“Are you ready to go International?”

Dave Fellers, CAE

President

EthnoMetrics

International Experience• Served as Executive Director of the Radiological

Society of North America (RSNA) for 8 years• Staff of 170, Budget $45 million, Oak Brook, Ill.• 501 C 3 with mission Education and Research• Most well known for largest medical meeting in

the world – 62,000 attendees• One Third Professional Attendance International• 40,000 Members – 7,000 International• Publish two Journals – 64% submissions

international

Struggled with International vs. NA

• RSNA growth was clearly international…but board members were reluctant to acknowledge or accept

• Formed a North America vs. Non-North America task force…determined we had to address it from strategic standpoint

• Added Goal to Strategic Plan: Foster relationships with international physicians and societies in recognition of an increasing interest in global radiology

Strategic Planning

• Initially five objectives related to International Outreach in RSNA Strategic Plan

• 1. Promote collaboration through presidential visits (President and Exec)

• 2. Expansion of membership, participation in annual meeting

• 3. Strengthen radiology worldwide through visiting professor programs, young academics seminar, fellowships, Committee on International Relations

Strategic Planning

• 4. Improve radiology education worldwide through WHO, CIR, ICR, IAEA, etc.

• 5. Conduct meetings with Mexico and Canada to foster common goals

RESULT: Growth in International Participation in all Areas

Five year Vision• While growth continued, we did not have a clear vision

for ourselves• Conducted a four day Board Retreat on International

Activities• Began Development of an International Matrix that

shows participation by each country, how it ranks over all…use it to determine where to promote RSNA.

• International Matrix measured number of members, attendees, submitted articles and presentations, volunteers, visiting professors, etc. by country. It was used to determine where to visit.

Five Year International Strategy

1. Promotion through international visits and exhibits2. Growth in international membership3. Annual Meeting participation and attendance4. Educational outreach to foreign societies5. Programs for developing countries6. Collaboration with international societies7. International Journal Submissions…traveling editors8. Global Growth of Technology Programs (IHE)9. Open the Door for International Research Proposals10. Increase volunteer participation by foreign radiologists

Planning vs. Good Luck:Keys to Our success

• Hard to say how much was planning and how much was good luck.

• Establishing the reputation/brand of our annual meeting resulted in enormous increase in submissions – typically foreign members must have an abstract accepted to have expenses paid.

• RADIOLOGY Journal has the highest impact factor…to get promoted, foreign radiologists need to get published. Over 60% submissions were international.

Annual Meeting International Participation

• Annual Meeting attendance growth was international

• Annual Meeting speaking submissions were over 50%

• “Italy Presents” launched new way to involve top countries from the International Matrix

• “International Trends” session brought all leaders together

• Efforts to help attendees included Visas, Customs, O’Hare, International Travel Agent

Annual Meeting Assistance

• International website with letter of invite, how to get visa, links to government agencies that help, etc.

• Easy registration and hotels…online• Info..info..info in newsletter• Ads, emails, direct mail to international attendees• Work with embassies/consulates…Chinese lists provided

to help with visas• Travel arrangements through ESA Voyages• Info on Chicago and marketing assistance from CCTB…

great attraction at Christmas

International Membership

• Intl Membership more than doubled in 5 yrs (Avg 16% per year)

• Outreach through attendance at international meetings

• Decision to provide free membership to international residents…and recruiting foreign associations to help

• Leadership meetings with foreign radiology organizations resulted in their help and support

RSNA Journal International Growth

• Journals submissions over 60%...but quality often poor

• Editors speak at international meetings on how to write/submit

• Selection of foreign members as reviewers and on editorial board

• Deputy Editors from foreign countries• Sought Translation opportunities…

Chinese, Spanish, etc.

International Assistance to Developing Countries

• Coordinated by the Committee on International Relations and Education (CIRE)CIRE

• Provided three visiting professors to four foreign countries annually

• Provided scholarships for international young academics interested in research

• Expanded educational outreach to international meetings: China, Morocco

• Provided educational materials and journals to developing countries

• Developed an International Outreach Resource internet page to establish RSNA as major resource for information

What was most Successful?

• Presidential Visits (5 Meetings per year) were key to establishing brand and image…exhibits helped.

• International Travel Agent: ESA Voyages works with companies to bring in over 3,000 attendees

• Exhibit Companies like international attendees…it is only show where they exhibit all their equipment

• Expanded international exhibitors…country pavilions (Korea/Germany/UK)

What was most Successful?

• Conducted focus groups and international surveys to determine how annual meeting and membership could be more user friendly

• Created International Advisory Committee (12 countries) and appointed international committee members

• Expanded major technology program – IHE – worldwide

• Launch a new annual meeting session featuring speakers from a different country each year: Italy Presents

Advice for Attracting International Attendees

• Focus on Customer Service…make things simple, provide travel advice and support, visa assistance, translators, signage, etc.

• Visit International meetings, establish relationships with international leaders and speak out about the great experience at your meeting

• Get to know federal officials to make sure they treat foreign attendees right…airport, customs, TSA, Embassies/Consulates

• Form an International Advisory Committee to guide you and help promote the meeting

Advice for Attracting International Attendees

• Work with your convention bureau to make sure you effectively promote the City

• Target international prospects with information, information and more information

• Conduct focus groups with international attendees to find what they want…and with exhibitors to find what they offer

• Offer something new every year…WIFI lounges, sleeping lounges, translators, membership exhibit, technology programs, international reception, new education programs, electronic sessions, international trends session, etc.

Beyond our Borders…

• Should international outreach go beyond bringing them to your meeting?

• RSNA…duplicate trade show or focus on education?

• There are international opportunities…who can help?

Worldwide Expertise…

International Services

Services• Door to tradeshow floor service on GES shows

– GES handles the transportation coordination from the exhibitor’s door, through U.S. Customs to the exhibitor’s exhibit space on the tradeshow floor• Single source for customs clearance

– GES is the single source handler of customs clearance on all exhibitor freight• Experts in FDA and FCC clearances

– GES understands the required paper work to gain clearance from FDA and FCC government agencies

• Single invoice for all GES services– GES includes all international logistics charges with other GES services on a single invoice

International Logistics Case Study – CARS

Service ProvidedGES Exposition Service was responsible for organizing all aspects of the international tour. GES obtained the ATA Carnet, transported the cars in Los Angeles to be refurbished and transported the cars to the Port of Elizabeth, NJ. The GES team carefully loaded the 2 ocean containers, filed export formalities, arranged for ocean transportation to the Port of London and filed import formalities in the UK. Once the cars were offloaded to a car carrier, the carrier was wrapped with Disney artwork and the tour began. GES transported the cars throughout the UK and 7 other European countries, as well as customs formalities for the return back to Los Angeles.

Check List: Building International Attendance at your Meeting

1. Incorporate international goals into your strategic plan.2. Develop a five year plan for addressing those goals.3. Prepare an international matrix for major countries

showing membership, attendance, annual meeting presentations, journal articles, volunteers, etc.

4. Determine if your international dues structure is realistic… offer free membership for young members!

5. Launch a series of articles in your publications about why foreign individuals should be members and attend the meeting.

6. Plan to attend key international meetings with your leadership and meet with the leadership of the sponsoring society.

Check List

7. Evaluate the feasibility of exhibiting at international meetings that your leadership attends.

8. Solicit and select foreign members as volunteers on committees.

9. Determine your ability to provide outreach and education for third world countries.

10. Implement international programs at your annual meeting such as “International Trends” and “Italy Presents” that features leaders from a designated country.

11. Provide visa assistance and letters of invitation to foreign attendees.

Check List

12. Utilize an international travel agent to bring members to your meeting. (ESA Voyages)

13. Work with the host convention bureau to promote the city to international attendees.

14. Offer to host educational programs in developing countries

15. Establish an International Advisory Committee16. Establish a visible page on your website

dedicated to information on international meetings and activities

Check List17. Consult with airport officials at your host city to

determine how to welcome foreign attendees18. Conduct focus groups of international attendees,

volunteers and leaders19. Study and learn the culture of foreign countries you will

visit20. If you plan to meet outside the USA, consult with GES

or an exposition services contractor

Dave Fellers,CAEPresident, EthnoMetricsdfellers@ethnometrics.com