If You Build It, Will They Come?

• Posted on Carolyn
• in Meeting Design
• on February 3, 2014
• Comments Off on If You Build It, Will They Come?

(I’m getting tired of the snow and eagerly awaiting Spring Training – so please allow me to indulge in some baseball references.)

“If you build it, he will come” seemed ridiculous and far-fetched in Field of Dreams (if you’ve never seen the movie – add it to your Netflix queue!) and it certainly is unrealistic in today’s meeting and event world.

In the movie, Kevin Costner’s character Ray Kinsella hears a voice that tells him to plow under his field to build a baseball diamond complete with lights and stands and a team will come to play (obviously there’s a lot more to the story but I’m setting the stage).  He builds it and they come.

As meeting professionals can we build our own “field of dreams” without help?  Can we fill the seats without knowing why the attendees want to come?  How can we give our partners the ROI they want?  The key lies in asking for input.  Meetings cannot be planned in a vacuum – it takes a team: sponsors, vendors, potential attendees and the host organization.  One could argue that input from your potential attendees is most critical – without them you could have a roomful of empty seats or a full house that is dissatisfied with the content.   Getting their input at the outset of the planning process is a necessary and often overlooked step.   If your stakeholders give input in the creation of your objectives & design, they have a more vested interest in attending and can help you promote the event to others.

Does your planning roster consist of the right mix of position players, pitchers and catchers?  Is your grounds’ crew ready?  Are your scouts looking for the next great idea?  Are you talking to the fans and getting feedback?  If so, get ready to play ball!