benchmarking the modern meeting planner

Benchmarking the Modern Meeting PlannerBacked in part by a Georgetown University validated study.

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The #1 software for planners and properties to collaborate online.

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We envision a world where people get together to achieve great things.

350 Planners

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Total Events Managed Each YearAbout the Survey:

Agenda

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● Who is the Modern Meeting Planner?

● How Many Events Is the Average Planner Managing Each Year?

● What Do Planners Today Care About When Selecting a Venue?

● How Are Planners are Leveraging Mobile Technology Today?

● 10 Ways to Think Like a Modern Meeting Planner

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Demographics: Who is the Modern Meeting Planner?

Demographics

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Famale78%

Male

22%

Demographics:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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100,000 10%More Than

Planners Are Currently Employed in the US

Growing By 10% Over the Next Decade

Faster than Average Compared to Other Industries in Aggregate

Demographics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Demographics

Rank Metropolitan Area Average Annual Wage1. Coeur d'Alene, ID $69,210

2. Bridgeport, CT $69,080

3. Napa, CA $68,030

4. Hartford, CT $66,840

5. San Francisco, CA $66,250

6. Washington, DC $66,040

7. San Jose, CA $65,410

8. Silver Spring, MD $65,250

9. New York, NY $64,400

10. Boston, MA $64,360

Top 10 Cities by Average Annual Wage

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Demographics

Rank State Employment per 1,000 Jobs

1. District of Columbia 3.46

2. Colorado 1.05

3. New York 1.03

4. Maryland 1.01

5. Virginia 1.00

Top States by Employment Concentration

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Rank Industry Employment

1. Travel & Hospitality 9.3%

2. Political, Business, and Corporate 9.2%

3. Third Party Planning Firms 6.6%

4. Universities, Museums, and Higher Education 5.4%

5. Arts, Sports and Entertainment 5%

Top Industries for Meeting & Event Planners

Demographics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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The Legwork:Just how Busy is the Modern Meeting Planner?

RFPs

Reg

Speakers

Room Block

Signage

Menus

Surveysdiagrams

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37Events Planned Each Year

The Legwork:

56%Events Require

a Site Visit

21Events Per Year

Require a Site VisitTotal Visits Per

Event

2.15

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The Legwork:

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45 Total

Site Visits Each Year

The Legwork:

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Hours 100 Each Year

The Legwork:

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How do we stay on top of so many events?

The Legwork:

NoThe short answer is...

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When should you say “No”...

● Client Asks for A New Timeline

● Client Wants to Change the

Diagram

● Client Wants to Be a Planner

● You’re Being Treated as a

Personal Assistant

● When You Can Leave Clients

Happy Anyway

The Legwork:

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What’s Important?Why Planners Select a Venue

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What Planners Find Important

1. Location

2. Cost

3. Look and Feel

4. Other

5. Amenities

Why do planners select a venue?

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What Planners Find Important What Properties Think Is Important to Planners

1. Location 1. Location

2. Cost 2. Look and Feel

3. Look and Feel 3. Other

4. Other 4. Amenities

5. Amenities 5. Cost

Why do planners select a venue?

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Planners and properties are misaligned.

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3 Tools to Get Back on the Same Page

Communicate:Ditch Email with Slack

slack.com

Delegate:Prioritize and Assign

Tasks with Asana

asana.com

Visualize:Collaborate on

Diagrams and Room-sets

socialtables.com

HipChat Trello MeetingMatrix

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Going Digital?Where Technology is Trending for Modern Planners

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Stuck in Our Ways

How Planners Record Information

61%Of planners still use a pen and notepad as a primary method to record information.

Rank Recording Information

1. Pen and Paper2. Other

3. Tablet

4. Smart Phone

5. Desktop (Word)

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Of meeting planners...

Said that the primary way they discover and research venues is online.

Technology:Losberger Research

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35%

27%Of planning firms are increasing their budget for mobile event apps in 2016.

Of increased budgets will go primarily towards app developement.

Technology:Losberger Research

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Social Media Beyond Event Promotion

● Ideation: Social communities are filled with organic feedback.

● Planning: Connect with other planners and pick their brains.

● Event Marketing: Test streaming tech like Facebook Live, before or during events.

● Attendee Engagement: Think of Twitter as a platform for Q&A. Boost engagement / virality at the same time.

● Post Event: Think of the event as the source of content, to promote yourself and future events.

87%Of planners are leveraging social media on mobile devices to promote events.

Technology:Losberger Research

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9 Ways to Think Like a Modern Meeting Planner

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Become Best Friends with Data

1. Experiment with measuring NPS.

2. Surprise stakeholders with metrics.

3. Backup your ideas with data.

1. Find inspiration outside of the events world.

2. Lean on your creative partners. Challenge them and you’ll be surprised.

3. Be deliberate about every design detail.

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Creativity is Key

1. Pick a destination based on the message it sends.

2. Leverage the CVB.

3. Integrate cultural learnings into your destination event.

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Unleash Your Inner Anthropologist

1. Encourage social interactions throughout the event.

2. Remember everything is a backdrop for a photo.

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Pics, Or It Didn’t Happen

1. Pay it forward.

2. Find mentors and serve as a mentee.

3. Ask for introductions.

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Find People You Trust and Grow Your Network

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Be Proactive, Ask and You Shall Receive

1. Ask properties to offer you a customized site visit, specific to your event.

2. Have partners join you on site visits.

1. Invest in your learning.

2. Volunteer your time with an industry organization.

3. Remember that learning happens outside of your comfort zone.

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If You Rest, You Rust

1. Ask about sustainability programs at the venues you’re working with.

2. Use it as a selling point, promote your event as a “Green Event”.

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Make Meetings & Events Green Again

1. Set goals for yourself.

2. Find an accountability partner.

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Be a Hero, Save the Day (and Do It Over Again)

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Thank you!