HOW TO HOST AN INFLUENCER DINNER.

"One of the simplest and most powerful ways to build a company's reputation," says publicist Shel Israel, "is to host occasional dinner meetings with a group of 'key influencers'--typically with one or two customers or business partners, perhaps an analyst who covers the company, and one or two non-competing editors. We've conducted about 20 of these events for a half-dozen clients, and they've all been memorable for everyone involved."

Influencer dinners can be especially valuable when a company's top executives are on the road, Israel adds. "If you have any presence in a community--a satellite office, big customers, important editorial contacts--getting people together for dinner can move the needle on local word-of-mouth faster than almost any other marketing effort."

We recently asked Israel how to make "influencer dinners" more successful. His advice:

* Keep it intimate: "Influencer dinners are not seminars or roundtables," Israel points out. "We always host these events in an upscale restaurant and when possible, in a private room. And we always invite people for dinner because other meals tend to be rushed. We've found the maximum number of guests should be ten, and eight seems to work best."

* Make guests feel important: "Part of the event's 'secret sauce' is that just by virtue of being invited, your guests feel they're influential. Of course, everyone likes this kind of status, and they usually brag to other people about what happened."

* Play host, not leader: Although it's important to be ready with a few open-ended questions to stimulate discussion, a rigid agenda can be counter-productive, Israel warns. "If you've invited people who truly are influencers, they'll need very little guidance. You're better off just letting the conversation roll by itself, with maybe a little help to get everyone to participate. You can learn a lot from these people, and the fact that you listen well may even create the impression that you're very wise."

* Focus on thought leadership, not deal-making: "In this forum, a sales pitch will absolutely fail," says Israel. "We set up these events so our clients--and the people around them--can be seen as valuable sources of insight, information and strategic vision. A successful influencer dinner has everyone walking away seeing matters from a fresh perspective."

* Encourage editors to talk, not take notes: The ban on sales pitches also means that the event should be a "no-pitch zone" for editors, Israel adds. "We stress that we want to hear their thoughts, not try to sell them a story about the company. As it happens, nearly every influencer dinner we've held has resulted in coverage, but that's not the goal."

* Follow up: Israel says his agency always has someone on hand to take "copious" notes, which the host later distributes to guests. "We make certain to quote something each person said and to discuss consensus on controversial issues," he says. "We also include contact info just in case business cards are lost."

Shel Israel, president, SIPR, 400 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, Calif. 94402; 650/373-2999. E-mail: shel@sipr.com.

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