< PreviousSCENE AT ASAE themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2023 ASAE 2023 Highlights From The Annual Meeting & Exposition 10SEPTEMBER 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 11VIEW POINT Working The Favor Bank Ten Ways To Grow Your Network And Get Things Done BY ROBERT L. DILENSCHNEIDER 12 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2023 N etworking” is a misunderstood concept. We tend to think of it in terms of small talk, faked enthusiasm, and self-serving schmoozing. Great networkers, we assume, are aggressive movers and shakers with a knack for selling themselves. Actually, they are heartfelt helpers who understand how the favor bank works. The most successful people I know have their own net- works, which they cultivate like a precious rose garden. They do this by thinking first where they can do some good, knowing that later—sometimes much later—there will be reciprocity. Navigating this balance of give and take is what I call work- ing the favor bank. I think of networking in terms of “favor banks,” which is coined by Tom Wolfe in his novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities. The book is satire, but Wolfe’s point about favor banks captures an essential element in how the world of influence works. It boils down to this: Help other people, and they will be more willing to help you. You make a “deposit” into the virtual favor bank, and later you will inevitably make a “withdrawal.” Just be sure when you make that withdrawal, you do so ele- gantly and graciously so that everyone wins. While the concept is simple enough in theory, putting it into practice may require some guidance. You might say, “How could I ever help XX, when I really need them to help me first?” But there’s almost always a way for you to make a deposit in the favor bank, and those deposits will almost always come around to help you in the long run. A few tips: RESEARCH INDUSTRIES AND LEADERS YOU ARE LIKELY TO MEET. Have something to talk about with them that will con- vey your knowledge and interest. And most of all, be pre- pared to listen. BE STRATEGIC AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN DO THE MOST GOOD. This requires advance planning, a realistic view of your gifts and abilities, and a dose of discernment. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Find a way to focus your talent and ener- gies. It’s not about doing 10 things just for the sake of doing them, but it’s about doing one, or maybe a few things, that have a real impact. Having a reputation for doing good can pay dividends and helps communicate what your values are. This is a crucial step toward eventually building relationships with power players who share those values. In The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence, I share a story about how Frank Bennack, the CEO of the Hearst Corpora- tion for more than 28 years, leveraged personal relationships based on pro bono activities to close “the deal of the century” to buy a piece of ESPN and set the stage for Hearst’s pivot to cable networking. Of course, power plays like this are way down the road… but you’ve got to start somewhere. START THE RELATIONSHIP OFF WITH A DEPOSIT, NOT A WITHDRAWAL. Remember, working the favor bank means playing the long game. Be patient and have faith that your turn to make a with- drawal will, eventually, come back around. FIND WAYS TO MAKE “FREE” DEPOSITS. Learn how to trade in know-how, intellectual capital, and sweat equity. Senior executives get a lot of mileage in their community through leveraging their company’s contribution program. But what if you’re just a young manager without a wad of money to give away? Let’s say you are a rising executive, and you want to make your impact felt with a politician. You know you can’t make a heavyweight financial contribution. But can you help them in designing their fundraising strategy? Can you spend your evening hours researching a particular topic so they can write a blockbuster speech? Just be sure the candidate’s positions won’t bring embarrassment to your company. Or, let’s say your community hospital can’t afford a finan- cial analysis function, but you hear that the trustees (who are also the most powerful community leaders) blame seri- ous operating problems on a lack of good analysis. Can you step in and offer your expertise pro bono to troubleshoot the problem? For managers at every level, there is a way to lever- age intelligence and ingenuity for impact far beyond your apparent rank.13 Robert L. Dilenschneider, author of The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence: Everything You Need to Know, formed The Dilenschneider Group in Oct. 1991. Headquartered in New York, Miami, and Chicago, the firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers, acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media. SEPTEMBER 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES SUPPORT THE RAINMAKERS—THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN BRING NEW CLIENTS YOUR WAY... When Rabbi Arthur Schneier, one of the most influential people in New York and a human-rights activist, called me on a Sunday afternoon and asked whether the company where I worked at the time would help lead an earthquake-relief effort in a country on the border of Europe and Asia, it took me just one second to say yes. First, it was the right and humane thing to do. Second, it paid off handsomely in how the company was regarded. And third, it answered a rainmaker’s call. If you want to maintain an active balance in the favor bank, jump when a rainmaker calls. …BUT ALSO THOSE POWERFUL PEOPLE WHO FEEL ANTAGONISTIC TOWARD YOUR BUSINESS. I’m talking about special-interest leaders, columnists, poli- ticians—anyone who can be a big-league aggravation. It may sound counterintuitive, but without undermining your business objectives or compromising ethics, do every possible favor you can for those people. It’s done every day by top managers in the Fortune 500. Deposit regularly and heavily in the favor bank. MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF YOUR DEPOSITS WITH A PERSONAL FOLLOW-UP. Let’s say you’re called to assess a candidate for a senior management job at an up-and-coming manufacturing firm. You provide a strong recommendation and are told she’s at the top of the list. Fine. Now leverage that by immediately calling the candidate and telling her she’s likely to get the job. Who do you suppose the candidate will think helped cinch the position? BE SMART ABOUT MANAGING YOUR GROWING LIST. You must prune your list but never cut people off entirely. The more people in your network, the more opportunities are created for you. One way to manage your growing list is to make categories of contacts in the energy industry, the media, the nonprofit fields, for example. STAY IN TOUCH. THIS ISN’T A ONE- AND-DONE ACTIVITY. Cultivate your network and keep your name out there through tools such as newsletters, letters to the editor, and op-eds. Make them informative, useful and succinct. Avoid overpowering the inbox, however. Any of us in busi- ness receive more emails in an hour than we could possibly read, even if that’s all we did all day long. Make your mes- sage a must-read. ADVERTISE YOUR FAVOR BANK BALANCE (BUT BE DISCREET ABOUT IT). In a speech, you might hear an executive say, “When the local elementary schools needed Chrome-books for remote learning, we were glad to donate some to help equalize educa- tion. It was nothing less than an investment in the community and our children.” This soft-sell advertisement amplifies power and influence. Of course, it must be done discreetly and with caution so as to not oversell. And most of all, it has to be true! If all of this sounds a little manipulative, don’t worry— it’s not. It’s simply a way of practicing the timeless concept of reciprocity. Looking for ways to help others does eventually result in their helping you, but that’s not the real payoff. It cultivates a mindset that not only leads to rewarding relationships but also helps you grow as a person. The more you help others, the better person you will become, and the more you’ll experience a sense of fulfillment. | AC&F | You make a “deposit” into the virtual favor bank, and later you will inevitably make a “withdrawal.” DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMT here are hundreds of articles written daily on traits of fantastic leaders and toxic leaders; hundreds of buzzwords abound in the media on these topics. Of course, there is also the age-old debate of whether great leaders are born or made. When it boils down to being a leader that people want to stick with and not leave, that leader has to create a compelling vision of where they are going and taking their team and communicate it in the same compelling manner. The leader needs to exhibit alignment between this vision and their values, cultivate a culture of trust and know who they are leading. Finally, this leader needs to know the people they want to follow them. Traits that are required to create and communicate this type of vision requires leaders to focus on what is impor- tant to their company, their values and their team. The vision has to align with the compa- ny’s mission, the leaders values and what matters to their team. A leader has to be crystal clear on depicting this vision and communicating it in several ways to land with all members of the team. There must be a laser-like focus on where they are going and how it achieves success - for the company, the leader and their team. The leader has to ensure this vision has marked progress points, a beginning and an end, and can be understood by the many. A leader demonstrates their competence by aligning the vision with the mission of the company. They continually build their credibility across the organization by knowing where they are going is directly related to where the company needs to go to be successful. The alignment of the vision to the leader’s values is critical to fostering trust, authenticity and loyalty. People do not follow someone they do not trust. Trust is built when a leader dem- onstrates and actually lives their values visibly in their every- day interactions. A leader must be intentional in their actions and interactions with people. The focus needed for the vision requires attentiveness so that the alignment with the leader’s values is observable. How a leader handles themselves when the pressure is on requires thoughtful, deliberate action and response. A measured approach that is consistent and trust- worthy will make great strides in cultivating the culture of trust in which employees desire to belong. Finally, we all want to be seen and understood. In order for a leader to create trust with their team, they must know their team. Creating an amazing vision is empty air if it does not matter to the people that are working to make the vision a reality. A leader must take the time to get to know their team, their desires, goals, objectives, and dreams in order to compel them to stay and work hard together for this shared vision. Demonstrating compassion builds on a leader’s credibility and enables the leader to hold team members account- able. Most teams want enough structure to know what to do and to know when they are off-course. A leader that knows their team has the capacity to keep people on track in a motivating manner; one that takes into account how joining the leader’s mission to achieve this vision also makes a differ- ence to that team member. Leaders can cultivate skills and learn traits to make them more equipped to communicate and articulate a great vision. One can practice communicating in a compelling manner and improve their deliv- ery. Great leaders may not be born great, it takes being intentional, attentive to others and having the confidence to be authentic. Regardless, great leaders have to work hard and know how to be successful themselves - they must live their values - everyday, and they have to truly care about their team. They can then cultivate a place where people desire to work to fulfill the vision cast. | AC&F | Meeting & Events 30,000 SF of indoor space 5,600 SF of foyer space 9,395 SF grand ballroom 7,205 SF junior ballroom 5,245 SF junior ballroom 15 meeting rooms STEP INTO A NEW ERA: GRAND OPENING FALL 2024 Pier Sixty-Six Resort is a world unto itself, combining the pull of curiosity and the thrill of discovery in a world-class South Florida landmark. From the extraordinary Pier Sixty-Six Resort marina to the picturesque waterfront accommodations and dining, our resort sets the new standard for luxury as one of the best hotels near the Fort Lauderdale beach. Welcome to a reimagination worth whispering about. PIERSIXTYSIXRESORT.COM Come Meet the CoralTree Hospitality GSO Team at IMEX Booth # C4211 Julie Tenge, CMP, CITP Senior Global Sales Director - West Region Allison Sayer Global Sales Director - Travel Industry Dorothea Calabrese Global Sales Director - Northeast Region Michelle Olewinski Global Sales Director - Midwest Region VIEW POINT How To Be A Leader Employees Don’t Leave BY SUZANNE OGLE 14 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2023 D E P O S I T P H O T O S.C OM Southern Gas Association (SGA) CEO Suzanne Ogle provides perspective on policy, legislation and current events, as well as ideation that looks at the natural gas industry holistically (instead of just from the perspective of a producer, transporter or distributor) in order to spotlight the interconnectedness of the industry. In general, Ogle seeks to expand the energy conversation and helps educate people on a realistic way to have an energy future that includes the use of natural gas as a way to lower emissions and address the energy needs of underserved populations.Meeting & Events 30,000 SF of indoor space 5,600 SF of foyer space 9,395 SF grand ballroom 7,205 SF junior ballroom 5,245 SF junior ballroom 15 meeting rooms STEP INTO A NEW ERA: GRAND OPENING FALL 2024 Pier Sixty-Six Resort is a world unto itself, combining the pull of curiosity and the thrill of discovery in a world-class South Florida landmark. From the extraordinary Pier Sixty-Six Resort marina to the picturesque waterfront accommodations and dining, our resort sets the new standard for luxury as one of the best hotels near the Fort Lauderdale beach. Welcome to a reimagination worth whispering about. PIERSIXTYSIXRESORT.COM Come Meet the CoralTree Hospitality GSO Team at IMEX Booth # C4211 Julie Tenge, CMP, CITP Senior Global Sales Director - West Region Allison Sayer Global Sales Director - Travel Industry Dorothea Calabrese Global Sales Director - Northeast Region Michelle Olewinski Global Sales Director - Midwest RegionBRAND RECOGNITION themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2023 The Power of Premium Merchandise Creating Customizable Items for Maximum Exposure By Christine Loomis He’s the swag guy, the guy behind many of the trade show branded, promotional giveaways we know and love. He’s also the president of PMSI (Professional Marketing Services, Inc.) in Stratford, CT, the go-to source for those items. Crazy outfits notwithstanding, swag is serious business. It’s a staple in the travel and hospitality industry. It can create buzz around an event or organization long after a specific event, bond attendees, raise funds, motivate employees and mem- bers, ramp up support for a cause or goal and increase loyalty. “Swag items are fun and many times very functional pieces of the human experience,” Bear noted. “Promotional merchan- dise helps advertise events, causes, musical artists, movies and TV shows, sporting events and college and university alum, students and parents. Sometimes swag can generate revenue for organizations, and other times it’s used as a goodwill ges- ture or appreciation gift. Many technology items also help sales groups function in the business world with chargers, computer backpacks, speakers, cables, adaptors and other tech-related items. People love swag.” Bear should know. He’s been in the swag game for 40 years. PMSI’s specific business model focuses heavily on the hos- pitality industry. “We support as many industry events and causes as we can by donating ‘in kind’ swag to support conferences, events, galas, fundraisers and trade shows,” Bear said. “In the 2023- 24 calendar year, PMSI Promos will be exhibiting at over 35 industry conferences and sponsoring an additional 30 to 40 more. We still send out quarterly ‘What’s New’ printed cata- logs and flyers to our audience, as well as weekly e-blasts. Our philosophy is simple: We offer the best selection of products with the greatest group of expert production coordinators at the lowest possible prices.” If all that sounds familiar, it’s because PMSI exhibits at ASAE, PCMA, IAEE, MPI and many other shows and events. “At our booth, we’re giving away free samples of the best new items for those particular audiences,” Bear said. “We sell to association and corporate meeting planners on one side and also support suppliers for those events — hotels, resorts, convention centers, tourism bureaus, technology and soft- ware companies.” Marty Bear, President, Professional Marketing Services Inc. arty Bear is a colorful character. Literally. You might need a pair of those pricey sunglasses attendees sometimes get at industry events just to look at one of his eye-popping, can’t- miss-him-in-a-crowd outfits. M 16The business has changed over the past 40 years, but Bear said swag is still a great investment for organizations in this time when there are so many new buyers and new opportuni- ties post-Covid. “The hospitality industry was drastically affected by Covid and shutdowns,” he said. “Over the last two years, many customers transitioned to other fields or endeavors, leaving the industry with many new folks who might not be familiar with a company.” That’s not to say that the Covid era didn’t create hardships for PMSI, too. But Bear knew what he wanted to do: Take a pro-active approach and help in any way he could. “When Covid hit and the meeting and travel industry came to a sudden halt, I had to make decisions on what to do with our company and wonderful staff,” Bear said. “We decided to try and keep as many of our team as possible. To accomplish this, we decided to give back to our industry the best way we could. When there were no masks and no sanitizers available anywhere, PMSI Promos reached out to all our industry part- ners and groups offering free PPE kits including pouch, masks, sanitizers, wipes, tools and more. We then expanded the pro- gram, reaching out to those who had elderly parents and kids isolated with no masks or sanitizers and sent free packets to them as well.” At the end of the year, PMSI had flown in enough materials from other countries to send out many thousands of PPE kits. The letters and emails of thanks they received from those with compromised spouses, parents and children made it the most rewarding project Bear could ever imagine. “And still, at every trade show I do, there are at least 20 to 30 people who come up to me and thank me for send- ing them the materials,” he said. “And our PMSI team stayed intact until our world opened again.” There’s no question that Marty Bear and PMSI have countless fans in the industry. But underlying the relationships Bear has forged with associations, education institutions and other organizations is an indisputable fact: Swag is a smart business strategy. Charlene Liu, CMP, DMCP, director of meetings & events, Higher Education User Group (HEUG) in Riverview, FL, said, “Giving out branded swag allows our members to take home a part of the ‘experience’ we provide them. They turn into a tangible item for brand visibility. Well-designed and useful items can leave an impression and provide associations with the positive experience we aim to provide.” HEUG sets conferences all over the world. Liu described HEUG’s swag as “strategic on a global level, making the memo- rability of events even more everlasting.” The majority of HEUG’s swag purchases are provided to members and conference attendees — no tasks or sign-up requirements. A small percentage are gratitude gifts for the board of directors and volunteers. “For us, swag is a member benefit and opportunity to bring a smile to our members’ faces,” Liu sid. “Our members are in the higher education technology niche, so we look for anything that can be a resource to them (tech taco, webcam covers, etc.) and in line with a themed event we hold at our annual conference.” Tech-related items are heavy favorites, but branded note- pads and pens are popular as well and ensure that attend- ees always have a physical takeaway and connection to the conference. “For the annual conference, we provide a fun item for the closing-night reception that reflects the destination and theme of the event,” she said. “These vary and it’s one of the times we can be our most creative!” The items Liu uses most often are travel related. “I received a branded Tumi backpack and a cord organizer that has made my life so much easier,” she said. She calls any product that improves her travel life and helps alleviate stressors “a treasured item.” Liu believes organizations that don’t leverage swag are “losing an opportunity to show their constituents how appre- ciated they are as members/customers/attendees. Also, the benefit of having a tangible item of your brand out there and having your constituents effortlessly promote your organiza- tion would be a missed opportunity.” Erica Wilson, senior event planner for Purdue Confer- ences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, said that swag is a way to showcase your brand identity, shows attendees which com- panies support their organi- zations and associations, and can support groups in creative ways. “Julia from PMSI once helped me order camp chairs for attendees as all of my big events were at locations without seat- ing areas,” Wilson said. “Each attendee got their own camp chair they could carry into each activity at a civil engineering competition. We also host a technical competition for one group; a 36-hour hackathon. We gave participants water bottles, blan- kets, pillows, Ts, knee socks — all ways to stay hydrated, comfy or able to rest during the competition.” Wilson uses all kinds of items for different groups, but noted that, for conferences, attendees always need paper, pens and a bag to carry everything in because they’re often traveling light. It’s good to send folks away with something to remember you by. “PMSI does a great job at giving suggestions, keeping up with trends and helping us customize something unique for our groups,” she said. “There are many different companies that do what PMSI does, but PMSI really takes time with its customers and builds those relationships, so you come back to them every time.” Nathaniel Holic, meetings and registration manager at Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) in Washington D.C., uses swag for fundraising and recognition. “We use the merchandise as a way to recognize partners and sponsors, raise funds for our meeting and provide attend- ees with swag to use after our meetings,” Holic explained. 17 SEPTEMBER 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Charlene Liu, CMP, DMCP, Director of Meetings & Events, Higher Education User Group (HEUG) Well-designed and useful items can leave an impression and provide associations with the positive experience we aim to provide.Name-badge holders, napkins, amenity/survival kits, lan- yards, pens, notebooks, registration bags, charging banks and portable chargers are among the items typically given out to attendees during meetings. “People seem to enjoy our name-badge holders,” he said. “They’re longer than most and people use them as a sort of purse to hold items as they walk around our conference. We use PMSI and they provide consistent on-time delivery, top quality communication and great pricing.” Deborah A. Ross, CCHP, CEO of the National Commis- sion on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) in Chicago, IL, said her group has sponsored conference tote bags branded with their conference name, organization logo and the sponsor’s logo. “Seeing fellow conference attendees with the same tote bag throughout the hotel gives them a sense of community,” Ross said. “Swag can also be a walking advertisement for your brand, increasing visibility and recognition. Items such as T-shirts, bags, water bottles and pens display your company’s logo and branding. Branded swag can play a significant role in building customer or attendee loyalty by fostering positive emotions, creating memorable experiences and reinforcing the relationship between your brands. It provides a visual sense of belonging and loyalty.” Ross is a believer in all that swag can convey. “Offering swag shows that you value your attendees’ partic- ipation, and we want to provide them with something tangible in return. This can enhance attendee satisfaction and create a positive impression of the organization. However,” she added, “our conference attendees can be limited to the swag items that can be used in the field or at their workspace, so we select items that respect and reflect those limitations.” In addition to giving away promotional products, NCCHC also sells branded clothing items including life vests, T-shirts and fleece jackets, and Ross said their constituents are often excited to purchase these items. “We believe it’s because they do feel part of our organiza- tion wearing an item with our logo,” Ross said, adding that one reason for that may be related to uniqueness and exclusivity. “You can only get the swag by attending our conferences.” As part of NCCHC’s business strategy related to swag, Ross said, “We plan on several swag items to be sponsored by our partners and exhibitors. Attendees who appreciate our swag may become brand advocates, recommending the products, services or conferences to others in their network.” The group has three national conferences each year and uses branded promotional items at all three to give to attend- ees and sponsors. “Depending on the conference, we usually have tote bags, badge holders, lanyards, padfolios, pens and drink tumblers,” she added. “On the exhibit floor in our booths, we typically have pens, hand sanitizer, wipes, luggage tags, lunch bags and other swag. Our conference attendees and sponsors seem pleased with the swag we offer.” While Ross said the organization doesn’t typically order promotional items for employees, if there are leftover items, staff can choose to take at item. “Some of our staff members like the insulated lunch bags,” she said. “Some like the phone charges while others like the fun stress balls in various animal shapes.” Ross calls swag items “a physical representation of your brand. “By associating your brand with positive feelings and expe- riences, you create a strong brand identity that resonates with customers and encourages their loyalty,” she said. “This is an opportunity to enhance your brand, build loyalty and commu- nity for a relatively small investment.” AFP, Americans for Prosperity, provides promotional items for a variety of reasons. Nicole Sutter, CMP, CMM, senior director of events in Arlington, VA, said there’s a “proud fac- tor” when employees, attendees, members and others wear swag with AFP’s logo on it, “especially hats and T-shirts.” When the group did an extensive logo refresh, swag was a good way to get the new look out. “We hand out swag at every event, large or small,” Sutter said. “But we hold a lot of larger events where press is present, so branding is everything when it’s photographed.” Sutter added that employees can also order swag apparel themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESSEPTEMBER 2023 Clothing, koozies and usable items like cups can increase the visibility of your organization. PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICOLE SUTTER 18throughout the year, as well as at the group’s annual all- staff retreat. AFP’s attendees are called “activists” and volunteers, and they get swag at the events as do donors. Typical items include T-shirts, hats, padfolios, pens, lunch coolers, higher-end water bottles (Yeti, Tervis), phone wallets, socks, sunglasses, mes- senger bags, team jackets and polos. Among Sutter’s favorite items are anything unique that can be used often, including the Yeti and Tervis products. “We had a campaign to ‘End Washington Waste’ and passed out branded piggy banks and desk trash cans,” she said. “Those were very popular. And our staff loves any embroidered apparel. Our branded socks are always popular.” To those organizations that may not yet understand the value of swag, Sutter said, “If you’re sponsoring a major event or city-wide convention, the amount of brand recognition in sponsoring the official bag, for example, is astounding. The bag is literally in everyone’s hands for the week, walking around the city, in restau- rants, hotels and eventually in the airport.” It’s not just industry asso- ciations that benefit from swag and PMSI’s exper- tise. Convention and visi- tor bureaus are also among those who use Bear’s promo- tional and branded items to great effect. Karen Morris, CMP, director of sales with Walton County Tourism in Florida, said, “Swag provides added brand awareness for the destination and helps meeting planners and visitors remember us. It helps build loyalty and provides a keepsake of a visit to South Walton and serves as a reminder of the memories made there.” The Walton County Tourism Department visitor center welcomed some 18,000 visitors last year. Not surprising, the visitor center has an assortment of available merchandise to sell, and all of it is branded. “It’s an effective way of promoting the South Walton brand,” Morris said. “We also give away branded merchandise in trade show booths, at appointments with meeting planners, sales calls, during site visits and in registration bags.” Among the branded items the tourism department typi- cally has are lanyards, luggage tags, lip balm, wireless phone chargers, portable power banks, nail polish and nail files (for wedding shows), koozies, small cutting boards, golf balls, stick- ers and Corkcicle drinkware — all branded. Sutter noted that the items that consistently get the most positive feedback are wireless phone chargers, Corkcicle cups and luggage tags. “They’re nice quality and the logos are tastefully done,” she said, adding that her personal favorites are the Corkcicle drinkware, golf balls and beach towels. There are multiple reasons Walton County Tourism embraces swag giveaways, and Morris believes these reasons translate to benefits that other organizations could receive and should consider as well. “There are several benefits to giving away swag items, including building brand recognition by showing our logo, as well as potential lead generation,” she said. “Additionally, it helps make South Walton memorable to people after their visit. It’s an effective marketing and advertising tool.” Using swag to promote a brand isn’t a one-off decision. It’s typically a long-term business strategy, and that means new items are important to keep the strategy successful. The good news for longtime customers of PMSI is that there are always new items available. “These days our suppliers are coming out with new items on a monthly basis,” Bear said. “We search and research not just to find any new items but those items that will fit into the existing budgets and functions of our customers. Technology, for example, changes all the time. When Apple introduces a new cable or input plug, that generates many new items. Stan- ley introduced a new 40-ounce drinkware with a large handle that fits into your car’s cupholder. It got tons of traction on social media and now I see everyone carrying this huge water bottle around. It’s crazy!” Among Bear’s current favorite items is one that’s been get- ting an amaz- ing response from clients. “It’s our item # 2009,” he said. “It’s a combination marker and carton cutter. It’s used by both planners and suppli- ers to open boxes and mark them on conference day or when they arrive at their booth.” Considering how important sustainability has become to the meetings industry, it’s no surprise that Bear and his team have spent time and resources in the past year find- ing an assortment of eco-friendly, sustainable swag, as well as promoting the “give-back programs” associated with the products. Bear said, “We currently have plans for the last quarter of the year and all of next year to produce a live Eco Swag Pavil- ion at many industry events so planners and suppliers can see the latest items in person and brainstorm which will best help events and also help to educate those new to the industry. We also help promote what to do with leftover swag at shows and conferences and how to donate the products locally.” When asked what one thing he wishes organizations would understand about swag that perhaps they don’t, Bear laughed. That’s because the answer is decidedly unexpected: Chinese New Year. “Explaining Chinese New Year to customers over 40 years has always been a challenge,” Bear said. “We in the U.S. expect maybe a long weekend and then it’s back to work. But in China, the celebration often lasts three to four weeks, affecting pro- duction schedules. When ports and factories reopen, it’s then a race to get the products on ships. But many workers live far away from the factory and a large percentage find a new job for more pay closer to their village and don’t return when the factory reopens.” Who knew? Well, now we all do. And maybe as organiza- tions plan for their 2024 swag items, they’ll consider that Feb- ruary is not the time to depend on speedy delivery. | AC&F | SEPTEMBER 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Deborah A. Ross, CCHP, CEO National Commission on Correctional Health Care By associating your brand with positive feelings and experiences, you create a strong brand identity that resonates with customers and encourages their loyalty. 19Next >