Global Event Planning Business Plan

GlobeSpan Meeting Planners does worldwide hotel/resort searches, and provides recommendations for those which best match the client specifications free to the client, as GlobeSpan is compensated by the hotel/resort. Additionally, GlobeSpan refers clients to Resource One to provide in-depth meeting planning, production, airline, and cruise assistance.

4.1 Service Description

GlobeSpan plans to provide two basic services to its clients:

1. Site Searches: GlobeSpan, at no cost to the client, offers expert site selections. First, the client’s specific meeting criteria, budget guidelines and date availability needs are ascertained. Then, a selection of sites, based on the owners’ own expertise, is searched for date availability and meeting space needs. Finally, the appropriate hotels/resorts, based on the responses given, are recommended to the client for the program. The selected site is then contracted and a commission is paid by the hotel/resort.

2. Other Services: GlobeSpan will take advantage of the strategic alliance with HelmsBriscoe’s Resource One and have available all of the resources of a large meeting company. GlobeSpan will recommend airline and cruise bookings, management of hotel room blocks, and full-service meeting production. GlobeSpan will be compensated by HelmsBriscoe by commission on a per program basis.

4.2 Competitive Comparison

There are three categories of competitors, all of which have distinct weaknesses compared to GlobeSpan Meeting Planners:

1. First, competition comes in the form of incentive/meeting houses such as B.I., Maritz, and McGettigans. These companies provide a full array of services to the client but are so large that the clients are just numbers to them. GlobeSpan has the advantage of offering full service to the client through the alliance with HelmsBricoe’s Resource One as well as the ability to provide personalized service like a small company.

2. The second type of competitor is the resort representation firm, such as Associated Luxury Hotels and Thomas Silliman. These companies only do site searches for the client and are on retainer with only a few resorts/hotels, some of which may not fit the client’s needs. The advantage of GlobeSpan is to offer both site selection and full event planning service to the client through the alliance with HelmsBricoe’s Resource One. We will also have the distinct advantage of being able to book any hotel/resort worldwide which best fits the clients needs.

3. Small “mom and pop” competitors, which are solely owned and operated by one individual, offer site searches to the client. GlobeSpan has the advantage over this type of company by offering a more professional service to the client and the buying/full-service power of the HelmsBriscoe alliance.

4.3 Sales Literature

As part of the benefits of the alliance with HelmsBriscoe, a full-color brochure describing the business with client testimonials, as well as a four-1/2 page color insert describing the features and benefits of the site selection service will be provided by HelmsBriscoe to GlobeSpan. Additionally, four inserts, each four-1/2 page color, describing Resource One, Housing Solutions, Cruises, and Air Partner, will be provided by HelmsBriscoe to GlobeSpan.

Letterhead, with our logo is also provided by HelmsBriscoe, will be used to send customer-specific sales letters and tailored proposals. Shell sales letters and client proposals will be established. Request for proposal letters with an area for hotels/resorts to acknowledge payment of commission will also be established.

Online “brochures” will be created to email to clients. A regular monthly newsletter will be created to email to clients as a reminder of services offered.

All collateral pieces will convey the features, benefits, value, service, and professionalism of GlobeSpan Meeting Planners.

4.4 Fulfillment

We will fulfill the clients’ needs by dividing tasks based on the area of expertise of each owner.

First, by providing professional salesmanship, customer service and follow-up based on the specific needs of the client.

Second, by providing detailed, knowledgeable interaction with the hotels/resort to match them with client needs, as well as understanding and recommending additional services such as air, cruise, production, room block management, etc.

4.5 Technology

Technology is essential to today’s meeting planner. GlobeSpan Meeting Planners will stay on the cutting edge of technology.

1. Hardware. To include high speed, updated IBM-compatible hardware with modem access, combination color printer/fax/copier/scanner, and updated telephone with caller ID.

2. Software. To include Windows 98 with Prodigy and CompuServe Internet access, Microsoft Works for Windows and Adobe Acrobat Reader to be used to access email and send email information/newsletters (draft letters/proposals), and receive information from clients, respectively. Act! 4.0 will also be used as a client database/trace system.

3. Internet Technology. The creation of a website to outline services to clients, access to hotel/resort online database provided by HelmsBriscoe, hotel/resort “hotrates/hotdates” website to access discounted rates posted by “partner” hotels, HelmsBriscoe “intranet” which allows GlobeSpan to communicate with other meeting planners within the HelmsBriscoe alliance.

4. Other Technology. Utilizing communication advantages such as Caller ID, call forwarding from office telephones to cellular telephones to ensure every call is answered, and a message system which allows callers who receive a message to page an owner for an immediate response. Additionally, the two home offices will be linked to ensure both calls and the database can be accessed in both places.

4.6 Future Services

Future plans for expansion have been discussed, and include the marketing of materials/books to meeting planners on the “how to’s” of event planning and selling those materials, both online and by offering “seminars” to promote the information.

Also, in the future, GlobeSpan may offer on-site lead conference management either alone or in conjunction with Resource One.