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.
3.25.2009
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.
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.
3.06.2009
Creating A Green Meeting
Action Plan
Is your organization and its Annual Meeting thinking of “Going Green”?
The first step to creating a Green Meeting is identifying the reasons to “go green”. Gather leaders and volunteers and brain-storm the many areas of creating sustainability throughout your meeting.
What message do you feel compelled to portray? There are many to ponder. Is it the organizations image to their delegates and within their industry with respect to the environment or could it be that leaders of the organization hold significant their own social responsibility beliefs. Others envision credibility in their marketplace.
Identify where you want the movement to begin: is it with registration materials (e.g., lanyards made from soda bottles) or with buying food and beverage from local purveyors or composting left-overs)? Or is it producing a paperless meeting and offering USB’s for uploading speaker presentations?
What do you see as your most important step forward? Engage your leadership and membership and start small and watch the effort gain momentum.
Improving one’s brand with the greening concept of their meeting can be tricky -- best to move slow and sure and engage buy-in at all levels for an eco-friendly meeting. Remember: Greening a meeting evolves over time.
Is your organization and its Annual Meeting thinking of “Going Green”?
The first step to creating a Green Meeting is identifying the reasons to “go green”. Gather leaders and volunteers and brain-storm the many areas of creating sustainability throughout your meeting.
What message do you feel compelled to portray? There are many to ponder. Is it the organizations image to their delegates and within their industry with respect to the environment or could it be that leaders of the organization hold significant their own social responsibility beliefs. Others envision credibility in their marketplace.
Identify where you want the movement to begin: is it with registration materials (e.g., lanyards made from soda bottles) or with buying food and beverage from local purveyors or composting left-overs)? Or is it producing a paperless meeting and offering USB’s for uploading speaker presentations?
What do you see as your most important step forward? Engage your leadership and membership and start small and watch the effort gain momentum.
Improving one’s brand with the greening concept of their meeting can be tricky -- best to move slow and sure and engage buy-in at all levels for an eco-friendly meeting. Remember: Greening a meeting evolves over time.
3.05.2009
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.
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.
2.24.2009
Instant Feedback = Improvement
I recently learned about an exciting new online tool designed to help staff and managers improve their performance. It’s called Rypple. The online tool is designed to allow users to solicit and collect feedback on their performance, one question at a time. It’s quick and easy, both for the user and for the people from whom they are seeking feedback. Everything is done by email, and it’s completely anonymous so that responders can be candid. Rypple is not designed to replace the annual performance review, but rather to supplement it at regular intervals and allow employees to act on the feedback immediately.
Beyond the obvious implications for employees and managers, it seems to me that Rypple could also be used to engage conference attendees, both before and during a conference. It’s a fast and painless way to gauge attendee satisfaction, without making them complete a lengthy survey form. Just a few conference uses might be:
Beyond the obvious implications for employees and managers, it seems to me that Rypple could also be used to engage conference attendees, both before and during a conference. It’s a fast and painless way to gauge attendee satisfaction, without making them complete a lengthy survey form. Just a few conference uses might be:
- Did you have any problems with the registration process?
- What’s one thing we could do to make your conference experience better?
- What did you think of this morning’s plenary session?
- How’s the food at the coffee breaks?
2.18.2009
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).
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).
2.11.2009
Hotel Negotiating on Both Sides of the Fence
I recently finished a first-time Healthcare Conference in Philadelphia. Our client put together an excellent plan for the Conference but like many first time events, they over estimated the attendance and sleeping room block. The result was that the Conference was assessed a $20,000 attrition charge.
During our debriefing, I worked closely with the client to review the goals they accomplished this year and to evaluate the viability of their second Conference next year. Everyone agreed that the Conference was marketable, worthwhile and should be held again.
I put together a revised plan for the subsequent Conference and used the new plan to discuss rebooking with the hotel for next year. I worked hard to reconfigure the meeting for 2009 with a better agenda and a more efficient use of meeting space. I was able to negotiate a mutually beneficial deal for both the client and the hotel.
The new plan met both the needs of the client and the needs of the hotel. We designed a more efficient use of meeting space to help the hotel, to improve the flow of the program, to better support the needs of the Conference Sponsors and to meet the needs of the Conference attendees. The modified Conference plan worked well for the hotel and allowed the hotel to sell another group concurrently with our client’s conference to maximized the hotel’s revenues.
The new plan helped me to negotiate the following items for the client:
During our debriefing, I worked closely with the client to review the goals they accomplished this year and to evaluate the viability of their second Conference next year. Everyone agreed that the Conference was marketable, worthwhile and should be held again.
I put together a revised plan for the subsequent Conference and used the new plan to discuss rebooking with the hotel for next year. I worked hard to reconfigure the meeting for 2009 with a better agenda and a more efficient use of meeting space. I was able to negotiate a mutually beneficial deal for both the client and the hotel.
The new plan met both the needs of the client and the needs of the hotel. We designed a more efficient use of meeting space to help the hotel, to improve the flow of the program, to better support the needs of the Conference Sponsors and to meet the needs of the Conference attendees. The modified Conference plan worked well for the hotel and allowed the hotel to sell another group concurrently with our client’s conference to maximized the hotel’s revenues.
The new plan helped me to negotiate the following items for the client:
- A waiver on 80% of the 2008 Conference attrition charges
- A 10% discount on all F&B for next year, which is valued at $4,500
- Maximum cap increase of F&B menu pricing
- Reduction of exhibit hall cleaning fee in half
- Reduction of total room block for next year
- One staff room at 20% off the group rate
- Attrition if incurred, will be charged at the Group Rate and not at the Average Daily Hotel Rate
- Room rental savings
- Inclusion of non-competing group verbiage
- Improved Force Majeure clause
Taking (Social) Networking to the Next Level
Many of us are familiar with social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace. Savvy planners who want to connect people beyond time and physical space are increasingly looking to social networking tools like these to build communities and forge relationships. Although I have been part of these online communities for several years, I had never really considered that they could also increase the effectiveness of my conferences.
Last spring, however, I planned a convention in Florence, Italy that introduced some social networking tools to engage their army of student volunteers. As technology association this client is often ahead of the curve, but they struggled to connect with 150+ students traveling from all over world.
A social networking tool seemed like the perfect fit, so we established a Facebook group approximately nine months before the conference began. Although it was intended primarily as an information tool, the students also utilized the discussion board to make travel arrangements and rent apartments together. Within just a few weeks, the group had taken on a life of its own – totally driven by the students. By the time they arrived onsite, the students were excited to meet the virtual friends they had already made.
Onsite, we utilized a Twitter stream to inform the students of breaking news, changes in schedules or tasks, and even what was being served at the coffee break. Last year’s experience was so successful that we’re rolling out the Twitter stream to all attendees this April. We are also considering beta testing an emerging technology called SWIFT (www.imswift.com), designed to connect attendees in real-time onsite though the use of their mobile devices.
In the coming years, I anticipate that social networking will become an integral part of managing any conference. With just a little extra advance planning, these easy – and often free! – tools can be used to generate excitement and connect people who are spread far apart geographically.
Last spring, however, I planned a convention in Florence, Italy that introduced some social networking tools to engage their army of student volunteers. As technology association this client is often ahead of the curve, but they struggled to connect with 150+ students traveling from all over world.
A social networking tool seemed like the perfect fit, so we established a Facebook group approximately nine months before the conference began. Although it was intended primarily as an information tool, the students also utilized the discussion board to make travel arrangements and rent apartments together. Within just a few weeks, the group had taken on a life of its own – totally driven by the students. By the time they arrived onsite, the students were excited to meet the virtual friends they had already made.
Onsite, we utilized a Twitter stream to inform the students of breaking news, changes in schedules or tasks, and even what was being served at the coffee break. Last year’s experience was so successful that we’re rolling out the Twitter stream to all attendees this April. We are also considering beta testing an emerging technology called SWIFT (www.imswift.com), designed to connect attendees in real-time onsite though the use of their mobile devices.
In the coming years, I anticipate that social networking will become an integral part of managing any conference. With just a little extra advance planning, these easy – and often free! – tools can be used to generate excitement and connect people who are spread far apart geographically.
2.10.2009
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!
Thanks for visiting our blog. Please stop by again soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
