It may sound cliché, but in this industry especially, you have to be very careful about not burning any bridges with clients or peers.  The longer you stay in this industry, the more you realize that there is a high retention rate amongst the key players.  Some of them stay in the same organization for years, while others may switch companies or go from a supplier to a buyer.  But just remember that a lot of people in this industry aren’t necessarily in it for the money, they’re here because they have a genuine passion for the industry and their unique skills have allowed them to sustain a successful career.  Each of you can probably think of a handful of competitors that you go up against time and again.  It’s worth asking yourself, how well do I treat those rivals?  Do I avoid them or am I cordial and friendly with them?  If that person turned into a potential client someday, would they trust me enough to call me for help?

A few years ago I was working for a different CVB, and we made the short list for a large youth hockey tournament.  We were bidding against an intra-state rival CVB.  I knew their sports guy pretty well, as we both attended the NASC Symposium for several years, and we were always friendly with each other.   As we met prior to this bid opportunity, we both made a conscious effort to wish each other good luck and offer to help each other out on future bid opportunities.  I was sincere with my words of encouragement and a few years later, I realized that he was too.

Two years later, I accepted a position for Meet Minneapolis and found myself having a lot more venues to sell and was in need of new clients to help fill the funnel.  Then one day, I received a call from that same rival, letting me know that he had recently left the CVB world to start a career as a third party planner for sports groups.  It made perfect sense for him because he had such a vast knowledge of clients that needed housing help.  And best of all, he wanted to work with me to book some business!  Since that day, we’ve booked several groups together with significant room nights.

So when you’re at the NASC Symposium, don’t forget about the value of networking with your peers, even your competitors.  NASC does a really good job of allowing time for you to interact with your fellow attendees.  Try not to get caught up in only talking to “clients” because often times, your peers can provide valuable information that may help you someday.  Plus, you never know when a rival might become one of your best clients!

Matt Meunier
National Account Executive
Meet Minneapolis