Meeting Planning and Event Planning

There is a lot of buzz surrounding the latest advancements in social media, but if you are like me you are still a bit skeptical.  Will social media actually help you do your job any better or will it simply be one more way you are forced to communicate with your friends and colleagues? Based upon some recent conversations and information I have come across, I am beginning to become a believer in social media and its ability to simplify the way I network and maintain relationships, as well as generate new business for my company.

According to an article published by HSMAI, Sixty-one percent of meeting planners who attended HSMAI's recent Affordable Meetings West Conference & Exposition in San Jose, California "stated that they were engaged on facebook, and 58% were members of LinkedIn. Networking and maintaining relationships were the top benefits cited.  Just 13% said they were using Twitter." 

A colleague of mine just attended the Vocus User Conference and said that social media was integrated throughout every component of the conference.  During the sessions Twitter was blowing up, serving as a way for attendees to silently debate various points without interrupting the speaker's presentation.  Not only did Twitter serve as a useful tool for the  attendees, but it also functioned as automatic press and marketing for Vocus and its conference. 

HSMAI reports that "technology continues to be a top priority in 2009 with 70 percent of planners reporting an increase in technology use" as it relates to marketing and managing their events.  Of the 70 percent, 74 percent felt that technology made their jobs easier. 

It seems that if the jury were to vote, 100% would be in favor of social media.  Not only is social media really taking off, but I believe it is also here to stay.  Its many benefits are already being appreciated and experienced industry wide and as it always is with technology, this is just the beginning of what social media will have to offer us.