the world spend more of their time working on the business than in it.

“If you actually take time to stop and examine what you are doing, it wasn’t just the academic, it was the peer group scenario as well in terms of thinking and whether it was going to work.”

Red Sky has grown significantly since its beginning six years ago and now employs ten people. It has a turnover of just under €1m per annum.

The additional education Mr Cunningham took part in made for good experience when hiring other people for his firm, he says.

“I like seeing it in people [additional education], as it shows that they have commitment,” he said.

“I am certainly looking to branch out in the future and I would be a big fan in the life-long training plan.”

A matter of course: how to get in training

* FUNDING: Consult with the local enterprise board to see what funds may be available to receive additional education.

* Timing: Time is always at a premium and, as such, many courses operate on a part-time basis and are flexible.

* Consult: Talk to the course provider and be clear of what you want from a course and choose as such.

* Stand back: Look at the future development of the business and where it is going, as well as concerning yourself with education for the day-to-day operation of the firm.

* Realise your limitations: know what you can and can’t do and look to learn in the areas in which you have difficulty.

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They are young, media literate, tech savvy and a lot more discerning about how they consume than their predecessors. Most of all they are at the centre of the brand conversations that are taking place and marketers had better remember that.

‘Generation Y’ is probably the most media literate generation modern marketers have ever encountered. Why do brands obsess so much about the under-30 consumer base, or Gen-Y as they are often called today? Simple – the under-30s are vital to brands as they remain more open to new concepts and are at the age when habits and relationships with brands form. It’s a bit like the Jesuits used to say – get them when they’re young and you have them for life.

The great fear among traditional publishers, broadcasters and media owners is that Gen-Y is turning its back on ‘old’ media like newspapers, magazines, TV and radio to consume their information online.

This is an exaggeration. In fact Gen-Y is probably the most media literate generation modern marketers have ever encountered.

Yes they are online but they are fully aware of print, TV and radio offerings. They also adore the cinema. They just like to chose things themselves rather than be passive and receptive.

Attempting to lump all 18-30 year olds under the umbrella of Gen-Y is a futile exercise. An 18 year old ‘fresher’ is nothing like a 25 year-old first-jobber in the same way a just-married 30 year old is nothing like a 21 year old who has got the J1 for the first time.

Double dipping not tripping

To say that 18-30 year olds are not receptive to ‘traditional’ media and advertising is disingenuous. “We still see radio and TV playing an important role. However, certainly the competition for attention space for Generation Y is ever increasing. In addition, never before has this age bracket been so media literate,” says Luke Reaper, director with Behaviour and Attitudes.

“What we found through our ID research programme is that this age group is increasingly ‘media meshing’. The brands that are gaining traction are those that use traditional media like TV, radio and outdoor while at the same time launching complimentary interactive online campaigns,” says Adrian Fernandes, Amárach Research.”

“Online is a vital part of communicating to this particular group,” argues Sonia Harris of Burrell Marketing. “The majority spend their day at a computer and often their only break in the day is a little bit of ‘me time online’. The internet is a beckoning tool for marketers with smaller budgets and bigger goals.”

Adrian Fernandes also points to Gen-Y’s habit of ‘double dipping’. “Younger consumers often watch TV and have their laptop open, or they might listen to the radio while searching on the Net. If you look at outdoor campaigns many include their search terms on the posters.”

According to the latest Beta Life Youth study (on behalf of brands such as MTV and Nokia), 25% of Gen-Y first see or hear of brands through TV ads. 60% of those surveyed agreed TV advertising plays a role in their brand decisions, and 50% think that television ads endorse a brand’s image. The study covered five markets – the UK, US, Germany, India and Japan. The study also highlighted the influence of digital media. 71% of respondents agreed that the internet makes choosing a brand easier and that blogs, review sites and social networking sites are increasingly important.

“An important thing to remember about communicating on web 2.0 platforms such as Bebo, Facebook and YouTube is that the medium belongs to the audience,” says Philip Macartney, head of sales, Bebo.  ”It is their space because they create most of the content as well as consume it. Get on these platforms , connect with the audience and have a digital conversation with them. Brands are part of the conversations on these spaces at the moment. The difference is that some brands are influencing these conversations and some are not.”

Click and stick

While young consumers tend to crave individualism they still form groups, both online and offline, that suit their perceived image of themselves. It has always been this way, it’s just today they have more immediate solutions to their needs such as social networks, blogs, Twitter and of course YouTube. “The basics of marketing still hold, we need to connect, engage and have a compelling message. But marketing to this generation is not solely about product qualities, but also about entertaining and having a brand story, the challenge is to move beyond simple product needs,” argues Reaper.

“Gone are the days when a website’s only use was to inform users about a product or service,” says Sonia Harris. “Users expect fully-functional sites that entertain and inform them. These users want genuine interactions with brands. Marketers can benefit from these interactions through designing clever usages such as competitions whereby users must click through to other sites all the while spending more time learning about the brand.”

Growing up in the Google Age

It is also important to note that for most in the 18-30 age group they have never really known a world without a search engine. Think about it. What kind of expectations does a person have growing up in the Google Age?
They are in constant communication with the media they chose to consume and the brands they chose to champion.

“Understanding the role of new media is critical. This often involves allowing consumers to own a brand, interact with it and even develop it. Sometimes marketers can be wary of this loss of perceived control. However, developing a genuine dialogue and having the courage to do so with Gen-Y is essential,” says Reaper.

“With regards to the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Bebo, YouTube etc. – the main concerns facing marketers and brands in these cases are the fact that it opens up discussion on the brand and while this can be beneficial it can also be detrimental to the brand’

s integrity. Personal opinions can be damaging and long-lasting, whether or not it’s justified. This lack of control can understandably make marketers wary and limit usage of online tools,” suggests Harris.

“Gen-Y also expect a lot from their brands,” says Fernandes. “They talk about what they buy when they are online. They will broadcast bargains they find as well as highlighting rip offs. Four years ago they were quite passive in terms of receiving messages from brands … now they are actively looking for good value. We are seeing the death of the cash-rich time-poor consumer. Gen-Y is also showing a greater interaction with loyalty schemes. We have seen the development of the ‘Recessionista’ – a consumer type who celebrates their bargain hunting and good money management.”

Easier and cheaper

However, at present the Gen Y consumers simply don’t conform to most of the standard marketing categories. They are quite difficult to reach – unless you know how.

So how do you reach them? “Understanding the different sub-targets are vitally important for targeting,” says Reaper.  If we take the simple example of what the internet is used for in the past month from the JNIR/Behaviour & Attitudes research, 54% of 15-18 year olds used the internet for social networking in the past month versus only 20% of 25-34s. A similar age difference in free music downloads is also evident. Generation Y are vital to brands as they remain more open to new concepts and are at the age when habits and relationships with many brands form.”

“Launching a campaign online in Ireland is still perceived as a risk, brands often tend to have the safety net of a traditional media campaign to back their online activity up,” says Philip Macartney. “While this is a prudent strategy with older audiences it makes no sense when you are targeting the youth audience, as they are easier and cheaper to target online.”

At present, however, the internet has not delivered on all its promises. Search still takes in nearly half the money, display is disappointing and it’s difficult to make internet users pay for content. But all these things are not necessarily true forever. The crisis in traditional media is useful for shaking the rules. More importantly, now is the time to find new solutions. A new standard of video advertising on the web that will transform online display advertising is already in development. Google and some very big agencies are working on it. Watch this space. Gen-Y will soon seem like quaint, predictable consumers of the first digital age.

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Global IT services company, Sogeti has implemented a Social Media platform to boost collaboration across 20,000 people spread across 200 offices in 14 countries including Ireland. The new service called TeamPark uses social networking tools to share knowledge and collaborate virtually around technology, services and clients. TeamPark provides tools such as personal profile, communities, blogs, wikis, discussion forums, file share, bookmarks and activities. “We have adapted social media techniques to make it even easier to access skills and advice which an organisation of 20,000 people possesses,” commented Declan Kavanagh, CEO, Sogeti Ireland. “It is a process which allows a large organisation to harness the benefits of ‘crowd sourcing’ amongst its employees across countries and disciplines.” TeamPark enables all Sogeti employees to find and connect to the right person within the Group, wherever their location, against parameters such as work experience, interests and professional position.

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Selecting the right speaker for your event is one of the most important, yet daunting elements for creating a successful meeting. Your speaker can often make or break the event.

Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies heavily on the strength of program content and presentation. Nothing can spoil a meeting more than hiring the wrong speaker. That’s because speakers do more than just convey the overall meeting message. You look to them to provide insights, awareness, and cutting-edge information in an energetic, motivational, entertaining, and professional manner. What more could you ask for? Well, the right speaker can emphasize an important message, offer inspiration, help people cope with new assignments, and lead the way towards change.

Selecting the right speaker for your event is one of the most important, yet daunting elements for creating a successful meeting. Your speaker can often make or break the event. If he bombs, your reputation not only takes a severe nose-dive, but you also have the pleasure of dealing with the barrage of complaints from a disappointed audience. Yet, if he does well, you can walk away with many of the accolades, compliments, and of course, the rave reviews. By now, you probably realize that this massive responsibility is not to be taken lightly.

Raise Your Expectations

The skill to selecting a great speaker is determining what combination of education, motivation, and entertainment best fits your function. Then set out to find a perfect match. But keep your expectations high, since nothing can spoil a meeting faster than booking the wrong speaker. The following 10 guidelines should help you keep your focus and also keep you away from the “duds.”

1. Know the program objectives.

Before you can start looking for the right speaker, you must know the program objectives. Begin with the end in mind. What are you looking to achieve? Is this an annual meeting, a training program, an incentive get-together, an awards celebration, or another type of event? This will probably be a committee or management decision, rather than one you will have to make. But you may have to make an intangible concept tangible.

2. Understand the audience’s needs.

Along with the program objectives, consider the needs of your audience. Does your group need industry-specific or technical information? Will a mix of motivation and entertainment serve your group’s purpose? Today’s audiences are generally younger, more educated, more diverse, and more sophisticated than in the past. They want content. They want to learn, but they also want it to be fun, so consider the audience needs and exactly what they expect. Consider surveying your audience. Ask them what they want or what skills would most help them in their jobs. For example, sales people may ask for advanced selling skills, but managers may request teambuilding programs.

3. Check for reputation.

With countless speakers out there vying for your business, how can you possibly determine which one best meets your needs? Many speakers produce highly professional or glitzy marketing materials to help sell their services. You must look deeper than simply scanning a few brochures and ask pointed questions to find the right fit, such as What experience does this speaker have? How familiar is this speaker with this industry? and, Who else has used this person?

4. “Test drive” your prospects.

If you don’t have the opportunity to preview a speaker in person, then the next best thing is to request a video or audio recording of a previous presentation. A session that was recorded before a live audience gives you a better sense of a person’s real ability. Watch or listen carefully to how the speaker builds rapport and interacts with the audience. Ask yourself if this person would be right for your group. Is the combination of education, motivation, and entertainment appropriate for your needs? Does the speaker have a message that is appropriate, timely, and relevant to the theme or purpose of your event? Does it conform to your company’s philosophy and policy? Do you feel the speaker is genuine and has the expertise to deliver a solid presentation?

5. Don’t be star-struck.

If you are considering celebrity speakers, make sure they can speak! TV personalities do a great job on the air, but sometimes have little public speaking expertise, and you should be aware that the skills needed for being on TV and for speaking live are very different. However, many well-known personalities make excellent speakers and can add enormous value and clout to your event. Politicians and sports, media, or entertainment celebrities often share life experiences, offer advice, or have an inspirational message to impart.

6. Be wary of grandiose claims.

Speakers who claim to be all things to all people are probably desperate for work. Avoid them. True professional speakers, on the other hand, usually have certain areas or topics of expertise. They would much rather refer potential business to a true expert than jeopardize their reputation by trying to do a program outside of their knowledge zone. Also, beware of the charismatic and fluffy speaker as your audience wants good, solid take-away value.

7. Provide and ask for good information.

Reputable speakers want to find out as much as possible about the meeting objectives, the audience, industry challenges, and so on in order to tailor their presentation to the group. Share information on your organization and audience to help the speaker design a program to fit your specific needs. provide them with newsletters, catalogs, or any other publications that highlight industry trends, key people, industry jargon or buzz words, and insider news and views. Also include as much information as possible about the size and demographics of the audience such as age, gender, and positions.

8. Ask for an outline.

Ask prospective speakers for an outline of the presentation to make sure they will be covering the material as you discussed. This will clearly lay out what’s expected as verbal communication is subject to being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Seeing exactly what speakers plan to cover in the sessions should help to ensure that the material is tailored to your specific needs.

9. Maximize opportunities.

Look for ways to maximize opportunities with your speakers. Discuss different ways they can add extra value and be a significant resource to help improve your meeting’s success. Brainstorm ways that you feel they can assist you in planning, preparing, promoting, and presenting. Some suggestions include serving as an emcee, conducting special sessions or roundtable discussions about current issues for select groups such as company executives or the board of directors, and participating in a spouse program.

10. Trust your instincts.

Through your communication with the speaker, you will quickly form an opinion or have a feeling about this person. First reactions count here. “I like this person” or “I don’t like this person,” or “I feel comfortable or uncomfortable working with this person,” are strong indicators. These responses usually comes from your gut – a very trustworthy organ. Have confidence in your instincts and trust that so-called sixth sense. If you experience any kind of negative feeling, think about looking for someone else or get another opinion from a colleague. You want to make sure that you can work with this person and that both of you are on the same wavelength. The true objective of hiring a professional speaker hinges on establishing a partnership where a mutually beneficial relationship grows and flourishes. When this happens, you know you’ve chosen well.

The Perfect Match

Overwhelmed with the plethora of speakers to choose from? You may want to turn to a speaker’s bureau for advice and guidance. A good bureau should act as a consultant and partner to help your event succeed. Even though many hundreds of bureaus are out there, the numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of speakers. A bureau’s sole purpose is simply to make your job easier and provide you with solutions. They want to find the best possible match for your event within your price range. So, where do go looking for one of these bureaus? Here are a few places to start your search: the phone book, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, the Internet, industry colleagues, and friends.

A Final Note:
Look for CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) or CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence) designations. Both these are conferred by the National Speakers Association and are considered the speaking profession’s international measure of professional platform skill (www.nsaspeaker.org).

Armed with these guidelines and resources, your search for the perfect speaker will be more fruitful. And with a little effort and some time, you will connect with a speaker who will fulfill your goals – one that will be both inform and enlighten. Your audience will thank you.

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If you want a Hollywood ending for your prospect or customer event, you’re going to have to rely on a lot more than faith. Even the most well-conceived events need a powerful promotion campaign to fill seats.

“If you build it, they will come.” But if you want a Hollywood ending for your prospect or customer event, you’re going to have to rely on a lot more than faith. Even the most well-conceived events need a powerful promotion campaign to fill seats.

How will you reach your target audience and communicate the benefits of attending?

No matter how you choose to promote your event-e-mail, phone calls, direct mail, and so on-you’ll be competing against literally hundreds of other demands on an executive’s attention at any given moment. Your challenge is to break through the clutter and earn a spot on that executive’s agenda.

We’ll talk more in a minute about how to get your message across, but first let’s talk about how not to. Pay close attention: if you’re currently using any of these promotional methods, you’re throwing your money down a black hole.

Wedding-style invitations: Many event planners, in an effort to seem classy and elegant, spend vast sums on engraved invitations that list little more than the time, date, and place of the event. That’s fine-your attendees certainly need that info. But they also need much more than that to decide whether your function offers enough benefit to warrant taking time from their busy schedules.

Postcards: Same as above. It’s tempting to want to hit your targets with just the facts. But you’ll need much more space to hammer home how your target audience will profit from attending. And the odds are against you if you expect prospective attendees to visit a Web page for more details. Few do.

Ads: Occasionally you’ll see ads in trade magazines, inviting readers to visit a company’s booth at a trade show or attend a seminar. These can be enormously expensive on a cost-per-attendee basis.

Now that we’ve talked about what doesn’t work, here’s what does work-if used judiciously.

PR: Send press releases about your event to local business publications that publish event calendars. Or for a bigger bang, enlist the business publication as a cosponsor. That will likely give you more coverage, both pre- and postevent.

Direct mail: Here’s a pop quiz: which works better in direct mail-long copy or short? You might think that short copy outpulls long, since most executives are so time-pressed. In fact, research shows that long copy, separated into readable chunks with bullet points and subheads, is almost always more effective. The more information you can give a prospect about your offer, the more likely he or she is to bite.

Pass every piece of communication through this filter: will my target audience care? It’s great if you want to hold a demo of your new software release. But what tangible benefits will attending this event offer your customer? In all your communication, stress your value proposition. For example, “Five Things Every Manager Needs To Know About Hiring And Firing” is a powerful title for an event. “Announcing The New HireFirePro Software Pack Version 2.0″ Is Not.

And slant your message toward your intended audience. If you want to attract CEOs, frame your copy in terms of profits, shareholder gains, and the like. Managers, users and techies, on the other hand, will respond better to copy that talks about information and tools you’ll give them that will help them do their jobs quicker and better. For an extra dose of credibility, include testimonials from previous attendees.

E-mail: E-mail is a popular way to promote many types of events, especially webinars. But can you be sure you’re getting through? With today’s corporate spam filtering, as little as 30 percent of e-mail from outside addresses actually lands in the recipient’s in-box (that’s especially true for mail sent to multiple addresses). Be sure that the addresses are valid. And consider following up through some other method such as phone or letter.

Telemarketing: I always recommend including telemarketing in your pre-event promotion. After you’ve sent out letters and e-mails, call VIPs who haven’t responded. Also confirm with key people the day before the event, and let them know you’re looking forward to seeing them.

You may be wondering why I’ve left “gimmicks and giveaways” off this list. In my opinion, these are used far too often. If you’ve created an event with a compelling benefit, you won’t need a clever theme or a bribe, such as a drawing for a cruise, to fill seats.

However, there is one exception: when the audience is so select and hard to reach that you can’t get their attention any other way. One company I know needed to reach the top 10 hedge fund managers in Manhattan. So, for its event, the company promised either an Xbox or a personal digital assistant to every attendee and asked each person to check off in the RSVP which item he or she would like.

Another clever company mailed a violin bow to each member of a select group of executives and promised that if they came to a seminar, each of them would receive a violin that they could give to their kids, play themselves, or display on a shelf. But again, because the cost of such promotions is so high, they should be used only to reach a small, sought-after audience.

Now that we’ve covered the “how,” let’s talk about the “when.” It’s vitally important that you hit your target audience repeatedly with your message. Once or twice doesn’t cut it-you risk being buried in the “in” box or falling beneath a busy executive’s radar. The following timetable is a good basic template to use.

Two months out: Send a “mark your calendar” message that urges invitees to save the date.

One month out: Send a second communication listing all the reasons they should attend and urging them to reserve space. If you’re sending e-mail, include a link they can click on to enroll online. In all cases, send an immediate confirmation that gives directions to the event and encourages guests to invite their colleagues.

You might also include a pre-event questionnaire asking what they’d like to learn at the event. This can help you customize the content, and guests are more likely to show up if they feel their critical concerns will be addressed.

Two weeks before: send another communication, similar to the one above, to people who haven’t yet signed up. The content needn’t be radically different-all you need to say is, “We haven’t heard from you yet,” and to repeat your information.

One week out: If you haven’t filled all available seats or are waiting to hear from VIPs, start using telemarketing.

The day before: Call and send out an e-mail reminder with the date, time, and directions.

After the event: Thank each attendee, by mail or by phone, for coming. Also let no-shows know that you’re sorry they missed your event, and send them relevant presentation materials (or let them know where they can find materials online).

Remember: recurring communication is the key. No matter what your objectives for the event-moving customers further along in the buying decision, educating them about new products, or simply introducing them to your company-you’ve got to fill seats. A well-executed promotional campaign will help your event pay off.

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Exhibiting at industry conferences or tradeshows can take a big bite out of your budget. Using proven techniques to help maximize your ROI.

Exhibiting at industry conferences or tradeshows can take a big bite out of your budget. Consider using these proven techniques to help maximize your return on that investment.

PRE- SHOW

Evaluate and select trade shows or conferences carefully.
Are the show’s attendees likely prospects for your products or services? It’s better to have a couple of hundred very qualified leads than thousands of leads from people who may not be real prospects.

Set measurable goals.
You can’t determine the success of your exhibit without first knowing what you want to achieve. Marketing, sales and management personnel, as well as your exhibit vendor, should be involved in establishing the purpose of exhibiting. Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, how many qualified leads do you hope to generate? And what exactly is your definition of a qualified lead?

Put your show plan in writing.
This plan should include a workable schedule and designate responsibilities for each task. Don’t wait until the last minute; also be sure management signs off on the plan.

Develop a key message for your exhibit.
A good exhibit communicates one major message clearly. This is more effective at drawing prospects to your booth than the cluttered image projected by companies trying to communicate too much.

Design an open, inviting booth.
Don’t block access with tables and counters; you want to draw attendees into your booth. If space permits, provide comfortable chairs to encourage prospects to linger. Use provocative headlines and interesting graphics to entice them to stop and learn more.

Identify key prospects and invite them.
Mail your customers and prospects complimentary passes to the exhibits. These passes are often available free from show management. Shortly before the event itself, call and remind prospects and customers to stop by your booth. Be sure to pique their interest by telling them why they should drop by.

Merchandise your show participation.
Include free exhibit passes with all your business correspondence. Include taglines at the end of all your e-mails, such as “Stop by and see us at booth 1525 at Widgets Expo. Need a free pass? Just ask.” Write a press release explaining new services to be introduced at upcoming conferences. Invite key editors or reporters to stop by or to schedule specific appointments with your key people. Publish an article in your company newsletter listing trade shows and conferences you plan to exhibit at.

Train your exhibit staff before each show.
They need to know the objectives of your company in exhibiting at the show or conference. They need to know what their roles will be and what is expected of them. They also need to have detailed information about any new products, services, or other news being announced.

Design a custom lead form.
Be sure to include questions designed to qualify your prospects by determining the immediacy of their needs, purchasing authority, budgetary situation, etc.

SHOW-TIME

Create a unique identity for booth personnel.
Matching blazers, T-shirts, cowboy hats (for a western theme) or even boutonnieres will identify your people to prospects who need information or assistance.

Offer premiums or gifts if appropriate.
Merchandise your traffic-building giveaways through preshow mailings. For example, include the cap portion of a high-quality pen in a preshow mailing that invites customers and prospects to pick up the rest of the pen at your booth.

Provide live demonstrations.
This will draw attendees to your booth and help them learn more about your company’s products or services. It also allows you to effectively communicate to a number of prospects at once.

Remind the folks staffing your booth to record all prospect information.
Remind them that one of the primary objectives of exhibiting is to generate leads. Encourage your people to record everything they can learn about the prospects’ needs and applications. Stress the importance of getting phone numbers and e-mail addresses whenever possible. Consider awarding prizes or special awards to your exhibit staff for the most leads completed and turned in on each shift.

POST- SHOW

Send requested materials immediately.
Have literature ready to go before you head to the show. Then fax, e-mail or overnight the leads from the show to your inquiry handlers overnight. Have them send the requested material to prospects within 24 hours. Fast response is your second opportunity to get a jump on the competition and make a favorable impression. (Your performance in the booth is the first.)

Include a teaser on the envelope or in the e-mail subject line.
Something like “requested information from Widgets Expo” works well to get past the assistant (or wastebasket) or past the delete key.

Help your prospects take the next step.
Make sure the information you send makes it easy for prospects to take the next step: include all the ways to contact your company (phone, e-mail, web site address, etc.).

Use the telephone, mail and e-mail to follow up.
Your goal is to build sales-winning relationships with your prospects and further qualify them. Plan to offer them something of value in return for providing you with more information about their situations and needs. Perhaps a how-to guide, a white paper, or an invitation to attend a Web seminar.

Track your leads through to the sale.
Did the qualified leads buy? How much? Use the answers to demonstrate to management the show’s return on investment, and to increase the odds of show budget approval next year.

Complete a critical evaluation.
After each show or conference, look at what went well and what didn’t. Critique each aspect of the show and ask salespeople and other participants for comments. Give special attention to the feedback pertaining to lead quality. This information will help you maximize the effectiveness of future show efforts.

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