Business professionals will have the chance to mix, mingle and party aboard an Alaskan cruise ship while attending a convention sponsored by the Leads Club, the San Diego chapter of the international, referral-based marketing service.
But the annual convention, held Sept. 16-23, is not all fun and games.
Members and nonmembers will take workshops designed to enhance leadership and marketing skills and network among their peers.
“Our members get the benefit of learning how to network in the ‘real world,'” said Lisa Bentson, president of the San Diego chapter Leads Club.
Topics include goal-setting, leadership development, customer retention and public relations strategies.
“We choose topics that have interest to our members and give them skills that will help them in their everyday business-to-business,” she said.
Founded in 1978, the organization serves as a referral service for noncompeting business professionals.
Members seek specific contacts or leads to refer to fellow members, with the purpose of promoting and enhancing their businesses.
Chapters are limited to 30 members of various professions and meet weekly for 75 minutes to exchange referral information and network.
“It’s surprising to see how much contact between states and the sharing of business ideas is being done here,” Bentson said.
There are hundreds of chapters nationwide, and worldwide chapters in Australia, Ireland and Lima, Peru.
Cruises have been done for past conventions, but this cruise is special because it’s the last one of the summer season to Alaska, according to Bentson, adding “it’s just going to be a lot of fun.”
“We have a chance to offer our members a broader networking base, an enjoyable vacation and a chance to write it off as a business expense,” she said.
Nearly 75 people from all over the country have signed up and Bentson described the response as “overwhelmingly wonderful.”
The cruise, open to all professionals, is for seven nights and cabins start at $689.
For more information, call (800) 783-3761 or visit (www.leadsclub.com).
