Hello friends!

We’re writing this as we recover from a visit to the IMEX 2024 event in Las Vegas. If you're unfamiliar with IMEX, it's one of the largest conferences in the meetings industry. They call themselves "The heartbeat of the global business events community.” The attendees are primarily meeting planners and event organizers: the people who hire you. This year, there were 15,500 attendees from every corner of the globe.

Hot off the press, In no particular order, here they are:

• Small is the new big. Smaller meetings, known by industry experts as micro events, continue strong growth. Simpler internal team meetings, VIP events, and client advisory boards will be among the most common types of meetings as we go forward. These are smaller (< 100 attendees) meetings, often held offsite. That doesn't mean they don't need all the things that larger meetings need, including speakers.
  
  We heard in several meetings about an increasing interest in making human connections at these meetings.
  
  Smart speakers will create content and market for smaller internal meetings (micro events), focusing on interactive sessions and discussions that foster attendee connections. Tailoring content for smaller groups allows speakers to offer more personalized insights, address specific challenges, and have a closer connection with organizers and participants.
  
  
• The economy of meetings is positive. Budgets are up: in 2024, 72% of the surveyed meeting planners expect their meeting spend to increase, compared to 65% in 2023. Even considering that their costs are also up, this is a good sign for meetings. The Events Industry Council (EIC) said this is the first year that the meetings industry is better than it was in 2019 (pre-COVID).
  
  Smart speakers will offer flexibility in negotiations even though budgets are up. Provide creative solutions and customize packages. Continue to add value through personalized content, interactive sessions, and post-event engagement.
  
  
• Get green. Increasingly, events are working to cut greenhouse gas emissions for their events. In one survey, 69% of meeting planners say that sustainability is extremely important to their meetings. 39% of the respondents in that survey said their biggest challenge in meeting their sustainability goals is "Identifying suppliers with [...] relevant sustainable practices".
  
  Smart speakers will show they are a "green" choice in their marketing and proposals. Highlight your choice of carbon-friendly flights, electric car rentals, public transportation use, or other things you do to offset your carbon footprint. This will be a differentiator in your favor.
  
  
• Workforce development and well-being are hot this year in the meetings industry. We heard the Events Industry Council (EIC) report that 75% of meeting planners identified these areas as critical to their upcoming events. As companies prioritize their teams' personal and professional growth, they are increasingly seeking speakers who can offer insights on leadership development, team building, mental health, and work-life balance.
  
  This trend reflects a broader shift towards creating more meaningful, impactful experiences at meetings—ones that equip attendees with new knowledge and the tools to thrive in their careers and personal lives.
  
  Smart speakers will align their expertise in ways that help attendees grow personally and professionally. Your marketing should show that you’ll be helping companies invest in their most important asset: their people.
  

Dave Reed, Joe Heaps and Roxy Synder
eSpeakers.com

Primary sources: presentations from Meeting Professional International Meetings Outlook Fall 2024, American Express 2024 Global Meetings Forecast, and the Convention Industry Council.