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Innovative Services in the Meetings Industry

It’s time for meeting planners to recognize that we as an industry have the power to unify to truly create an optimistic future. We touch every industry across the planet from associations to corporations and beyond, all organized groups build community through meetings and events. Now we must be the change we want to see, because if we do not create it and become it, who will?

With that being said let’s discuss what innovation is and how it can be harnessed to create effective and memorable meetings. Innovation is the development of new values through solutions that meet new requirements, inarticulate needs, or old customer and market needs in value adding new ways. This is accomplished through more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are readily available to markets, governments, and society.

Long gone are the days where you have to several vendors for different aspects of your event. You now can go to one company to handle everything from your initial site visit to the breakdown of your event.

Freeman Company (http://www.freemanco.com), an Alliance Partner of AIBTM has been a leader in face-to-face marketing since 1927, they offer a full range of face-to-face marketing solutions from sound strategy to compelling creative ideas and, of course, constant innovation. Also, they can effectively and delicately take care of all of the details from exhibit design, rental and transportation, to audio visual and electrical services for your event, worldwide.

How is this innovative? It saves time, money and allows you to think more outside of the box, one contract, and one point of contact. It keeps consistency to your event and it gives your attendees a top notch experience that can be second to none.

What to see and experience the latest products and solutions that can take your event to the next level and beyond? Then AIBTM Chicago June 11-13 is for you. Visit their Website at www.aibtm.com for more details.

Join me next month as we discuss International Travel!

For additional tips and trends on creating impactful and profitable events, please connect with Ellegant Affairs by Juanita online on twitter @EllegantAffairs,  LinkedIn, Facebook, and of course on I-Meet.

Blog post sponsored in part by:

*AIBTM Chicago - June 11-13, 2013*

Join i-Meet at AIBTM as a Hosted Buyer in Chicago (June 11-13). Start your application today: http://www.i-meet.info/aibtm

What do “Smart Meetings” mean to you?

In the ever evolving meeting world, you always have to stay abreast of the latest and greatest in order to give your clients the best options for memorable and cost effective events. Over the next few months, I will explore these changes and how we as event and project managers use these tools to create memorable events!

So with that said the question of the day is: What do “smart meetings” mean to you? At first thought you might think of Going Green, being energy efficient, social media savvy and have the latest technology of apps for your event. Those things are great and when combined properly they can create a memorable event indeed. However, the definition is something that is a little different.

So what should a “Smart Meeting” mean to you? A Smart Meeting is a meeting streamlined for content retention; by stripping unnecessary information away and putting a laser focus on crucial elements that maximizes learning and engagement. By doing so you create engagement experiences and interactions that make an event more brain-friendly; and also allows for efficient follow-up to keep event messaging alive and actionable.

In order for you to create this type of learning environment and have a successful event you must be:

Specific - Your goal statement for your event should be a clear and specific statement of what you want to accomplish.

For Example ~ On the Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (AIBTM), About Us Page , they are very clear who and what they do and they overall focus of their event. You don’t have to guess who they serve and how they intend to serve them; by doing so they continually have successful events that continually grow yearly because they are laser focused in their goals.

Measurable - There is an old saying that says "what gets measured gets done."

Achievable - This means that the goal should be achievable. It doesn't mean easy, just that you can have a reasonable expectation of achieving it.

Relevant - Good goals are relevant to your organization. Relevant goals are meaningful and significant; they can make a difference in your organization. If a goal is not relevant to the organization, then you need to ask yourself why you are even contemplating it.

Time-Bound - For goals that have a natural ending (like outcome goals), establishing a clear deadline for them adds an element of urgency and motivation.

Trackable - All goals should be trackable so you can see what the organization’s progress is, either in terms of results you are experiencing, or actions you are taking.

So whether you have a board meeting of tem people or a tradeshow with thousands, male sure that you attendees come away with more than just glitz and glam. Let them take away useful sharable knowledge that they are willing and able to pass on, to other staff members, colleagues and top management. Remember you event is your marketing platform, use it wisely.

Join me next month as we discuss Innovation in the Meetings Industry!

For additional tips and trends on creating impactful and profitable events, please connect with Ellegant Affairs by Juanita online on twitter @EllegantAffairs, LinkedIn, Facebook, and of course on I-Meet.

Blog post sponsored in part by:

*AIBTM Chicago - June 11-13, 2013* 

Join i-Meet at AIBTM as a Hosted Buyer in Chicago (June 11-13). Start your application today: http://www.i-meet.info/aibtm