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.

Your client has noticed that public opinion regarding incentives is not good. She is worried that her company will be seen as wasteful and she will be seen as a spendthrift. In some companies that assessment may be accurate, but in some cases it may be way off. If you have a client who is worried for no good reason, perhaps you can convince her that canceling the program isn’t only not necessary, it can be detrimental to the business’s bottom line.

One reason is that the employee may have been expecting it, and perhaps working with a goal like that in mind. Bob may have noticed that last year Joe got a trip to New Zealand for being the top producing sales person, and he just broke Joe’s sales record. If Bob doesn’t get an incentive gift, he’s not only going to ask, “Why bother?” but he may also end up working for the competition.

Another reason is because others are watching. If Bob and Joe are retail partners and the same thing happens, other retail partners will see that and also ask, “Why bother?” Driving sales down is a negative return on investment, and sales is the only thing that makes money.

So the real reason not to cancel is because the top ROI a client can get on a canceled trip is zero. Zip, zilch, nada. That’s if she’s lucky. If she’s not, she will have a possible attrition of good sales people, or less participation from retail partners, and general malaise of employee attitude.