The Goldilocks Principle: Planning a channel meeting that’s "just right"

Dealer and franchise meetings are crucial to establishing and growing a unified channel network. These meetings educate your channel, spark passion and equip them to successfully sell and represent your brand. Many brands wisely view channel meetings to be high stakes because it is one of the only times they get face to face with the majority of their channel.

It is easy to fall into the trap of overdoing a meeting. Over-the-top production, gourmet food and sweeping announcements might seem like a great way to energize your channel…but bigger, better, bolder and cooler don’t always mean optimal engagement. Most brands need to cater to a vast array of channel partners and this means tapping into the Goldilocks principle, the idea that in many cases, the most effective approach falls between two extremes. Too much or too little should make way for the middle ground – the perfect fit that feels just right.

Dealer and franchise-driven organizations collect marketing dollars and other fees from their channel partners which help fund annual meetings. The amounts contributed vary by dealer and are based on size of operation and revenue. Underwhelm them and your big players are wondering why they bothered coming (and where their money was spent)…overwhelm them and you risk the perception of being wasteful or out of touch with your smaller operations.

How do you design a meeting that appeals to both small and large channel partners? The key is to consider your entire spectrum of dealers or franchisees before establishing a creative approach and execution plan. Focus on the behavioral economics principle of idiosyncratic fit – the notion that everyone wants to be acknowledged and understood in their own unique situation. Gather insights based on operation size, regional influences, product mix and outside factors like the current state of the industry or the larger economy.

Let these insights drive every touchpoint as you design your meeting. Here are a few specific areas you’ll want to carefully consider.

Be inclusive from the start. Most dealer and franchisee meetings include a general session that begins with a state of the union-type speech. Be sure to craft it in a way that acknowledges everyone, regardless of size or current success. Framing the information in a way that’s relevant to all attendees is a great way to generate engagement right from the start.

Please download the article to finishing reading about the areas you should consider when designing you channel meetings,