Posts Tagged ‘incentive meetings’
Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Last week I explored major changes ahead for the incentive industry. Here’s another study to back that up: The Incentive Research Foundation’s newest Pulse Survey. Key finding: although positive vibes are on the rise, the budgets aren’t. Reason: buyers still feel stung by the “extravagant” label. Therefore, this will continue to be bad news for any speaker in the general motivation market (i.e., the sports figures, those with compelling stories) who don’t have a heavy dose of substance.
Another thing to watch out for: this study reports that almost half of the respondents believe their involvement in incentives will decline as more procurement departments take over. Prediction: buyers for agenda and speakers will move up the food chain. No one wants to be blamed for a low-fee speaker who bombed.
Tags: events, incentive meetings, meetings, positioning, speakers, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, strategy | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
Yet another sign that the recession is bouncing back: industry giant Nationwide Insurance has reinstated their incentive meetings for 2010. Both trips were canceled this year due to the AIG effect. These are not junkets though — the agenda includes two half-days of education and business meetings. This rebound is great news for experts — educational content will be around for a while. Still won’t help expensive entertainment and celebrity speakers — they remain on the list of “too spendy” bells and whistles. Prediction: the idea of using top execs as motivational speakers will not last long.
Also look for closer to home locales (read: not extravagant) and efforts to give back to the communities they visit (read: great opportunity for cause marketing and sponsorship folks).
And Nationwide is not alone. Industry insiders report that the incentive cancelations have stopped. For now, 2010 is looking good for these lucrative meetings. Bottom line: recognition is back, but is retooled for a new financial reality.
Tags: branding, education, experts, incentive meetings, Marketing, Speaking, Sponsorship, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, Sponsorship, branding, strategy | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Well, 2009 is half over. Whew! Crystal balls are now turning to 2010. Two words: cautiously optimistic. Exhibit A: LIMRA’s survey on 2010 meetings in the insurance industry.
According to the life insurance industry association, only five respondents out of 57 have canceled 2010 incentive meetings. The rest are holding their breath and working now on restricted budgets. One popular idea: leverage travel expenses by adding extra days of luxury to an already attended conference. Bottom line: top producers will be rewarded for success in a stressful environment. And those rewards will be balanced against a reduced budget.
Tags: 2010, incentive meetings, Marketing, meetings, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
Posted in Marketing, strategy | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Unless you’ve just splashed down from your trip to the moon, you’ve already heard about the meeting industry’s fight against the public’s (and Corporate America’s) perception of unnecessary lavishness. The good news: watch for a ream of research to promote the value of incentive meetings and customer events. This stuff is always valuable in making your business case. And many times, you can get it for free.
The interesting news: the crackdown on getting full return on investment will not go away soon. Watch for new complicated formulas to emerge. Get clear on your contribution and the value it adds. The more specific towards behavior change, the better.
Tags: incentive meetings, meetings, research, ROI, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, strategy | No Comments »
