FICP Education Forum 2023

Each year I have the honor of attending the FICP Education Forum to represent the Access brand.  I love attending the Forum because it’s an intimate group of professionals, inspiring speakers, relevant education and they always showcase an incredible destination.

This year the conference was in Amelia Island.  I was especially excited because it’s one of the destinations we service.  It was great to get the planners’ experience and perception of the city firsthand.

I’ve been attending the FICP Education Forum since 2009 and have made great relationships with both clients and hoteliers. I was fortunate to support last year by hosting the off-property event at Paramount Studios (and… Action!) and this year by speaking on a panel with industry colleagues. It’s always a pleasure to be involved and to have the opportunity to share my experience after being in the industry now for 27 years (I started young, very young).

In the session that I cohosted with Meg D'Angelo of Lincoln Financial Group, we discussed the importance of managing stakeholders' expectations, what their needs are and how to communicate with them effectively. I also shared some tips on how to use your supplier partners to arm you with the information you need to make informed decisions.

With today’s ever-changing times, it’s important to know how to make yourself a priority for stakeholders. Our industry is moving at lightning speed and if you don’t act fast, you could lose a prime negotiated contract with your preferred hotels and venues. We never send a proposal without a conversation and a budget. We can’t surpass expectations if we don’t have quality conversations around goals and how to accomplish them. Qualifying our time, labor and resources

We support our clients in making these decisions by understanding program needs and how their stakeholders need to process information.  We provide stats/details on value-add opportunities, and reiterate what is at stake if it’s not signed, such as cancellation details. Planners need to walk in fully armed with all the details to get decisions made and your DMC can be a resource.  We have invested in technology to use to your advantage, such as budgetary comparisons, video calls, virtual sites and renderings, which all help stakeholders save time and make a decision.  Lean on us, we got you!

Managing stakeholder expectations can be tough. But I'm here to tell you that you and your DMC partner can work together and you’ll be armed with the tools you need to get the job done.  As a summary of our session, we want you to take away three important tips:

1. Know how your stakeholder needs to be communicated to. What is their communication style?  Do they prefer the big picture, all the small details, are they into numbers, do they need to talk things through?  What is their level of experience?

2. Use your supplier partners to arm you with precise information to make an informed decision. If there are any challenges or risks, be transparent.  Honesty and being a valuable resource will show partnership and build trust. Let the stakeholder know what is at risk both personally and professionally in making this decision.

3. Be confident. Don't be afraid to position yourself as an expert, that’s why they hired you!