What was needed …
A national association was planning its annual conference at which it expected approximately 500 attendees. The conference’s theme was “The Power of Collaboration”. The meeting’s organizers were looking for top-notch, inspiring, engaging keynote speakers and breakout session facilitators who could not only deliver on the theme and were also budget-friendly. They had received glowing recommendations from several of their members who had heard Merge speak at other events, so they approached her to see how she could participate.
What Merge did …
Merge spoke with the primary meeting planner to understand not only their conference objectives but also their budget limitations. Given their theme, she then proposed her very popular keynote “Why Does the Lobster Cast Off Its Shell?” as the morning opener, followed later that day by a breakout session titled “Riding the Wave of Change (And Staying on the Surfboard!)”. Both programs were customized for this specific audience, using pertinent points and examples that were meaningful to the attendees. And of course Merge delivered with her signature blend of humor and realism, effortlessly combining real-world relevant research with time-tested strategies, solutions and mindsets needed for long-term tangible success.
What were the results …
Merge was a perfect fit for this association’s conference since she was able to deliver on both their budget and content requirements.
By having Merge do both the opening keynote and a breakout session later on the same day, the association was able to significantly reduce their expenses. Since the incremental cost of the additional breakout session was minimal, a substantial financial benefit accrued to the organization.
Merge’s keynote and breakout session received great reviews from attendees in the post-conference assessments. Her numerical scores were over 4.8 (out of 5.0) and one participant even commented – “Merge’s two sessions were the best of the lot! Worth my registration fee right here!”