Spreading the Word Upward
In It Together
By David R. Basler
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL JUST BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF ONE+ WENT TO PRINT. On the other line was the editor and publisher of the St. Louis Business Journal. She had read One+ and wanted to know if we would be interested in sharing our content with the BizJournal’s readers, influential business leaders and decision makers, in a special section focused on the valuable relationship between meetings and business.
I thought it was a great idea, but it didn’t stop there—turns out it would be seen by more than just business leaders in St. Louis. The plan was to “sell” the idea to the BizJournal’s 25 largest markets—but it wouldn’t take much to convince the 24 other BizJournal editors to take on the project. All of them, in tune with their market’s ups and downs, knew the vital role meetings play in business.
The special section would run in an early February issue in the BizJournal’s top 25 markets, just after this issue of One+, the theme of which is “proving the value of meetings.” The timing couldn’t have worked out better—a grand and unique opportunity for One+ content to help pave the path to get America meeting again. We were in with both feet.
Some of the content we’d share would be features from previous issues of One+ and the rest, new. The editorial team kicked into high gear as always and set to planning.
The first of our cover stories this issue, and the story we chose to be the key feature in the BizJournal’s special section, takes a fresh approach at the “value of meetings” topic, giving you new ways and tools to prove ROI, whether you’re a Fortune 500 CEO or a conference delegate.
The second cover story takes a unique look at proving the value to the C-suite in other industries. ROI is a hot topic throughout business, not just in the meeting and event industry. What can we learn from those industries who have gone to the C-Suite before us and found success.
To start, it’s all about finding the right strategy and putting it together with the best data to prove the ROI of meetings, but in the end, whether it’s popular or not, meetings are one of the engines that keep business moving forward. Just ask GJ Hart, CEO of Texas Roadhouse. That’s exactly what he told us when we interviewed him for the BizJournal special section.
“If you have an asset, you have to invest in that asset to continue to get a return,” Hart said. “We invest in our people. We continue to get a return, as we perform well in a tough environment.”
To hear more from our exclusive interview with Hart, be sure to pick up a copy of your local BizJournal in early February, and to find out more about the BizJournal project and to see if you’re near one of the 25 markets, check out my blog at www.mpiweb.org/pluspoint. One+
DAVID R. BASLER is editor in chief of One+. He can be reached at dbasler@mpiweb.org. Follow him at www.twitter.com/onepluseditor.