Meeting Planner Careers

If you are outsourcing your group cruise planning, you will almost certainly be assigned a liaison that will handle your needs. This person is part coordinator, part salesperson, but all human being. That list bit is important, because it means that they can be influenced if you are interested. Influencing a group cruise planner could result in getting discounts, insider information, or exclusive access to areas that are difficult to secure without advanced notice.

How do you become friends with a group cruise planner? Well, the answer depends greatly on the situation, but anyone that handles group planning or manages the outsourcing should already have some decent ideas on how to build rapport with their contact. For those that are coming up a little short, here are some ideas:

Corporate gifts – If the corporation has a ton of spare coffee mugs or T-shirts, bring a few along on the first visit and insist that the person show up to one of your functions. Be willing to give them credit for all their help, and they will be certain to go the extra mile.

Give them a reputation – Sometimes giving people a reputation before building a working relationship is a great idea. For example, tell them that you are aware of the reputation their company has for making arrangements that are above and beyond the call of duty.

Talk to their manager – Take a few minutes to call back and talk to a supervisor, even if the initial conversation did not go as well as planned. Sometimes a reminder that job satisfaction is at stake creates a better environment in which rapport can be built.

Lots of people have offered advice on how to handle the recent turmoil during the world economic crisis. Some are saying, though, that there are signs it is letting up. Although it’s easy to jump back on the profitability bandwagon, some businesses may be holding back just a little. What will you do when things start looking better? Here are some ideas to get you started thinking about it.

Pricing

So your clients are making more money and you should, too. However, would your clients appreciate a bit longer reprieve from escalating costs? You can help them by continuing your pricing structure from the recession months.

Ask for Favors

Once you have determined that you are going to keep prices down even though clients are making more, you are in a position to ask a small favor–that they let others know what you did for them. At the risk of sounding like you have Ayn Rand managing your business, you can be straight with them on this. “I’d be happy to keep my rates where they were during the recession if you wouldn’t mind offering some word-of-mouth advertising for me.” You might also ask them to link to your website–backlinks are a great way to add respectability to your website.

Value

If you find that you cannot keep recession era pricing, offer a little more value whevever possible. If you can book a hotel with a spa available instead of a hotel without one, get it for them. If you have a choice between a beachfront property and one a little father away, choose the one near the beach. If all things are equal, go the extra mile to get little extras for your clients.

You, as a meeting planner, are not a lone wolf, even if you own your own planning business. Whether you are aware of it or not, there are lots of people who work in the background to help make your work successful. If you are inclined to run your army of helpers efficiently and want them to want to work with you, you need to know who they are and how they help you.

Hotels

Of course you know that a good hotel can make or break your trip, but what about the people who work there? Perhaps there was a desk clerk who helped one of your travelers get late bags from the airport. What about the room service waiter who went the extra mile for your diabetic meeting participant? Make sure you recognize them with a small gift–money works very well–and the entire hotel will remember you. Read more…