Successful Meetings - October 2008 - (Page 24) Planner’s Workshop > Pre-Event Leveraging Travel departments. As stated in MeetingNews, at the recent annual conference for National Business Travel Association (NBTA) a session was devoted to “strategic meeting management programs” (SMMP). The goal of SMMP is to have the meeting manager, travel manager, and procurement officer from companies all implement preferred suppliers and enforce their support of these programs in a policy. Consider the following questions: Did you identify all preferred suppliers in your policy? Are you prepared to negotiate new agreements with a maximum amount of data and commitment? Have you looked at the total package of your travel and meeting usage and matched up needs with preferred vendors in future meeting site locations? housing company, exhibit management company, shipping companies, audiovisual companies, printing companies, ground transportation, and others. Some industry associations are advancing the concept of leveraged purchasing for all travel within organizations to their preferred suppliers from all Pampered Presentations PACKAGING Define the results desired for each event. Package, sell, When impressed, suppliers can provide you discounts, affinity programs with back end values like tickets and club membership, influence to clear space when otherwise not available, free amenities, complimentary meeting rooms, and overall just better service. and build each program to reach the desired results and experience while supporting your company brand and objectives. Your meeting must have a clear purpose and targeted audience. Meeting organizers need to demonstrate the return on investment for attendees. Your policy should talk about how to create the right meeting that drives the right results. It must be well packaged with the right speakers in the right cities using data from attendees that drives attendance. Marketing a meeting has never been more important. Your meeting content has to be “can’t miss” to create the interest from potential attendees. To help stir the excitement OCTOBER 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS The chairman’s flight just landed, and he’s the keynote at your annual sales conference. So much for the sound check. Luckily, your meeting is at Seaport Boston where our expert hospitality team lives for the unexpected. As Boston’s most accommodating host, count on our meeting professionals to make your presenters look their best — and keep your important meeting running without a hitch. And after the applause, we’ll delight your audience with award-winning service worthy of an ovation. 800.515.5913 SeaportBoston.com/go/pampered TA I L O R E D TO YO U http://www.SeaportBoston.com/go/pampered http://www.SeaportBoston.com/go/pampered
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