Outsourcing Independent Meeting Planners
According to Meeting Professional Magazine, 15 percent of corporate events will be given to outscoure companies in 2007, which compares to 14 percent outsourced in 2006. Although that figure shows little expansion in this area, there is room to the niche category of meetings.
It seems that more independent planners are carving themselves unique specialties based on what the client wants. As mentioned in so many articles in our field, it is getting more challenging to "top ourselves" from the past year’s production. If there was a way for all in house personnel to dig deep for fresh ideas to make an upcoming event outshine last years excellent conference, there would be no need for outsourcing.
The money is still tight with budgets, but going in a different creative direction, should prove interesting for corporations. At the same time, the independent meeting planner is taking in smaller fees per job because of the fierce competition in the field. The independent has to hone their specialty skills more than ever if they are going to stay in business. To make up for the smaller fees, the independent is getting more quantity of business.
Planners now are offering specialties in:
+Medical meetings
+Affinity programs
+Pharmeceutical meetings
+Trade shows
+Teleseminars
+High Tech users group meetings
+Associations
The best an independent planner has to offer is excellent customer service, flawless execution, and experience in a specialty or niches of meeting production.
This issue of news articles written by Bruce K .Inouye of www.P2 Events.com
(Please contact this author for permission to reprint in any other publication.)