Speaking Engagements

“Extreme consumerism” isn’t a new subject. It’s been around since the beginning of commercial markets in the world’s earliest villages. The notion of pleasing customers and expecting them to return is a fairly basic concept. However, companies are often confused about what constitutes appropriate and professional customer service – and who should deliver it.

The Internet has revolutionized customer service during the past two decades. In today’s marketplace, a good deal of the selling process (education and consultation) is completed online before the consumer initiates contact in person.

In this presentation, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify and define extreme consumerism
• Align customer service with those expectations
• Enhance the probability the extreme consumer will become a loyal advocate

There is a common misconception that price defines luxury, yet that couldn’t be farther from reality. Have you ever purchased something that you thought was luxurious just because it was expensive, only to be disappointed? The purchase ultimately lacked status, prestige and immediate brand recognition that feed your ego.

So who defines luxury, and why do we really care? Countless brand names have experienced immediate luxury recognition for their intrinsic value (cost of production and materials) or because the socially elite endorsed and proudly wore the merchandise. If we want to fit in with the right people, we have to own the right stuff.  However, this status can be fleeting. How can we ensure that our luxury brands remain luxurious? Where does that responsibility lie? This presentation explores:

• Various organizations and their evolution into the luxury brand market – by design or by accident
• What these organizations are doing to retain their luxury positions
• What these organizations have done to lose it
• An examination of who is in control of the luxury brand experience

There’s an assumption that the responsibility in maintaining customer relationships rests solely with the sales force and product distributor. However, hundreds of distributors worldwide have created a unique market situation that requires a greater effort by the consumer.

The level of satisfaction throughout the purchase process is directly affected by the contributions and expectations of the consumer. This shift in accountability is the foundation for this presentation, which explores:

• How consumers play a role in the positive sales and acquisition experience
• The myth that the sales team is solely responsible for building the customer relationship
• Ways to improve the likelihood of greater satisfaction for the consumer during the process

When was the last time a clerk at the check-out counter asked about your business and referred someone to you? When was the last time the restaurant server asked for your business card to pass along to a relative or other acquaintance? When was the last time a vendor scheduled a meeting with you to see how her firm could enhance your bottom line – without being prompted?

In theory, retaining clients should be simple. Provide a great product or service, on time, at a fair price, and periodically thank your customers for their business. However, that’s no longer enough.  Clients in today’s economy expect their vendors to participate in their growth and competitive advantage strategies. Procurement folks are no longer satisfied with a presentation about a product, a graduated pricing scale or flashy marketing promotions. They want to know how the relationship is going to improve their company’s bottom line and long-term sustainability.

This presentation teaches participants how to achieve superior client retention using fundamental and unique business practices that the competition ignores.

Business is an organic process, and recent economic developments have necessitated companies of all sizes to reevaluate and redesign their menu of offerings. What was selling like hotcakes five years ago may no longer be of interest, or it may have been replaced by new technology, competition or changing business models. So what now? This presentation covers:

• Methods for evaluating the current status of business
• The needs of clients
• How for-profit organizations can adjust quickly and practically to this phenomenon

The management of a public- or private-sector event is crucial to its success, and most planning teams lack the time or expertise to manage it properly. This presentation identifies the proper steps for developing the concept, tips for generating support from leadership, and defines components of a business plan that address the needs and benefits of stakeholders. We will help you answer:

• Is the event necessary?
• How do you measure ROI?
• Who is the audience and why should they come?
• How will participants benefit?
• What is a successful event in organizational terms?
• Who is accountable for full development and orchestration?
• Will it be financed or is the event financially self-sustaining?
• Who are the external and internal sponsors of the event?
• How do you treat a one-time vs. a recurring event?

An event isn’t merely a gathering of people for social or professional interaction. Every conference or event has a specific purpose. How we evaluate this purpose is subject to interpretation, but it almost always comes down to dollars and sense.

This presentation evaluates the means by which a conference or event is funded, what revenue streams are crucial to sustainability, and how revenues are tracked and evaluated.

Whether we like it or not, the sales and marketing machine is not the sole driver of these projects. Financial management is. A clear, systemic approach is the right approach. Costs and anticipated revenues must be at the forefront of every decision and activity. We will help you answer:

• How do you establish an appropriate budget?
• Are there benchmarks for the project?
• How do you measure success so that leadership will approve a similar project?
• How much and what information should be captured to evaluate the event’s success?

This presentation will help establish a template and set of methodologies that keep conferences and events a significant part of the competitive strategy.

About 25% of the total planning process for a conference or event should be devoted to ensuring the safety and security of all stakeholders, audience members and vendors. This is especially critical for events that invite the public or require transportation. We will address the following questions:

• Why should we worry about risk and liability?
• How can the event company or event manager ensure adequate liability protection?
• What logistics issues must be evaluated to show due diligence and protect the event population? How do you record these actions?
• How can a third party provide added security?
• When does risk management overshadow the purpose of the project?

Domestic conferences are infinitely easier with proper planning. Imagine planning logistics for a project in a foreign language, using multiple currencies and administering contracts that may not be a guarantee of performance to your standards.

Shareholders and stakeholders are evaluating company business practices with renewed interest and scrutiny. Taking an event offshore must contribute to the company’s competitive strategy, or it will garner significant resistance and criticism that can affect revenues. Event managers are now forced to develop justification for decisions that previously went unnoticed.

This presentation will address the following critical questions:

• How do you ensure the safety and security of your guests offshore?
• What is the standard for compensation in countries where “commissions” are normal business practices?
• What are the evaluation criteria for offshore destinations?
• When does the security of the event outweigh the needs for an authentic cultural experience?