Long Range Planning Committee in Action

As an assignment from the Long Range Planning Committee meeting at Conference in Seattle, the following article was written by Martha Philip, CCCE, a past International President and member of CPI of South Suburban Chicago. This tip might help you obtain new members, provide good educational programs to your community and help you gain recognition for your association.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS SEMINAR

1. Schedule a planning meeting with your committee or members to select a subject, date, time, and place to hold a Business After Hours Seminar.

2. Obtain a mailing list of at least 100 to 150 people from several sources such as:

a. Membership list from Chamber of Commerce

b. Telephone directory targeting specific business such as medical personnel for a speaker on Medicare or Medical collections

c. If the topic is on fraud, the local police departments are usually looking for help and information or might provide speakers.

d. If your subject relates to credit reports, your local bureau representative might be persuaded to provide a list of their customers to be invited and they might consent to speak.

e. State and Federal agencies often will provide a speaker if the subject relates to their area of expertise (i.e. Social Security Adm.).

3. Contact your speaker or speakers by phone and follow-up by letter outlining the details of the seminar and what audience will be invited. Choose speakers that relate to the same subject; a representative from the FBI to talk about counterfeit money, a bank card representative to discuss credit card fraud, and a local banker to talk about bank fraud. Allow each speaker to talk from 15 to 30 minutes with an open discussion period afterwards for questions. Ask them to bring samples or handouts for the audience.

4. Make arrangements for the meeting place and select your food choices. Be sure the room to be used will fit the expected audience. Hot and cold appetizers, punch, tea and coffee or soda can be simple and will allow your audience to still have dinner later.

5. Once these arrangements are in place, prepare the flyer or brochure to mail two to three weeks ahead of the planned event. A short time frame usually prevents the flyer being set aside until later and then forgotten.

6. Ask your members to post the flyer in their place of business or include it in a newsletter. Contact the local paper to print an article and to attend the meeting as your guest to allow them to take pictures or write an article.

7. Schedule your meeting to start at 5:30 PM and allow a check in and food service to run concurrently for 30 to 45 minutes. Begin your introductions by thanking the sponsors and organizers.

8. Make sure you have membership brochures or applications for membership in Credit Professionals International available to distribute. You may not gain any members initially, but the association becomes recognized within your community and regular events like a business after hours will eventually pay off.

9. Keep the cost of the food to a minimum or find a sponsor who will underwrite the cost in order to keep your costs down. This will allow you to make a profit or at least break even.

10. Most speakers can be obtained free of charge if you provide good press coverage before and after the event.

11. Announce the details of your next “Business After Hours” event before you close the meeting. Keep a list of who attends on a regular basis and make sure those people get an invitation to your next monthly meeting of CPI.

12. Provide an evaluation form so your audience can give you feedback on your program. Ask for subjects that would interest them in the future and to enlist their help in planning additional seminars.

The members of CPI of South Suburban Chicago borrowed the “Business after Hours” concept for the local Chamber of Commerce. The three speakers provided a great program on counterfeit money, credit card fraud, and bank fraud. A local member bank sponsored the food costs (about $400.00) and the targeted mailing list included banks, savings and loans, credit unions, small local retailers, and local police departments. The mailing list of 150 to 200 flyers resulted in 75 people attending at $10.00 per person. While the cost was minimal and the food had been sponsored, the profit was used for the local scholarship program to a high school senior. The small fee can be mailed in advance or paid at the door, thus allowing for last minute registrants.