I am new to the forum and need your help

[sharac]

First let me introduce myself. I am the managing director of a specialist scientific meeting organisation company -Euroscicon - This is a virtual company and all the staff work from home (unless they are out and about at the meeting or an exhibition). What we do is decide on a field of work that is cutting edge, invite academic speakers to talk and then ask companies to pay to talk at these meetings. The companies will only come if we can guarantee delegate numbers.

I have also started a new venture (non-profit making) called Mums in Science (the name speaks for itself. We will need a webmaster and editor and would like to get advertising to pay for these.

Anyway I have loads of questions that I want to ask the forum and this will be a rather long e-mail

Firstly, our major problem is getting delegates info the events. I spend most of my time working on this, when I should be doing other things. I have taken PR and marketing advice. I have employed (and let go) two people to work on this area and I am running out of ideas. I know that the delegates are out there. When I tell people about our events they say that if they had heard abut us they would have come and the feedback is always very good. I have spent a fortune on advertising to no avail (and just can’t afford to do this again). I also can’t afford to pay someone full time to look after this. Our main source of delegates would be from academia, but I would like to penetrate the R&D pharma industries, such as GSK or astrazeneka and have no idea how to get to them. Does anyone have any ideas?

Secondly, there is the mums in science site. This site is brand new, has no money behind it and I would like to pay someone on a commission only basis to get advertising. I have no idea where to advertise for this sort of thing. It would ideally suit a woman, as I think it would be easier for her to get the sale.

All ideas and thoughts would be very gratefully received and if any of you would like to place an ad on the mumsinscience site I would be happy to give you a really good deal

SHARA

[Jayne]

Hi Shara and Welcome,

Maybe you could ask Colleges if Tutors could speak and involve students just to get your numbers up to start with. Chemical companies have many women involved in science, ask them to come along, offer them it for free until you get a name for yourself. Try the BBC television, it's worth a try. Maybe instead of calling it Mums in science, try calling it women in science. Many career women don't have children.

Best Wishes

Jayne

[sharac]

Thanks Jayne,
When you say try the BBC, what do you mean?
SHARA

[Jayne]

Hi,

The BBC have science and learning channels, check them out. Maybe you could give them an idea for a program, following your progress. Write to them and ask them what you have asked us and they may give you some leads.

Best Wishes

Jayne

[broadband-engine]

Hi

Have you considered contacting and maybe collaborating with Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS) I have attended many of their courses. Their website is http://www.chcs.org.uk/ and they have delegates from most pharmaceuticals, petro-chemicals etc. Try simply contacting them for advice on how they attain delegates.

Cheers

[broadband-engine]

Another way to attract delegates would be to attend other Organisations conferences, look at attending toxicology conferences etc - I am sure the various conferences that happen are advertised on the Internet

Hope that is helpful

[Jayne]

Hi,

Just had a look on the net, you may have found this all ready, but the web address is http://www.awise.org/ . It's a site for women in science, have a look it may be helpful.

Best Wishes

Jayne

[jools]

Hi Shara,

Welcome to the Forums.

I specialise in transcription (audio and digital) as well as all other secretarial services. If you feel you could use any of my services, let me know.

Regards
Julia Fecitt

__________________________________
www.secretarialservices4u.co.uk
Business Support for the 21st Century

[sharac]

WOW, thank you for all your help and so quickly, I will check out the BBC. Most of our events are in the Lifes science, but I will check out theChemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS) site and see if there is anything I can do with them

Thanks again
SHARA

[Alpha]

Also rather than employing someone to do your PR and Marketing why don't you simply contract it out. That way you can easily control the cost, try out their ideas and if it doesnt bring results, simply turn the resource off.

There are a couple of people on this site who may be able to help at a reasonable cost within an agreed budget.

There is also the possibility of using telemarketing to target prospective clients.

[sharac]

Thanks, I am looking into telemarketing for our corporate side (selling to the companies) but hadnt thought about it for the delegates. I will have a around the site for someone that might be able to help
SHARA

[Alpha]

Two who provide telemarketing are Ebonbailey and Dave Ashton if you look in the marketing section you will find posts by both of them. Simply send them a PM or e mail (if available)if you wish to contact them.

Regarding PR and media there is 10yetis.

Hope this helps.

[annethedonn]

Sharac

We would love to help out. I know a contact at Agilent Technologies in Chemical Analysis Group in Manchester who happens to be a Training Manager.

We can provide web site design, telemarketing services, event organisation - I actually worked as a training coordinator for Hewlett Packard, Dell & Agilent and also within the communications team at the GMWDC in Manchester which involved the NHS annual general meeting - gaining over 300 delegates.

Please email me if you need any more info.

[Cornish Steve]

Shara,

From my experience (albeit limited, I do have something of an academic background), professors tend to distrust advertising. As others have suggested, I recommend that you work through an academic organization of some sort.

We recently had an article published by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. This is an organization that is trusted implicitly by academics in the US. I've been out of the country too long to know which organizations currently carry the most sway in Britain; maybe you can ask a few professors. Once you have identified a target, read a few issues of their publications to get a sense of the writing style. If you think you can craft your story that way, submit a paper to them for possible publication.

Also, do send me a PM. I keep in contact with several science and math professors in England and Wales. I'm sure they could provide you with some guidance.