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Have You Joined a Meeting Planner Association to Further Your Career?

March 1, 2013 By Comments
become a member of a meeting planner Association

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Ask a seasoned meeting planner what they would recommend you do to further your career and, more often than not, they will tell you to network. Networking is a great way to meet industry leaders as well as to keep on top of the latest and greatest event planning trends. Think of it like organic growth. You won’t necessarily start to see the results of your efforts until you have attended several networking events. But, by becoming a member of a meeting planner association, what you are doing is establishing a long lasting reputation for yourself as a meeting or event planner.

For a Meeting Planner, Establishing a Relationship with a Potential Client Is Key

Let’s face it, obtaining customers is a never-ending task. Most of us do not like cold calling. While sometimes necessary, cold calling can be deflating. How many times have you been trying to get contact information when it was obvious that the person on the other line could not wait to get off the phone?

The key for attracting a new customer, or to retain current customers, is integrity. A potential customer wants to know that the event planner has their best interest in mind. So how do you inform a potential customer that they would be in good hands working with you? Well, again, it boils down to establishing a relationship. And by attending an event planner association’s function you’ll be introduced to many colleagues as well as potential clients. But be careful, the last thing you want to do at these events is to jump into a sales pitch. Wait for the client to ask you for that information. Otherwise, you should be discussing common interest items. Not only will you be nurturing relationships with potential clients but you’re also going to gain valuable industry information from your peers.

Related article: Networking Is a Big Part of Event Planning-But Is It Done Right?

An Event Planners Association Is a Great Place to Start Networkingevent planning association logos for MPI, PCMA, ADME

When I first started in the meetings and events industry, I was part of a young, upstart, DMC (Destination Management Company). What I and my partners quickly learned was that we needed to join industry associations so that we would start to be recognized.

The first association was our local CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau). Being a member of your local CVB is crucial. Not only will you be listed as an event supplier, you will also get great exposure to meeting planners that are bringing groups to your city. Next we joined two of the industry’s largest associations; Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). We also joined the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME). ADME is great for developing and standardizing codes of conduct, contract language, best practices, etc.

Most meeting planner associations also have local chapters. This is a great way to meet all of the key industry players in your area as well as to have an active role in the local management of the association.

A meeting planner association is a great way to develop new contacts and learn key industry information from your colleagues. Many customers prefer to select their event planning companies once they have developed a relationship. In other words, Integrity is crucial for repeat business.

 

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Conference and Event Planning Forecast for 2013

January 18, 2013 By Comments
conference and event planning forecast for 2013

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Anyone involved with conference and event planning will tell you that the last four years have been a challenge, to say the least. As far as my memory goes (and trust me it doesn’t go that far) I can’t think of another period in my life where the economic downturn has lasted so long. And in case you’re wondering that’s around a half a century. Each year we’ve all been promised that this is the end of the recession and things will get better. And as each year passed we started to get excuses as to why the growth just wasn’t happening as fast as we were told. There were so many excuses I can’t even remember why anymore.

So What Industry Trends Are We Hearing for 2013?

Well, I’m pleased to tell you, that the outlook for conference and event planning is looking pretty good for 2013. I know, we’ve all heard this before.

So what makes this year’s forecast different from other years?

In a nutshell it’s the confidence of the meeting and event organizers. It’s not just some organization telling us that we should expect to see increases in business trends. And it’s always a good sign when the movers and shakers within the industry are starting to project positive outcomes for this year.

You might also be interested in: Interested in Becoming a Certified Meeting Planner?

Expected Conference and Event Planning Trends for 2013

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Recently Meeting Professionals International (MPI) conducted a survey of senior meeting and event organizers. From that, 40% said that they were expecting to see positive budget changes in 2013. We haven’t seen that number in a long time. As well, over 50% of event organizers stated that they were expecting greater attendance in 2013 at their meetings. However, expect to see an increase of 2.8% for Airline fees.

The folks at American Meetings have stated that they are not seeing any signs of a downturn with 2013 bookings on par currently with those in 2012. Meetings that are expected to exceed in 2013 come from the consumer products and technology sectors.

Posts on what we were predicting for 2012:

What Did Event Planning Conferences in 2011 Tell Us to Expect in 2012

Planning a Conference? The Challenge for 2012.

2012 Outlook for Conference Planning Jobs

Planning a meeting in Europe? Then you can expect to see value. Western European countries, which are still recovering from the European debt crisis, are putting a huge focus on incentive travel.

By all accounts, 2013 is shaping up to be a positive year for conference and event planning. The one factor that stands out from all others is that we are seeing confidence about meetings in 2013 from event organizers.

 

 

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Do Meeting Planners Slow Down for the Holidays? Absolutely Not!

December 5, 2012 By Comments
meeting planners are busy

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There is no rest for the wicked. I’ve been in the conference and convention planning business for well over 20 years (that’s a whole other story). Many of my friends assume that meeting planners and industry suppliers have a lot of down time over the holidays.

Wouldn’t that be nice!

However, the truth is that when there is a perceived “quiet time” for meeting and events, that’s usually when planners are busy working on proposals, closing files and, you guessed it, attending planning conferences.

Planning Conferences Increase during Industry Downtimes

The holidays can actually be a very busy time for meeting planners.  It’s just that you’re not necessarily seeing them execute programs. But they are busy.  And really, isn’t the best time for a meeting planner to attend a conference when their clients are not meeting.

That’s why our industry’s top associations hold their planning conferences during the, so-called, shoulder months. And it makes good business sense; attendance is higher and convention center rates are lower. Meeting Planners, for the most part, are able to concentrate on the conference’s programs, many continuing their career development, without being interrupted with their own business’s demands.

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)’s annual conference is held in January. The next one is in Orlando, hosted at the Orange County Convention Centre, from January 13-16, 2013. For more information about this planning conference, visit PCMA’s convening leaders site.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) will be hosting their annual European Meeting & Events Conference from January 29-31, 2013 in Budapest. Please click here for more information regarding this conference.

The Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), one of the top industry supplier associations, is hosting their annual conference in Montreal, Canada from February 7-9, 2013. For more information click here.

 

Conference Facilities and Host Cities Benefit with Industry Planning Conferences

What would normally be a slow period for many convention cities can become quite lucrative for cities that host meeting planning conventions.

So, while the conference and convention industry’s meetings may be slower over the holidays and new year, meeting planners and industry suppliers are busy attending their own planning conference. In addition to networking with industry colleagues, these conferences are also an excellent way for individuals to continue their growth through education.

 

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Do You Belong to a Meeting Planners Association?

March 15, 2012 By Comments

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Many meeting planners evaluate the pros and cons of belonging to a meeting planners association. There are many meeting planners associations out there to choose from. So which one is right for you? Well, of course, that really depends on what you intend to get from a membership to a meeting planners association. Some people are looking for educational components where others are looking for networking and supplier ideas. Whatever your requirements, rest assured, there is a meeting planners association for you.

The Pros and Cons of Belonging to a Meeting Planners Association

Let’s face it, if you’re like most people then time is valuable. And when we think of joining another association quite often the first thing that enters our mind is whether or not we have the time that we can devote to that association.

Some of the benefits from joining a meeting planners association are:

  • a great opportunity to continue your education in the meetings and events industry
  • a chance to network with peers and people within the industry that you look up to (which, by the way, can also be your peers)
  • keeping on top of current industry trends and how they relate to your business
  • converse with industry colleagues on topics that will help you avoid disasters and keep your meeting or event chugging along

While I have to admit it’s hard to come up with a list of cons, here are a few that some of my colleagues in the industry have presented:

  • costs -sometimes, especially new starts in the industry, do not have the budgets readily available to pay for memberships, conventions and travel requirements
  • scheduling – many meeting planners feel that they are so busy that adding additional time requirements is just something that’s not feasible right now.

A Couple of the Industry’s Top Meeting Planners Association’s That You May Want to Consider

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) – as they say on their website PC MA is the leading organization for meeting and event professionals. Their main focus is education. In fact their mission statement is to deliver superior and innovative education and promote the value of professional convention management. This meeting planners association is a favorite for seasoned planners. Definitely a good sign.

Meeting Professionals International  (MPI) – MPI strikes a balance between meeting planners and industry suppliers. In fact it’s their goal that for every vendor there must be a matching planner as to not tilt the balance of membership. MPI is about providing professional development as well as a place for business opportunities. It is literally a community for industry professionals to network, learn and develop together.

Finding the right meeting planners association for you can be a huge step towards your career development. While you do have to balance the need for an association membership against your budgeting requirements, it is always recommended that serious players do get involved with industry associations.

 

 

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Interested in Becoming a Certified Meeting Planner?

January 10, 2012 By Comments

Becoming a certified meeting planner professional, CMP, is a designation that many meeting planners, that are serious about their industry, are obtaining. According to the CIC, Convention Industry Council, there are roughly 14,000 meeting planners in 36 countries that have earned the CMP designation since it began. If you’ve been in the meeting and event planning business and are now wondering whether or not to continue your career development it might be a good time to find out exactly what you could expect by taking the CMP program.

What Does the Certified Meeting Planner Program Do for Meeting Planners

First and foremost the CMP program establishes itself by setting the standards for which to operate in the industry. According to the CIC website the following are some highlights of what the CMP program is all about:

  • identifies that the individual has achieved a high level of knowledge about the industry
  • increases the skill sets which is beneficial for meeting planners employers
  • continues to increase industry standards and practices
  • explores the art and science of meeting management
  • maximizes the value received from products and services provided by certified meeting professionals

The CMP exam is offered two times a year, and the first and third quarters. For dates and locations click here for the Convention Industry Council’s examination information. To be considered a candidate for the CMP program candidates must be employed as a meeting or event planner with three or more years of active experience in order to write the examination.

How Do You Prepare for the Certified Meeting Planner (Professional) Examination

Studying for the CMP designation will require a commitment of both time and study on your part. However several of the industry’s top associations do provide information and study kits to help you. MPI, Meeting Professionals International, provides a CMP study kit to help you prepare. The convention industry Council also provides a manual to help with exam preparation. MPI has a great CMP page at its MPI store where you can review and order any materials that may assist you.

So if 2012 is the year for you to further your career development you may want to consider the CMP program to become a certified meeting planner. In addition to challenging you as well as providing you with the tools necessary to do your job it will also show potential clients that you take meeting planning seriously.

 

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Do You Work with Event Planning Agencies?

January 3, 2012 By Comments

Planning an event takes a great deal of skill – in particular organizational skills. Working with event planning agencies can help lessen the burden of event planning. Event planning agencies offer experience and have the know-how to make any event a success. That is, of course, if you’ve selected the correct event planning agency. Like any industry there are good and bad event planning agencies.

What to Look for When Selecting Event Planning Agencies

For this post were not going to mention any specific event planning agencies by name. From time to time you may have noticed that we do profiles on reputable companies in the event planning industry. And we will continue to do that as we feel it’s important to highlight the leaders in our profession. But for this post were going to deal mainly with the type of characteristics that you should look for when selecting event planning agencies.

There are a few key characteristics that I look for in event planning agencies. Now this isn’t to say that an event planner without some of the following characteristics are bad companies and shouldn’t be hired. Rather, it’s just that we believe that any serious event planning agency would have at least one of the following attributes or characteristics.

Some attributes or characteristics of top event planning agencies are;

They are members of the industry’s leading associations. Aurora cable company should belong to an association that is recognized by the industry. Two of the largest associations in the meeting and event planning industry are MPI (Meeting Professionals International) and PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association). These associations provide education for the industry as well as certification programs (MPI).

They are members of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVB’s). A CVB is one of the first places that someone bringing a group to the city contacts for planning assistance. Most reputable event planning agencies are members of their local CVB’s. CVB’s provide sales initiatives, often in the forms of FAM (familiarization) trips. FAM trips are great ways that CVB’s bring potential business groups to the city. Members of the CVB’s participate in these trips by offering services to those clients.

Past client lists. All reputable event planning agencies have a long list of clients. Ask to see that list and, more importantly, contact a few of those clients to see how their event was handled. Have a list of questions or concerns done up ahead of time. As the answers to these questions will help you make your decision about which event planning agency to work with.

Event planning agencies can help make your job a lot easier. However, you do want to make sure that you match yourself with the correct company for your needs. Do your due diligence on any potential event planning agencies that you’re considering. Make sure that they have established themselves in the industry. Doing a little bit of homework on event planning agencies will help you have a stress free event.

 

 

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Event Planning Conferences – Everything Event Planning…All Under One Roof!

December 27, 2011 By Comments

Photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk on flickr

Event planning conferences really do prove that when looking to learn everything under one roof is the perfect storm.

Every year when we watch the Grammys we’re blown away by the live performances…no lip syncing here! There are always a few acts who bring their performances up to the next level and blow everyone away (Rickey Martin and Michael Jackson come to mind). I’m not sure if it’s because it’s the Grammys and they’re performing in front of not only a live audience, but also millions of viewers. But I think the main reason is because they’re performing in front of a room full of their peers. That adds a whole bunch of extra pressure to the situation.

Whenever I go to a conference for industry people I always get that Grammy feel of things…that added pressure on the people throwing the conference for industry professionals. And while most of us are forgiving and understanding, there are also a lot of us who expect perfection at all times. Especially in situations like that. Now that’s pressure baby!

Event Planning Conferences – The Point of it All

Almost every industry has annual or semi annual conferences and why should event planners be any different? It gives us the chance to network and share ideas all while seeing how someone else plans and deals with the fun and games that comes along with conference planning. Sweet!

Most of the event planning conferences I have had the pleasure of attending are incredible. Detailed, informative and a heck of a lot of fun. And why not? It’s being planned and run by some of the industry’s best! And I’m almost always able to pickup (aka steal) a few new ideas that I can factor into my own programs. Double sweet!

Event Planning Conferences – Highlighting a Few

While there are several industry organizations, there are a few conferences that are definitely in the must see column.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) – With over 23,000 members worldwide, MPI is one of the leading meeting planner’s organizations. With multiple international events offering education, trade shows and the opportunity to network, MPI is truly the big daddy of event planning conferences.

Special Events Magazine – The Special Event, held by Special Events Magazine, is an industry trade show that covers everything event, conference and meeting planning! The Special Event 2012 is taking place in Tampa Bay and includes information on event tools and resources, design and event management, education and more. The market place alone has almost 200 vendors including suppliers from categories such as entertainment, design and decor, catering and more.

Event Planning Conferences – Why You Should Attend

Now keep in mind I may be a little biased but…I think industry conferences (regardless of industry) are definitely a must attend. They’re a great chance for education, information and networking. I always pick up new and exciting ideas that I can use in future meetings and it’s a great place to connect and reconnect with colleagues, suppliers and clients, both new and old.

Event Planning Conferences are a fantastic way to stay relevant and up to the minute on everything meeting and event planning while having fun and connecting with colleagues both near and far!

 

 

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Upcoming Event Planning Conferences That You May Want to Consider

December 14, 2011 By Comments

Event planning conferences are a great way to further your career as well as network with industry colleagues. In this age we’re becoming very accustomed to conducting our meetings virtually however having some face-to-face time with educators and peers within your industry is a great way to stay connected. As 2012 approaches a couple of the industry’s largest associations members will be getting ready for their annual or regular meetings.

Event Planning Conferences Are Great Places to Share Ideas

I know a lot of you are either working for yourselves or working in larger organizations where cost-cutting measures have become mainstream. And quite often as part of these cost-cutting measures travel is put under the microscope. However investing in yourself, in my opinion, is never money wasted. That’s not to say that each and every conference is a must to attend. Rather you should look at the conference outline to see if there are educational components that you feel would benefit you in your career. Then see if your budget allows for you to attend those conferences which you deemed educational. Conferences always have networking events. And let’s face it networking events can be a lot of fun as they are very social in nature. We all need to relax and unwind every now and then. But networking events can also be a great way to get new ideas as well as share some of your ideas. I often leave conferences with several ideas that I can implement both for my clients events as well as my own business.

There Are Several Event Planning Conferences to Choose from

MPI, or Meeting Professionals Incorporated, has a great events and education page on their website. On their site you can see a list of upcoming events whether it be the European meetings and events conference in January 2012 or information on WEC 2012 held later in the year. There’s also information regarding certification programs here as well. Some of the information is only accessible in the members only area so if you’re not a member you may want to consider joining to gain full access to this robust site.

PCMA, or Professional Convention Management Association, has an upcoming annual meeting from January 8-11, 2012. This is a perfect time of year for meeting and event planners as they are typically the least busy at the beginning of the year. Obviously planned this way for a reason. This year’s PCMA conference is being held in San Diego. This conference is very educational in format. You will always see the industry’s heaviest hitters at this conference.

So as 2012 approaches why not make a New Year’s resolution to further your career. And there’s no better way to do that then attending an industry conference. Not only will you gain valuable knowledge on how to perform certain functions of your job you’ll also get to network with industry colleagues.

 

 

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Attending Event Planning Seminars to Further Your Career

October 21, 2011 By Comments

If you’re like me, you probably get several invitations a week for industry seminars. While I’m sure that many are legit, you do have to be careful on selecting which event planning seminars to attend. You should always ask yourself the question “what is it I intend to achieve by attending this event planning seminar”. Many companies offer seminars as part of their company’s marketing plan. In other words, somewhere in the seminar they will begin to talk about one of their products and how it is a must have for you in the event planning industry. While that may be true, I’m always leery when I see companies start to promote their services during the seminar. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the product or service they’re offering will assist you – however always make sure you scrutinize what it is they’re offering you before you make any decisions.

Finding a Reputable Event Planning Seminar

With any seminar or workshop always determine ahead of time what it is you’re hoping to achieve. Are you looking to further your education? Or are you looking for a networking event to share your ideas as well as to get ideas from industry peers. To an event planner seminars are a way to further their industry knowledge by findinbg out about hot trends and industry innovations. Event planning certification tells the industry that an event planner is serious about furthering their career.

While Google is a wonderful search tool, do not necessarily use it as the sole source for finding an event planning seminar. Ask your colleagues if they have any recommendations on seminars or workshops that they’ve attended. Another reputable source are the industries associations. Meeting Professionals International (MP I) and Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) are two of the biggest associations in the meetings and events industry. Both offer event planning seminars or continuing education as it sometimes referred to. And quite often the facilitator is a very well known name within the industry. In other words someone that you can learn from.

Outside of associations, your convention and visitors bureau (CVB) can be another excellent source for finding event planning seminars. There are for-profit companies that are also quite reputable within the industry. Cvent is a company that got its start in the registration side of the business. They have since expanded and offer many cloud-based meetings and events tools. In addition to its registration services, Cvent also offers a supplier selection database as well as listings for upcoming event planning seminars. The reason I mention Cvent for event planning seminars is that they are not necessarily promoting their own services. They are members can also post upcoming seminars as well.

A party planner will often look at ways to become a wedding planner.  Especially in the warmer months, becoming a wedding planner is a way for many in the event planning industry to diversify their portfolio. This is where event planning seminars can be crucial. While there are many common job functions between party and event planning and wedding planning, there are still important particulars for each segment of the industry that would require an individual to be trained in.

While there are many event planning seminars available it’s very important that you choose one that is right for you. Be very careful of any seminars that seem to be promoting that company’s product or services. Associations, convention and visitors bureaus and select industry companies do offer seminars that can further your career.

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The Best Places to Find Event Planning Careers

September 29, 2011 By Comments

As you probably already know, there are many outlets that promote themselves as the best place to find event planning careers. Just entering a search term in Google will show you that there are literally millions of URLs that promote event planning careers. However, I’ve often found that some insight from industry professionals helps narrow the field of where to look effectively.

Industry associations often promote event planning careers

The meetings and events industry is one of the largest industries in the country. While that can be taken as good news as far as potential employment opportunities go, it can also mean that there are many promoted avenues available for finding event planning careers. I use the word promoted on purpose in that last sentence. The problem with promoted is that while it may appear on the first few pages of a Google search, it doesn’t always mean that it is the best resource for you.

Of course the industry’s largest association, MPI (meeting professionals international) has a jobs and community section on its website. A quick glance will show you that association members are posting job opportunities here. And as the association has thousands of members, you can be comfortable knowing that the jobs and careers listed are reputable.

I’ve mentioned before that I always raise a caution flag when you see any job posting that is asking you to pay for something before they provide you with additional information. These sites (and there are many of them) are basically trying to sell you something rather than provide you with solid job opportunities.

Another meeting and event Association is ISES. ISES (International Special Events Society) is an association design to educate and communicate with event planners and suppliers alike. On the ISES website they also have a career center page where members can post their job openings. In addition, ISES also provides training for the CSEP designation (Certified Special Events Professional). This certificate recognizes meeting and event professionals who’ve successfully demonstrated knowledge, skill and ability that is essential for special event planning.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, joining meeting and event planning associations is one of the best ways to introduce and establish yourself in the event planning industry. These associations provide networking events, industry trade shows and educational programs all designed to improve the standards within the industry.

Job Websites for Event Planning Careers

of course visiting job websites do provide some information on the various jobs that are available for event planning careers. For example monster.com is very robust and can provide a job search for pretty much any location where you are looking. Just remember that when applying on these online job sites that you are competing with sometimes tens of thousands of applicants. As the old adage goes – you only have one chance to make a first impression. So make sure you promote yourself in a way that makes you stand out amongst the crowd.

There are many vehicles available to you when looking for event planning careers. The key for you is to focus on where to look as there are literally thousands if not millions of avenues available. Event planning associations are probably the best place to start your search. You don’t necessarily have to become a member of these associations but I strongly suggest that you consider doing so. This will give you an advantage over other people that might be looking for those same jobs – in that you will be putting your name out to the industry. Many local chapters have networking events on an ongoing basis. Take the time and attend as many of these events as you can. The more people get to see and know you the better your chances are of getting your dream event planning career.

 

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