how meeting planners can change the world

How Meeting Planners

Can Change the WorldPresented by Kristi Casey

SandersEditorial Director/Chief

StorytellerPlanYourMeetings.com

Illustrations by Scuba Dog Design: resandersarts@yahoo.com

“A war has been declared

on the meetings industry.”— MPI President & CEO Bruce MacMillan

War on Meetings• The “AIG effect”

• TARP guidelines

• $166 million (402 events) lost to Las Vegas from Oct-March

• $1 billion in meetings canceled in Jan/Feb ’09

• $10 billion lost since Oct. ’08

• From Oct. ’08-Dec. ’09, hospitality industry may lose 450,000 jobs

Sources: USA Today, U.S. Travel Association, International Association of Exhibitions and Events

Mighty Planners

FIGHT BACKFIGHT BACK

Incentives Motivate• 75% of Americans

say they can work harder

• 92% workers achieve goals because of incentives

• Non-cash incentive recipients outperform cash recipients by 46%

Sources: Site Global Foundation, Public Agenda Forum, Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyPhoto source: http://www.wholetravel.com/supplier/grand-colony-island-villas

Meetings Work•Meetings are the most cost- and time-efficient way to deliver a company’s message, develop strategy and get buy-in

•Event marketing has the highest ROI of any other marketing channel

Sources: http://www.mpiweb.org, EventView 2009

“Our people are the biggest asset we’ve got.

… If we take care of our people, they will

take care of our guests.”— Texas Roadhouse CEO & President G.J. Hart

Meetings Pay Off• 45% of workers fear

their job will be eliminated

• Appreciated employees are productive employees

• Companies that are people-focused outperform their competition in revenues, net profit, growth and customer retention

• G.J. Hart: ‘I only hope $2.5 million is enough’

Sources: Site Global Foundation, Public Agenda Forum, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Knowledge is Power

• KeepAmericaMeeting.org• MeetingIndustryCrisisCenter.org

• MeetingsMeanBusiness.com • PlanYourMeetings.com

Change the World!

Illustrations by Scuba Dog Design: resandersarts@yahoo.com

1. Prove Your Worth &

Value of Your Work2. Meet Responsibly3. Innovate &

Embrace Change

Step One: Prove Your Worth

By Using the F.O.R.C.E.

Image ©Zeetz Jones, http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeetzjones/562496275/

F.O.R.C.E.

Image ©Zeetz Jones, http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeetzjones/562496275/

1. Find out the goals2. Organize a game plan3. Research results4. Calculate $$ impact

& return on investment5. Evaluate & communicate

Love Your Metrics• Historical data• $$$ saved• Business impact• ROI • Objectives achieved

E-mail Kristi@PlanYourMeetings.com to get 152+ Ways to Save.

Step Two: Save The

World,

One Meetin

g at a Time

It’s Easy Being Green• Reduce, reuse and recycle — everything

• Going green in five easy steps

Going Green in 5 Easy Steps

1. Do an eco-audit2. Eliminate paper3. Reduce &

recycle4. Think local5. Communicate

E-mail Kristi@PlanYourMeetings.com to receive a detailed whitepaper of the steps.

What You Can Do1. Draft statement of intent2. In all RFPs, ask suppliers what

sustainable initiatives they have in place

3. Have all suppliers and exhibitors sign sustainability statement of intent

4. Or, put green/sustainable elements into the contract language offering incentives for compliance/penalties for non-compliance

For more ideas, go to http://www.greenmeetings.info.

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Takeda Cares 2007

Do Good While Doing Business

http://www.stjudesranch.org/video_takeda.php

Do Good While Doing Business

1. Meet in a community that needs your business2. Incorporate a community service/voluntourism

activity3. Donate left-over supplies4. Involve sponsors, suppliers and attendees5. Decorate with donations that will benefit

the community6. Contact CVBs and organizations like Tourism

Cares to organize a community service program

Step Three: Innovate & Embrace

Change

Innovate & Embrace Change

• Think of your event as a movie: What will be fun, unexpected?

• Virtual speakers & events

• Virtualis in Second Life

How Can You Shake Things Up?

• Kinesthetic education • User-generated content• Interactive education• Go to conferences • Put expectations in

RFPs• Read “Make to Stick”• Book pleasant

environments• Ask hotels/venues

what’s available that’s different

You Set the

Stage

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Are You A Flashing 12?

Technology is Your Friend

• http://www.PYMConnect.com• Audience Response systems• http://www.Violet.fr:

Nabaztag/tag, ntag &RFID• http://www.Twitter.com/PYMLive• #werock!• http://www.Twitterfountain.nl

What Are You Trying to Do?

• http://www.PYMConnect.com • http://www.MeetingCommunity.org (MeCo)• http://www.LinkedIn.com (Groups)• http://www.Facebook.com (Fan

Page/Group)• Everything you post becomes public

knowledge • Emergent technologies for meeting

professionals

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Are You A Flashing 12?

Be Mighty Mighty• Mentor the next generation• Keep learning• Prove value of events• Save the world with each

event• Innovate & stay open to

change

For More Ideas, Go To:

PlanYourMeetings.comAny questions?

Kristi@PlanYourMeetings.comTwitter.com/PYMLive

PYMConnect.comThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second St., Ste. 300, San Francisco, Calif., 94105, USA. Illustrations by Scuba Dog Designs: resandersarts@yahoo.com