Marketing Your MAGIC

Meetings industry statistics indicate that the vast majority of meeting planners and other event professionals are women.

Research by Catalyst and other business-trend firms indicates that professional women in general still have a harder time attaining leadership positions within corporate America.

MPI, for its part, created the Women’s Leadership Initiative in 2001 to find out why there were not more women in leadership positions in their own organizations/corporations.

Could it be that many women are more hesitant to take new positions that stretch their talents to assume leadership roles?

I used to wait for things to happen. But ultimately, I decided to change my way of thinking and take ownership for being recognized and rewarded.

My first course of action was to observe, interview and read about people who were successful, and doing what I wanted to do.

What was their magic? What were they doing to personally build their brand?

Here’s a formula I developed:


M: Manner

The first aspect of marketing your MAGIC relates to your manner, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you meet people, the way you treat people.

Do you project the body language of a winner? Do you walk with purpose? Do you look people in the eye and smile?

Does your grooming project attention to detail? Are your clothes appropriate for the occasion? Do you project the image of success?


A: Advocates

Creating an advocate system is another great way to market your MAGIC.

Advocates don’t just happen. You need to meet as many people in as many places as possible—at work, within professional associations like MPI, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), PCMA, and other specific industry groups, and in your daily life.

There are four things you need in order to make the most of your networking opportunities: a good self-introduction, business cards (carry them with you at all times), an effective handshake (firm, not bone crushing or wimpy), and, of course, an interest in helping others.

Here are three pointers to help you nurture a lasting relationship with advocates:

1. Ask for their advice. They will probably appreciate and remember the fact that you respect their opinion.
2. Focus on ways you can help your advocates, not just on how they can help you. You should be willing to listen, offer insight, help with projects, and share your best practices.
3. Stay in touch: call, send articles, “do lunch,” drop them a quick reconnecting e-mail or text message.

The third part of my MAGIC formula for success is to grow:

• Craft: What you do. The skills/information to do your job.
• Market: Your field. What are the trends? What do you need to know so you don’t become obsolete?
• Self: Take risks; try new things.

How do you grow? Continue your education and get advanced degrees or certifications in your industry. Training programs, mentoring and mastermind groups also provide opportunities for growth.

Taking risks is necessary for growth. Whenever you evaluate a risk, ask yourself the following two questions:

1. What’s the worst that can happen?
2. If it happens, then what?

The “I” in the MAGIC formula relates to getting involved. Where to get involved:

• Within your own company and industry
• Professional associations and other professional/community groups
• Life (country clubs, synagogues, churches, your childrens’ activities, etc.)

There are two aspects to creating commentary:

• Write:
  • Articles: print and on websites
  • Newsletters and e-zines
  • Books
  • Letters to the editor

Once you are published, send articles to your advocates and to others in your network and industry. Or, send out news releases in order to secure media interviews.

• Speak:
  • At MPI, NSA, PCMA, or other meetings, conferences and conventions
  • Teach a course
  • Do radio and television interviews
  • Present papers
  • Introduce speakers