EVNT_1010_Lesson_9_presentation

Lesson 9: Industry Resources and Partners : 

Lesson 9: Industry Resources and Partners EVNT 0101 Salt Lake Community College

Overview : 

Overview Collecting contacts Websites Associations Publications Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) Destination Management Companies (DMCs) Meeting Management Companies (MMCs)

Collecting Contacts : 

Collecting Contacts Network Word of Mouth Use every opportunity as a business building event Keep your eyes open for opportunities Ask around Get a mentor Keep a running list of everyone you have met, heard of, researched, etc – notate “use” or “stay away from” as soon as you know that info Use the internet Use professional contacts

Websites : 

Websites See the website links under Lesson 9’s course content Sites like Corbin Ball www.corbinball.com provide links to industry resources Once on the home page go to the tips & tools tab and select Corbin’s Favorites bookmark file. There you can explore the meeting industry’s most comprehensive listing of event technology, meeting planning and other web site links. There are approximately 2,900 plus links! When using the internet to search for other resources be sure to examine the site and determine its worthiness (reliability, credibility, etc) prior to using it as a resource.

Associations : 

Associations See links under Lesson 9’s course content Explore the various sites to see what they have to offer to you Examples of industry associations: Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) American Society Association Executives (ASAE) International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) International Special Events Society (ISES)

Publications : 

Publications Trade Publications Other Publications Each contain varying levels of information and often contain articles on meeting and event planning how-tos, salary surveys, hotel and resort information, job opportunities, best practices, and information on products and services. Examples: Where Magazine (www.wheremagazine.com) Small Market Meetings (www.smallmarketmeetings.com) Event Solutions (www.event-solutions.com) Midwest Meetings (www.midwestmeetings.com)

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) : 

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) Saves time and effort Supplies information on local area Generally a not-for-profit umbrella organization that represents a destination in the solicitation and servicing of all types of travel and tourism related business Official contact point for meeting managers, tour operators, and individual visitors Knowing how to work effectively with them, and being aware of the value added services that are available, will help the meeting manager maximize attendance and increase their return on investment Usually the entity that brings together the interests of the private sector (hotels, restaurants, attractions, local transportation, convention suppliers, and so on) and the public sector (convention centers, airports, city and state / provincial governments), in building and servicing convention and visitor traffic to the area

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) : 

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) There are six main areas of service that a CVB can provide, they are:   Destination expertise- CVBs provide a valuable information resource for their respective destinations. Each has access to a comprehensive range of local products and services to assist with event enquiries.  Bid development- CVBs are specialists in putting together a convention bid. They provide meeting managers with the bids that reflect a detailed level of local knowledge and expertise to assist the decision making process. Convention planning- CVBs provide local assistance during the initial planning stages of a convention after the destination has been selected to host the meeting.  Attendance building- CVBs will help to make each event successful and maximize delegate attendance through a variety of promotional techniques. These programs are designed to present the city in an attractive, compelling way and to ensure the meeting attendees are familiar with the destination prior to their arrival. On-site event support- CVBs may provide a number of value-added services on-site to ensure the meeting manager continues to receive full attention. Post event support- CVBs can provide some value-added services after the event has been completed to assist the meeting manager in evaluation and follow-up

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) : 

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) All CVBs have websites Umbrella organization is Destination Marketing Association International. This organization can be found at www.iacvb.org Sample Sites for CSVs Salt Lake City: www.visitsaltlake.com Las Vegas http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/index.jsp Florida http://www.visitflorida.com/ Chicago http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en.html Buffalo, NY (home of the buffalo wing) http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/

Destination Management Companies (DMCs) : 

Destination Management Companies (DMCs) Association of Destination Management Executives: www.adme.org What are DMCs? Fee based companies that provide assistance and information on specific locations What do they do? Arrange tours Make vendor suggestions Meet and greet people at the airport Arrange tours Arrange airport transportation Create themed dinners and events Note: DMCs are hired by you and report to you, where as a CVB would act on your behalf in taking care of requested tasks and projects

Meeting Management Companies (MMCs) : 

Meeting Management Companies (MMCs) MMCs are companies who will provide a single component or do the entire planning and management of an event or meeting for an organization. Some call themselves meeting resource firms. A major benefit of working with a large MMC is that some of them have pre-negotiated contracts with larger hotel companies and book millions of dollars in room revenue. Many smaller organizations benefit from working with an MMC because they get the advantage of being part of a larger group. Many organizations do not have the resources to handle all their meetings and special events in-house, so they hire professional help to get the work done.

Meeting Management Companies (MMCs) : 

Meeting Management Companies (MMCs) You can find MMC companies by asking the CVB, peers, or suppliers; through trade associations and trade publications. The big three companies are: www.helmsbriscoe.com www.conferencedirect.com www.experient-inc.com