Taking Care of the Customer – Making Sure All Attendees Feel Welcome
First Time Attendees
- Host a pre-conference session to review what makes your meeting unique / best in the industry
- Design a welcome booth or mini-lounge for them near the entrance / registration
- Include a special thank you gift in their registration packet
- Organize an ambassador program with volunteers who have attended before
- Offer contests, prizes and discounts to encourage first-timer registration
- Include a special welcome reception and ensure you have plenty of staff on hand to answer questions
- Consider identifying first-timers on their name badge with a different color or ribbon
International Conferences
- Share several emails / blogs / articles in advance of the conference about what to expect upon arrival
- Make sure your signage as you enter the venue is sufficient and uses simple instructions for translation, or consider printing in more than one language
- Hire extra greeters during peak registration times to welcome guests, perhaps stage a few at the airport too
- Post a YouTube video with a welcome message on your website for those who can speak foreign languages easier than reading
- Ask local hosts or loyal conference followers to submit their suggestions for what to see, do and where to dine when at the meeting – a personalized recommendation is better than a list from your venue/CVB
This list is only a sampling of what might work for your individual conference or meeting. Leave a comment if you have other ideas to add to this list. After all, the customer is always right!
~Megan Higgins, CMP
