Navigating Troubled Economic Times

With all the news about corporations under government scrutiny cancelling travel, lots of executives are asking if their companies should move ahead with upcoming conference. My answer to this question is, definitely!

Though virtual meetings are a great option, nothing can replace the value of meeting clients or industry partners face-to-face. Meetings and events are smart, cost effective ways to retain and develop employee talent, build engagement, generate ideas and share knowledge that drives business growth.

Conferences are also a key source of revenue for our economy; in fact, nearly one in eight jobs in the U.S. is linked to the travel and tourism industry. The meetings and conventions industry is one of the top twenty micro-economies, contributing to our gross domestic product. If companies hesitate, the effects could be catastrophic.

Last month, President Obama and key lawmakers met with travel industry representatives to express ongoing support for the meetings industry. The President encouraged businesses to continue supporting employee travel and attendance at events that provide measurable return on investment. Further information, guidelines, and resources can be found on the Meetings Mean Business website, co-sponsored by ten industry associations including the Professional Convention Management Association and ASAE.

A Treasure Hunt through the CVB

The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a great resource in most cities to find interesting information about the area where you are traveling or hosting a meeting. Most planners reach out to the CVB for vague marketing tools such as area maps, restaurant guides, tour information, promotional items/photos, etc., but now is the time to encourage them to do more to promote their city as a viable destination for groups.

Because travel budgets are shrinking (and in some cases non-existent), prospective attendees need our help to justify their travel expenses to their bosses, and in some cases themselves. Recently, I've been working closely with the CVB to advocate for significant discounts from local businesses, especially restaurants, for my groups. A personalized flyer or coupons from the CVB can be posted on your organization's website or sent as a conference marketing piece to advertise these cost savings. By doing so, attendees can then easily calculate how much they will need to spend (or not spend) on things like meals and cab fare.

Over the next few years, the bottom line on what it will cost to participate in a meeting will be even more critical than in times past. If local discounts of 20% or 30% shave a few hundred dollars off the overall travel expense, it could have a significant impact on your registration numbers. When "every little bit helps," encourage the CVB of your meeting destination to dig deep to make travel to their city and your meeting attractive AND affordable.

Reach out and "Tweet" Someone

Twitter is a free social networking tool designed to answer the universal question, “What are you doing right now?” The site lets you send short messages (called “tweets”) to people who sign up to follow your activities. If your colleagues follow your tweets, you can let people know that you’re running late, schedule a lunch date for later in the day, or invite your co-workers out for a drink – all en masse. Think of it as an instant message sent to lots of people at once.

But the real beauty of Twitter is that it’s short and sweet: tweets are limited to 140 characters, which can be submitted online, by email, or from your mobile phone. Beyond simply being interesting, some organizations are harnessing Twitter to connect with conference delegates, and to connect them with each other. Creating a Twitter site for your conference ties attendees together, creating a back channel where attendees can communicate with each other about sessions or activities.

Twitter also allows developers to create add-on applications that build on their platform. One outstanding example is GroupTweet’s group message broadcasting. Want to let attendees know that there has been a time change, or that the break is open? GroupTweet is an efficient way to get the word out, sort of like putting your message board in the palm of your attendees’ hands.

Twitter also provides a forum for you to monitor and respond to attendee comments and concerns in real time. You’ll definitely end up with more data than you need, but it’s an excellent tool to remind your attendees that you value their input and care about their experience.

Hard times can bring great joy

Today, I went to an industry event for meeting professionals. During the event, one committee member reported on a charity event that took place during the Christmas holidays. She read a letter from one of the recipients of an in-kind gift, which eloquently expressed their gratitude. Everyone in the room was touched and let out a great sigh of joy, which got me to thinking. Despite the difficult economic times we face as a nation, it still means so much to so many when we take the time to help someone in (real) need.

During their annual conference or corporate events, it would be wonderful to see groups participate in giving back to the community or some national charitable organization. I know some associations already implement this into their meeting, and for those who do, I encourage you to continue to do so even though funds might be a little tight this year. For those who haven't considered this, I encourage you to give it some thought. Your participation doesn't have to be something grand or expensive -- just helpful to someone who needs a little support. Whether it's donating school supplies to the local school district where your meeting is being held or giving a monetary contribution to a worthy cause, it would be great to contribute in some way to the empowerment of people who want a hand up and not a hand out!

Not to seem preachy, but I couldn't help but notice at my industry event how great everyone in the room felt who contributed to this individuals holiday needs. I don't know about you, but when we constantly hear so much about the doom and gloom of the economy and job market, for me it was just nice to see people with a smile on their face about something that had to do with GIVING and not focusing on what's been taken away (or downsized).

Welcome!

Welcome to the Conference & Logistics Consultants, Inc. blog. This blog is intended as a tool for our clients, to help keep them abreast of current industry trends and happenings. Our team plans to update this site weekly with new and noteworthy items from the meetings and conventions industry. Please sign up for our RSS feed to receive these updates by email.

Thanks for visiting our blog. Please stop by again soon!