Increase Your Meeting Leads and Bookings

Independent Planners Average Estimated Budget of
$6.5 Million Now Exceeds Other Meeting Planners

FACT: Third-party planners (independent meeting planners and consultants) have emerged as a pivotal force in the meeting industry as their average estimated budgets now exceed, by sizeable margins, those of Corporate, Medical, Association and other meeting planners.

This is one of several eye-opening trends according to the latest survey responses from 1,116 meeting planners and 959 suppliers in the FutureWatch 2004 report from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and American Express.

Other Trends Cited in Report:

• Average estimated 2004 budgets of Consultants ($6,925,000) and Independent Planners ($6,519,852) is now far greater than that of corporate ($5,296,000), medical ($3,140,000), association ($1,438,500), and other meeting planners.
• Planners will use Internet 20% more in 2004 to research venues and book meetings
• Suppliers continue technology investments such as Web site enhancements
• This emergent reliance on IT has changed bidding and procurement practices (standardization) and expectations (short lead times)
• "Preferred" and "Approved" relationships are increasingly important
• Planners and Suppliers need to better understand each others' needs, communicate better, and improve standardized procurement and fulfillment procedures.

The New Challenge for CVBs:
Reassessment, training, and partnerships are critical to success.
Meeting planners' and suppliers' understanding and training about each others' needs, tasks, and workflow is not keeping pace with the increasing trends toward more standardization and automation, and less personal contact.

The Solution: The Meeting Planner Partnerships© program of Assessment, Training, and Partnership Building. This is a program developed by Certified Meeting Professionals and trainers and USDM.net, the recognized leader in Internet marketing solutions for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs).

"Highly competitive times call for newly aligned partnerships and fundamental changes in the way we do business. This program will yield improved communication and a more efficient selling channel between independent planners and CVB sales teams," said Tricia Hall CAE, CMP and program development consultant for the Meeting Planner Partnerships© program.

"Imagine if your CVB or DMO and selected independent meeting planners could qualify and recognize each other to become preferred partners in selling your destination," suggested Leah Woolford, founder and CEO of US Destination Marketing, Inc. (USDM.net) and developer of the Meeting Planner Partnerships© program.

"The meeting planners that USDM.net talks to believe you would have a win-win partnership," Woolford said.

"After interviews and focus groups with meeting planners, and our research on emerging trends, we developed the Meeting Planner Partnerships© program to improve mutual understanding, training, and communication, and provide standardized practices and tools for expediting the meeting bidding and fulfillment process," Woolford said.

"Convention and visitor bureaus are important suppliers to the meeting industry and value the independent meeting planners as partners in our meeting sales mission," said Michael D. Gehrisch, President and CEO of the International Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus.

"A third party assessment by Certified Meeting Professionals can bring a qualified outside perspective to any convention and visitor bureau's meeting sales initiatives that may help identify important strengths and weaknesses," Gehrisch said. "Training and programs that help bureaus and independent meeting planners improve their communication and processes for more efficient and successful bidding and fulfillment of meetings is valuable to both partners."

The Meeting Planner Partnerships© Three Step Program includes:

1. Assessment & Evaluation
Certified Meeting Professionals who are members of top industry organizations examine key components of your program and assess your bureau and web site in regards to planners. The DMO receives a final report detailing their successes and areas for improvement in process, procedures, sales, and marketing.

2. Training Seminar
"How to Build Relationships and New Business with Meeting Planners"
Certified Meeting Professionals who are facilitators and trainers of top meeting planners conduct one day training seminar/workshop with your staff on critical issues, preferred standards, streamlining processes, better communication, relationship-building tools, and development of a customized destination review program.

The next CVB Training Seminar is scheduled for Monday, August 16th and is limited to five participating CVBs (and up to five staff persons per bureau). For complete program details and pricing, contact Jennifer Barbee, Vice President of Consulting at USDM.net, by phone at (351) 653-2387 or by email at consulting@usdm.net.

3. The Meeting Planner Partnerships and Preferred Planner Program - - Marketing Your Destination to New Planners as Partners
USDM.net will identify, qualify and invite Independent Meeting Planners to a destination review and partnership meeting in your destination that results in a "Preferred Planner" designation with reporting requirements. The quarterly reports will contain Leads/groups size and potential meetings for which the planner has recommended your destination.

This new, one-of-a-kind program was developed this year by Certified Meeting Professionals and USDM.net after customized research about what is needed from CVBs and DMOs. The program is designed to produce new, qualified, "Preferred Planner" relationships, leads, and sales from today's dominate meeting industry force -- the Independent Meeting Planners.

For complete details of the program and pricing, contact Jennifer Barbee, Vice President of Consulting at USDM.net, by phone at (351) 653-2387 or by email at consulting@usdm.net.

Excerpts from the FutureWatch 2004 report are reprinted here by permission with copyright 2004 Meeting Professionals International. www.mpiweb.org