It’s about Quality not Quantity
The phrase it’s about quality not quantity is often used half-jokingly when defending a small number of attendees, participants or the like at business meetings and social gatherings. But lately, that phrase has rung true at several of the audience development conferences and round tables I have been fortunate enough to attend.
This “smaller crowd; greater results” experience began for me personally in February when the Ohio News Media Association offered the opportunity for circulation professionals to participate in a “pre-conference” round table. There were only dozen or so newspapers represented yet the open discussion of the round table format resulted in an impressive amount of conversation. Participants openly and honestly offering up the good, the bad and the downright ugly of a number of issues they face as a profession.
That experience was so motivating for me that we successfully attempted to continue that format in a round table event we hosted in our facility in early May. Eleven people representing 17 newspapers arrived at Steel City Corp. and engaged in a full day of discussion and idea sharing. I was confident that each participant departed that day with some insight they didn’t have six hours earlier.
As April was winding down, the New York State Circulation Managers Association (NYSCMA) offered a one day workshop that focused on revenue generating audience development ideas and a number of operational issues.
The group of 15-20 in Syracuse that day were exposed to numerous successful ideas and programs implemented at newspapers around the country. Again, small group…BIG discussions and exchange of information and ideas.
Shortly after the NYSMA event , it was off to the beautiful Water’s Edge Resort in Westbrook, CT for the annual New England Association of Circulation Executives conference and, while attendance seem a little lower than last year, a powerful program with extensive audience participation yielded a positive experience for attendees and presenters.
Next up is the Great Western Audience Development (GWAD) event in mid-June. While this group will be larger in number, in reality it is a small percentage of potential attendees in an area that covers a dozen states and several Canadian provinces.
Regardless of the attendance at the GWAD I am convinced, based upon prior experiences this year, those present will offer robust conversation and idea sharing efforts.
In other words quality, not quantity….small but mighty!