12 Mar 10 And the Survey Says…
Did you know that 90% of meeting planners polled state that their budgets are smaller due to the over-all economic slump? What’s more, over one third of planners predict they will book fewer meetings due to public opinion. In 2009, the PCMA/AMEX/Ypartnership sent surveys to professional meeting planners in order to gauge the effect of economic conditions and media feedback on meeting planning in 2010. The survey covered a number of topics including:
• How many meetings were hosted in 2009? How many are planned for 2010?
• Geographically speaking, where are meetings held?
• How much impact does the economic downturn have on meetings planned for the future?
• Does the media have an impact on how and if meetings are scheduled?
The outcome of this survey will not surprise most meeting planners. The economic crunch has and will continue to affect the number and type of meetings scheduled for the upcoming year. Negative media attention is a factor in the decrease of meetings. Bad press has the biggest negative impact on the largest meetings. Luxury and upscale accommodations are things of the past, at least for the moment.
Meeting planners as a group must point out that face to face meetings are an important part of industry interaction and curtailing these activities has a negative effect on companies. Reinstating corporate and government meeting can have a positive impact on U.S. economy and on personnel morale.
Tags: Amex, Budgets, Economic Conditions, Economic Crunch, Economic Downturn, Economic Slump, Economy, Face Meetings, Face To Face, Industry Interaction, Many Meetings, Media Attention, Media Feedback, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Negative Impact, Pcma, Public Opinion, State Budgets, Upscale Accommodations, Ypartnership
08 Mar 10 Archaeology Tours Are Popular Today
Archaeology tours are interesting options for meeting planners to consider when something new and different is required. These tours normally include travel, various types of lodgings, and meals while the tour is in progress and most will cover multiple locations over the course of a few days. Some of these tours are handicapped accessible, and many happen right here inside of the United States.
It is possible for a larger group to contact the tour providers to arrange for a tour that is tailored to the group needs or schedule. As an example, a conference room may be possible at a hotel location during the course of the trip for meetings. Every continent has many wonderful finds from our globes earlier times, so that these tours can be arranged to meet location requirements.
Most of the archaeology tours that are offered do not allow the attendees to participate in active digs. However, this is not true for all tours. It is possible to arrange for your meeting crew to have a hands-on experience with some of the tour providers. For many office workers, the proposition of being outside with something very interesting to see can make the thought of an archaeology tour very appealing.
Tags: Archaeology Tours, Attendees, Continent, Digs, Few Days, Globes, Hands On Experience, Hotel Location, Location Requirements, Lodgings, Meeting Planners, Office Workers, Options, Tour Providers, Tours Travel, United States
05 Mar 10 The Power Of The Pen
For an entertaining and inexpensive meeting idea, why not offer your meeting attendees both ballpoint and rollerball pens?
Here in America, the ballpoint pen is the favored pen that is sold in all of the stores, and in the UK, the rollerball pen rules. Ink pens all originated in the same UK place, and then the American industrial revolution brought them to our country. The ink delivery systems are the same in both the USA ballpoint pen and the UK rollerball pens; however, the ink recipe is different.
Here in America, we went for a thicker ink that dried instantly when it topped the page. Our ballpoint ink does not seep into the paper layers to provide a very long-lasting image that the generation down the road will see. In the UK, the rollerball pen uses a thinner ink formula that is delivered through the same ink delivery system that soaks into the paper and takes a moment before it is dry and free from smearing. Many feel that the old world qualities of the UK ink recipes are superior to the American Bic-style of ballpoint pens.
When the UK inks and the American inks are explained at the beginning of the business meeting, this becomes a fascination. The simple act of taking notes during the meeting becomes an important and noteworthy activity to those who are at the meeting presentation. Rollerballl pens and ballpoint pens cost about the same amount of money. It is easy for all meeting planners to supply a variety of pens with different ink properties to their clients.
Tags: American Industrial Revolution, Amount Of Money, Ballpoint Ink, Ballpoint Pen, Ballpoint Pens, Bic Pens, Business Meeting, Delivery System, Fascination, Ink Delivery, Ink Formula, Ink Pens, Ink Recipes, Inks, Lasting Image, Meeting Planners, Noteworthy Activity, Rollerball Pen, Rollerball Pens, Soaks
03 Mar 10 The July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse Can Spice Up Your Meeting Plans
On July 11, 2010, Mother Nature has planned a very special solar eclipse event that can harmonize very well with all types of meetings that are being planned for that week. This solar event is being promoted by many of the local areas that will be able to see this natural form of a spectacular light show in their neighborhoods. Special attractions and events are being planned for tourists and business travelers all along this exciting sight-path.
Business meeting planners might want to explore the NASA site page devoted to this larger eclipse event, and then look into the specials and deals that are being offered to tourists at Easter Island, throughout the Cook Islands, and at the tourist hot spots that are located in South America. This extra-long eclipse event can be coupled easily with a business cruise to heighten the perceived value of the trip experience.
With so many people inside of the United States interested in everything that is related to global warming, eco-issues, and the year 2012 predictions, this interesting natural solar event is receiving quite a bit of publicity. Your meeting attendees will hear about this 5-minute event through an increasing display of media promotions before this actual date arrives. This solar-eclipse can be a sure-fire way to make your meeting attendees feel very special about their business meeting location.
Tags: Attendees, Business Meeting, Business Travelers, Cook Islands, Cruise, Easter Island, Global Warming, Hot Spots, Media Promotions, Meeting Planners, Mother Nature, Nasa, Publicity, Solar Eclipse, Solar Event, South America, Tourists, Trip Experience, United States, Year 2012 Predictions
26 Feb 10 Remember That Old Is New Today
Sometimes, successful business meetings are all about that old phrase: What's in it for me? Young employees and executives often enter into a meeting that is held away from home with a higher-level of expectations about what this magical new experience might deliver.
During the 1980's and 1990's it was rather easy for meeting planners to one-up from the experiences that people had seen before. Today, this is completely another story with the world so small via the Internet. Everything has been seen and done before, even if these younger employees have never physically entered a meeting room before.
With this information in mind, smart meeting planners are backtracking into hosting meeting events with ideas for activities and events that are all pre-Internet in nature. When you have a hard crowd to please, think about treating them to some past memories that their parents or grandparents might have enjoyed. These will be the exciting new experiences for everybody born after 1980 to enjoy.
Coffee can be boiled in old-time coffee makers so that people gain this new experience. A dial phone can be plugged in for the people who need to make telephone calls, and a potluck lunch can be planned where everybody is directed to bring their favorite foods to share so that the people who are making new friends and business acquaintances have something neutral in common.
For exciting new ideas, think old. This is the category theme that many executives and employees are not familiar with today. New and exciting simply means doing something different. Why not have your guest don their poodle skirts and get to work?
Tags: Business Acquaintances, Coffee Makers, Crowd, Dial Phone, Favorite Foods, Grandparents, Meeting Planners, Meeting Room, Memories, New Experience, New Experiences, New Friends, Old Time, Phrase, Poodle, Poodle Skirts, Potluck Lunch, Successful Business Meetings, Telephone Calls, Time Coffee
15 Feb 10 Should You Add Wedding Planning to Your Event Planning Business?
Some meeting and event planners focus solely on working for corporate clients, some have found a niche in planning SMERF events and some focus primarily on more personal occasions, such as weddings, commitment ceremonies, anniversaries and retirement parties. While there are some planners who attempt be a Jack or Jill of all trades and provide every type of event planning service to every type of client, most find that specializing in a particular area is the best way to make a name for themselves and make their jobs easier. This is what is recommended by most professionals and is what works best for most meeting and event planners.
So, when is it a good idea to add wedding planning to your menu of services if you are not specifically a wedding planner? There are some occasions when going against the logic of sticking to a limited selection of events is a good idea. For example, when planners are first starting out in the field of event planning, they may be happy to take on any event that comes their way. In these beginning stages, this also allows for the opportunity to see how you feel about planning weddings and to determine if this might be the right fit for you and your future as a planner.
WEDDINGS AT SEA
Something else to consider is planning weddings at sea. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise lines are reporting a huge jump in cruise weddings – up to 60% during the last decade. It’s no wonder – cruise ship weddings make planning easy and offer an unforgettable wedding destination and honeymoon in one. The ceremony takes place while the ship is in port, either onboard or at a romantic setting ashore – and the celebration continues as family and friends enjoy the fabulous dining and entertainment options onboard their ship.
But, even seasoned planners who have never planned a wedding may suddenly have one of their best corporate clients ask them if they could plan their daughter’s wedding. If you have the time and think that you can do a good job planning the event, this would be one of those times when stepping outside of your normal event range might be in order.
Tags: Anniversaries, Clia, Commitment Ceremonies, Corporate Clients, Cruise Lines International, Cruise Ship Weddings, Cruise Weddings, Entertainment Options, Event Planners, Event Planning, Family And Friends, Jill Of All Trades, Last Decade, Meeting Planners, Niche, Personal Occasions, Planning Service, Retirement Parties, Wedding Destination, Wedding Planner
27 Jan 10 Basic Feng Shui for Meeting Planners
Over the past several years, feng shui has become all the rage with homeowners, business owners, restaurant managers and event planners all using this ancient Asian art to create harmonious, balanced spaces. Due to the high level of interest in feng shui, this is an excellent service to add to your meeting planning business and to offer to your clients.
To learn the basics of feng shui, you can pick up a book at your local bookstore, attend a seminar or do a simple online search for “feng shui basics” or “feng shui meeting tips.” Alternatively, you could partner with a feng shui consultant to provide these services to your clients, or if you really want to corner this market, you can become a certified feng shui consultant and add it to the menu of billable services you provide.
Much of feng shui for meetings is essentially common sense and focuses on creating a meeting space with good energy flow, harmony and balance. For example, in a square room, a feng shui consultant might recommend placing plants in the corners of the room to compensate for the hard corners, or in a space with harsh lighting, a consultant might recommend softer up-lighting to create a more welcoming environment.
Everything from the way the furniture is arranged to the colors used in the room can affect the room’s energy and the productivity of attendees; therefore, once your clients experience the benefits of feng shui, they are sure to recommend you to their friends and colleagues.
Tags: All The Rage, Ancient Asian Art, Attendees, Billable Services, Bookstore, Business Owners, Colleagues, Common Sense, Energy Flow, Event Planners, Excellent Service, Feng Shui Basics, Feng Shui Consultant, Harmony, Harsh Lighting, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Plants, Productivity, Restaurant Managers
25 Jan 10 Adding Unique Additions to Your Meeting Planning Services
Every meeting planner needs a niche. While you are sure to continue getting clients when offering generic meeting planning services, finding a niche or offering something a little different to your clients is the best way to really make a name for yourself and stand out from the masses of meeting planners in the industry.
You may choose to cater to a specific type of corporate clients, to become well-known as a green meeting planner, become famous for your ability to plan exceptional international meetings or become the go-to planner for companies looking for exceptional quality on a budget. Whichever type of niche you choose, specializing is a great way to make your job easier, focus on work that you truly enjoy and increase awareness of your meeting planning services.
When it comes to adding special services to your meeting planning, it could be as simple as offering something inexpensive and easy to organize, such as an opening meditation with a meditation instructor. Meditation instructors are easy to find in just about any meeting destination and can help meeting attendees center themselves before getting down to business.
This is a great way to assist attendees in setting aside outside stresses and refraining from thinking about everything else going on in their lives so that they can focus on the task at hand. This will also improve productivity during the meeting, which will please your client, make the event memorable and make you look even more effective as a planner.
Tags: Additions, Attendees, Budget, Corporate Clients, Focus, Getting Down To Business, International Meetings, Job, Meditation Instructor, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning Services, Niche, Opening Meditation, Organize, Productivity, Stresses
20 Jan 10 The Importance of Self-Care
Meeting planners are very good at reading between the lines, determining what their clients really need – as opposed to what they might think they need – and doing whatever it takes to ensure that their clients are well taken care of, satisfied and happy.
All of this takes quite a bit of time and effort and can leave meeting planners with very little time at the end of the day, and next to no personal time after they finish taking care of their clients, their employees and their families. With all of this focus on meeting the needs of others, it is easy for busy meeting planners to put themselves on the backburner and forget that they need to take care of themselves as well.
We all know that this can lead to poor health, burnout, less joy and lower quality of life, but it can be very difficult to force ourselves to take a step back from a busy, thriving career for a personal check-in to see if our needs our being met. For those of us who prefer to, or simply cannot help but, focus primarily on our careers, it sometimes helps to keep in mind that we cannot give our clients and our families are all if we are rundown, tired and quickly burning out from lack of self-care.
Tags: Backburner, Burnout, Focus, Little Time, Meeting Planners, Met, Personal Check, Personal Time, Poor Health, Quality Of Life, Reading Between The Lines, Self Care
08 Jan 10 The Importance of Knowing a Little About a Lot
Knowing at least a little about a lot of different topics is important to your success as a meeting planner. You never know when your next client might need food planned around a Hindu diet, may insist on a LEED-certified meeting location, will ask if you can arrange to feng shui the meeting space before their arrival, or will need a space that will accommodate attendees with various disabilities.
If you have taken the time to familiarize yourself with these particulars before you ever have a client in need of them, it will make the planning process much simpler and will allow you come across as knowledgeable and sensitive to their needs.
If you also acquire a basic understanding of the ins and outs of various industries, cultures, diets and more, it will help you communicate better with your diverse clientele and will certainly increase your referrals as folks who have a difficult time finding meeting planners sensitive to their needs will be happy to tell their friends and colleagues how wonderful you are.
While it may seem like it will take a lot of time and effort to increase your knowledge base on multiple fronts, it is well worth the effort. It will make your job easier in the long run and will open the door to an ever-expanding potential client base.
Tags: Attendees, Clientele, Colleagues, Cultures, Diets, Disabilities, Feng Shui, Food Diet, Hindu, Ins And Outs, Job, Knowledge Base, Lot, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Meeting Space, Particulars, Planning Process, Referrals, Success
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