| Rotation | | | | Don't make the mistake of meeting in the wrong |
| A smart organization will rotate its annual | | | | destination at the wrong time of year. Find out |
| convention across the map. This strategy not | | | | the average daily high and low temperatures for |
| only allows you to meet in all regions where your | | | | each of the cities you're considering. Also obtain |
| membership is based, but it also benefits | | | | the average number of days with .01" or more of |
| membership growth and recruitment in addition to | | | | rain in the month you're thinking about. This |
| keeping the meeting fresh in terms of climate, | | | | information is available in 40-year averages and is |
| attractions, time zones, and cost of attending. | | | | collected by most airport authorities. If outdoor |
| Member Input | | | | activities aren't on the agenda, however, then |
| Ask your members - both actively attending | | | | weather becomes less of a deciding factor. |
| members as well as those who don't attend often | | | | Competition |
| - where they'd like the convention to be held. | | | | Too often, organizations wear rose-colored |
| They may bring to your attention destinations | | | | glasses and assume that their meeting is the only |
| that you haven't considered. Be sure, however, to | | | | one of its kind that their members will be |
| give more weight to sites recommended by | | | | interested in attending. But that's not always the |
| actively attending members since their attendance | | | | case. If there are organizations in a field similar to |
| is the foundation of your meeting's success. | | | | yours, or you simply have a number of true |
| First Tier vs. Second Tier vs. Third Tier | | | | competitors, take the time to check when and |
| While many organizations will always meet in | | | | where their meetings are scheduled. Sometimes |
| first-tier destinations, many others should be | | | | delegates and exhibitors have to draw the line as |
| looking more closely at second- and third-tier | | | | to how many meetings they can afford or take |
| cities, where they can enjoy being the big fish in | | | | the time to attend in a given year. And if your |
| the pond and receiving added attention. There's an | | | | convention conflicts by date or location with a |
| abundance of great smaller destinations - with | | | | competing convention, you're running the |
| first-rate convention facilities - that might be a | | | | unnecessary risk of losing your attendees and |
| better fit for your organization. However, if your | | | | exhibitors to another event. |
| group has a history of maximizing attendance and | | | | Keep Options Open |
| revenues while convening in first-tier markets, you | | | | Your chances of orchestrating a successful site |
| should probably stay where you can sustain or | | | | selection can usually be improved substantially by |
| continue this growth. | | | | creating competition in the marketplace. |
| Lift | | | | Whenever possible, strive to find two to three |
| If you anticipate an attendance of 10,000, it's | | | | facilities or destinations that you're willing to |
| probably not in your best interest to select a | | | | contract with and that want your business. |
| meeting site whose airport can't handle the large | | | | (Groups often make the mistake of deciding on |
| number of daily arrivals and departures that your | | | | one particular facility or destination and then trying |
| group will need. Simply put, if people can't get | | | | to negotiate.) It's also very important to show |
| there, you're in trouble. Make certain you obtain | | | | date and room block pattern flexibility wherever |
| information on the total number of daily nonstop | | | | possible. |
| flights, seats, and feeder cities prior to finalizing a | | | | As you can see, selecting a meeting site isn't as |
| destination with questionable lift. In addition, be | | | | simple as throwing a dart at a map. But it can be |
| cautious of cities where one carrier dominates the | | | | quite an enjoyable and educational experience. By |
| lift some of these cities can be very expensive to | | | | doing your homework, you will put yourself in the |
| fly into. | | | | best situation to select the destination that will |
| Climate | | | | help give you record attendance, revenues, and |
| Do your delegates expect warm weather? Is high | | | | reviews. |
| humidity a problem? How about rain or snow? | | | | |