Exceptional event experiences aren't created by accident
Organizations that create true advocates do more than train their teams to be "nice," according to IMEX America keynote speaker Neen James.
By Blair Potter
Have you built a culture where people feel seen and valued, not just through a mission statement, service standard or plaque on the wall?
"It's a mindset that shapes every role and every interaction across an organization," says Neen James, a leadership strategist and author of Exceptional Experiences. "Brands that succeed have turned that culture into repeatable processes, not something that depends on one exceptional employee having a good day."
Neen, who will present the MPI keynote Exceptional Experiences: Drive Revenue by Transforming Client Relationships (sponsored by Visit Walnut Creek) today, Wednesday, October 14, has worked with brands including Viacom, Comcast, Virtuoso Travel and Four Seasons, helping C-suite leaders elevate experiences and achieve greater focus, communication and influence. Her Experience Elevation Model™ helps organizations create exceptional experiences that accelerate sales conversations, drive results and build lasting brand advocates.
"In our world, the client isn't just the attendee. It's the association board, corporate stakeholders and the CFO who signed off on your budget, and every one of them decides whether you get rebooked or rehired next year," she says. "That means we need processes that create advocates at every level, processes that don't fall apart the moment your best person is out sick or moves on to a new role."
According to Neen, a satisfied client says the event was fine, while an advocate shares your name for next year's contract before you've even asked, tells other planners in the industry about your brilliance and makes sure they call you first.
"That shift happens through our B.D.A. (Before, During and After) System," she says. "In the After stage, the follow-up, the ROI story you share with stakeholders and the thank-you that references something specific rather than generic are where a genuine culture becomes a process rather than a personality trait. Most organizations pour everything into the Before and During stages and then go quiet the moment the ballroom empties because nobody built a process for what happens next. It was left to whoever remembered to send a note. We need to close that gap and turn it into something repeatable. It's where your next contract is won or lost, and it's where your next exceptional experience is created consistently, not by accident."
