Most meeting planners have probably already read about how companies want more value than ever before from their conferences. While this can create more work for you, there are some things you can do to work out the kinks long before they happen.

Think Replacement

If you need to help the company keep expenses at a minimum, replace these meeting parts:

* Replace the reception with a working lunch – this will let people meet and network, as well as enjoy a meal together. * Replace the open bar idea with team building exercises or mind storming training-these programs have a much better chance of improving the ROI than a bunch of drunk employees blowing off steam. * Replace entertainment with a spa wellness trip. You will have more refreshed folks ready to work. * Replace land based venues with a cruise meeting, and save as much as 40%. Cruising is all-inclusive, so planners may be surprised to know that meeting rooms, meals, A/V equipment and luxury accommodations are all included in one low price.

Think Reduction

What if the customer says, "Okay, these cost savings are great, let's get rid of the reception, evening entertainment, and and welcome reception open bar meet-and-greet! So what do we do on the last day, then?"

Get rid of it. Tell your client that not only will she not need to make the usual expenditures that don't improve ROI on the cost of the meeting, she can eliminate the last night's hotel bill as well.

By just replacing the non-ROI generating activities and events, you have already increased the value of the meeting. Your client will be grateful for that for a long time. And happy, satisfied clients translate to more meeting planning business for you in the future. So, it pays to find every way to cut out unnecessary expenses and increase meeting ROI for your clients.

Explode meeting ROI with a cruise event. Cruising offers a savings of as much as 40% of the cost of hotel venues, since a cruise is all inclusive.

An all inclusive cruise event can save you up to 40% compared to land based venues since so much is included. Meals, meeting rooms, A/V, coffee breaks, activities, entertainment and even room service are part of the all-inclusive cruise fare.

Incentive travel planners are well aware of the many reasons they must keep a watchful eye on the costs associated with incentive travel programs. The company paying the travel expenses will naturally require a detailed list of expenditures and will have a budget that you must stay within, as well as greatly appreciating your efforts put towards saving money without losing quality. However, with all of this emphasis placed on how much incentive travel packages will cost the company, it can be easy to overlook the expenses that the participants will incur.

In some cases, this may be an insignificant detail that does not affect the participants’ ability to enjoy their travel award to the fullest, but for some incentive travel winners, the costs involved may prohibit them from taking full advantage of this opportunity – or from participating at all. It is one thing to arrange a luxury vacation for well-compensated executives who can afford to indulge in room service for every meal at high-end resorts, but it is quite another to arrange a satisfying travel package for hardworking salespeople or staff members who may not have high salaries.

Incentive travel planners should keep this in mind when selecting destinations and would do well to do a bit of basic research on area prices to ensure that affordable meals and entertainment options are available.

As you well know, many clients need their meeting planners to pay particular attention to expenses these days. With tighter budgets and fewer event planning dollars, meeting planners must get creative in order to meet and exceed their clients’ expectations while keeping a close eye on expenditures.

With current and potential clients concerned about budgets, it is also just a good all around idea to find creative ways to keep costs down, which will certainly get people talking about you and how you can plan a stellar event for a fraction of the expected cost.

When it comes to saving money on event entertainment, you don’t have to rely only on low-budget acts or free attractions. For cost-saving ways to entertain your attendees, simply follow these five tips:

1. Look for group discounts on tickets to local museums and attractions.
2. Seek out entertainers who will be performing in the same city during your event. Oftentimes, entertainers are happy to add another gig to their schedule for a discounted price.
3. Plan your meeting in a city that offers numerous entertainment options within close proximity to your meeting location. This way, you can simply schedule free time and allow the attendees to entertain themselves.
4. Contact local entertainers or the music department of a local college or university to find low-cost options.
5. Many museums and similar attractions include monthly free admission days. Check local events calendars to see if these days coincide with your event.

There has been a lot of talk of government restrictions on corporate travel. Frivolous expenditures in other departments has brought meeting travel under scrutiny. However, if planners study the guidelines and make the government a partner instead of an adversary, they can make the recession work in their favor.

First, Look at the Bright Side

No one likes a perennial Pollyanna, but if you look at the positive things the guidelines will do it can help you work your way into a special place in the companies you serve. It will make you a better planner. When you talk to your clients your voice will have a new spirit of confidence. You will have ready solution for their problems. You will be able to give them more value. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning an event is not all that easy as it would seem. True, there is always a great amount of fun involved in the process of organizing an event that brings together a lot of people. However an event that is not organized well will call for unwanted criticism and disappointment. When people get together, they expect it to be worthwhile. And this is even more so in case of corporate executives attending an event- they expect it to be faultless.

Faultless is the word that describes a successful event planner. Be it a seminar, an exhibition or a conference, a corporate event requires thorough preparation and perfection in every detail.

Generally speaking the typical hours for an event planner are more compared to other regular, sedentary jobs. An event planner is constantly looking around the event venue, making sure that everything is at the right place. Managing and supervising the staff for the event is another crucial task. Read the rest of this entry »