Meeting Planner Careers

Using travel incentives can produce great results, but there is always risk associated with gain. Travel as an incentive is a powerful tool to motivate, but it can also deflate the egos of individual workers and/or the morale of workers, partners, clients, and/or suppliers that are involved if done improperly. Here are some tips for insuring that incentive travel is done properly:

• If incentive travel is being done as part of a contest, make the rules crystal clear. Think about all the probable outcomes and ensure that those rules are sufficient to handle the possibilities.
• It helps to have secondary prizes, even when they are things like the shaded parking spot near the side entrance, or even a position on the cover of the company’s monthly newsletter. Some of the best perks are free.
• Remember that incentive travel does not have to be all fun and games. Many companies have their top talent meet with partners for rounds of golf or other social functions and are able to write off part of the expenses related to the travel.
• Inspiration is the key to any sort of competition but that fact has been lost on many managers. Remember that the goal of incentive travel is multi-fold, and it is ultimately what a company makes of it.

There are many jobs that are disappearing every day, and many of them will not return in the immediate future. In fact, some economists think that some entire industries may be undergoing serious transitions in who they employ and how they handle those employees to the point where some jobs will probably not return in our lifetime. Thankfully, that does not seem to be the case for meeting planners. In fact, meeting planners are probably safe for a few reasons:

• There have been freelance meeting planners for decades now, so even if corporate or SMB meeting planners start to be downsized, there are plenty of opportunities for moonlighting. It is even likely that mixing and matching a day job as a meeting planner and a side job as a freelance meeting planner would work out.
• Companies are striving more than ever to create effective meetings and presentations, and thus meeting planners that are willing to work hard are going to be in more demand than ever. In fact, there are probably more meeting planners moving up the corporate ladders now than ever before.
• Even smaller companies are starting to understand that they are their image, at least to a point. That means that they need meeting planners just as much as they need PR people.

While one of the main focuses of an incentive cruise will be meetings and networking opportunities, cruise event participants will also have plenty of leisure time as well. With an incentive cruise, participants will not have to worry about how they will spend their leisure time. There are numerous shipboard activities available to cruise participants. Participants may have trouble deciding what to do, but they will not have any problem finding some type of fun, amazing activity to occupy their time. There are so many activities available that participants may not have time to enjoy them all!

All activities may not be available on each and every ship, but the following are examples of shipboard activities in which cruise event participants may partake: shore excursions, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, beauty treatments, skeet shooting, golf driving, jogging, movies, basketball, volleyball, fitness centers classes, on-board shopping, saunas, whirlpools, massage, dance classes, and deck tournaments such as ping-pong. These are just a few of the many activities that may be available to incentive cruise participants during their free time. In addition to these exhilarating shipboard activities, there are also many opportunities for on-shore excursions as well. Incentive cruises may offer on-shore golfing at some of the most breath-taking golf courses in the world.

One of the most important aspects of an incentive cruise is choosing the right ship. There are several types of ships from which a business may choose when planning meetings at sea. The type of sailing vessel chosen for this type of corporate travel will depend in large part upon the number participants. There are 4 basic ship types from which a business may choose: mega ships, mid-size ships, small ships, and yacht-like ships. Each of these ship types can offer many advantages to those embarking on incentive travel and gives businesses the opportunity to customize the cruise event for their participants.

Mega ships typically offer 3-day, 4-day, and 7-day cruises. These ships can accommodate up to 4300 passengers comfortably. They offer many entertainment venues, dining options, and are equipped with the latest in audio visual equipment. Mid-size ships can accommodate up to 1600 passengers. Incentive cruises on ships of this size can be customized and personalized to meet participants needs and desires. Small ships can accommodate up to 1000 passengers. Participants will enjoy a high level of services, and these ships often visit more exotic destinations. Yacht-like ships can accommodate up to 400 passengers. These ships are ideal when luxury accommodations and services are desired.

In the past, the only type of participation available to meeting attendees was live participation. If individuals were unable to make it to the meeting in person, they simply missed out on the information being presented as well as the opportunity to network. Today, live participation is not required for individuals to be 100 percent involved in a meeting or event. Individuals can be a part of the event or meeting through virtual participation. Events in which both live and virtual participation are offered are called hybrid meetings. Virtual participants can use social media to interact with other meeting participants, both live and virtual.

Hybrid events are ideal in some situations for a variety of reasons. Businesses that have restricted budgets may not have the luxury of traveling in a tight economy. A hybrid meeting would allow these businesses to participate without the added expense of travel, accommodations, and food. Hybrid events can open meetings up to a more diverse audience and provide more exposure within the marketplace. By opening meetings up to a larger audience, businesses have the opportunity to expand their networking capabilities and make new connections. There are many reasons why hybrid meetings are valuable and should be considered when planning an important event.

Meeting planners wear many hats, and they have many responsibilities to which they must attend. The success or failure of the event is on the meeting planner's shoulders; therefore, they must work diligently to ensure the meeting goes as planned. While there are many aspects of the event that must be taken into consideration and given high priority, one of the most important elements of a meeting or event is the site location. Meeting planners should be sure that the site location is ideal for the type of event as well as the number of attendees.

There are a few things that meeting planners should keep in mind when considering prospective site locations. Meeting planners need to consider who the prospective attendees are. The location should be chosen based on the groups needs and expectations. Meeting planners also need to consider how the attendees will get to the meeting. For this reason, many meeting planners reserve site locations that are near a major airport. Meeting planners need to ensure the site location is attractive. The value of aesthetic appeal should not be minimized. Finally, meeting planners need to consider the number of attendees. It will be important for the site location to be spacious enough for meeting participants.

A client may already be trying to figure out how to save money on their reception before they have even identified the event's business goals or objectives. Even though clients try cut food and beverage costs, this is an area that should be given a high priority by both meeting planners and their clients. One of the factors by which meeting participants judge the overall success and enjoyment of an event is by the food and drinks offered to them. Therefore, if clients choose to be frugal with reception foods and beverages, meeting participants may rate the event as less than stellar.

A way in which clients can save money while still providing participants with excellent food options is by having a dessert reception. There are many confections that a pastry chef can create that will be satisfactory to almost every palate. These sweet treats can also be easy on the client's wallet as well. A dessert reception can bring a luscious ending to long, hard day of meetings and presentations. Instead of splurging on expensive hors d'oeuvres that may or not be well-received by guests, meeting planners and clients may wish to consider dessert foods instead. These little treats will be a tasty and welcome surprise to weary participants.

Companies that employ outstanding talent may desire to reward top performing employees individually. When companies wish to plan individual travel incentives for their outstanding employees, there are several options from which they may choose. Individual travel incentives include things such as travel certificates, gifts, hotel or resort reservations, ship charter reservations, cash allowances, airfare reservations, and ground transportation. Employees often appreciate individual travel incentives, and they will be motivated to earn these travel incentive rewards. Employees will be more productive and companies will profit from increased productivity.

Companies may want to consider individual travel incentives for two. The individual employee will likely prefer to travel with a companion, and travel incentive programs can be planned with this in mind. For example, a company could provide the travel incentive recipient with a $500 travel gift certificate. In this way, the individual can travel with a companion at their own leisure. A company may also schedule two nights at a local hotel or resort and provide an allowance for food, leisure activities, and entertainment. Companies may also want to consider an incentive cruise. They can book a 3 or 4 night cruise to a special destination inclusive of airfare and any excursions in which the employee and their companion may be interested.

Group incentive travel is an excellent way for companies to reward innovative, creative, and productive employees. Because these top performers are an invaluable asset to the company, it is essential that they are aware of how much their hard work is appreciated by those in charge. In times when finances are lean, companies may be reluctant to plan incentive travel programs, such as cruise events. However, minimizing the importance of corporate travel incentives can have a negative impact on employees. When planning a travel program, there are several factors that will determine the affordability of group incentive travel.

The price of the incentive travel will depend significantly on the number of people in the group. Many times, generous discounts will be offered for group travel; therefore, organizations should not look at individual costs when determining the budget. Rather, they should consider the cost for the entire group including any discounts offered. Costs that will need to be factored in include: airfare to the desired destination, accommodations such as ship charter, hotel or resort, dinners, receptions, group activities, and entertainment. While there may be other factors that will also need to be considered, these will be the main costs associated with group travel planning.

Meeting planners can offer a variety of services to business and organizations desiring to implement incentive travel programs. Many times, businesses and organizations do not know where to begin in regard to making travel arrangements for large groups. Meeting planners will have the skills and resources necessary to make travel planning easy and simple for corporate entities. Based on the organization's budget, a meeting planner can then begin making all of the required travel arrangements. Meeting planners essentially offer total travel management from the beginning of the trip until the end.

Whether planning an incentive cruise or a conference at a resort, meeting planners can be of invaluable assistance. They can assist the company in designing a travel program as well as rules and tracking. They can help the company select a location, and book hotel and air accommodations. A meeting planner will be responsible for arranging food and beverage, on-site transportation, registration, team building events, and figts and awards. If companies desire theme events, a meeting planner can help with this as well. The number of services a meeting planner can provide are substantial, and businesses will find that incentive travel is planned and executed more smoothly with the assistance of a meeting planner.