The first step in tapping into the SMERF market would – of course – be understanding exactly what the SMERF market is. This particular travel, meeting and event market consists of social, military, education, religious and fraternal organizations, hence the SMERF acronym. This growing market of potential clients is the bread and butter of some event planners who have chosen to specialize in organizing events and meetings for these particular groups, and with good reason.
Most corporate meeting and event planners who do not have experience with the SMERF market do not realize that their needs and wants vary greatly from corporate clients, which makes many planners ill-equipped to meet the unique challenges associated with SMERF event planning. This has opened the way for savvy planners who are well-versed in working with SMERF clients to tap into this lucrative market and make a name for themselves as an expert in this niche.
At first glance, it may appear that there is less money to be made when working with SMERF clients. It is true that these groups may not have the per person spending power of profitable corporations, and it is also true that events for these groups can be absolutely huge, including such challenges as booking 1,000 rooms for a single event. However, SMERF groups also tend to have a higher level of loyalty than corporate clients, which means that putting together a single successful event for a SMERF client could result in repeat business from a loyal client for life.
When you are trying to plan a great business meeting event, you want to everything perfect so that it all goes as planned. This may not always be easy and in fact you will have to work hard at it to make sure that it does go the way that you are hoping. As long as you have the right materials and the work ethic to do it, you will have a great and successful time.
There are four ways to ensure that your business meeting event will just as you have planned. You will first want to make a budget. Once you know how much you can afford to spend on this special occasion, you will then be able to plan out all that you have to spend on your purchases. This will give you some kind of start so that you can follow through on it. It is very important to stick to your budget so that you are not forced to go over and have to find ways to pay the extra cost. Read the rest of this entry »
Money and time are at a premium in this fast-paced world. It is harder and harder to make time and place in the budget to attend meetings no matter how attractive travel and hotel rates may be. One way to step around the challenges of the present economy is to use video streaming.
Video streaming is communicating live from one computer to another. All you need is healthy internet connection and a web cam plus the skill and confidence to use them. A live stream allows more people to attend your presentation in real time.
The presenter’s charismatic appeal and knowledge base will speak equally loudly to remote viewers as they will to up close and personal attendees. In addition, a symposium may have several panels and cover a range of topics. Remote viewers can pay for individual panels at a reduced rate.
Record the event and sell the DVDs on your company’s website. This benefits attendees who can watch panels they may have missed at the conference and individuals who were not able to watch the live streaming. Allow room for comments and questions on your website, either through a comment page or by providing an email address for queries. Video streaming is a good way to increase both attendance and revenue for your presentation.
