An Executive Evening with David Frum

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

The challenge: how do you entice 300+ Members to attend an event that is usually hosted in an opulent ballroom with fellow Members, a lovely meal, a stocked bar, and the guest speaker right there in front of you, but is now over Zoom?

Our speaker series event, featuring commentator David Frum, senior editor at The Atlantic, and former speechwriter to President George W. Bush, could not have been more timely as the rush on the US Capitol occurred mere weeks before the event.

Paired with a special meal, available for delivery and pickup, and leveraging the relevancy of the conversation Mr. Frum was going to hold, careful communications were cascaded to Members in strategic ways to build excitement and encourage participation.

The exclusivity of this private event was highlighted during a time when clarity of information about the political events happening south of the border was of particular importance.

This was truly a test-and-learn effort, having never held a major event like this online before.

By pairing offerings of a special meal with an A-list speaker, and staggering communications to pique the curiosity of our membership, we were able to “fill the room”.

How was this idea implemented and what have been the club members' reactions?

We were thrilled with the participation in this event which exceeded what we normally see in our ballroom for an in-person event.

The idea of pairing a special one-time meal offering, with carefully selected wines, provided a seamless experience that was attractive to our Members who were housebound due to governmental stay-at-home orders.

“Bringing the Club to you” resonated with our Members, and led to a fabulously successful evening.

Glowing feedback was received from Members who attended the event, who were also provided an opportunity to ask questions and engage with Mr. Frum virtually.