October Update

Market YOUR Place at Marketplace

Your Stage…Your Place…American Bus Marketplace!

It is time to begin preparing for your Quality Appointments. The Marketplace Research Databases are now available through your Marketplace Passport. The Research Databases contain company profiles from each company attending Marketplace. These profiles provide valuable company information, which is utilized to request quality appointments. Therefore, an updated profile is essential to Marketplace success for Buyers and Sellers alike.

Understand the ABA Scheduling Process

Appointment codes are assigned to you on the day you register, and appointments are prioritized and scheduled in order of your appointment code. Appointments are not prioritized based on the date your appointment requests are returned.
Keep a copy of your requests for your records.
ABA’s appointment scheduling program schedules nearly 100% of mutually requested appointments (meaning both the Buyer and Seller requested to meet with each other), and 90% of the Buyer requested appointments. Requesting the maximum appointments allowed increases your chances of getting those mutual requests.

ABA’s goal in scheduling appointments in this manner is to provide you with the very best quality appointments possible.

Appointment request will begin on October 24, 2005 and end January 9, 2006. Appointments are not scheduled based on the order the appointment requests are received. They are scheduled based on the date your Marketplace registration was sent to ABA.

All appointment-taking, rotation and observer delegates will receive a mailing in the next couple of weeks with information to help you “Prepare for Your Spotlight”. The mailing will contain:

Research database instructions and tips. (You can now export profiles into Word.)
Appointment request instructions and tips. (Remove this page to use as an easy reference guide during your appointment requests.)
Up-to-date Marketplace schedule. (Plan your Marketplace week.)
Professional Education Seminar schedule and descriptions. (Bring some expertise back to your office.)
Marketplace sponsor listing. (Thank the companies who help make Marketplace one HOT ticket.)

Make the most at of your Marketplace investment; start planning your Marketplace week now.

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Marketplace's HOT Ticket Program

Marketplace – It’s One HOT Ticket! We would like to extend some great southern hospitality monthly to one lucky registered delegate. Each month, every registered delegate will be eligible for a drawing for an exciting prize. Register early for more chances to win. Prizes are non-transferable. Winners will be contacted and posted on the Marketplace website.

October's Hot Ticket – Join the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Gaylord Texan Resort and the State of Texas for an evening celebrating the Lone Star State. Our journey to the Lone Star State begins with a live performance by Texas’ own country music star Mark Chesnutt. With 14 No. 1 hits, 23 top ten singles, four platinum albums and five gold records, Mark Chesnutt is considered one of country's true musical treasures. The lucky Hot Ticket winner will have a reserved table for this amazing performance. What a grand finale for your Marketplace week.

September’s Hot Ticket Winner- Tina Conner, Classic Tours/Classic Lines, will join us on the beach for fun in the sand and sun as Marketplace prepares to go to Virginia Beach in 2008. She has won one reserved luncheon table for Wednesday’s All-Delegate Lunch sponsored by Virginia Beach CVB. Enjoy your stroll down beach street!

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Marketplace Microphone: Your Chance to Keep Marketplace Delegate-driven

We are currently reassessing our Marketplace website to determine what changes would make it a better communications tool for our delegates.

What resources or information would you like the website to offer pre-Marketplace and post-Marketplace? E-mail us at meetingsdept@buses.org by October 28, 2005.

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Marketplace Tool: A Resource to Make Your Marketplace Experience

The Buyer and Seller Research Databases are ready to access through your Marketplace Passport.

Tips on Researching Prospects:

Start with your ideal group.
Broaden or narrow your search criteria to develop your prospect list.
Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of your visitors come from 20% of your feeder areas.
Review the website of specific companies that interest you to get more information on their current tour product.

It is essential to have an up-to-date profile because the Research database is based on this information. Incomplete profiles can affect search results. Update your company's profile through your Passport.

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Southern Hospitality: Marketplace General Information

Are You a STAR?

If you are a first time delegate at Marketplace, please check to make certain that your STAR status is reflected in your Marketplace Passport. The Orientation Subcommittee will soon be sending electronic newsletters and making personal phone calls, so take advantage of your Passport to STARdom.

Guests

Are you bringing a guest to Marketplace? If you would like your guest to participate in any function of Marketplace such as the sightseeing tours, the evening events or our fabulous Grand Finale, they need to be registered for Marketplace. Go to www.buses.org/marketplace for fees, guest guidelines and registration forms.

Important Dates:

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

Housing

So that you get a good night’s sleep before a busy Marketplace day, we have two host hotels for Marketplace 2006. Housing forms were in the registration mailing and available on-line.

Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel and Conference Center

2800 Opryland Drive

Nashville, TN 37214

Buyer Rate: $95 plus $5 per room per day resort fee.

Seller Rate: $159 plus $5 per room per day resort fee.

Radisson Hotel at Opryland

2401 Music Valley Drive

Nashville Tennessee 37214

Buyer Rate: $89.

Seller Rate: $99. (Block is sold out.)

*Airport and Shuttle transportation will be available from the Radisson

Sponsorships:

Looking for a way to get noticed at Marketplace? Contact us if you are interested in our many and varied exciting sponsorship opportunities.

Transportation

Gaylord Opryland Nashville Resort will provide complimentary transportation between the Nashville International Airport and the host hotels. Vouchers will be sent to you prior to Marketplace.

Complimentary transportation will be provided from the Radisson to the Opryland Convention Center.

Shuttle service will be provided between the host hotels and all Marketplace events.

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Quality Appointments

The Research Databases contain company profiles from each company attending Marketplace. These profiles provide valuable company information, which is utilized to request quality appointments. Therefore, an updated profile is essential to Marketplace success for Buyers and Sellers alike. Update your Company’s Profile through your Marketplace Passport.

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Limitless Networking

Did you know...African-American artist and native Nashvillian Will Edmonson was the first black artist to be honored with a one-man exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York . Edmonson, the son of former slaves, created primitive limestone carvings of animals, angels, Biblical characters and even celebrities. A photo spread of his work in Harper's Bazaar led to the historic 1937 exhibit in New York City . Today, his works are on display at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art.

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Professional Education

The following on-line resources have been complied to provide our members with the most comprehensive Marketplace information available:

Frequently Asked Questions
Past Marketplace Update Newsletters
Sample Profile Sheets and Guidelines
Caucus Information
First Time Attendee Information including STAR Packet

E-mail us at meetingsdept@buses.org if you have any additional suggestions for this area.

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