Write Style announce extensive seminar roadshow for 2004/2005 to help Hotels and Conference Venues eliminate Freeloaders and secure more business when hosting Fam Trips.

During the first half of 2004, Write Style Communications; an events consultancy based in the UK, ran 14 seminars in England and Wales on how to gain more business when running Fam Trips, Site Inspections and Showrounds.

These seminars attracted over 180 sales and marketing managers from Convention Bureaux, Tourist Boards, Hotels and Conference venues. They were held at destinations including Newcastle, Chester, Southampton and Cardiff.

The seminars have proved highly popular and, as a result, Write Style will be running a further series of seminars later on this year and plans are being drawn up to run an increased number in 2005. In addition, a new range of in-house training events for larger conference venues is also being developed with additional emphasis on inter-personal skills, role plays and exhibition marketing.

The seminars focus on one of the most vital aspects of venue marketing - hosting Fam Trips and conducting Venue Showrounds. Delivered in an open/discussion format, they offer an opportunity for delegates to share industry issues with their peers.

In addition, the seminars offer a series of inspirational ideas and best practice methods on how to gain more business when showing prospective clients such as conference planners, agents and exhibition organisers, around the venue. Created, written and delivered by Mike Lyon, Director of Write Style, they have proved highly popular and have received positive feedback from delegates.

And yet, as Lyon explains, there is no real magic formula to hosting a successful Fam: “Many of the delegates we had on the course are highly experienced in running these events and conducting Showrounds. Yet many admit that showing clients the same meeting rooms and hotel rooms day after day can get monotonous."

Using key techniques and innovative ideas taken from this seminar, many went away feeling more confident of being able to secure event bookings during the showround itself rather than trying to close the sale at the end – which is when the client usually wants to leave.

” Freeloaders and timewasters continued to come under attack and much of the seminar examines ways to avoid these people from infecting a Fam Trip."

Indeed Lyon feels that much of the blame must lie with the venue: “Venues have been far too lenient when issuing invitations to Fams. Some have “first come first served” policies whilst others simply offer open invitations. This just paves the way open for Freeloaders.

Venues must invest time and money in vetting applicants to ensure that only genuine buyers who have a real sense of purpose attend such events. Those who attended our seminar have come away with many new ideas on how to intercept and quarantine Freeloaders and also prevent no shows.

Overall Lyon has been delighted with the positive attitude from delegates who attended the seminars. “Everyone who attended responded positively to the seminar and we have had some lively and exciting discussions, especially on showround techniques and setting itineraries.

Many attendees now plan to take up some of the initiatives they have learnt from the seminar by creating inspirational Fam Trips, laced with an attractive and pertinent itinerary aimed at highly targeted buyers only. Freeloaders need not apply.”