Interview with Laura C. Bohannon, CMP, Bohannon & Associates, Inc. Gardnerville, NV

Laura C. Bohannon is a Certified Meeting Professional with 25 years of experience in the hospitality and convention industry. She began her hotel career as a sales manager, rapidly progressing to become a regional sales manager for Courtyard by Marriott Hotels in Dallas. In 1994 she started her own company offering consulting, site selection and contract negotiation services. The company quickly evolved into a full-service meeting planning agency serving major corporations, state and national associations and universities. She is a past president of MPI, Sacramento/Sierra Nevada Chapter, and was named Meeting Planner of the Year in 2003.

Q: What type of events and meetings does your company plan?

A: We book all types of meetings and conventions, from insurance incentive programs to medical education symposiums. We participate in conferences that range from 15 people to 4,000. My specialty is negotiations—as a former hotelier, I know where hotels can bend and where they cannot.

Q: What are the biggest challenges that lie ahead this year for the meetings industry?

A: We are closing in on a conference right now that has had more than 10 percent cancellations occur in the last 45 days, which is unusually high as a percentage. I believe that the economy is affecting travel decisions even for important functions such as medical conferences. I think that the increased cost of gas and food will start to show up in our food function costs, which means that registration costs will have to increase as well. On the flip side, I think hotels are going to start decreasing their rates or offering more incentives to get new business. I believe we are going to see a turn back to a buyers’ market in this next year.  

Q: How do you see the job of the meetings professional changing?

A: We can’t just be good at running meetings anymore. Professional planners have to be better at marketing themselves! We need to be a “jack of all trades.” I’ve learned to quote the job, then hire the talent for the things/services that I cannot do.

Q: What attracted you to the meetings industry?

A: I was a hotel salesperson first and became a meeting planner after my family needs changed and I needed more independence.

Q: What do you wish someone had told you early in your career?

A:  I wish that someone would have really stressed the importance of technology to me five years ago. I know the basics alright, but could be more productive if I had the ability to manipulate a website.

Q: What's the best tip you could share with other planners?

A: First of all, get involved in MPI and be a sponge. The talent and knowledge base is huge and we all learn from each other. Secondly, be fair and be kind to your suppliers. Meeting planners have a lot of pressure on them—I have seen some stressed-out planners be abrupt and play the proverbial “power card” with the hotel sales and convention staff. You know, you get back what you give out in this business. Do you want the hotel staff to roll out the red carpet when you arrive with all of your attendees right behind you? Or do you want them to constantly hide from you when you most need them, because you are difficult to work with? You set the stage! Always be kind and fair when you are negotiating and planning the program with the staff.

Q: What new technology do
you use?

A: I just started using some of the tools that APEX offers. I was able to download an ESG or Event Specification Guide, template off of our local MPI chapter website. I took what I wanted off their format and used it to communicate my convention needs for our [company’s] next meeting. By using their form, which is now the industry standard, I had the benefit of knowing that I was not going to forget anything critical.

Q: What’s your favorite timesaver or professional tool?

A:: I love using online registration systems, like WebRegPro. I’m learning how to maximize their services to fit my needs and to simplify our planning processes.  

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love traveling to beautiful and exciting places and then being the “welcome ambassador” for the attendees. It is so easy to be friendly and nice to the weary travelers who are your attendees.  Hotels know that a critical component of guest satisfaction is the front desk staff; they are the first impression in their guests’ experience. But so are we, as planners! I believe we have to go that extra mile, even when we’re weary, to welcome our attendees to our meetings/events. It’s an amazingly simple thing that is often overlooked by harried planners who have lost their perspective of service. C.K.