Meetings Diva FAQ

What is Meetings Diva, exactly?
Meetings Diva is the first "social" community for the "social" industry. Meetings and event planners, hoteliers, media, and venues, are all equal and all welcome.

How's that, again?
Think of it as a party: You mingle, you introduce yourself (or someone introduces you), you gravitate to the group that most interests you.

Who's the Diva?
That would be me, Terri Hardin - formerly Editor-in-Chief of MeetingNews and Destinations Editor for Successful Meetings.

Can I promote myself/my business?
Promoting yourself is fine - just don't pester people. Be the life of the party, not the death of it.

Where can I show off my Twitter Tag?
M.D. now asks for your Twitter Tag when you join; but if you joined before, you can go back and enter it in your My Page settings. However, I think it’s easier to put it after your name in the “About Me,” which is what I’ve done.

Can I upload photos, videos, and blogs?
I wish you would upload photos, videos, and blogs! If I like your additions, I'll feature them on the home page.

IN FACT, my current pet peeve is looking at the "blue heads" in the members feed. C'mon, let's have a look at you or, barring that, your avatar, your family dog, or your favorite Impressionist painting. Upload something.

Can I upload events?
Again, I wish you would upload events. If possible, I'd like them to relate to the meetings industry, but a little variety can't hurt. (For example, I put up the Dunham Tavern Museum Antiques Show because meetings attendees might enjoy it as a pre- or post-meeting option.) Events that are listed might get some time in the Twitterfountain.

Can I invite my friends?
Be my guest.

How can I meet new people on Meetings Diva?
A good place to get the word out is the "About Me" category under the Members tab. Click on the "Add a discussion" link and tell us a little about yourself. Don't forget to add tags to increase your searchability.

How important is it to make friends within Meetings Diva?
This is a trick question; of course, having joined a social community, you recognize the importance of friendship. But you may not realize the benefits of “friending” within the M.D. community. First, friending will allow you to read friends’ messages in your private email without first accessing the M.D. site. Second, friending allows you to send emails to many friends at once within the M.D. site instead of digging out their email addresses one at a time.

I’m a meeting professional; how can Meetings Diva benefit me?
Meetings Diva was built with you in mind. It’s all about your achieving success through reaching out and finding the best strategies, logistics, service providers, and program content and support for you – all without breaking a sweat. Get what you need, and make friends for life. Sound good?

I’m in public relations; how can Meetings Diva benefit me?
As a PR professional your job is getting the word out about your clients. Usually, you contact publishing professionals, who send your information to their readers. But at M.D., you can upload your releases directly into the appropriate discussions, contact a writer (find them in the Ye Olde Writers Pub Group), or market yourself to prospective clients by pitching them ideas or demonstrating your proven results.

I’m a hospitality professional; how can Meetings Diva help me?
Hospitality is harder than ever these days. While there’s a surfeit of luxury properties, spas, golf courses, casinos, and other attractions, there’s a lot less of “the ready” and a lot of bad publicity about meeting excess. Which means that your job is less about rolling out the welcome mat and more about helping planners justify their expenses every step of the way. At M.D., you and your peers will meet planners and hear their concerns directly. The rest is up to you.

I’m a service provider; how can Meetings Diva benefit me?
Service providers need to establish confidence in their expertise, and they need to market their services to the people who need them. Well, here’s the place to do that.

I’m in the media; how can Meetings Diva help me?
M.D. has all the sources you need for an industry story.

How do I know if I want to join a group?
Most groups are accessible to all members, which means you can click and screen their contents. Only if you wish to participate will you be asked to join.

What is the "Guest RSS Feed"?
Each week, a member’s blog, online column, or Twitter feed, is featured on the front page. Members (and anyone else landing on the front page) get to see it; it’s clickable back to the writer’s website, and all traffic accrues to that website. (Hint: I often search the “About Me” bios for potential Guest RSS Feeds.)