Meeting Planner Careers

As a meeting planner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the details and forget the most important one of all: the attendees. Being herded from one session to another, with minimal breaks in between to barely answer voicemails and emails, it’s no wonder why attendees often feel like just another number. Part of the purpose of gathering employees at conferences and meetings is to have them interact, share ideas and build stronger bonds. Unfortunately, that seldom seems to happen and part of the fault may lie in the actual organization of the event.

As Jeff Hurt writes in Do You See Your Conference Attendees?,  “You need to schedule time in each education session where participants can talk with each other about the content. Where they can share their experiences. Their success and their failures.” 

One powerful way to impact how your attendees interact with each other is the location and atmosphere of the event. A cold, sterile ballroom or conference room does little to inspire interaction and camaraderie. Team building activities in such environments are also limited, confined and largely overdone.

Instead, how about having participants bond over an exciting Zip-line ride or a rock climbing adventure aboard an innovative cruise ship? Many unique team building experiences can be found on a cruise ship that simply can be duplicated in a conference room. It’s a proven fact that when attendees are interactive, they become much more receptive to the message you are trying to convey. 

From a meeting planner’s perspective, cruise ships offer the best of all worlds under one roof. Dedicated conference rooms with state-of-the-art A/V equipment are available for meeting/educational sessions. Themed lounges and meeting venues can be reserved for private receptions. A variety of dining options on cruise ships rival the best of city eateries. While Las Vegas and Broadway caliber entertainment options are bound to leave your attendees enthralled and amazed. The best part of it all?   All these amenities are part of the standard fare. 

Your attendees want to know that you took effort in planning an unforgettable event. They need to know that it isn’t about cramming them into a room just to bombard them with information then send them on their way. At the end of the day, every conference attendee wants to feel like they’re special for being a part of the experience. They need to feel you valued their time as much as they do. So with that in mind, think outside the box. Plan something unique and make their experience a reflection of your creativity.

More and more event planners are relying on their smart phones and tablets to conduct their business.  With the thousands of applications available for a variety of phones, it’s easy to see why.  The question becomes which ones to use and why.  Sorting through the countless apps can be a task in of itself so we’ve compiled a top 5 list that no Event/Meeting Planner should be without. 

Super Planner

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-planner-event-planning/id383727111?mt=8

A comprehensive event planning app includes a Capacity Calculator for estimating seating configurations for meeting venues, Food and Beverage Calculator to accurately estimate how much to serve, as well as Staffing and Audio Visual; making this the ideal app for all your event planning needs. ($9.99)

Mint

http://www.mint.com/

Never lose track of your expenses again with this app that consolidates all your financial data in one place.  This application will help you create a budget and keep tabs on your event expenditures so you know how much money you have left to spend.  All of your transaction history is also stored so you can analyze and create reporting using easy-to- use graphs and charts.  (FREE)

Bump

www.bumptechnologies.com

Technology meets networking in this modern spin on exchanging business cards.  Avoid having a stack of business cards after an event by simply “bumping” your contact.  By simply tapping your smartphones together, you can seamlessly transfer all your contact information to each other and never fumble for another pen again.  (FREE)

Skype

www.skype.com

The same skype service you utilize for web chatting is available as an app too!  Save your cell minutes and use skype to make free phones and web chat over a Wi-Fi connection.   This handy app also allows you to send text message and check voicemails.  (FREE)

WeatherBug

http://weather.weatherbug.com/mobile/weatherbug-for-iphone.html

Nothing ruins an event like a rain storm.  Get the upper hand on mother nature and plan ahead.  The WeatherBug app gives up up-to-date and accurate weather forecasts so you can be aware of any inclement weather threatening your special event and have time to activate your contingency plans.  (FREE)

Meeting planning for meetings at sea and/or events at sea are a lot easier than planning for a comparable meeting schedule or event on land. Why? Because there is a helpful concierge to help make decisions and handle a lot of the work for you. The result is not only saved money, but saved time as well. The question is what to do with that spare time. Some tell their bosses that they are done early, but there may be other ideas worth considering:

• Catching up on other paperwork or office chores – Getting caught up is equally impressive, or possibly more impressive than, finishing early.
• Preparing everything for next week – In the same train of thought, it would probably be a good idea to finish all of next week’s work ahead of time and then be back in this same decision making process next week. If only all choices were so easy!
• Check for new ideas on how to conduct meetings or plan events online. There is plenty of networking to be done, and that networking could result in new associations, deals, or ways of doing things. Call it dedicating time to self improvement.
• Learn some local phrases or culture – Is your meeting going someplace where the locals have a unique culture or language you don’t speak? Start learning online now and consider printing out a basic list of phrases and dos/don’ts for everyone attending.

Whatever you decide to do, do not consider browsing the Internet or otherwise wasting time. Being productive is important to any business and that is especially true of businesses paying meeting a premium for a quality meeting planner.

Anyone considering a career as a meeting planner is likely to wonder just how much they can make. This is certainly a fair question for anyone considering a new career to ask, but the answer depends greatly upon a number of different variables. First and foremost is where one chooses to work.

Corporate meeting planners can start off with near-college graduate salary if they are competent regardless of whether they possess a degree or not. There are certainly arguments that suggest that corporate meeting planning might soon be a very large market and thus it is likely that education requirements are going to remain low while wages and responsibilities will increase.

Even more lucrative are the freelance meeting planner positions that allow those with the talent and drive to leverage their skills and connections for the mutual benefit of multiple clients. The results can be very impressive when it comes to raw numbers and the sky really is the limit in terms of earnings. On the downside, benefits are not going to be part of the package 99.9% of the time, but with a six-figure earning potential that may not be a severe downside.

Those working for smaller and medium sized businesses will have to flex their multitasking skills for a more modest salary but there may be benefits and perks down the road. For example, promotions from within are usually the order of the day at smaller and medium sized organizations.

Meeting planners are starting to move up in the corporate world, but there are still ceilings placed on many meeting planners without an education. This is just one of the many reasons why all meeting planners should immediately start seeking part time education options, but here are a few more:

• Other opportunities await the organized – Meeting planning takes organization, but so do many other jobs. Whether it is a different career path altogether or a change of position with the same company, an education is a great idea for meeting planners looking to take on new challenges.
• Professional growth – Sometimes we do not know how much we can handle until we are pushed beyond our limits. Adding new tasks to our lives makes us better people and teaches us new time management skills, both of which are valuable assets to any meeting planner.
• Self image – While meeting planning is a growing field right now, it could very well shrink in 10 or 20 years in much the same way that realty is shrinking. Like realtors, a sudden change in the market could put meeting planners on a new career path. Having a positive self image could help make the rebound that much easier and potentially safer.

Cruise events and meetings at sea are becoming the new norm, and that means that meeting planners that are moving up in the world might get a chance to go along for the excursion. Not a bad fringe benefit, but it is certainly not one that many people would have expected of a job that was relegated to low- to mid-level employees until recently. The changing economic climate is altering the relative position of most meeting planners in the corporate ladder, and the result is that more meeting planners are being brought closer to the top of the corporate ladder than ever before.

With that elevation does come some perks and responsibilities, but one of the perks actually is a responsibility. Luckily, meeting planners that plan great cruise events are in such high demand that the entire affair does seem to blur the lines between duty and responsibility, which is not at all uncommon when discussing cruise meetings in general. After all, where can someone walk 2 minutes out of a world-class meeting room with an unparalleled view and end up in a mall with several 4+ star restaurants, a world-class gym and more? Maybe in Vegas, but the views there rarely change while cruise ships offer a new view every day and some of the most amazing sunsets and sun rises on the planet.

If you are a meeting planner and this sounds like your idea of a dream job then get ready to start tailoring your resume!

Meeting planners are in demand, but there are different paths to success. Some people choose to start at smaller companies as a meeting planner with modest job requirements and salaries and have the option to grow into other possible roles later or to move on. Others plan on working directly for major companies that offer lucrative salaries right off the bat in exchange for competent meeting planners that are willing to give it their all.

For new meeting planners this might almost seem like there are two completely different jobs in two completely different industries, but it is not a choice unlike those faced by paralegals, bookkeepers, or other office professionals.

There is no reason that a new meeting planner could not start small and work their way up, but not everyone aspires to spend years as a meeting planner. Some change that view after a few short weeks on the job, and may even launch their own business as a freelance meeting planner. Others start in the corporate meeting planning field only to feel as if they have attached themselves to shooting comets or raging tempests of information, appointments, facts, protocols, etiquette, and rules. Some start on the low end of the spectrum with smaller businesses and dislike the requirement that they were so many proverbial hats, but that is how small and medium sized businesses tend to be in order to get by.

Ultimately the choice can be a fateful one, but a little tenacity can go a long way.

Meeting planning is becoming increasingly important and many businesses are starting to realize the value of hosting off-site events. In the past it would have sufficed to simply send out e-mails or brochures, but today companies are left with larger gambles. This often entails deciding whether to host offsite events or just retreat behind financial walls that seem safer. Nobody ever got rich by playing it safe, so most companies with an ounce or more of leadership are hiring meeting planners that want to go places.

Why? Because that’s where the meetings are going to be, but what does that mean for the meeting planners?

On the surface it means that the meeting planners will have to start getting acquainted with planning meetings in other cities, states, and possibly even countries. This could entail a lot of learning including language, cultures, customs, legal issues, advertising, and even more. The role of the meeting planner is certainly evolving for those that can evolve with it. Those that are not prepared to evolve may be left behind, but it would seem that there are plenty of companies willing to hire second tier meeting planners that are not ready for the prime time.

If you are considering a career as a meeting planner and are interested in a career that goes places, you simply need the motivation it takes to start learning about the travel industry as well as languages, cultures, and customs.

If you are a meeting planner searching for an exciting, innovative new venue for an upcoming convention, conference or trade show that will ensure great attendance, you should consider hosting your next event on a cruise ship. Whether you opt for a dockside charter or an event at sea, cruise ships – which can accommodate up to 5,000 people – will significantly increase the appeal of your event.

Attending a convention on a cruise ship will be something different and exciting for most people, and will be alluring enough to convince any indecisive people that they should definitely attend.

Cruise ships offer a self-contained venue with all of the services and amenities you require to host a successful event or meeting at sea and can be planned in a way that will support a variety of event budgets. Cruising also provides the opportunity to have a willingly captive audience for your event, especially if you opt for a full-ship charter, which allows you to customize the entire venue and schedule, including liberal logo placement to increase awareness and recognition of your brand.

Cruise events are also much more cost effective than a land based venue, since cruising is typically all inclusive. In addition to lodging, meals and entertainment, cruise ships offer state-of-the-art meeting facilities and equipment, decorations, and other items which are included on a cruise ship but will generally cost extra at a land based venue. A cruise event can cost as much as 40 percent less than a land based venue.

When you opt to host your next conference, trade show or convention on a cruise ship, it is sure to be a memorable event that will have the attendees talking about you and your planning services long after they are back on shore, ensuring that they will remember your company name the next time they are in need of event planning services.

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.