Buyers who attended AIME
2009, Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo, have confirmed what many in the meetings and incentive industry know intuitively and what recent surveys have shown: nothing beats face-to-face business meetings.
Dr Yvonne Luxford , Manager, Policy and Advocacy, Royal Australasian College of Physicians said that AIME was incredibly helpful, even though her workplace uses a PCO for conference organisation.
"I think that I learnt more at AIME in 2 days than in years of experience on conference organising committees," Dr Luxford said.
"I love the Internet and tend to conduct all my research online. However, I learnt things at AIME through chatting with people that you simply don't get on a website. These are the kinds of things that only come up in conversation as you meander between subjects. It also allows you to ask questions specific to the needs of your group, and get targeted responses, rather than wading through material that is not relevant. This allows the operators to be flexible in what they can offer you - a service that you simply can't get on a website or in a brochure," she said.
Dorina Martelli, Retail Conference & Events Manager, Bankwest Retail agrees, and says face-to-face contact ensures you find exactly what you are looking for with minimal fuss.
"AIME is the best event you could hope to attend. It beats having to search for information, as it's all there under the one roof and at your fingertips. I find the networking opportunities are one of the best parts of AIME - there are so many opportunities to meet and connect with people in the industry. The better I know someone the more inclined I am to do business with them or others that they recommend," Ms Martelli said.
"It's amazing how many suppliers I have met at networking functions who have put me in touch with other suppliers that I am now doing business with, even though I didn't need their services two years ago. Connecting with people is really achievable at AIME, you just need to grab this opportunity."
Both Dr Luxford and Ms Martelli attended AIME 2009 as part of the event's Hosted Buyer Program. Their comments reflect the findings of recent surveys such as the Harvard Business Review study of 2,300 business leaders in the United States, Europe and Asia, released in September 2009. This study confirmed that face-to-face meetings remain essential to doing business and are preferred by executives over teleconferencing or other alternatives.
Harvard Business Review research editor, Angela Herrin said: "Our survey revealed that what most businesspeople really want is solid human connections. Technology serves as an effective supplement, but face-to face communication is the broadest bandwidth communication you can have in professional life, helping to cement long-term relationships and drive business growth."
AIME's Hosted Buyer Program for 2010 is now open and applications can be made on the AIME website: www.aime.com.au
AIME is the premier event in the Asia Pacific for people who organise meetings, conferences, incentives or special events. It attracts more than 850 exhibitors from 50 countries each year and around 3,500 visitors. AIME 2010 is at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, 2-3 March.
And some final tips from last year's buyers.
"I have two main thoughts for first timers at AIME," says Dr Luxford. "Start each meeting with an honest run down of what your organisation's needs are - this will help the vendor understand what products are best suited to you and then you can get down to useful discussion. The second word of advice is to look carefully at your schedule and ensure that it is realistic."
Ms Martelli says: "Enjoy every moment of AIME, work hard, do your research to get the most out of your pre-scheduled appointments. By grabbing this opportunity with both hands, your future events will be an outstanding success. Make the most of what's going to be a great week and don't forget to have some FUN along the way."
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