With industry forecasts still calling for intermittent sunny skies and scattered showers, many meeting planners and suppliers are growing cautiously optimistic about the possibility of seeing the clouds clear from the economic horizon after all. As some event planning purse strings begin to loosen, ever so slightly and oh so slowly, recent warnings continue to ring in our ears: let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past.

For groups still feeling the burn from past perceptions of extravagance and over-spending, the goals and objectives of today’s meeting well-being urge not necessarily against spending, but for spending wisely and proving value. And that’s where every event planner can play a part in bringing the industry back to life. Dollars spent at resort locations, for instance, are dollars that impact attendee morale, productivity and longevity - but only if you have the numbers to back up your results.

According to The Business Value of Meetings, a recent report from Meeting Professionals International and Association Insights, the contribution of meetings to business success is “seldom expressed as ROI, with the exception of meetings that exist exclusively to generate sales leads or revenue.” Furthermore, as contributing author Stacey Ruth notes in regard to managing your meeting message, “While ROI analysis has been talked to death in the industry, only a handful of meeting stakeholders can rattle off the facts and figures that prove the business impact their meeting generates.”

Are you one of the few? Maybe you’re convinced your attendees keep coming back for your annual meeting year after year because they love the family friendly fun of a waterpark destination or the action-packed amenities of a casino resort. That’s great news, but how do you know? How can you prove it?

In the Fall 2011 issue of Midwest Meetings, you’ll hear from a variety of planners and suppliers who talk about various ways to do just that. When you prove the value of Midwest meeting venues, you support the venues that supply the value for your meetings. What goes around comes around, and smart professionals are acting now to bring the industry full circle.

Serenity J. Banks is the editor of Midwest Meetings. Want to get in touch? Email Serenity!