I am interrupting my regularly scheduled blog posts with this anniversary message. This month marks the 7th anniversary of starting my independent meeting planning business affiliated with ConferenceDirect.

I am delighted to share this celebration with you by bringing you 7 things I have learned since beginning this journey, 7 recent trends in our industry and a great offer to ensure success for you over the next 7 years (and hopefully longer).

 7 Things I Have Learned Since Beginning This Journey

1. Customers partner with people and organizations they know and trust.
2. Offer value to those you work with and hope to work with before you ask for     anything.
3. Network- it is important to be active in your industry and community. Get out and build your professional and personal connections.
4. Referrals- give (first) and then ask for business referrals.
5. It takes hard work to be successful- I have always followed the philosophy that success only comes before work in the dictionary.
6. Give back- once you are able, it is rewarding to give back (time or money) to your community and industry.
7. Have fun and enjoy what you are doing (or find something else).

7 Recent Trends In Our Industry

1. Technology: access to Wi-Fi is now a standard requirement (not just a nice to have) in the guest and meeting rooms.
2. Food & Beverage at events is no longer just a necessity; it is becoming a part of the event experience. We are seeing:

a. Local sourcing- farm to table
b. Food trucks- a unique way to offer menu variety in a fun atmosphere
c. Tasting stations that focus on pairing food with craft beer, wine and cocktails
d. Healthy options that contribute to the attendees ability to stay engaged and ensure the success of the event

3. The number of meetings being held is again increasing.
4. More organizations are including green meeting initiatives as a core part of their event plan.
5. With demand increasing faster than supply, it is harder to find availability and the contract negotiations are more difficult.
6. Social Media needs to be incorporated into the before, during and after plan of the event to both promote the event and ensure the overall experience meets your attendees needs.
7. Community Service/Giving Back is being incorporated into more events.

Special Offer

For those who want to learn more about meeting management companies to either:

• earn more business from meeting management companies
• learn more about being an independent meeting planner like me

I will offer a complimentary 30 minute consultation session. You have my guarantee that it will be confidential and will not be an advertisement for the organization that I am affiliated with. It will be a conversation as industry peers who want to grow and improve. Together, we can make the next 7 years a huge success.

Please email me today to set up a conversation at: doug.baarman@conferencedirect.com