Q. From what you’ve observed, is confidence returning?

A. It is returning—slowly, but definitely—in the medical device sector, although there’s also some hesitancy. In tough economic times, we have to make sure we can improve the value of programs. We need to make sure all marketing programs in the budget are linked to revenue generation.

Q. Early this year there were numerous cancellations and postponements as the public perception of meetings turned negative. How has this perception affected your company more recently?

A. It’s having an effect. The fourth quarter of 2008 was probably one of the most challenging times for business. As companies put together budgets for 2009, they had to look closely at where they were spending money. We’ve seen a significant decrease in attendance at all major conferences we’ve attended. It’s changing the way we look at conferences for the rest of the year. We used to spend a lot at major medical conferences; now we’re putting that money into peer-to-peer events, staging educational events that are solely focused on our products or services. That has produced significant ROI.

Q. What’s different in what your company is looking for when it plans a meeting for 2010 and beyond?

A. We took a close look at the impact canceled meetings in our industry had on our business. When we scaled back and then looked at the numbers, we could see a significant change in the number of sales generated. The spending correlated directly with the amount of money spent in the field. We cut back because of the economy and the need to cut expenses, but we had to look at the sales losses that brought. We truly believe that when economic times are tough you have to rely on relationships to carry you through. That’s the most important reason we do educational meetings.

Q. How are negotiations different than they were a year ago?

A. It’s definitely a buyer’s market. The marketing team is finding it a lot easier to negotiate the prices and concessions we expect versus what we experienced in years past. Hotels and venues realize times are tough for everyone, and they’re starting to build relationships on the corporate side. They know we’ll have more money to spend when the economy turns around. That’s a key thing going into any negotiation. Now the vendors are working hard on the relationships right through billing at the end of the events.

Q. Are you seeking more regional meeting destinations to save time and travel dollars?

A. We’re taking a close look at keeping meetings at locations that are accessible, convenient, and nice, but not over-the-top. Perception is everything with our customer base. If there’s a perception that we have a lot of money, customers think our prices should be lower.

Q. Do you expect to see more social or incentive events come back into play in 2010?

A. I think they’ll come back, but slowly and in a different form. For instance, we combined two national sales meetings with incentives. They’ll have the awards banquets and other incentive portions, but we’re consolidating to maximize the money already being spent on the national meeting.

Q. Do you have a demand for corporate social responsibility, green meetings, or charitable programs?

A. Relationship-building programs are invaluable. There’s a need for those. But how they can be done effectively is the question. Green meetings give people the perception that they’re trying to do something. They make us feel good, but are they having an impact? When you walk into the meeting, nothing is different in the way it’s being conducted.

Q. How does the number of meetings you’ll stage in 2010 compare to this year?

A. We’re investing more money for the third and fourth quarter this year and for next year. We’re also looking at a five-year plan to increase meetings. Fifty percent of our marketing budget is going to peer-to-peer education meetings. We realize we have to bring people together, educate them, and make them advocates of our products, not just users. Peer-to-peer events make companies successful.

Q. Do you plan to implement any new meeting-related technology in the next year?

A. I’ve been investigating online meeting companies, solutions, and tools. But I haven’t found any that will achieve our standards for peer-to-peer meetings. We’ll educate new users through Webcasts and virtual meetings. But you can’t build a relationship with a holographic speaker. It has to be community-building and something that will make people say, “Wow—this company invests in me.”