Planners stressed for that “wow” factor
Planners are trying to do more with less. Budgets are tighter. Clients expect more. Competition is growing.
“With less travel in the budget, many companies are taking advantage of new technology to bridge the gap between distances,” writes Judi DiGioia, sales and marketing manager for Morton’s: The Steakhouse in Baltimore.
Webinars, video conferencing and private satellite broadcasts are just a few ways that planners can provide the face-to-face communication needed for exciting idea exchanges, without the high price tag and time away from home and office that traditional travel requires, she writes in the Business Courier of Cincinnati.
These techniques carry their own price tag. But often it can be priceless to spread a consistent message coast to coast, in real time, with an interactive component, she says.
Since clients are exposed to many more choices than they were a few years ago, meeting planners are under growing pressure to sift through these choices to provide a “wow” factor, she says. The job is not as easy as it used to be.
What gets planners excited, she asks?
Her answer: vendors who can get the job done in time and for the quoted price. She suggests such practices as internet service or taking packages to FedEx after a meeting is over can be memorable to the planner.
“As we are all trying to do more with less, sometimes taking a simple task off someone’s hands can reinforce your value to the planner. This service speaks volumes that you value the planner and are there to be a partner,” she says.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025