Alana Hirtle knows every industry is going through changes due to the economic downturn, but as the director of the Atlantic Canadian chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), she doesn’t think meetings and conventions should be compromised. “A well-developed program for a retreat is the best way to motivate and inspire people,” she insists.

Hirtle is also the certified meeting planner at White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool, N.S., and relies on companies treating their staff well to survive; after all, corporate conferences and retreats comprise 55% of her business. So if a recessionary economy—or a popular presidential candidate’s comments—start clouding corporate decisions, Hirtle’s industry is in danger of becoming extinct. But she’s not planning to let that happen, already having come up with ways to keep the meetings and conventions industry alive and well during penny-pinching times.

Homeward bound
The problem: Since companies want to lower travel costs by booking meetings and conferences in their immediate areas, planners may lose existing clientele.
The solution: Get innovative in marketing efforts to target new companies. Hirtle needs to focus advertising on smaller regional companies after losing regular American clients.

Technology boom
The problem: Companies aren’t willing to send employees to faraway meetings  and need other means of sharing content.
The solution: Live streaming, podcasts, and webinars will become an essential way of sharing information. Hirtle says at this year’s Meet Different conference, MPI will stream the opening general session on the Internet to keep virtual watchers in the loop.

Bang for your buck
The problem: Companies are reluctant to spend money on meetings and conferences.
The solution: Prove to companies their money is being well spent by giving them more value for their dollar. Rather than dropping prices, says Hirtle, she plans to do more for the same price, such as providing a bus to pick up clients from the airport so they don’t have to rent cars and offering light refreshments on the ride to White Point.

Cold feet
The problem: Companies that booked meetings and conferences before the economic downturn will cancel their events at the last minute.
The solution: Seek new clientele. Event planners need to branch out and target new companies. A survey by MPI showed that event attendance in the past six months has decreased by almost 10% from last year. The holiday season was rough for event planners, says Hirtle, with many companies with American head offices pulling the budget on Christmas parties. As a result, attracting new clients is more essential than ever.

Silver lining
The good news: Despite economic cutbacks in the industry, the green movement will get even greener.
The reason: The environment will reap the benefits of companies cutting back, says Hirtle. Planners will do such things as save handouts to flash drives instead of using paper, and companies will opt for getting information from the web rather than travelling to a conference. — Angelina Chapin