ISS Sector Forum

Hi, Keri:

Thanks for posting this info about the fall conference.

– For a la carte options, I’d like to see: sponsor a general session, provide a 5-minute product/service overview at the beginning of a general session, have push notifications sent throughout the conference, have a spot in a virtual exhibit hall, be part of a scavenger hunt, have a logo/banner ad displayed on the sign-up for sessions, sponsor a game, sponsor an entertainment event, an ad on a printed program that is sent to each registrant, branded waiting rooms, branded breakout rooms, facilitated one-on-one meeting between a participant and a business partner, closing credits sponsorship.
– Do you have budget constraints or concerns with pricing of $2,500 for Tier 1 (19/20 rate)? I’m not hearing anything as of this moment, but the decision will not be mine to make.
– I like the idea of spreading a virtual conference out over a longer period of time, with multiple opportunities for attendees to view each session (so, recordings will need to be made available). Still, I think it’s way better from an attendee standpoint to attend a LIVE event, for the purposes of Q&A.
– So far, it doesn’t seem as if the pandemic and/or market conditions have impacted our ability to support PASFAA financially as a business partner, nor has it impacted the timing of when we would likely commit to a 20/21 support package. Once again, though, these are not my decisions to make.

Hi Keri! I know I submitted some items to you and Linda already–do you need additional feedback at this stage?

ISS Sector Rep virtual meeting held 1/21/21, 1:pm with F&D (Linda Anderson), Conference Chair(Joni Trovato)and Spring Training Chair ( Melony Ohalek)
Those that rsvp’d and attended were:
Ledezma, Heather M heather.ledezma@pnc.com; tdalton@edamerica.net; cmenendez@credible.com; Wray, Daniel M ; Brown, Diona S ; dmcclintock@mcclintockcpa.com; edaniel@myscholarnet.com; Fontana, Julie A ; jlawton@cogfin.com; john.sikora@campuslogic.com; jtrovato@pitt.edu; kdelgrosso@collegeave.com; linda.linda.anderson33@gmail.com; Pacewicz, Linda M ; lworley@studentchoice.org; melony.ohalek@salliemae.com; mriggs@sofi.com; rgallagher@ascentprogram.com; robertsevret@discover.com; rwalker@pheaa.org; shannon.sheaff@ocelotbot.com; sorris@elmresources.com; thomas.may@citizensbank.com; tim@edvestinu.com; Lindsey, William M william.lindsey@pheaa.org

The discussion was to review last Fall’s virtual conference for pros, cons and review of the packages offered to business partners along with ideas for future events.
Linda/PHEAA-ISS chair advised that feedback was received and sent to Council in response to George/PASFAA President suggesting to offer a discount or rebate, as a good faith effort, to business partners who paid to vend at the Fall virtual conference because there was very poor vendor booth attendance. The ISS survey favored a discount to those that vended last Fall and a proposal was sent to Council to offer half of the vendor fee as a discount when re-registering this year to vend. Those business partners that did not vend in the Fall 2020, would pay full price. Half of last year’s vendor cost is $400. This will be reviewed at the February Council meeting. Remember, it is a proposal based on the conversations and has not been approved.
Spring Training will be held virtually at this point and dates have not been set. In the past, the dates had to work around Spring Break at the sponsoring schools and since it won’t be an in person event, the dates are flexible. Melony/SLMA -Spring Training Chair and committee are still working on those details.
Fall Conference is hoped to be in person in Penn State but Joni Trovato/Conference Chair advised that those decisions have not been finalized either. Survey of Fall attendees were shared by Joni (and Keri/SLMA during the last meeting) that noted that many would attend an in person conference and preferred it – IF – the school’s budget would allow. Joni is planning to do another survey to gather more input now that we’re moving into another AY during the COVID shutdown.
In the discussion about ideas to allow business partners to have more visibility and interaction, Heather/PNC shared an idea that worked well at another conference: Conference in a box and Virtual Speed Meeting. A few others also had an experience with this and had positive comments.
Conference in a box would allow the business partners that have sponsored the conference (vended) to include a piece of literature and a branded item in a box that would be sent to conference participants. The conference that Heather was part of, offered this to the first 300 registered attendees and either mailed the box to their office or to their homes. PASFAA would be responsible for the cost of mailing and the cost of the box or padded envelopes. Partners would be responsible to send their items to wherever this would be coordinated and it would need to be decided on who would be responsible for collecting and packing the boxes or padded envelopes. (ie PASFAA committee) Heather sent all the meeting attendees an email with how it worked and a picture of the box. PASFAA would also decide on how many would be sent and who would receive – most likely based on costs. Heather sent a followup email with costs that were incurred by the other conferences and that will be shared with Council. Approx $9-10/box.
Virtual Speed Meeting/Dating – would be a virtual meeting with different rooms occupied by the conference vendors and people would be shuffled by an admin to different rooms within a few minute rotation to have a product or fun conversation. This also had positive comments from those that had participated at other conferences. Some sort of incentive would need to be added to have attendees join.
Scavenger hunt ideas were also shared by Elizabeth Daniel/MyScholarnet and how they did this at a conference by having presentations during lunch breaks, each having a hidden cookie in their short presentations and attendees who found them all, would be in a gift card raffle.
Whoa: Kat/College Ave asked for feedback on the use of the whoa app and positive feedback was provided. Since PASFAA has paid for the use of this process, it will be used for upcoming virtual programs. Katrina also reiterated more survey results that were positive and most said the Whoa app was helpful, 75% said they’d attend a virtual Spring Training and 51% thought a 3 day conference event would be better than one, to fit schedules.
Linda Anderson/F&D asked for ideas on the Al-A-Carte menu for PASFAA and the Tier 1 options. There was feedback that one sponsorship cost for everything might work. Others thought the current options worked especially where partner budgets are concerned as it allows participation at some level.
The Tier costs were challenged, but it was also noted the amount of recognition a vendor receives for that participation, such as banner ads on the website, Fall and Spring training options, etc…. and these were more options than other conferences offered with lower fees.
Tom May/Citizens asked that PASFAA do away with the first come/first served at Midnight process … and it was noted this is to allow the vendor order of picking a booth location at the conference. Perhaps the time could be changed to 8:am. Since the Spotlight, offered in Tier 1, can only go to the first 12, it was mentioned that a discount should be offered in the Tier 1 cost if you did not receive that monthly option. An idea of offering a smaller 30 minute monthly business partner session would be a solution to include more. Tom Dalton/EdAmerica brought up that the 5 min commercial from a sponsor before sessions was a great idea and many more agreed.
Pre-recorded sessions were also suggested and then the live session could be a roundtable discussion on the material that was presented. This would need to be timed out to include discussion time.
The meeting was kept to an hour, all were thanked for attending and for feedback. Linda P/PHEAA ISS Sector Chair that she would share these thoughts with Council.

This email was sent to the Sector Participants for feedback, if you didn’t see the post, you can review it here. I’ll be responding to PASFAA Council after the deadline for response on 1/30/2020. Happy Holidays all! TKS. Linda

From: Linda Pacewicz <lpacewic@pheaa.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2020 10:03 AM
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Subject: Your input is needed PASFAA ISS reps by 1/30

Greetings PASFAA Business Partners –
During the PASFAA Council Meeting on 12/14, the lack of interaction with your virtual exhibit booths during the Fall Conference was discussed. Although PASFAA made continued efforts to help engage participants, it was still noted that attendees did not visit, or was minimal, at the exhibit booths. The feedback from schools, as Keri shared in the last zoom call, was that the lack of attendance was mainly due to having other office tasks to be completed between sessions since this was a virtual conference, not that the exhibitors were intentionally ignored.

However, as a good faith effort, PASFAA would like to offer compensation to the Business Partners that did pay to exhibit, or if exhibiting was included in your chosen package.

There were several offers mentioned, including a partial rebate. However, if your entity is like mine, the funds used to pay for that conference was part of a budget that has passed and a rebate may not be the most beneficial option. Also, unless you only used the al-a-carte menu, the funds paid for conference participation included much more (ie: advertising displays) than an exhibit room.

The most beneficial compensation suggestion to offer those who paid to exhibit, whether al-a-carte or through a package that included exhibiting, at the 2020 Fall virtual conference would be to offer a discount on the 2021 Fall Conference participation fee. Fall conference will be Oct 25-27 in Penn State and the anticipation and planning is for it to be in person. (Spring conference dates haven’t been set yet and will be virtual, following the options chosen in your Fall choices)

I told Council that I would reach out to ask for your feedback. Again, a discount will be the most manageable option both internally for PASFAA, and for our upcoming expenditures.

Please let me know by 1/30/2020 if you agree, or would rather another option… The majority will rule on this, as PASFAA needs one course of action.

Thanks much – looking forward to your response!
Linda

Note: I’ll also be placing this into the PASFAA Forum and sending info from that format. If you haven’t ‘subscribed’ to the ISS Forum, IN pasfaa.org, please do!

================================
Linda Pacewicz
PAForward Account Executive, East Region
PHEAA (Pa Higher Education Assistance Agency)
570-592-1209 (phone or text) lpacewic@pheaa.org
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