Written by: Vickie Sullivan | January 07, 2014
Meeting Trends for 2014
A lot of stats and studies came out last month, most saying the same thing: hotel and airline costs are up so budgets will be tightened for folks like us. These articles from Successful Meetings are a great recap. Highlights (and my commentary):
- Meetings will be focused. That means we need to ask more probing questions than “what is the conference theme?”. Big data plays a role in making events more catered to smaller groups of attendees. Get to the folks who know the answers, not the logistics.
- ROI (return on investment) will go on strong for events. The problem: it’s a big phrase with multiple meetings. ALWAYS ask for what success looks like; get the standards if you can. Some buyers will go beyond the budget and into what they want to happen. Don’t settle for words like “experience”. Get the definition. Ask the prospect: What does “positive attendee experience” look like?
- Associations are scared to death about attendance. Not just for the conference and conventions, but also participation in trade shows, as Corporate America faces tight budgets. Look for heavy negotiation in speaker fees. The antidote: the sponsorship budget which has modest gains.
Check out these articles for more details:
CWT Forecasts Top 2014 Meeting Trends
Attendance Trends Hamper Exhibition Industry Growth
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