Sales

Sales performance

The Sales team produced 91 definite booking leads that generated 70,890 total room-nights for Wake County. The direct economic impact of this business totaled more than $35.3 million. 

Notable bookings include:

• American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, April 2023, 800 attendees, 2,096 total room-nights; 
  $871,236 in economic impact
• Association of State Floodplain Managers, May 2023, 1,000 attendees, 2,094 total room-nights;
  $1 million in economic impact*
• Victra Summit, Oct. 2021, 300 attendees, 596 total room-nights; 
  $279,025 in economic impact
• Special Operations Medical Association, Scientific Assembly, May 2023, 1,200 attendees, 2,799 total room-nights;
  $1.5 million economic impact*

*Rescheduled due to impacts of COVID-19.
 

Business development and leveraging local connections

Successfully strategized for prospects that met the targeted guidelines of the Wake County Destination Strategic Plan (DSP). The team utilized a variety of tools to leverage the power and influence of association board and committee members who live in our community in an effort to advocate for state, regional, national and international association meetings to select Raleigh, N.C.
 

Partner engagement 

Hosted weekly meetings with the Raleigh Convention Center and convention campus hotel partners. These meetings included updates on current leads and prospects, DSP prioritization, strategy, tactics and implementation. 

Served as a consistent liaison for up-to-date COVID-19 State of N.C. guidelines and industry-related changes throughout the pandemic with our Raleigh area event partners (hotels and other venues).
 

Virtual tradeshows

Represented Wake County at 25+ virtual meetings industry tradeshows and events with exposure to planners in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast regions. Each show provided the opportunity for virtual face-to-face and post-show digital client engagement.

Signature client events

Hosted virtual client events to showcase our destination to leaders and meeting professionals who have the potential to influence organizations to host their meetings in Raleigh, N.C.
 

Visit Raleigh Meeting Professionals Summit Series (virtual) 

Hosted this second-annual event in a three-part series of virtual sessions dedicated to the new needs of meeting professionals. The event included continuing education approved by the Events Industry Council.  

• Episode 1: A panel of local industry professionals with a conversation focusing on the past, present and future of hybrid events
• Episode 2: Utilizing the Greater Raleigh CVB as a valuable resource to navigate the new norms of executing safe events
• Episode 3: Practical tips for making in-person and virtual events accessible; featured leaders in cultural access and user experts from around the country and around the world.
   

Visit Raleigh’s Half-Hour Hangouts

Hosted this virtual series showcasing current safety protocols and guided, 360° virtual tours of the convention center campus and full-service hotels. Hangouts featured the following partners: 

• Downtown convention campus (Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh Marriott City Center, Sheraton Raleigh Hotel and the Residence Inn Raleigh Downtown)
• Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley
• Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle
• Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh/Crabtree Valley
• Hilton Raleigh North Hills
• The StateView Hotel
   

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 (MPI) chapters
• Seven chapters of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
• National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners
• American Society of Association Executives
• Association Forum
• Association Executives of N.C.
• International Association of Exhibitions and Events
• Religious Conference Management Association
• Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) 
• N.C. SGMP
• Greater Raleigh Chamber’s Young Professionals Network. 
   

Intellectual capital 

Sales team members served as panelists, speakers or moderators in the following industry events:

• PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter’s Student Day at Michigan State University 
• MPI Chicago Area Chapter’s NEXT Conference: "Agility in the Workplace and Your Career"
• MPI Academy: Digital Experience: "Future Forward, Event Design for Change"
• MPI-Carolinas Chapter meeting: "Eyes Wide Shut: Debunking the Myths of Human Trafficking and What We Can Do to Fight It" 
• Visit Raleigh: Maximizing Destination Tools for Real Impact

Collectively, the team earned 288.25 Continuing Education Credits accredited through the Events Industry Council.