May Update

Market YOUR Place at Marketplace

The Marketplace Advisory Committee met in Nashville in April with the goal of keeping Marketplace the premiere show in the industry. After reviewing the success of Marketplace 2005, the Committee approved several modifications for Marketplace 2006 to ensure Marketplace remains One Hot Ticket!

Plan to take your journey to Nashville so YOUR business can be Center Stage.

Marketplace Microphone: Your Chance to Keep Marketplace Delegate-driven

In reviewing all of the tools of Marketplace we came across the Who’s Who at Marketplace: The Directory of Participants. The Directory of Participants has traditionally been printed and given to all registered delegates at Marketplace, but has the time come for a change? The printed directory does not contain any record of additions, cancellations or name changes past the beginning of January. Suggestions for changes:

  • Provide disk of the Directory to all registered delegates at Marketplace.
    • Still would not contain all additions, cancellations or name changes.
  • Provide disk of the Directory to all registered delegates after Marketplace.
    • Would not have printed access at Marketplace, would need to use Message Center to view information on-site.
  • Allow access to the participant list for the entire year so any name changes; contact information would be up-to-date and accurate.
    • If printed copy were desired, each individual profile would have to be printed separately.

We want to provide you with useful tools, so let us know your thoughts. How to you use the Directory of Participants? What is your suggestion to make it a more useful tool? E-mail us at meetingsdept@buses.org by May 31, 2005.

Marketplace Tool: A Resource to Make Your Marketplace Experience

The Marketplace website is currently being updated with Marketplace 2006 information. Check out the newest information at www.buses.org/marketplace.

Southern Hospitality: Marketplace General Information

Important Dates:

July 15: Registration Materials Available

August 3: Marketplace Passport On-Line

October 1: Research Database On-Line/Buyer Early Bird Deadline

October 24: Appointment Requests On-Line/Deadline for Refunds

January 9: Appointment Requests Due

January 13: Appointments Scheduled/ Manual Appointment Scheduling Available

January 30: Manual Scheduling Closed

February 3: Marketplace Begins/Manual Appointment Scheduling Available

February 8: Marketplace Concludes/Business Follow Up Begins

Quality Appointments: Lodging and Attractions Appointment Sessions Change

Lodging appointment sessions will be Monday morning and Wednesday morning.

Attractions appointment sessions will be Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon. (Delegate will have appointments in two of the three appointment sessions.)

This change will allow all delegates to experience more than their quality appointments; they will have more access to professional education and limitless networking at Marketplace.

Limitless Networking: Mating and Networking Sessions Amended

The Marketplace Advisory Committee approved a revision of the schedule to make Mating and Networking sessions 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes. This will allow for extra time between meal functions and appointment sessions as requested by many delegates. The purpose of the Mating and Networking session remains the same; it is an opportunity for a brief introduction or to reconnect with a current customer.

Limitless Networking: Nashville Fun Facts

Did you know...the President Theodore Roosevelt coined the phrase "good to the last drop," words that became a national slogan, after sipping coffee at Maxwell House Hotel. The coffee was a local product of the Cheek family. Their family home is now Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art.

Professional Education: 2006 Topics

The 2006 Marketplace Education Subcommittee met in April in Nashville to evaluate the 2005 Speakers and to create an education seminar schedule to provide up-to-date topics on industry tools, professional and personal development, and business management.

Professional Education: Speakers’ Tips

Whether or not you attended Marketplace 2005, you are welcome to listen to our industry’s experts provide you with the professional education you need to make your business grow. Log on today to order your piece of the most successful Marketplace ever!

Click on the link https://www.nrstaping.com/aba/ to access the Education Seminar Audio/CD Order Form. All sessions were recorded live and are available on audiocassette or CD for $12 each. Be sure to order your copy today!