SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

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SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Joaquin
Miranda Carolina García Gijón Convention
Bureau 11th ICCRM Seville, Spain 7-9 July 2005
www.iccaworld.com
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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• Our reasons for having an ambassador programme
• To increase the number of meetings
• To predetermine medium and long term activities
• To be in the best position to face our most
  direct competition
• To smash preconceptions about our town
• To increase the self esteem of our professionals

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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Reasons for having an ambassador programme 6 So
you know exactly where Gijon is on the map ..
SOME DATA Asturias, the region 10.000 sq.
Km. 1.075.000 inhabitans
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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• THE TOWNS
• Gijón 300.000 inhabitants

• Oviedo 200.000 inhabitants
• 25 mn. From Gijón

• Avilés 100.000 inhabitants
• 25 mn. away

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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• What makes things tricky?
• Gijón is not the regional capital
• It has neither the historical fame nor the
  architectural prestige of its neighbouring town
• It has not been the cradle of Asturian University
• The shadow of our recent industrial past
• The eternal comparison with the regional capital

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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• What do we have up our sleeve?
• Gijón is a 2000 year Roman Town
• That has gone through a breathtaking urban
  transformation
• With outstanding natural outskirts
• A large number of professionals with a sound
  national or international reputation
• It is an established host for many international
  cultural events

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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME AND START
  WINNING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

It is Gijón. It is another world DVD
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• SETTING UP AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME

• Even if different approaches towards the
  ambassadors had been taken before, The Gijón
  Ambassador Programme was properly established in
  2004. The are 3 main strategic areas of work
• Identifying ambassadors
• Establishing and extending permanent
  relationships
• Showcasing of the new city venues and
  specialized services

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS

• Previous approaches (1994-2004)
• First approach (2004-05)
• Presentations in town
• Second approach (2006-07)
• Regional Presentations

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS

• Presentations a way of saving time
• How to select the right guests?
• Using pre-established local networks
• How to succeed in encouraging the guests to
  attend the presentation?
• Why extra regional presentations?

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 1.- Presentation to the medical
professionals working in Gijón
The previous idea

• To get the main town hospital manager involved
  in the project
• To use the right arguments to convince him
• Contribute to local development
• Increase the profile of his institution
• Show the professional standing of the staff
• Offer them the free services of the CB
• Design an in-house presentation during working
  hours

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 1.- Presentation to the medical
professionals working in Gijón
The final presentation

• An invitation letter addressed to the medical
  professionals of the three hospitals in town
• A selection done by the hospitals managers
• The choice of coming alone or with the person
  they choose

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 1.- Presentation to the medical
professionals working in Gijón
The final presentation

• An evening event organized in the most recent
  tourist
• attraction in town The Botanical Gardens
• A formal welcoming by the tourist councillor
• A nocturnal guided tour of the gardens
• and. A special party for them in one of the
  most
• exclusive venues in the Gardens core

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CASE 1.- Presentation to the medical
professionals working in Gijón
Results
Sent invitations 116
Guest welcomed 56 (48)

• Event diffusion
• Free coverage by the local press and media
• The event was well talked over during the next
  days in the hospitals

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CASE 1.- Presentation to the medical
professionals working in Gijón
Results

• BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
• For Gijón X
• For CB Members
• For Gijón Convention Bureau

• Booking of the venue
• Botanical Garden included in
• Conference social programmes
• Booking of the Jazz Band

• New relationships
• Data base improved
• More services offered

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 2.- Presentation to the University local
colleges
Different public, different draw backs

• THE ASTURIAS UNIVERSITY
• In the capital
• The Principal Office
• 21 colleges
• the oldest ones
• In Gijón
• 8 colleges
• The Engineering and technological studies

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 2.- Presentation to the University local
colleges
Different public, different drawbacks
THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY CENTER IN
ASTURIAS In Gijón The Principal Office
The tutorial centre
Sorting out the tricky aspects

• Analysing the technical professors profile
• Finding more about the open university
• tutors

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 2.- Presentation to the University local
colleges
Taking advantage of the past experience

• Involving the colleges chairmen/women
• Professors selected by the chairmen/women
• Organising an evening event

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS
CASE 2.- Presentation to the University local
colleges
Improving our strategies

• A first e-mail invitation
• A more formal invitation addressed by the local
• authority
• A follow up trough the phone
• A more personalized welcome at the presentation

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CASE 2.- Presentation to the University local
colleges
Results
Sent invitations 63
Guests welcomed 40 (63)
Professors 34 (54)
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• For Gijón
• For Gijón Convention Bureau
• For CB Members

Three conference proposals to be presented in
medium term
Key contacts made to approach regional
presentations
New enquiries made to the event suppliers
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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS

• What ideas did we reinforce?
• To be where our potential ambassadors are
• To use pre-established networking
• The effect of helping them to discover their own
  town
• The helpfulness of being backed by local
  authorities
• The time that a successful presentation can save

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IDENTIFYING AMBASSADORS

• What have we learned?
• That ambassadors can help to extend the
  networking
• The need of taking in account the specific
  conditions of each destination

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS

• Previous approaches (1994-2004)
• Giving them a full menu of services
• First step (2004)
• Giving full publicity to the assistance they can
  get
• Establishing the annual awards
• Second period (2005-07)
• Implementing the annual party

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
Menu of services

• Free expert advice selecting venues and
  accommodation
• Guidance in the choice of social and cultural
  programmes
• Support in preparing a detailed proposal document
  for the selection committee
• Free audiovisual and graphical material for a
  bid
• presentation on Gijón

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
Menu of services

• Availability of staff members to support the
  presentation
• Co-ordinate and finance a site inspection on
  behalf of the decision-making committee
• Provide promotional support to encourage maximum
  attendance
• Free delegate literature for welcome packs
• Sponsorship of the conference if needed

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
And more.

• Giving the old ambassadors full support when
  introduce new ones to us

• Keeping in contact in specific celebrations

• Using their testimonials as a marketing tool

• Following up their professional and social
  careers

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS

• Promoting public acknowledgment of the important
  role they play
• The annual award party

• Established in 2004

• Hosted by the local authorities

• Sponsored by our private partners

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
The annual award party

• Awards given 3

• Values considered in 2004
• The pioneer spirit
• The contribution to international projection of
  the town
• The altruist and foreseeing proposal of the
  biggest
• conference held in the region

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
The annual award party the recent past

• The Venue the Congress hall

• The Guests
• the awards winners and their families
• some of the local ambassadors
• the convention bureau members

• The Hosts
• the lady mayor
• the private representatives of the
• Convention bureau members

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
The annual award party the recent past

• The event
• A formal ceremony
• A more informal cocktail

• The communication of the event
• Paid special articles in the local paper
• Special advertisements in the regional
• papers
• Free coverage of the event

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
The annual award party the future

• The Venues
• Showcasing the different options in Town

• The event
• A formal ceremony
• An occasion for the winners to explain their
  experience
• An special event offered exclusively for them
• An opportunity for socializing and exchange
  impressions

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS
The annual award party the future

• Values to be considered
• The quality importance of the conference, not
• only the number of delegates.
• The permanent contribution to the town being
  able
• to bring different conferences through the
  years.
• Their international reputation

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS

• What ideas did we reinforce?
• The usefulness of increasing our professionals
  self-esteem
• How they can contribute to extend the networking
  and arise more business opportunities
• The important effect of helping them to discover
  their own town

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ESTABLISHING AND EXTENDING RELATIONSHIPS

• What have we learned?
• The convenience of getting a bigger contribution
  by the private companies
• The usefulness of an ambassador programme
• even for increasing the number of members in the
  convention bureau

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Gijón Convention Bureau www.gijon.info
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005