MPI FutureWatch 2008 Report Out

If you're a stats & numbers sort of person (odds are, if you are reading this, you are required to be) you will enjoy this report. http://www.mpiweb.org/CMS/uploadedFiles/Mortar/FutureWatch%202008%20Report.pdf It's tough for me to read this type of report on a pdf so (sorry green people, I did however recycle the paper) I had to print it out and read it that way.

There is one fundamental flaw that keeps bugging me about this report. MPI is a great organization, don't get me wrong. I am a member. So are my colleagues, competitors, suppliers AND customers... a pretty diverse mix. So, the actual percentage of the participants in the polls that are ACTUAL END-USER PLANNERS can't be (by my best estimate) more than 30% . Which means 70% of the data is flawed. I filled out this survey and I don't plan meetings per se. But most of the people who filled out this survey (myself included) are very interested in seeing the meetings industry flourish, thus bringing my to me original point: 70% of the data is from people with an overly "sunny" disposition regarding the industry.

That being said, there are some really great points in the report. While almost all planners are being asked to make the filet mignon dinner from sandwich and potato chip budget, one thing is for certain, there are more picnics in the plans.