In a mixed economy and a tough year for the industry, the International Special Events Society's Eventworld conference came to Baltimore last week, bringing together nearly 500 ISES members from around the world for three days of seminars and training. As one might expect, the state of the industry was a hot topic and crept into many conversations and presentations. Although business is picking up for many, it hasn’t come back to the heights of the glory days before September 11, 2001, which has left many in the industry asking when business will bounce back.
Several industry veterans tackled this question during a panel on Saturday. Dianne Devitt, president of the Riverdale, New York-based DND Group and a veteran of the industry's highs and lows over the past 25 years, was quick to say that business was back, but not like people may expect. “This industry, like many others, has changed, and with that change comes the time to redefine expectations,” Devitt said.
Fellow panelist Sally Webb agreed. “The industry has changed beyond recognition, and we are no longer just party planners or event managers, but we are in the business of delivering messages, and companies will always have a need for that,” said Webb, C.E.O. and managing director of the Special Event Company, based in Durham, North Carolina.
Just because you aren’t always reading about large events doesn’t mean they aren’t happening. Nearly every member of the panel highlighted the changing attitude toward press coverage, as corporate hosts still don’t want to look frivolous when it comes to their finances. This has made marketing slightly more difficult for planning firms and vendors looking to promote their services.
But with the tougher business environment, many veterans are taking time to focus on the positive outcomes. Webb noted that some relationships between clients and vendors are strengthened as the client, who in many cases has less money to work with, is looking to be educated. “We have never been a more valuable asset to clients when it comes to helping them craft their message through an event,” Webb said.
Presenter Allin Foulkrod, president of Raleigh-based Creative Visions, has seen relationships grow stronger with his clients as well as within the industry. “I think the industry overall has matured, and many people are seeing that the way we got through this was by coming together,” Foulkrod said. “Partnerships are being rethought, and over and over again I see planners and companies that may have never worked together before coming together to find ways they can help each other out.” What's more, he said, “I think this bonding will strengthen our industry and help us get through the lean years no different than other industries that have rebounded through their own downturns and seen success down the road.”
