'AIBTM Really Stands for Always Innovating Breaking The Mold'

  
Michael J. Lyons is no stranger to the meeting and incentives industry. For 40 years, Lyons has worked for 11 different organizations, getting his start as a meeting planner for a construction company in Philadelphia in 1974 and now, as exhibition director for AIBTM. In that time, he’s seen, firsthand, how the MICE industry has evolved, and in his latest role, he’s eager to promote the value of meetings and incentives, and to prepare the next generation of planners.

We recently sat down with Lyons to discuss his perspectives on the industry, as well as to ask him about the upcoming AIBTM, taking place from June 10-12 in Orlando. Here’s what he had to say:

Lyons: There are hundreds of shows to choose from. I always put myself in the shoes of the buyers and the exhibitors and, at the end of the day, I believe there are a few main components that make AIBTM unique. The first is our hosted-buyer model, which is extremely popular right now, and is a more efficient way of doing business than the old traditional trade show ways. We really know how to bring the right buyers and suppliers who want to do business together to the show. The environment of the show floor is conducive to it. 

We also have other features for buyers to participate in, like the lecture theater that features bite-sized educational sessions, and a new feature we debuted last year — the Refresh Zone. It’s a great place for both buyers and exhibitors to hang out and refresh and sample local foods from the region, get chair massages, have their headshots taken, or even play a quick game of foosball to unwind. It’s an oasis from the busy trade show floor and it got very high ratings last year.

There’s also the Innovation Zone, which helps buyers keep up with all the latest technology and tools that are out there. It’s a place where people can actually see, touch, and sample the latest technologies. It’s almost like the Apple Genius Bar concept.

I also believe that people come to AIBTM for the education component. Ninety-five percent of our sessions are CEU accredited, and we work very closely with IACC, PCMA, Site, and other partners to put together sessions that truly address the needs of all facets of our industry. We have a very broad demographic of approximately 30,000 buyers, from government and corporate to associations. Our education needs to appeal to all of them, and to all of our 750 exhibitors, too. 

Another reason why AIBTM is so crucial for those in our industry is the networking. People want to connect with others. 

Lastly, it’s the overall experience of AIBTM that can’t be replicated anywhere else. I think of my old days as a planner, and I’m always thinking, “How do I create that ‘wow experience? How do people feel? Do they feel like this is really worth their time and investment?” We want AIBTM to be the place for developing good leads/contacts and building relationships, and to educate yourself and be up to speed with the latest innovations.

You know, there are so many options for shows out there and we know that you can’t stand still. We know that we always need to enhance the experience, and make it even better than the year before. I always tell my team that AIBTM really stands for Always Innovating Breaking The Mold. 

Lyons: Our parent company, Reed, has seven shows in the MICE space alone, and we recognize that we are now a true global community. Meeting planners in the U.S. aren’t just doing meetings in the U.S., and organizations are more global too. 

IMEX America started around the same time as AIBTM did. At AIBTM, we have a regional focus. We’re really focused on the Americas and American buyers, although we do have a lot of international presence, too. Eighty-five percent of our buyers are from North America; we have more of an Americas focus and a different exhibitor mix than IMEX America does. Our portfolio lets buyers and exhbitors choose their areas of expertise and interest.

Lyons: We’re in the middle of the planning process for the show and not everything’s been finalized, but what I can tell you is that we’ll have a really unique opening reception this year in Orlando. It’s going to be at Point Orlando, which is right next to the convention center, and we’ll have four different restaurants — Cuba Libre, Tommy Bahama’s, the Pub, and BB King’s — there, each with their own F&B and environments. It’s definitely going to be a departure from the traditional types of events that you have.

And on June 9, we’re having our hosted buyer reception at The Millennia, a nearby mall, where attendees can network but also shop and get to experience a side of Orlando that they may not have experienced before. We’re really hoping to show all new sides of Orlando that our attendees haven’t seen before. 

Site is also having its CIS certification program take place the day before AIBTM officially beings, and the IMMPA is also doing something similar. We’re also working on a new exclusive process that will make it much easier for planners to make sure they receive the credits that they earn by going to our educational sessions. 

We’re very excited about this year.

Lyons: The world is moving very quickly today, and I think we all really need to get back to that human level of interaction. No matter what, we’re always going to want to have trust and contact with other people, and it’s hard to build that trust or those connections via email. There’s real value in bringing people together, to meet, collaborate, and to grow together. Technology is great, but at the end of the day, it’s all about ‘state of the heart’ versus ‘state of the art.’

Lyons: You’ll see a continuation of that theme. All of us are creating our future together and being on site, and able to crowd source and have that collective data is going to help us shape the future of the industry. It’s an opportunity to capture and capitalize on the knowledge base that’s there. There aren’t a whole of details in place just yet [January 2014] but we’ll be making some announcements very soon. Last year was the first time that we had an official theme.

Lyons: Last year, we broke records in all categories for attendance. It was the third year for our show, and we marketed heavily to people who were first-time attendees. Because we’ve expanded our database by almost half, this year when we start marketing it will also increase our numbers as well. The buzz, the word of mouth — all of that visibility and exposure exists now.

This year, our goal is to have a 20-percent increase in the number of hosted buyers from last year and to increase the number of exhibitors by 15 percent. 

Lyons: Technology. Now, there aren’t any more binders. It’s iPads now. How technology has influenced our business — from webinars to apps — is so revolutionary. You’re using technology to manage your meetings now.

The second thing is sustainability. Going green is much more prominent. Now, you go to a show and you don’t see as much bottled water anymore. We as an industry have done a great job of jumping on the “green” bandwagon. We understand that we have a responsibility and an obligation to make sure that we do that because we impact so many people. Collectively, it’s millions of people whom we work with, and our decisions processes affect each and every one of them. We’re committed to AIBTM.

We’re also seeing more industry organizations come together to defend and to promote the value of meetings and incentives. Just look at the newest “Meetings Mean Business 2.0” campaign. Before 2008 and 2009, all of those organizations and associations operated in silos and there wasn’t a real coalition. And today, you see that commitment to that coalition is still here. There’s a collective effort for advocacy and that’s a great thing. 

Lyons: I think it’s the new normal, having to do more with less. The workloads are the same—or more—and there are less people and resources now. We want to provide educational sessions with your peers and people that can help you deal with these new challenges. We want to nurture those kinds of face-to-face exchanges, and help you become more efficient. AIBTM’s sole mission is to create a must-attend event that fills our buyers’ and exhibitors’ needs. 

Lyons: The future is bright. I think future trends are positive, I think the hotel outlook is up, and I think there are better years ahead for incentives, too. Little by little, I think incentives have come back and although budgets have changed the concept and value of those programs is still there and very viable.

We’ll always have a need to get together with people. I like to think that I — and other folks in the MICE industry — are in the business of making people happy. When we bring people together, we’re making people happier.