• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Wylie's Writing Tips

Improve your communications with our training, consulting, and writing services

  • Home
  • Writing training
    • Webinars | Mini Master Classes
    • Workshops | Master Classes
      • Past writing workshops
    • Writing coaching
    • Writing guidelines
    • Editing services
    • Memberships
    • Writing training clients
  • Writing tips
    • Content writing
      • Relevant content writing
        • Relevant content writing resources
        • Relevant content writing quotes
      • Creative content writing
      • Structure for content
      • Readability for content
        • Resources on blog post length
        • Quotes on blog post length
      • Scannable web copy
      • Content writing resources
      • Content writing quotes
    • Email writing
      • Why email writing?
      • Subject lines
        • Resources on subject lines
        • Quotes on subject lines
      • Target your email
        • Quotes on targeted email
      • Feature story structure
      • Short, readable emails
        • Quotes on readable emails
      • Scannable emails
        • Quotes on how to write scannable email
      • Resources on email writing
      • Quotes on email writing
    • Microcontent
      • Skimming, scanning, reading
        • Resources on skimming, scanning, reading
        • Quotes on skimming, scanning, reading
      • Bulleted lists
        • Quotes on bullets lists
      • Callouts, pull quotes
        • Quotes on pull quotes and callouts
      • Captions, cutlines
        • Quotes on captions
      • Decks, summary blurbs
      • Headlines
        • Benefit headlines
        • Feature headlines
        • Web headlines
          • Quotes on web headlines
        • Quotes on headlines
      • Links, buttons
        • Quotes on links
      • Subheads
        • Quotes on how to do subheadings
      • Resources on display copy
      • Quotes on display copy
    • Persuasive writing
      • What’s in it for me?
        • Quotes on WIIFMs
      • Write about benefits
        • Quotes on verbs
        • Quotes on benefits
      • Write to, about You
        • Quotes on ‘you’ writing
      • Quotes about persuasive writing
    • Public relations writing
      • Target readers with PR writing
        • Relevant releases quotes
      • Organize PR writing
        • Leads for releases
          • Press release first paragraph
          • Quotes on press release leads
      • Quotations
        • Quotes about public relations quotes
      • Readability for PR
        • Quotes on ideal press release length
      • Headlines, display copy for PR
        • Headlines for releases
      • Resources on press releases
      • Quotes on press releases
    • Readability
      • Why readability?
        • Information overload
          • Information overload quotes
      • Message length
        • Why short content
        • Measure A.R.T.
        • Tighten your story angle
        • Resources on writing short content
        • Quotes on writing short content
      • Paragraph length
        • Quotes on paragraph length
      • Writing with statistics
        • Quotes on writing with statistics
      • Sentence length
        • Resources on short sentences
        • Quotes on good sentence length
        • Quotes on how to write a simple sentence
      • Passive voice
        • Quotes on the passive voice
      • Word length
        • Quotes on short words
      • Jargon
        • Quotes on jargon
      • Adjectives & adverbs
        • Quotes on adjectives & adverbs
      • Readable
        • Resources on readability
        • Quotes on readability
      • Conversational copy
        • Quotes on conversational business writing
    • Storytelling and creative writing
      • Concrete details
        • Why concrete details?
        • Types of concrete detail
        • Quotes on concrete details
      • Description
        • Quotes on scent
      • Human interest
        • Quotes on human interest
      • Metaphor
        • Why use metaphor?
        • Complex copy
        • Creative comparisons
        • Simplify stats
        • Cut clichés
        • Metaphor writing
        • Resources on metaphor
        • Quotes on metaphor
      • Storytelling
        • Why is storytelling important?
        • Find stories
        • Storytelling research
        • Elements of storytelling
        • Storytelling structure
        • Resources on storytelling
        • Quotes on storytelling
      • Wordplay
        • Alliteration
          • Resources on alliteration
        • Balance
        • Coin a word
          • Resources on coin a word
          • Quotes on coin a word
        • Quotes on the etymology of words
        • Rhyme
        • Rhythm
          • Quotes on using rhythm in writing
        • Twist of phrase
        • Quotes on how to use wordplay
      • Resources on creative copy
      • Quotes on creative copy
      • Quotes on boring copy
    • Web writing
      • Why writing for the web?
        • Quotes on why writing for the web
      • Above the fold
        • Quotes on above-the-fold content
      • Tight web copy
        • Quotes on tight web copy
      • Scannable web copy
        • Quotes on scannable web copy
      • SEO for writers
        • Quotes on SEO
        • Quotes on SEO for releases
      • Quotes on crafting good web writing
      • Writing for mobile quotes
    • Writing
    • Writing process
      • Creative process
        • Quotes on creative process
      • Read like a writer
        • Resources on how to become a better writer
        • Quotes on how to become a better writer
      • Writing process
        • Prewriting
          • Research your story
            • Research quotes
          • Develop your story angle
          • Organize your piece
          • Quotes on prewriting stage of writing
      • Writing templates
        • Quotes on writing templates
    • Writing structure
      • Feature story structure
        • Why features structure?
          • Why feature structure?
        • Feature structure examples
        • Feature leads
        • Nut graph
          • Quotes on nut graph
        • Background section
          • Quotes on the background section
        • Body
          • Quotes on the body
        • Conclusion
          • Quotes on how to write good endings
        • Transitions
          • Quotes on transitions
      • Other story structures
      • Quotes on story structure
  • Writing newsletter
    • Current issue
    • What others say
    • Archives
  • Blog
  • Why us?
    • About the trainer
    • Contact Ann

‘We pulled a profit of $7,000’

IABC, PRSA chapters host sell-out event, reach chapter ‘virgins’

The Minnesota chapters of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) had a problem.

HOW HIGH CAN YOU GO? IABC and PRSA Minnesota leaders, once concerned that Ann Wylie's fees exceeded chapter budgets, made a profit on their writing workshop.
HOW HIGH CAN YOU GO? IABC and PRSA Minnesota leaders, once concerned that Ann Wylie’s fees exceeded chapter budgets, made a profit on their writing workshop.

Chapter leaders wanted to combine resources to bring in more robust professional development programming. But even with both budgets, their preferred speaker’s fee was about twice the not-for-profits’ budget.

Still, planners decided to move forward with Ann Wylie’s Catch Your Readers workshop.

“We all agreed that the subject of Ann’s expertise, writing, is such a fundamental skill for all communications professionals that it would be a perfect fit,” says Rachel St. Moritz, professional development chair of Minnesota PRSA. “Plus, Ann is also well-known in the communications industry and has an excellent reputation for her training abilities.”

Goal: 125 registrants, 1/3 chapter ‘virgins’

Once they booked Wylie, planning committee members set a goal of drawing in 125 registrants, with a stretch goal of 150 (maximum capacity).

Planners aimed to draw members from both chapters. Moreover, they targeted 33% non-member registrants.

These “chapter virgins” would get a chance to see what IABC and PRSA had to offer. Planners hoped these non-members might convert to chapter members if they liked what they saw.

Solution: Market, market, market

To make up the difference between the budget and the fee, IABC Minnesota and Minnesota PRSA volunteers:

  • Used social media. Chapters gave away free registrations in social media contests that encouraged others to tweet their best writing tips, retweet and repost event information and discuss workshop topics via LinkedIn. They also posted a series of blog posts by Wylie covering  program topics.
  • Advertised. IABC Minnesota leveraged its partnership with a local business publication to secure free ad space for the event. The ad not only boosted credibility but also was a premier avenue for reaching the event’s target audience.
  • Positioned the event as a workshop, not as a conference or seminar. That told the target audience they were going to get practical tips, driving up the event’s value and usefulness.
  • Priced the event competitively. Rates were comparable to those of similar workshops. Planners offered a discounted early-bird registration, which helped boost attendance.
  • Communicated often. Chapters sent reminders of early-bird deadlines, notices that the event was nearly sold out and alerts when only a few spots remained.
  • Secured a sponsor and a host: Risdall Marketing Group and St. Thomas University. These well-respected organizations helped drive up credibility, gave the event a financial boost and provided cross-promotional opportunities.

Results: 150 attendees, half non-members

The event sold out with 150 attendees — nearly half non-members — and generated a profit of $7,000.

“We got wonderful feedback from attendees,” Moritz says. “PRSA and IABC felt the event left a great impression of the value we bring to our members.”

And the chapters saw one more result …

“The workshop was a catalyst for bringing IABC Minnesota and Minnesota PRSA together to build a mutually beneficial relationship,” Moritz says. “We discovered how to be helping hands for each other instead of competing entities.”

In fact, the partnership worked so well that both organizations have added an annual, collaborative workshop to their event calendars.

Find out how PRSA and IABC chapters can save 50% on Ann’s workshops. Contact Ann to learn more.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Filed Under: Articles

Primary Sidebar

Jan. 31, 2025

  • Write about the impactWrite about the impact: Not about the event
  •  
3 ways to Think Like a Reporter 3 ways to Think Like a Reporter: Put the audience first and more
  • 3 more writing resolutions for 20253 more writing resolutions for 2025: Build a bridge, not a wall — and more
Archives

Wylie Communications, Inc. logo
    Training
  • Webinars | Mini Master Classes
  • Workshops | Master Classes
    Tools
  • Wylie's Writing Labs
  • Free writing tips
Subscribe to our newsletter

© Copyright 2025 · Ann Wylie · All Rights Reserved
May not be duplicated and shared without author's permission. Contact us.