Being from the east coast, I’m known for being uncharacteristically friendly ‘for a New Yorker.’ Whenever I travel to the Midwest, I am reminded of how profound the difference in behavior is outside of my east coast home and how much room for improvement there is to be made.
For all the beautiful sights, venues, experiences, and opportunity the Midwest boasts, its greatest asset is its people. I find Midwesterner’s to be sincerely gracious, filled with unconditional warmth, honesty, and unbridled concern for others.
For all the time we spend touting the properties we represent or the services our companies offer, it’s all too easy to overlook that we’re people working with people. This is true not only of those of us behind the scenes but for the constituents whom we serve. Behind the details and the dollars is the art of human engagement.
The key to strategic meetings is giving people what they want so they will give you what you want. That means knowing their goals, being genuinely interested in their needs, and then meeting those needs, or in other words, being the solution to the “What’s in it for me?” question. When we forget to put others’ needs ahead of our own, we lose not just a valuable opportunity to make a genuine connection, we miss opportunities.
I’d trade a top tier city for a solid venue with people who care about my group, take pride in their work, love what they do, and truly want to do it well to make a difference. I’ve rarely been to a Midwest city where that has not been the case. From the Uber drivers who proudly talk about their city and its history to the CVBs who exude kindness and sincerity when they explain why their destination is one of the finest places to take a group.
Suppliers, do you want to truly connect with your potential or current clients? One way to do so is to ask how you can help them meet their goals. Put the logistics on hold and talk about why the group is in town. What are they there to accomplish? Is it teambuilding? To learn a skill? A motivational meeting? An incentive trip? Hold what I call a Discovery Session and dig deep. Who is the target audience and what are they being brought there to do? Then get creative with ways to accomplish that. Venues should host meetings, not hold them, and requests for collaboration or RFCs should be sent, not RFPs. Planners, be prepared with answers to those same questions to make sure you are as clear as you can be with your supplier partners. When we get past logistics and drill down to the essence of the meeting’s WHY, we’re doing our jobs strategically which means we’re designing powerful sales and marketing tools that influence behavior and drive sales.
After nearly three decades of traveling and over a million miles flown, I can say with confidence that the airports and the meeting rooms all blend together. But when I’m in Wisconsin or Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, or any of the other amazing cities, towns, and states which make up the Midwest, I always feel the warmth of the people who are there to greet me and give my guests an unforgettable experience.
No matter where you’re coming from or what you’re trying to accomplish, the Midwest is worth the trip.
Christy is the founder of and Master Strategist at Strategic Meetings & Events, an international, award-winning strategic planning firm. A lifelong learner, intellectual philanthropist and author, Christy taught college-level strategic planning for 10 years which helped inspire her book, “The Strategic Planning Guide for Event Professionals.” Find her at: christy@strategic.events. She’d love to hear your story and find a way to help you achieve your goals.
For all the beautiful sights, venues, experiences, and opportunity the Midwest boasts, its greatest asset is its people. I find Midwesterner’s to be sincerely gracious, filled with unconditional warmth, honesty, and unbridled concern for others.
For all the time we spend touting the properties we represent or the services our companies offer, it’s all too easy to overlook that we’re people working with people. This is true not only of those of us behind the scenes but for the constituents whom we serve. Behind the details and the dollars is the art of human engagement.
The key to strategic meetings is giving people what they want so they will give you what you want. That means knowing their goals, being genuinely interested in their needs, and then meeting those needs, or in other words, being the solution to the “What’s in it for me?” question. When we forget to put others’ needs ahead of our own, we lose not just a valuable opportunity to make a genuine connection, we miss opportunities.
I’d trade a top tier city for a solid venue with people who care about my group, take pride in their work, love what they do, and truly want to do it well to make a difference. I’ve rarely been to a Midwest city where that has not been the case. From the Uber drivers who proudly talk about their city and its history to the CVBs who exude kindness and sincerity when they explain why their destination is one of the finest places to take a group.
Suppliers, do you want to truly connect with your potential or current clients? One way to do so is to ask how you can help them meet their goals. Put the logistics on hold and talk about why the group is in town. What are they there to accomplish? Is it teambuilding? To learn a skill? A motivational meeting? An incentive trip? Hold what I call a Discovery Session and dig deep. Who is the target audience and what are they being brought there to do? Then get creative with ways to accomplish that. Venues should host meetings, not hold them, and requests for collaboration or RFCs should be sent, not RFPs. Planners, be prepared with answers to those same questions to make sure you are as clear as you can be with your supplier partners. When we get past logistics and drill down to the essence of the meeting’s WHY, we’re doing our jobs strategically which means we’re designing powerful sales and marketing tools that influence behavior and drive sales.
After nearly three decades of traveling and over a million miles flown, I can say with confidence that the airports and the meeting rooms all blend together. But when I’m in Wisconsin or Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, or any of the other amazing cities, towns, and states which make up the Midwest, I always feel the warmth of the people who are there to greet me and give my guests an unforgettable experience.
No matter where you’re coming from or what you’re trying to accomplish, the Midwest is worth the trip.
Christy is the founder of and Master Strategist at Strategic Meetings & Events, an international, award-winning strategic planning firm. A lifelong learner, intellectual philanthropist and author, Christy taught college-level strategic planning for 10 years which helped inspire her book, “The Strategic Planning Guide for Event Professionals.” Find her at: christy@strategic.events. She’d love to hear your story and find a way to help you achieve your goals.
