Meeting...No meeting? Speaker...No speaker? What's a planner to do?
Gail Davis, 10 March 2009
He knew that the purpose of an incentive trip was to reward the top performer and their spouses/partners. As the organizer, I knew there was an opportunity at these events to give the winners exposure to our executives which is always part of the real incentive.
In 1996, Nando Parrado was the keynote speaker at the event. It was a colossal success.
I am reminded today, during these tough economic times, why his message never tires. Nando shares with his audience an extreme story about surviving a plane crash at cruising altitude, trekking out into the Andes for 10 days in rugby shoes and overcoming insurmountable odds.
When I book him for an event, I know that there will be no one else in the audience with this shared experience, yet he always connects. Why? Because we all have our own Andes. Sometime it takes the extreme example to give us the perspective we need.
Yes, the economy is in bad shape. Sadly, our friends and colleagues are losing their jobs. Things are not easy. Yet after sitting in Nando’s audience, you realize that at the end of the day, if you have your life, your health and your family, what you are experiencing is only temporary toughness.
I have 2,400 speakers in my database. Each has a unique story to tell. They range in price from $5,000 to more than $100k. Don’t miss the chance to impact the lives of your attendees. Find the right story, the right speaker and have an appropriate meeting. Be sensitive to cost but don’t leave out the most long lasting ingredient, the message.