Sales
Sales performance
Exceeded annual performance goals, producing 279 definite booking leads that generated 126,965 total room-nights for Wake County. The direct economic impact (DEI) of this business totaled more than $75.6 million. These numbers exceeded the 2018-2019 fiscal year Sales Department goals. Notable bookings include:
- SAS Kick-Off Meeting, Jan. 2019; 1,300 attendees; 2,900 total room-nights;
$1 million in economic impact - Association of Flood Plain Managers 45th National Conference, May 2021; 1,000 attendees; 3,475 total room-nights;
$1.3 million in economic impact - Special Operations Medical Association, May 2020 and 2022; 1,000 attendees; 2,068 total room-nights per year;
$9.8 million in economic impact per year - N.C. State Firefighters Association, Aug. 2024-2029; 4,800 attendees; 1,471 total room-nights per year;
$1.4 million in economic impact per year
Business development and leveraging local connections
Worked with local leaders and advocates of Wake County. By finding synergies between conferences that would benefit from meeting in the destination and the interests and expertise of industry leaders (both from the private sector and the universities and colleges in the area), we were able to make a stronger case to qualified prospects for hosting their organizations' meetings in their own backyard.
Enhanced relationships within the local multicultural and diversity community by presenting to department heads at North Carolina Central University School of Business and Saint Augustine’s University to increase awareness of the benefits and economic impact of hosting events in their hometown.
Tradeshows
Represented Raleigh, N.C., at more than 35 tradeshows and events across the U.S., with exposure to more than 26,000 meeting planners in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast regions. Each show provided the opportunity for face-to-face and post-show digital client engagement.
Signature client events
Hosted client events locally and out of market to showcase the destination to leaders and meeting professionals who have the potential to influence organizations to host their meetings in Raleigh, N.C.
Hosted meeting professionals at the James Beard House in New York City. Led by one of Raleigh’s own James Beard Awards nominees, Cheetie Kumar of Garland, who inspired the audience with a fusion of Indian and Asian cuisine with a Southern twist. Kumar was accompanied by another Raleigh local and James Beard Award Most Outstanding Chef Ashley Christensen.
The 3rd Annual Six in the City—A Southern BBQ Experience was held in Oct. 2018 in Va. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) partnered with five other destinations to showcase each destination's unique styles of barbecue, craft beverages and live music.
Third-party and association management companies
Cultivated and created new relationships with association management offices located in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast and Southeast U.S., where the Sales team conducted presentations to enhance our relationships with key decision-makers of multi-volume accounts. Presented to Capitol Hill Management Services (Albany, N.Y.) and Ashfield Meetings and Events (Philadelphia), Helms Briscoe D.C. and Reston Herndon Meeting Planners Group.
Participated in Association Management Company Institute's annual meeting and tradeshow, Conference Direct and the HelmsBriscoe Annual Business Conference.
Destination Strategic Plan
Collaborated with the Information Technology Department to design a more refined reporting process in preparation for the recommended optimization of the Raleigh Convention Center, as laid out in the Destination Strategic Plan. Implementation included prospecting, compression and dashboard views that will assist with data-driven strategic business decisions.
Partner relations
In partnership with the Marketing and Communications Department, presented at Tourism Talk Live with round-table discussions where partners were updated on the Raleigh, N.C., destination brand strategy and PIXL (Partner Information eXchange Login), plus received an in-depth look into partnering with the CVB's Sales Department at client events.
Industry leadership
Served on boards and committees in many key industry associations to position the Greater Raleigh CVB and the sales team as leaders with influence. Organizations include:
- Eight Meeting Professionals International chapters
- American Society of Association Executives
- Association Executives of N.C.
- Seven chapters of Professional Convention Management Association
- N.C. Technology Association
- International Association of Exhibitions and Events
- Religious Conference Management Association
- National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners
- Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
- N.C. SGMP