Hype was problem. If you use following tactics, many educated shoppers cringe and go elsewhere:

Overblown claims. "If You Can Write Your Name, You Can Write a Book in 30 Days - Guaranteed!"

Overexcited tone. Lots of exclamation points, phrases in bold capital letters with underlining and a drumbeat of emphasis. "Programmers poured out their TOP-SECRET strategies that you, too, can use to earn a GATES-LIKE FORTUNE in software business!!" "Take out your credit card and order RIGHT NOW!"

Unsupported and extreme superlatives. "The most important new product launch, ever."

Adjectives and adverbs you would not encounter from Exxon or IBM. "Mind-blowing" "Exclusive" "Huge" "Incredible" "Wildly" "Literally" (necessary to distinguish truth from hoopla).

Exaggerations. "They've made millions under radar." (When most haven't made that sum and "secrecy" is just not having been asked.)

Sounds impressive but untrue. Calling someone a best selling author who has not appeared on a recognized best seller list.

Lack of qualifiers. Statements that should include a bit of backpedaling but don't. It's really not "all," "only," "never," "sure-fire" or "will."

There are many ideas here. If you are already using some - wonderful! Try some new ideas this year.

Before: Contact local media. Offer press interviews with your expert members - about association issues and importance to local community. Send your media package to media before you arrive. Include information about your association, your publication, your conference outline, and key contact names for interviews. Ask local convention bureau to help establish contact. Then follow-up.

Get more value from your speakers. Ask your high profile speakers to donate a speech to a school, charity group, service group, community association or city hall. You might be spending several thousand dollars for their presentation and travel. Ask them for a little bit more. Offer speaker a token amount to do this additional community work on behalf of your association. Make sure attendees to this community speech know you are sponsor. And tell media.

Ask your speakers to do media interviews. Get a media kit from each. Give them your media contacts and encourage them to contact media directly. Remind your speakers to talk about your association when they are interviewed.

Connect with local community. Invite local students from high schools, college or university to attend (free) portions of your conference. Make contact with teachers, professors, or department heads. Ask your host chapter to arrange this. The teachers might select students or you might hold a contest to pick winners.

Arrange an event with a local school, group or charity. Contact university, college, high schools, Junior achievement, Chamber of Commerce or charity. Ask what you can do for them to help their cause and issues.

During: Send post cards to your members who did not attend. Give every attendee five post cards to mail. Buy local tourist shots or custom print them. "Wish you were here."