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Advisory Councils Help Guide Bureau Strategies

Originally published in PCMA's CONVENE Magazine in 2003

How do you keep your finger on the pulse of an industry that's constantly changing, such as the association meetings industry? Many successful convention bureaus have made it simple they just ask those closest to the industry what they need and what they recommend.

In the late 1990s, bureaus across the country began realizing that closer, more regular communication with their clients and partners could help them stay focused on the most pressing needs of customers and align their own strategies with those of the organizations they serve. In many cities, formal advisory boards were created to facilitate this process of communication.

"When we formed our advisory board in 1996, our city was going through lots of changes, especially with the expansion of our convention center and the delays that were involved," said Christine Shimasaki, executive vice president of sales at the San Diego Convention & Visitor Bureau. Developing an advisory board allowed this bureau to hear suggestions from customers themselves about how to handle the uncertainty involved with the expansion.

"We've been working with advisory boards for seven years now, and it's been extremely successful," Shimasaki said. "When we don't know what to do about a particular issue, we ask them rather than guess. And they help us spend our dollars wisely. For example, we asked them whether we should host major client evening events during industry shows, and their advice was, 'No.' They suggested other ways San Diego could differentiate itself, which were more cost-effective."

Gauging the reaction of the advisory board is an essential component of the decision-making process in other cities as well.

"We try to constantly review the programs we have and the programs we'd like to implement," said Deborah Sexton, president of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. "Our customer advisory board is always involved in helping us make sure that what we're doing is still needed. When budgets are tight, we have to prioritize, and our customer advisory board helps us by talking about their hot buttons so we know where our help is needed most."

In Richmond, another type of advisory board, this one made up of industry partners, helps the CVB make decisions and expand its roster of contacts.

"Six years ago we developed a committee of our major convention hotels and facilities to assist in the marketing efforts of the CVB," said Cleo Battle, vice president of convention sales at the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Since then the group has become an advocate to other hotels and facilities when community-wide resources are needed for meetings and conventions, and the group also serves as an advisor to help us determine which meeting functions we will fund."