© 2006, Educational Institute Chapter 4 Selling the Association Market Convention Management and Service Seventh Edition (478CSB)

© 2006, Educational Institute

Chapter 4 Selling the Association Market

Convention Management and ServiceSeventh Edition

(478CSB)

2© 2006, Educational Institute

Competencies forSelling the Association Market

1. Explain the importance of conventions to associations, and identify factors that association meeting planners consider when making a site selection.

2. Describe the different types of association meetings.

3. Identify characteristics of association meetings that are important for selling to the association market.

(continued)


Competencies forSelling the Association Market

4. Identify who typically decides where to hold an association meeting and those who may influence that decision.

5. Describe the tools salespeople use to locate associations and to find information about the meetings associations hold.

(continued)


The Meetings Market by Total Expenditures

Association-Sponsored Meetings: $77.97 billion (67.8%)

Corporation-Sponsored Meetings: $37.07 billion (32.2%)

Total Direct Spending: $115 Billion


The Meetings Market by Number of Meetings

Corporate Meetings: 81%

Associations' Other Meetings: 18%

Associations' Major Conventions: 1%


The Meetings Market by Attendance

Corporate Meetings: 64%

Associations' Other Meetings: 21%

Associations'Major Conventions: 15%


What Association Meeting Planners Look For

Adequate meeting space (prefer to use only one property)• General sessions• Breakout sessions• Workshops and committee meetings• Food functions

(continued)


What Association Meeting Planners Look For

Enough guestrooms

Adequate exhibit space—Should be close to housing

Attractive location• Convenient for travel• Convenient for doing other business• Resort/recreation location

(continued)


Kinds of Association Meetings

Annual Conventions• Most held with trade shows or exhibits• Usually include general session(s) with breakout

sessions• Usually include food functions• Several hotels may host them

State and Regional Conventions• May be sponsored either by national association or

by state/regional associations

(continued)


Kinds of Association Meetings

Conferences• Supplement the annual convention with a program

on new developments

Seminars/Workshops• For training or continuing education• Usually repeated in several locations

Board and Committee Meetings• Often held in premier properties to reward members

(continued)


Cycle and Pattern

• Regular time cycle (annual, biennial, semiannual)

• Cycle often supplemented by regional conventions

• Usually held in Sunday–Wednesday or Thursday–Sunday pattern

• Most events held in September, October, or April–June


Monthly Meeting Pattern of Associations

Five months with the most conventions:1. October2. May3. April4. June5. September

Five months with highest convention attendance:1. October2. September3. March4. February5. January


Daily Meeting Pattern of Associations

Starting Day of Meeting Percentage of Total Market

Sunday 21.1%

Thursday 17.5%

Friday 16.0%

Wednesday 15.0%

Monday 12.6%

Tuesday 9.5%

Saturday 8.3%


Geographic Restrictions,Lead Time, and Kinds of Sites

Geographic Restrictions• Groups sometimes limited to region or state by

constitution• Interests of program may further narrow location

options

Lead Time• Conventions are usually planned 2 to 5 years in

advance• The larger the convention, the longer the lead time

(continued)


Geographic Restrictions,Lead Time, and Kinds of Sites

Kinds of Sites• Depends on group size, complexity, and

tastes and members’ affluence• Accessibility is important• Site should have a reputation as a vacation

destination

(continued)


Voluntary Attendance,Convention Duration, and Price

Voluntary Attendance• Properties can help promote the event• Promoting spouse attendance means double-occupancy

revenues

Convention Duration• National conventions average 3 to 5 days• Smaller events last 2 to 3 days• Seminars and committee meetings last 1 to 2 days• Auxiliary events before and after conventions• When exhibits are part of convention, convention lasts at

least 3 days

(continued)


Voluntary Attendance,Convention Duration, and Price

Price

• Guestroom rates are the planner’s main price concern

• Align prices to attendee profile

• Past attendance is key to future selections

(continued)


Average Duration of Association Meetings

Duration of Meeting Percentage of Total Market

1 Day 4.4%

2 Days 16.5%

3 Days 36.2%

4 Days 22.6%

5 Days 12.8%

6 Days 4.5%

7 Days 2.0%

8 Days 1.0%


Association Director and Association President/Vice President

Association Director• Screens all suggestions and solicitations• Smaller associations are often serviced by association

management firms• Meeting professionals are often employed by larger

associations• Executive director is a key person for initial screening• Site selection committee often appointed by executive

director• Convention management firms work on a fee or percentage

basis

(continued)


Association Director and Association President/Vice President

President/Vice President

• Mostly involved in the final decision

(continued)


Committee Chair, Board of Directors,and Local Influences

Committee Chair• Sometimes gets involved in initial suggestion/screeningBoard of Directors• Usually have power of approvalLocal Influences• Local chapters often bid for national events• Salespeople can appeal to local members’ civic pride• Hotels often cover expenses for local delegate to present bid to

national board• Emphasize hotel staff’s expertise and desire to execute meeting

properly


Finding Associations

1. Directories

2. Databases

3. Specialized periodicals

4. Hotel records• Function book• Records of groups that did

not return to the property

© 2006, Educational Institute Chapter 4 Selling the Association Market Convention Management and Service Seventh Edition (478CSB)

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