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If you cannot read this email, please go to www.cimpa.org/june2005.htm
Newsletters archive at www.cimpa.org/newsletters.htm
In earlier newsletters, we told you that at the joint meeting of CIMPA and the
Asian Leaders Association, we will have small group conversations about issues
that are keeping us awake at night as well as about exciting things we can do
now to increase our business. The format is akin to one that was used by Ancient
Greek craftsmen and the medieval guilds of Europe. In such communities,
apprentices learned from their masters until they were competent enough to work
on their own, eventually becoming masters themselves.
We need volunteers to serve as conversation leaders. Also, please help us by
suggesting topics for conversation. What is it that you had always wanted to
talk to the expert about but did not have a chance? Did you want to hear your
peers' experiences about an issue that keeps you awake at night? Did you ever
think "Is it just me?" No - it's not just you.
We would like to get a global perspective of the challenges you and your
colleagues are facing and how different people are meeting those challenges. Yes
- as always, we will have outstanding motivational speakers at the general
sessions but mainly, this unconference is about sharing and learning from each
other. Please take a moment to complete the brief form at www.cimpa.org/conversations.htm
The main attraction in this unconference are not celebrities - they are people
who are working in the trenches, people who know because they do - and that's
YOU!
Here are some of the topics that may be of interest. More at www.cimpa.org/conversations.htm
GETTING INTO THE EVENTS / MEETING PLANNING BUSINESS
WHERE'S THE MONEY?
NICHE MARKETS & MULTICULTURALISM - Does it sometimes look like the meeting
industry's concept of "diversity" and "multiculturalism" involves exactly the
same premises as racism-that one's ideas are determined by one's race and that
the source of an individual's identity is his ethnic heritage?
ATTRITION WOES
"THE WORLD IS FLAT": WHAT IT MEANS TO THE MEETINGS AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY - This is
a conversation all who want to join a global network of meeting and event
planners should participate in. Please read carefully.
DO YOU HEAR ME NOW? BLOG AND BE HEARD - Are you tired of being ignored by the
industry media? There is a better way to get and distribute up to the minute,
less -biased, more democratic information. We are creating a powerful network of
industry bloggers to join the millions already in the blogosphere. We'll talk
about that in this conversation.
COUNTRY CONVERSATIONS - We need conversation leaders from different destinations
- especially emerging destinations which many planners do not know much about.
Also in this issue: ASIAN ACADEMY HALL OF FAME AWARDS, ATHENA AWARDS at the new
Olympic stadium in Athens
Early Bird registration ends June 15. Remember - The smaller the group, the
better the conversation. So register now before these groups close.
www.cimpa.org/register_print.htm
GETTING INTO THE EVENTS / MEETING PLANNING BUSINESS. Are you new in this
industry but think you have the skills to start your own event/meeting planning
business? Let's talk about how experienced planners got into the business and
how you can do it.. Ask as many questions as you want.
CGMP (Certified Global Meeeting Professional) CERTIFICATION. Are you an
experienced international meeting planner? If you start on your certification
now, you will finish in time for the Awards Ceremony at the Olympic stadium in
Athens - a once in a lifetime experience
WHERE'S THE MONEY? - Did you ever think if you had the money, you could do a lot
of projects and send your business soaring? You're right. Well, we have invited
some people who know where the money is and how you can get access to it. Feel
free to ask as many questions as you wish.
NICHE MARKETS AND MULTICULTURALISM: Did you notice that most Convention and
Visitors Bureaus have multicultural committees? That is because they know there
are huge business opportunities in the Hispanic, Asian, Black and other ethnic
markets. But do they understand what multiculturalism really means? Does it
sometimes feel that the meeting industry's concept of "diversity" and
"multiculturalism" involves exactly the same premises as racism--that one's
ideas are determined by one's race and that the source of an individual's
identity is his ethnic heritage? This is going to be an interesting
conversation.
ATTRITION WOES: Have you ever had to pay thousands of dollars to the hotel
because you did not get as many participants as you expected? How did other
planners avoid or minimize the penalties? Let's talk about real life experiences
here.
"THE WORLD IS FLAT": WHAT IT MEANS TO THE MEETINGS AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY - This is
a conversation all who want to join a global network of meeting and event
planners should participate in. Please read carefully.
In his book, " The World is Flat, Tom Friedman, Pulitzer Prize Winner and author
of "The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization", confirms what
most economists have been saying all along - that the global economic playing
field is being leveled. We are seeing a global, Web-enabled playing field that
allows for collaboration without regard to geography or distance - or even
language. What he really means is that the world is connected.
We already know that we may be talking to Chandra in India when we make our
British Airways reservations or that Armando is giving us tech support from an
AOL call center in the Philippines when we fail to connect in Colorado. There's
a good chance that Dr. Lin in China will read your next chest x-ray taken at
Fairfax Hospital.
When your Toshiba laptop breaks and you call for support, a UPS truck picks it
up from your doorstep and takes it - where? Not to Tokyo. Not even to a Toshiba
office in the USA. It is taken to a UPS repair facility in Atlanta where UPS
employees repair Toshiba laptops.
A 19 year old Stanford student and a 24 year old New Zealander who never met
each other previously and throughout most of their work, collaborated online to
develop Firefox, an award-winning browser that Forbes magazine says is "better
than Microsoft Explorer by leaps and bounds". WHAT? 2 unknowns competing with an
industry giant? Yes - the playing field is level.
Can small companies in various parts of the world collaborate to compete with
established big names in this industry? Can companies in different industries
collaborate to produce innovative services? You bet!
The world has flattened. Anybody can now compete or collaborate with anybody -
no matter where you are in the world. Cheap, ubiquitous communication tools have
finally obliterated all barriers to international cooperation or competition.
The 'flat world' is a level playing field where 'Goliaths' and 'Davids' play
side by side. In this scenario, connected small entrepreneurs are empowered.
What are the implications to our industry?
Does this mean that a small, independent incentive company located in rural
Thailand can compete with a multi-national incentive company in New York? YES!
Does it mean that solo publishers of online newsletters, blogs, e-zines can
compete with powerful media conglomerates and powerful big name magazines in
this industry? YES! (More about this in another conversation). Does it mean that
several small associations can operate a global network as if they are one big
association? ABSOLUTELY!
The playing field is leveled. If you are connected, which we are, you can have
access to any product available on the internet. Relationships can be developed
with the click of a mouse. Size does not matter anymore. Access to knowledge
bases, products and collaboration tools do. We need to grow horizontally (as in
more partnerships) - not vertically (as in corporate hierarchies).
"In the future globalization is going to be increasingly driven by the
individuals who understand the flat world, adapt themselves quickly to the
processes and technologies." We want to talk to people who understand the
connected world and are interested in discussing how more horizontal
partnerships can be developed across cultures. We want to start some
collaborative projects that will expand our businesses.
A collateral effect of globalization is peace in the world. There is the
McDonald's Theory of Conflict Prevention - two countries that have a McDonald's
will never go to war with each other. Why? Not just because they are part of the
supply chain and everybody knows damaging one part of the chain damages the
other. It is because communication and partnerships promote understanding and
friendships.
DO YOU HEAR ME NOW? BLOG AND BE HEARD
We're at a media crossroads. People-powered information is surging, from blogs
to podcasts to videocasts to open-source browsers with a million user-created
plug-ins to open-access academic journals. Information will be free, as never
before.
Blogging is a publishing revolution. An abbreviation of "weblog," blogs are web
sites that take the form of online journals, frequently updated with running
commentary on any number of topics. Blogs have enabled users to easily transform
information into a stream of constantly updated, interlinked "microcontent." The
"blogger"--typically offers readers links to interesting information alongside
his/herer own commentary about the link. For example, if I were to talk about an
unpleasant experience in a hotel in the Caribbean, I could link to other people
who have had the same experience. Because of their simplicity and ease of use,
blogs are proliferating across the Web, and there are now an estimated 6 million
of them.
Blogs democratize the media. They are being used as a new millennium cyber
soapbox. Businesses are using them as a resourceful way to speak to customers
and to find out what customers are thinking. Weblogs are having an incredible
effect on business, politics, and life. It helped elect the US President and was
a force in the withdrawal of a dangerous drug in the market.
It is powerful media because it is connected into what people call the "blogosphere."
Bloggers read one another and link to one another, creating a giant spider web
of connected sites. The blogs are where you find the answer to "What are people
on the Net saying?"
Blogs create buzz. It can affect sales, marketing, donations and non-profit
coffers. "Marketing managers who do not check blogs are sleeping", writes a
Marketing Power blogger.
Traditional news is based on what editors and publishers think is important. Or
what their advertisers think is important. Blogs talk about what the people
think is important.
Consider this: Most meetings and travel magazines are published once a month.
Sure - they have online versions. But those are exactly the same as the
published versions. The articles there were written weeks before the publication
and had to go through several layers of editing. Once published, there is no
opportunity for instant comments. You might send a Letter to the Editor that
might or might not get published 2 or 3 months later. They have advertisers and
potential advertisers (that's almost every supplier) about whom they cannot
write anything negative about; they have limited space that necessarily limits
what they can publish. Furthermore, they have a short shelf life.
Think about it: Have you ever looked at the Calendar of Events in industry
publications? It contains only a fraction of what are actually happening in the
meetings and travel world. They only publish events by the Big 3 or 4 - whoever
they are. Those are not necessarily the best and only events to spend your
dollars in - but for better or for worse, they determine who gets exposure.
Blogs can be written by any organization or individual. They are up to the
minute, contain links to related materials and commentary by readers. If you
want to share a cutting edge idea, you can be on the web within minutes. If
hoteliers want to know what their clients think of their properties, they will
find more current, more honest answers here. It is also in the blogosphere
forever - or until the blogger takes it down.
So - what is this conversation about? We are creating a powerful network of
industry bloggers to join the millions already in the blogosphere. There is a
better way to get and distribute updated, less -biased, more democratic
information. Let's talk about sharing ideas, information, experiences in our own
blogosphere. If you can type, you can blog.
COUNTRY CONVERSATIONS. Let's face it. Many of us have no clue about how to
organize meetings outside our own countries.
Here's what you told us:
"I would attend a conference focusing on international meetings with
sessions for various regions of the world, sub-dividing tracks for profits
vs. non-profits, and then have talks within the tracks on specific
subjects".
"Why would I attend? As the Director of Meetings, I'd like to be prepared
with at least some working knowledge of how to conduct a meeting outside US
borders".
"I would like to see more international collaborations"
"What are local resources, government assistance and/or interference potential,
how is business "done"? What is accepted practice?
"I would like to hear about experiences of other US attendees that have
held meetings in various countries".
"Let's be honest. We attend international meetings to see and enjoy the
country. What's wrong with that? Of course, we want to do business as well.
Making new friends is a good start - isn't it?"
"I think informal meetings are better than formal meetings. But in most
cases, we don't know the people enough to arrange informal meetings. "
Ok - let's get those folks up the Mediterranean Sea and let's have a
conversation. We invite participants from all countries - particularly the
emerging destinations which are just now targeting the meetings and incentives
industry. We need conversation leaders from different countries. Just please hit
reply and talk to me.
Did I say Mediterranean Sea? Yes - that's because these unconference and
conversations will be held on the Louis cruise ship "Perla". We will be sailing
to Mykonos, Santorini, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete and Kusadasi in Turkey, sampling
the delights of these fabulous islands while getting a fresh perspective on the
way we do business.
The conference will kick off with a Gala Awards Night at the magnificent Olymoic
stadium on November 6. Nominations are being accepted for the Asian Academy Hall
of Fame Awards at http://www.asianleaders.org/application.htm and the Athena
Awards. The Athena International Award is presented to an individual who has
achieved the highest degree of professional excellence, has assisted women in
reaching their potential, and whose body of work has had a national or
international impact. For more information, please send me an email.
We start the cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey on Nov 7 and return Nov 11.
There are pre and post conference tours to Rome, Egypt, Ancient Greece and
Cyprus. Info at www.cimpa.org/tours.htm
We have special airfares starting at $410 plus tax nonstop to Athens on Olymoic
Airways. Info at www.cimpa.org/airfare.htm
Early Bird registration ends June 15. Remember - The smaller the group, the
better the conversation. So register now before these groups close.
www.cimpa.org/register_print.htm
Details at www.cimpa.org/itmic2005.htm or hit reply and send me an email. I
would love to have a conversation with you.
We promised to give you an article, white paper or a Tip Sheet with every issue
of this newsletter. In this issue: "Top Ten Negotiationg Tactics Every Meeting
Manager Should Know" by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, Read the article at
http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com/article38.html
Don't Forget: This year's World Quest events will take place in Washington, DC
on July 22, New York City on July 25, and Chicago on July 29. To register, visit
the World Quest web site located at www.hsmaiworldquest.com
See you in Greece.
All the best,
Andrea Sigler, PhD
and the CIMPA / ALA Team
_______________________
Please visit us at our talking websites:
http://www.cimpa.org
http://www.asianleaders.org
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