THEPLANNER.be is a marketing & communication agency based in Belgium and specialised in marketing and promoting destinations, destination management companies, hotels and conference centers. Online and offline.
Last Friday, THEPLANNER.be launched a market research towards Belgian corporates, associations & Brussels based agencies focussed on a topic we all care about: "How do decision makers prefer to be informed on conference destinations, hotels, meeting venues, incentive ideas,... etc."
Up to now, hundreds of companies have already taken part in this e-survey and these decision-makers have given their views on a wide spectrum of communication media: e-mailings, digital newsletters, websites, social media, video, postal mailings, trade magazines, conference brochures, workshops, seminars, sales visits from MICE suppliers to their office, trade shows, lunch/dinner events, etc.
The first tendencies are already clear - we expect some more respondents, but generally this does not effect the overall figures very much anymore. A very brief first conclusion.
Only half or less of the respondents rate offline sources as a major tool for planning.
- The official meeting guides and direct brochure of the venue of the hotel are number one offline sources, followed by trade publications.
3 out of 4 of the respondents rate online sources as a major tool for planning.
- Again, it is the direct sources that are considered most valuable: your own website should be top-notch!
Maximum 1 out of 4 of the respondents rate online sources a major tool for planning.
- Out of all social media options, it is only video that can grab the planners' attention (which we have already noticed as well - video is the most clicked element if incorporated in our mailings).
50-75% of all respondents rate professional events as a major tool for planning.
- Preferably multi-supplier/destination workshops that last up to maximum 3 hours, on a Thursday or Friday, in the late evening. Modest food requirements, a quick presentation of ideas is highly appreciated.
So, that's all for this blog - the in-depth details are for sponsors & buyers of the result only!
In the next few weeks, we will also do a follow-up via telephone as a supplement to the e-survey (open questions, extra personal findings). All results will be ready by the second half of September, again for sponsors & buyers of the result only!
>> If you would be interested in buying the results, please do not hesitate to send an e-mail to info@theplanner.be.