Association Meetings and the Economy Survey

1. Please share your experiences and strategies

1. If you’ve held an annually scheduled association-sponsored meeting since the financial crisis began in September, or if you are scheduled to hold one before the end of 2008, please check the one box that best describes your attendance in regard to past performance or history. (Otherwise, skip to question 2.)

If you’ve held an annually scheduled association-sponsored meeting since the financial crisis began in September, or if you are scheduled to hold one before the end of 2008, please check the one box that best describes your attendance in regard to past performance or history. (Otherwise, skip to question 2.) Attendance was up significantly (5 percent or more)

Attendance was steady (within 5 percent of historical norm)

Attendance was down significantly (5 percent or more)

2. Do you believe that the recent economic crisis will negatively affect your 2009 annual meeting by any of the following? (Check all that apply.)

Do you believe that the recent economic crisis will negatively affect your 2009 annual meeting by any of the following? (Check all that apply.) Reducing attendance significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Reducing sponsorship revenues significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Reducing exhibit-related revenues significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Cause my organization to shorten the meeting’s duration

Cause my organization to cancel meeting(s)

I don’t anticipate any negative fallout for my 2009 annual meeting

Reason why you anticipate a negative effect:

3. Do you believe that the recent economic crisis will positively affect your 2009 annual meeting by any of the following? (Check all that apply.)

Do you believe that the recent economic crisis will positively affect your 2009 annual meeting by any of the following? (Check all that apply.) Increase attendance significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Increase sponsorship revenues significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Increase exhibit-related revenues significantly (by 5 percent or more)

Reason why you anticipate a positive effect:

4. If you have experienced lower attendance than anticipated at meetings this fall, or if you anticipate a shortfall in 2009 due to the economic downturn, did/will attrition come into play?

If you have experienced lower attendance than anticipated at meetings this fall, or if you anticipate a shortfall in 2009 due to the economic downturn, did/will attrition come into play? Yes, we will have to pay attrition for our fall 2008 meeting(s)

We owed attrition for our fall 2008 meeting(s) but were able to negotiate it down or eliminate it

No, we did not owe attrition for our fall 2008 meeting(s)

Yes, we anticipate facing attrition issues for our 2009 meeting(s)

No, we do not anticipate facing attrition issues for our 2009 meeting(s)

Not applicable: No shortfall occurred/is anticipated

5. If you do anticipate negative fallout for your 2009 meetings, how do you plan to mitigate it?

If you do anticipate negative fallout for your 2009 meetings, how do you plan to mitigate it? Add new revenue streams

Cut services and/or programs we typically offer at the annual meeting

Negotiate lower F&B minimums

Invoke force majeure clause to mitigate attendance shortfall

Increase marketing efforts

Lay off meeting-related staff

Other (please specify)

6. Looking at your meetings overall, which of the following choices are you considering to cut meeting costs?

Looking at your meetings overall, which of the following choices are you considering to cut meeting costs? Eliminate some small meetings

Replace some live meetings with virtual meetings or conference calls

Move some meetings on-site that were previously off-site

Offer some regional meetings instead of national meetings

Change to a more affordable destination/facility

Co-locate with an affiliated organization’s meeting

Do not plan to make any changes to cut costs

Other (please specify)

7. What strategies do you plan to put into play to build new revenue streams and/or increase attendance at your 2009 meeting(s)?

What strategies do you plan to put into play to build new revenue streams and/or increase attendance at your 2009 meeting(s)?

8. If you are willing to be interviewed for an article about the effect of the economy on meetings in late 2008 and 2009, please leave your contact information below.

If you are willing to be interviewed for an article about the effect of the economy on meetings in late 2008 and 2009, please leave your contact information below.

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1. Please share your experiences and strategies

Association Meetings and the Economy
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