17 Days and counting

We're well below the three-weeks out mark, and things are getting rather busy around here despite the pending holidays. As a platinum sponsor for the Annual Meeting, it seems my entire year builds up to this one event, and it's sometimes difficult to concentrate on everything else with which I'm involved (like positing on blogs).

I imagine by now that many planners have received invitations to various supplier functions. Since I don't usually go to these, how do you (as planners) like them?

Do they tend to be all the same? Are they more sales or appreciation-driven?

How many invites do you get?

That's my thought pattern for now... what's yours?

Comments

[Phelps Hope]

David,

I plan all the educational sessions and key networking events first. Then I wait until much closer in (say 2 weeks out) to respond to any invitations, as they seem to pour in every day about a month out. I choose the ones that will be of value to me professionally in the future, say a CVB of a destination I am planning a program for, or a vendor that I am needing to build a stronger relationship with to help with cost efficiencies and quality control.

So many parties, so little time!

Cheers,

Phelps R. Hope, CMP
VP Meetings & Expositions
Kellen Meetings,
a division of Kellen Company

[Michelle W. Jones, CMP]

David,

Most of the invitations are for the one open evening at PCMA. Depending on how many invitations I get, and when they begin to arrive, it can be very difficult to decide which to attend. There are typically two kinds of events: receptions and dinners. I have been to both. For Philly, I have not accepted any formal dinner invitations. Instead I have opted for receptions, because it's possible to attend more than one. It's like making a plan to work a trade show. I decide which cities I need to see or want to learn about, and then make my plan based on locations and times. There's only one free night, so it's a challenge to fit it all in. As a planner, I know what it's like to have 'no-shows' so I try not to overextend myself.