Christmas is the most important time of year for our client, so the key was to motivate staff to drive each and every product in their stores throughout the coming months. We combined tactile areas where staff could view and touch promoted lines with fun activities and conference sessions.

We produced a Factory of Family Fun event at the Manchester G-Mex Centre. Each delegate was escorted through the factory visiting all areas and sampling each product. The whole experience was to prove a very motivational and enjoyable day providing hands on experience of each of the Christmas lines.

Each area had it’s own theme, for example, the clothing area consisted of a fashion show as the centrepiece. On arrival the delegates were treated to a short presentation by their facilitator and encouraged to touch the products by approaching and flowing through a maze of suitably dressed mannequins. After completing the maze the delegates were treated to a narrated fashion show, which reaffirmed the salient points of each product.

To add to an extra fun element, caricaturists mingled amongst the delegates drawing their pictures wearing the fashion show clothing. They were given the drawings as a reminder of the day, which again aided retention of the product knowledge.

Whilst the whole idea of the day was to get the information over to the delegates in a fun manner, there was still the need to bring all the management team together and communicate the season’s key messages. The conference was therefore a short interlude including fun presentations with the Sales and Marketing Director presenting in character as the head of the ‘Factory of Fun’. The salient points from each area were re-emphasised together with sales targets for each region.

The day was finished on high note with company sponsors supplying bands to play during and after dinner. Gifts were donated and placed on every table in the form of a personal box of fun, which was to be taken home and enjoyed. Awards were given to the best managers, regions, etc and as they walked up to the stage a band playing suitable rousing music accompanied them.

Whilst being treated to a full day’s entertainment, delegates captured a vast amount of information about the promotional products for the Christmas season and what was expected of each of them in the coming months.

A fantastic day was had by all and the company are looking forward to a prosperous season.

Mike Utton
September 2009

More entries on Conference Management ...