One of the first priorities is to focus on lead generation and converting more of these leads into new customers. It is important to implement a successful marketing plan and there are lots of strategies that work. Many people are confused about where they should start and how they should maintain a successful marketing program. The following are 9 suggestions that you can implement immediately.

Marketing Tactic 1: Tell your Family and Friends
Get the word out to the most receptive audience first…those that know and care about you. They are already motivated to help you…you just need to ask.

Marketing Tactic 2: Share your Connections
One of the fastest ways to gain favor with prospective clients is to connect people to others who can help them. If you do this, it benefits three people: First it benefits the two people you are bringing together and then it benefits you. If you selflessly share your connections with others, you will reap the rewards as both people will be appreciative.

Marketing Tactic 3: Ask for Connections
Now that you have provided them with contacts that could help them, you need to ask them for connections that could help you. I believe you need to be specific about who they know that you would like to meet. The more specific you are, the better your results will be.

Marketing Tactic 4: Partner with Others in Your Industry
Your industry partners (AV, DMC’s, CVB’s Hotels, etc.) need to establish relationships with their clients just like you do. It makes good sense to develop relationships with these professionals. You can add value to the relationship your industry partner has with his clients and he can add value to your client relationships. Adding value is a good marketing strategy.

Marketing Tactic 5: Email Weekly
Each week pick your best blog article and email it to the people in your contact database. This will help you develop a deeper relationship with them. And no, weekly email in not too frequent. Communication becomes annoying when it is not interesting and engaging. As long as your content is good, you will be successful with weekly email. That is one of the secrets to marketing. Good content is always appreciated no matter how frequently it is delivered.

Marketing Tactic 6: Print and Mail a Newsletter Monthly
Regular mail still works…do not abandon it. People pay more attention now to regular mail than they do to email. Compile your best few articles from your blog, put them in a newsletter format, and mail them out. You will capture a portion of your audience that typically does not read blogs or email. This is a classic marketing method that never goes out of style…because it works!

Marketing Tactic 7: Take on a Leadership Role in Your Industry or Community
People want to be led…they like leaders. Step up and take a leadership role in your industry or your community. It will show that you are responsible and reliable. It will help inspire confidence in your prospective clients. You can’t just sit back and wait to be successful. You must earn your success. Your leadership skills and your marketing will help you.

Marketing Tactic 8: Blog Weekly
Writing an article each week is a great way to develop a relationship with your prospective clients. If you can’t get to it weekly, twice a month will work. Marketing means building relationships. People who read your blog want to have a relationship with you. These are terrific potential clients.

Marketing Tactic 9: Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up
This is the cardinal rule of marketing. You must follow up with everyone, constantly. People need to hear your message a minimum of seven times before it begins to sink in. Follow up early and often and you will be successful.

Your new business will get off the ground if you get the word out and marketing is one of the keys to your success. However, marketing is only effective when you take action. These 9 tactics will help you begin to grow your business. The next step is up to you.

 You were born to be an entrepreneur, not an employee, says motivational speaker Stedman Graham, author of the New York Times best seller You Can Make It Happen. “At no other time in history has there been a better opportunity for people to create or retain ownership of their lives,” he says. “Our nation and its communities need more entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurialism is not only a pathway to autonomy and financial independence, but also has a macro-level impact on community development and economic growth, providing sources of employment and higher living standards.”

The following are 7 Reasons Why You Should Be an Entrepreneur that were shared by K. Shelby Skrhak (editor@success.com). Ms. Skrhak is the Managing Web Editor for SUCCESS Magazine and she wrote this article specifically about the Direct Selling industry. I took her information and made only a change to number six (6) making it applicable to the hospitality industry:

1.  Job Security

Only a generation or two ago, going into business for yourself was considered risky, and the safest route was to get a good job in a large firm. “That’s what my ‘poor dad’ taught me,” says Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki. “Now, working for a traditional corporation has become a risky option.”

2. Make More Money

A U.S. Federal Reserve survey shows the average household net worth for entrepreneurs is five-times more than that of the traditionally employed. What that means in this economy is business owners are five-times more likely to come out of the recession in the black because they created income in their own business.

3. Freedom

When you are your own boss, you get to choose when you work, how you work and with whom you work. Best-selling author, radio host and wealth expert Dave Ramsey puts it this way: “There’s been a lot of doom and gloom in the media this year. The truth is, many people were laid off from jobs they hated anyway. Many people, instead of sitting home and sulking, have used the freedom to think about what they really want to do when they grow up. You have ideas- go do it!”

4. Discover Your Hidden Potential

“Entrepreneurship is business’s beating heart,” says Virgin mogul Richard Branson. “Entrepreneurship isn’t about capital; it’s about ideas. Entrepreneurship is also about excellence. Not excellence measured in awards or other people’s approval, but the sort that one achieves for oneself by exploring what the world has to offer.”

5. A Second Career

The nation’s 78 million baby boomers are just starting to reach retirement age, yet they’re realizing that they can’t afford to retire. What’s more, they don’t want to. Dr. Mary Furlong, author of Turning Silver into Gold, says, “Boomers are looking for ways to give back. They are taking the reins of their own futures and redefining their lives. They want work that reflects their values and identity; they want to make a difference.” A landmark study by MetLife Foundation found that 50% of Americans in their 50’s and 60’s want to do work “that matters.”

6. You’re Sharing, Not Selling

Being an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry allows you the opportunity to put your years of experience to work for your customers. You can share the knowledge you have gained (selecting the right venue, negotiating the best contract, helping manage the meeting logistics, etc.) to ensure their programs are a complete success.

7. A Life of Greater Impact

“When you’re in business for yourself, you write your own history, you write your own success story, you write your own legacy and most important, you write your own paycheck,” says Jeffrey Gitomer, best-selling author of Little Red Book of Selling. “Being in business for yourself gives you the opportunity to work your heart out for something you love.”

I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on these ‘7 Reasons’ shared by Ms. Skrhak. For 5 years I have flourished in this model and can tell you from firsthand experience these reasons are accurate…and have improved my life. It can do the same for you!

Is it time for you to consider being an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry?

 If you found this article valuable, you might also be interested in “Hospitality Professionals – Is Being an Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right For You?”

After fifteen years in the hospitality industry, Sharon Gates was ready to put her experience and skills to work in her own business. A few years ago, Sharon decided to make the leap to being an independent hospitality professional with ConferenceDirect. With a background in hotel sales, Sharon now acts as an advocate for her clients to ensure their events are a complete success.

Before landing at ConferenceDirect, Sharon worked in various capacities with Marriott ranging from Sales Manager to Director of Hotel Sales and serving as a member of Marriott’s global sales team handling multiple accounts in the northeast region. During her tenure with the company, she pioneered three (3) different transformations within their sales organization. Sharon accepts change and is always looking for ways to improve.

When Sharon knew it was time for a personal change, it wasn’t a fast decision. For months before making the jump, Sharon researched the independent field. “I interviewed two successful ConferenceDirect people to get a feel for why they like their position. I asked them to give me the good, the bad, and ugly, so I knew what I was going into.”

That wasn’t the only preparation Sharon performed. “I met with an accountant and my husband. We sat down and talked about finances,” she says. Sharon knew if she made the jump, she would be leaving a salaried position and entering a commission-based field.

“I went into the position knowing it was not going to be a short-term job. It’s something that is a long-term decision. I knew it may take me three or four years to get to the salary I had with Marriott, but the potential would be greater in the long run.” Sharon views this time period as an investment into her career.

Sharon’s decision to become affiliated with ConferenceDirect hinged on one element: the ability to work with Doug Baarman. “Although I never worked directly for Doug when he was with Marriott, I knew of his great reputation. He was so highly regarded and I had heard so many good things. I felt very comfortable being on his team. He has helped me and positioned me for success.”

Today, after a year and a half as an independent meeting planner, the position seems to suit Sharon. “I enjoy the entrepreneurial nature of the position.”

As an independent hospitality professional, Sharon is more of a consultant to her customers. She enjoys strategizing with her customers; learning about their goals and helping them exceed their objectives. What sets Sharon apart from others is that she is not transactional but rather a partner always looking out for her client’s best interest. Because of all that Sharon does for her customers to ensure their events are a complete success, she has a very loyal customer following including corporate and association accounts. Her primary goal is to partner with her customers as their advocate during every transaction. Over time, her customers have begun to view her as an extension of their organization, focused on helping with their meeting needs while saving them time and money.

Sharon’s advice to others thinking of making a career change involves the initial planning stage: “The number one thing you have to do is think about your finances. If you are the sole provider, you need to look at your savings account and determine how long you can live off of that money,” she advises. Sharon also suggests having an established network and industry experience before working independently as an advantage. “It is possible for someone who hasn’t been in the industry very long; however, I think they would have so many more obstacles to face.”

Sharon has received numerous awards and recognition over the years (including leading performer with Marriott and multi-year recipient of Marriott’s Presidents Club award), but it is the loyal repeat business she receives from her customers that she counts as her biggest reward.

 If you found this article valuable, you might also be interested in ”Hospitality Professionals – Is Being an Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right For You?”

Doug Baarman Receives Award for top performance and leadership in 2012

LOS ANGELES, CA – March 25, 2013 – Doug Baarman, CDS, Senior Vice President & Team Director has been named ConferenceDirect’s Team Director of the Year. He was honored at the ConferenceDirect Awards Dinner during its Annual Partner Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, March 17, 2013.

Doug joined ConferenceDirect in July of 2007 with over 25 years of sales, marketing and event management experience within the hospitality industry. Prior to joining ConferenceDirect, Doug gained an insider’s perspective from working on both sides of the industry with experience from some of the largest hotel companies – Marriott International and Gaylord Hotels and from the buyer’s side – Liberty Mutual and National Trade Productions. During his career with Marriott International, he broke new ground as the leader of a Field Sales team focused on new business development, with an independent structure and an alternative compensation model. This was an industry first within a chain’s national sales system. Doug was also Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Marriott ExecuStay which was an acquisition that needed to be integrated with their other brands. At Gaylord Hotels, he helped establish the pre-opening team for the largest hotel ever built in the Washington, DC area. At National Trade Productions, Doug was responsible for exhibit sales for shows targeting the government and government contractor markets. Since joining ConferenceDirect, Doug has been recognized as the Team Leader of the Year for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011, with some of the best team accomplishments: In 2010, his team achieved over $53 million in booked revenue making it the top producing CD team. In 2010 a member of his team was awarded ‘Top Producer / Associate of the Year’. His team has received multiple ‘Rookie of the Year’ awards. In 2011, his team became the top producing CD team for the second consecutive year achieving over $56 million in booked revenue. Doug is an active member of MPI and on the Customer Advisory Board for the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is a graduate of Ferris State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management.

“This is not the first time Doug has been recognized for this award and it won’t be his last,” said Brian Stevens, President and Chief Executive Officer of ConferenceDirect.

Doug can be reached at (301) 605-7011 or via email at doug.baarman@conferencedirect.com.

About ConferenceDirect: Based in Los Angeles, California, ConferenceDirect is a full service meeting solutions company specializing in Site Selection/Contract Negotiation, Conference Management, Housing, Registration and Strategic Meetings Management. ConferenceDirect provides its expertise to more than 1750 corporations and associations worldwide. ConferenceDirect’s 325 Associates and worldwide regional offices comprise the fastest-growing meeting resources company in the hospitality industry today. For more information, visit ConferenceDirect at www.conferencedirect.com

]]> http://hospitalitylifestyles.com/conferencedirect-announces-team-director-of-the-year/feed/ 0 http://hospitalitylifestyles.com/hospitality-industry-professionals-need-to-unplug-to-recharge/ http://hospitalitylifestyles.com/hospitality-industry-professionals-need-to-unplug-to-recharge/#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:19:27 +0000 Doug Baarman http://hospitalitylifestyles.com/?p=560 The hospitality industry is a 24/7 business that forces us to remain focused in order to be productive. We experience an overload of activity and ‘noise’ that keeps us busy…but it can be overwhelming and even prevent us from keeping on course toward achieving our priorities. We often get burned out which drains our energy and blocks our creativity.

As for me, I am returning from a much needed week off which I was able to enjoy with my family. Prior to leaving, I took the advice of my business coach, Angie Segal with Action Coach. She shared the following message with me:

The cavemen spent their days hunting, gathering, napping and being chased by tigers. That worked for them because there was balance to their days, which gave them enough energy to outrun the tiger, most of the time. In modern society, we are spending far too much time running from the tigers and it is depleting our energy! We weren’t made to spend the majority of our time with our adrenaline pumping.

Want to increase your productivity, creativity and energy? Why don’t you try unplugging for a day, a weekend, or a vacation?

How do you unplug so you can recharge?

First, turn off the cell phone and PDA. Leave a message that says you will be unavailable and you will find that most people will leave a message and wait for your return.

Next, don’t be tempted by that laptop or computer either. Your email can wait.  Leave an out of office reply. Yes, you will have tons of email when you get back, but you might be surprised how much of that can be deleted if you only deal with messages that require an action or reply.

Now, get rid of the remote control and the newspaper delivery. Trust me; there is nothing in the news that can’t wait a few days for you to know. If a truly catastrophic event happened, you would find out about it. Someone would tell you.
Finally, take off your watch, unplug the clocks and sit back and enjoy.

What will you do with all this time? Spend it with friends and family you care about. Read a book or magazine. Lie in the sun. Play with your kids.  Take a nap. It doesn’t really matter, it’s just about recharging.

When you get back to work, you will be amazed how rejuvenated, focused and productive you will be with new ideas flowing into your now recharged brain. Whether you are going away on a vacation or just using these techniques for a short getaway, I hope you unplug to recharge so you are ready to make 2013 a breakthrough year!

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in “Holiday Networking for Hospitality Industry Professionals”.

Don’t forget to download the free ebook “Take Charge of Your Hospitality Career and YOUR Income” by signing up on this page.

As children, we enjoyed reading and telling stories as a valuable part of our education and development. Just because we are adults and now spend the majority of our time in the professional world, it should not mean that our passion for stories should end. If we could enjoy stories as children, why not enjoy and use them in our professional lives?

Those that use the ‘storytelling’ skill in their professional lives tend to achieve more success than those who do not. Let’s follow their lead and use the storytelling skill to connect with more people and build our professional network. The key points you want to address in your professional life story are:

• your early years and how that impacted you
• your experience and what you learned along the way
• why you are doing what you do
• what makes you different than others that offer your product or service

It is time for us to go back to those days when we enjoyed reading and telling stories. In addition, it is time for us to put the storytelling skill to work in our professional lives. What is your success story?

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in “Holiday Networking for Hospitality Industry Professionals”.

“Success comes before work only in the dictionary.” Anonymous

 It is important to keep in mind that if you want to be successful in the hospitality industry, you have to put in the work to achieve the desired results. I feel it is safe to say that we all want to improve our professional results in 2013. The two areas to focus on to accomplish this are:

1. Increasing business from your current customers

2. Attracting new customers

In this message, we are going to address the challenge of attracting new customers. The following are 10 methods that will help you add customers:

• Method 1: Ask For Referrals
  • Current customers
  • Industry partners
  • Friends and family
  • Referral Groups
• Method 2: Past Customers
  • Reach back out to those you have worked with in the past and see if you can again be of service to them or if they know of someone who can benefit from your services.
• Method 3: Networking
  • Industry- be active in your industry
  • Community- get involved in a leadership role in your community
• Method 4: Newsletter/Blog
  • Keep in touch with your potential customers monthly through a newsletter or blog that adds value to them.
• Method 5: Volunteering
  • Get involved in your community and organizations that you are passionate about. It will enable you to give back and meet key community leaders.
• Method 6: Speaking Engagements
  • Be seen as the expert in your industry
• Method 7: Partnering with Vendors
  • Your vendor partners have relationships with the clients you would like to work with. It makes good sense to develop relationships with these professionals.
• Method 8: Direct Mail
  • Regular mail to promote your business does still work…do not abandon it.
• Method 9: Advertising
  • Do your homework and strategically place your advertising directed to those who would have a need for your service.
• Method 10: Cold calling
  • This is often the most stressful and least successful of your methods. However, it is an important part of your overall strategy as you need to continue to reach out to potential new clients.

We need to make certain that we have a clear vision and need to ensure that we are working both hard and smart to implement our game plan in the hospitality industry. Please read the quote one more time: “Success comes before work only in the dictionary.” Success is right around the corner for all of us…let’s go to work and get it!

Over the years, Brian has held positions on the national, regional, and property executive levels in his corporate hospitality career. His work in those various positions gave him a broad pool of experience from which to begin his independent meeting planner career. “I think the corporate perspective allows me to be flexible in terms of understanding different brands and what the roles are. Marriott allowed me to work with clients on a national level and have an understanding of how each brand operates and what they focus on,” he says.

When Brian left his corporate hospitality position to become an independent meeting planner, he knew what he was risking. It takes time, patience, and balance to build a business you truly enjoy and that is financially rewarding. “The reward side is why you do it,” says Brian. “The upside is the freedom of who you work with and when. You have the challenge of wanting to be better.”

When Brian became an independent meeting planner, he outlined specific financial goals he wanted to reach. It took him three years to achieve the level of financial success to which he aspired. He says the independent business model is a good one. He did have necessary start-up expenses, such as computers, a cell phone, office line, fax machine, and business cards. However, Brian was able to manage the amount of start-up costs and begin his new career with minimal funds.

Now, seven years after beginning his career as an independent meeting planner, Brian has built a business that allows him to balance work life and family life. He can often be found coaching his children’s sports teams, something he might not have had the flexibility to do while working for a traditional employer.

Brian works to carve out specific niches in his industry. One of his areas of expertise is working with sports organizations. Brian has actively participated in sports his whole life and holds a sports management degree. Professionally, he has worked with bowl games, basketball events, and with clients in sports management and sports education. This experience allows him to better anticipate the specific needs of his clients in the sports industry.

Another area where Brian has found great success is working with large organizations which conduct multiple, diverse events and need assistance building long-term relationships with hotels, navigating the complex relationships with hotels and conference/convention venues, selecting sites that best meet their needs, and effectively marketing their events.

Brian is particularly effective with small business groups that have never planned an event before. “I help them create their hotel package, hospitality plan, helping them identify what the program is about,” says Brian. He enjoys building relationships with groups just starting to hold events and helping them learn the event planning process. Once his clients are comfortable with the process, he helps them expand their events and maximize their organization’s potential.

Brian has enjoyed the benefits of working with Doug Baarman and ConferenceDirect. “I worked on his team for Marriott and he was doing market sales in the DC Metro area,” he says. “I knew what type of person he was. He helped me to relight the fire and that has now been over five years ago.”

When asked what advice he would give other professionals thinking of making the switch to independent status, Brian says, before leaving a current job, “look at family structure, what support you have. Really kind of look at the big picture, making sure they can jump start careers here quicker and faster.” He also claims that, “being blessed with a nice wife” has also been instrumental in his ability to build his business.

Brian admits there are things he would do differently if he were to start over again. “I think for me the big thing is to prepare for this world and understand. I didn’t prepare as well as I would tell other people. I had a two month gap between ConferenceDirect and Marriott. I had moved to a new market, thinking of a different direction.”

When asked what characteristics you must possess in order to be successful in this business, Brian says, “Being bull headed, being persistent, not quitting. You need time. Once you do something for a long time, then all of a sudden, people have respect or trust, and they are going to be there when you call back. So many people call back in the third or fourth year. I picked up other things in the meantime.”

Over the years, Brian has built up a successful career as a meeting planner, using prior knowledge of the industry as well as careful planning and charisma. His success comes from hard work and perseverance.

The move to become a professional independent meeting planner has been the right career choice for me. I am often asked 1) why I decided to leave the safety and security of a corporate job and 2) why I affiliated with a brand versus being on my own.

There are many reasons that individuals decide to break out on their own in the hospitality industry. For me, I had the good fortune of getting exposed to the advantages of entrepreneurial life as an intrepreneur(a person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation). This showed me that it was possible and reinforced the dream within me to one day be on my own. As my friend and fellow entrepreneur, Andy Glick, says: “If you want to control your destiny and create wealth, you probably need to own something. You can make a decent living as a salaried employee – no complaints here -, but if you have the nerve and you think big, starting a business offers the possibility of significant rewards.”

Based on this belief, I went searching for facts. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the U.S., which translates to 1,162 small businesses for every one corporation in the country. Additionally, the SBA estimates that small businesses account for 44% of the U.S. payroll – and 70% of those businesses are owned and operated by a single person. So independent business owners are an important part of the economy and can be proud of what they do each and every day. More importantly, it confirmed my belief that if all of these other small businesses can do it…we can do it!

Once I made the decision that I wanted to be on my own, I evaluated all of my options:

1. Start my own meeting planning company
2. Affiliate with an established brand
3. Buy an existing business

I chose to affiliate with an established and respected global brand in the industry for the following reasons:

1.  It’s the industry I know, love and have 25 years of experience working in.
2.  Turnkey Start-up- established and proven systems, processes and procedures.
3. Brand Recognition- established relationships/numerous networking opportunities.
4. State of the art technology available for conducting site searches, registration and housing services.
5. Full service resource for customers- conference management, registration, housing, site selection, contract negotiation, strategic meeting management.
6. Corporate office staff for training, support, back up and dedicated accounting support.
7. Marketing Collateral such as business cards, letterhead, brochures, email and a website already created.
8. Assigned a Team Director – a personal mentor, coach and advisor to make sure success is achieved.
9. Hotel Contracts offering pre negotiated terms with major hotel chains and independent hotels.Dedicated Global Sales Organization (and often on-property) representation for the brand

Business experts state that to be successful as an independent business owner you must be:

• Dedicated- a passion and desire to achieve
• Persistent- the ability to never give up
• Well-organized
• Confident
• Risk tolerant
• Self-reliant
• Flexible
• Able to maintain a positive outlook

I felt good that I had some of the qualities above and by being a part of a known brand; I had the support needed to ensure success…the best of both worlds. For these reasons, I made the leap to being on my own and felt that being affiliated with a known brand was the right match for me.

There is no doubt that I work hard as an independent meeting planner, but every moment I spend on my business, is my choice. Have you explored these options? If so, do you have lessons to share?

 If you found this article valuable, you might also be interested in ”Hospitality Professionals – Is Being an Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right For You?”

During her career, Melissa has worked with Marriott International in various direct sales and leadership roles in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. As a global account manager, she handled the association, corporate and extended-stay markets as a single point of contact for site selection in placing conferences worldwide at all Marriott, Renaissance, and Ritz Carlton Hotels.

While Melissa’s career was going well, there was a point where she was ready for a change: “I wanted to take charge of my own destiny in a changing environment. We are in the business because of relationships we develop. Many times, when reorganization happens, you start over with different territories and need to build new relationships.”

These reorganization periods called for Melissa to establish new relationships which she found frustrating as she worked so hard at establishing the previous relationships; she didn’t want to scrap those and start over again.

Melissa decided that working as an independent meeting planner would allow her to cultivate and strengthen those good relationships she had already established. To make that change, she chose to become an independent meeting planner with ConferenceDirect.

As an independent meeting professional, Melissa provides meeting solutions to her clients such as site selection, contract negotiations, conference management and acts as a liaison to help provide services her clients need (registration, housing, exhibit sales, sponsorship sales and attendee marketing).

When asked why she chose ConferenceDirect, Melisa stated, “I liked ConferenceDirect because it’s a quality organization that places emphasis on hiring people with experience. Not a lot of third party meeting planning companies have an experience requirement.” Melissa was impressed that ConferenceDirect preferred to hire professionals who had worked in the field for a number of years. “I wanted to be affiliated with quality and experienced people, professionals,” she says.

Once she had decided to make the switch, Melissa felt comfortable working with Doug Baarman, whom she had worked with previously through Marriott: “I had experience with him and enjoyed his leadership style and his motivation and passion he shares with the team. He is focused on our success and contributes to the team success.”

Being an independent meeting planner is not for everyone, however. Melissa gives this advice for those thinking about making the transition: “Make sure you have established relationships in the industry already with planners that might be interested in working with you. You cannot just make a cold call and the prospect will start working with you.” Melissa has found that relationships are key to an independent meeting planner’s success. “People want to work with people they trust.”

One of the challenges an independent meeting planner can face is income structure. “If you’ve never worked under a commission-only structure, it can be challenging learning how to manage revenues, managing expenses and flow of revenue until you get established,” Melissa advises. She recommends keeping a nest egg that will help through the building period or seasons that are a little slow. Melissa advises that, “It takes time to ramp up.” It’s not uncommon to work hard for six months before an independent meeting planner starts to see a reliable revenue stream. “You need to work with discipline, being proactive and dedicated.”

For Melissa, her first accounts came from relationships she had already established through her work in the industry. “Not everyone will use you, but some will.” After five years with ConferenceDirect, Melissa’s business has grown, allowing her to hire a coordinator who assists with many of the details of running her business, such as monitoring hotel pickups, sending out RFPs, and arranging site visits.

Melissa says she truly enjoys running her own business. “I have the ability to build it to the level I want, to manage it day in and day out.” But she’s not alone in her endeavor. The ConferenceDirect team is an important aspect. “It’s nice to have a support group,” she confides.

If you would like to know more about becoming an independent meeting planner, download your free report “Take Charge of Your Hospitality Career and YOUR Income”.  Fill out the form to the right for immediate download.