For the first few years I was involved in group sales, I heard people raving about ABA, and the annual Marketplace event. I heard how amazing it was, how great the networking was, and how much of a return on investment it generated all throughout the year. But I worked for a smaller property, and we could never afford to attend. I always justified this decision as sound fiscal responsibility. I advised many similar small properties to avoid the big, expensive national shows as just not worth the cost.
Then, two years ago, I fulfilled a dream, and joined the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. Finally, I would get to see what all the ABA Marketplace fuss was about. I made my reservations, and intentionally made sure that my first big national show would be in Grapevine, Texas. Since then, I've told friends that I can compare walking on to ABA's Marketplace Floor the first time to the first time you visited a Disney theme park! There is a sense of awe and wonder, when you see all the booths, the motorcoaches, and the activity, and you feel the energy in the air. It's absolutely amazing! And that's only the beginning
My first ABA Marketplace was a complete blur, as I very quickly got up-to-speed, and applied the skills I had mastered through years of attending State Association shows. I knew how to do the ubiquitous "seven minute appointment," I understood the layout and setup of the sessions, and very quickly got into the flow of everything.
So I was really looking forward to this past Marketplace in Virginia Beach, and I was most definitely not disappointed! Between serving in the Orientation Center, driving a racecar for one of the Tour Operators in the Charlotte VC Cup competition, planning an awesome (if I do say so myself) Super Bowl Dine-Around party, and more, it was a week I'll remember for a long time (or at least until next year's show tops it again). Bottom line...The ABA Marketplace has become my #1 show of the year! I have met more people, signed up more new customers, and established more new relationships at Marketplace than at many of the other shows I do annually combined! In fact, I have already submitted a request to the ownership of our company to be a sponsor at ABA in Charlotte (and beyond), and to bring that second delegate we're entitled to bring. It's that valuable!
It all comes down to the "R" word: relationships. Sure, ABA features the appointments, and the booths on the Marketplace floor. But it's the relationship-building that is so very valuable at Marketplace. For those new to the industry, let me back up a step. As I teach in my seminar, Group Sales is built first and foremost on relationships. And I've built and solidified more relationships in two years at the ABA Marketplace than I ever had in the past. People I've spoken to on the phone, met in passing at some state conventions, or had tangential contact with are now friends, and we're looking forward to getting together again in the future. And those relationships, formed mostly during the evening events, the sightseeing tours, and the all-delegate functions, are gold! I learned about new opportunities through new friends made in Virginia Beach, and I'm working on following up on those leads. But even "standard sales jargon" just doesn't work here, as these are not "leads" and "opportunities" -- they are new friends and new members of what I now call my "second family."
I can't say this strongly enough: Come to the next ABA Marketplace in Charlotte, NC. Come at the very beginning, and stay until the very end. Meet everyone you can, talk to people, form relationships, and watch your business take wing. And, if you really want to feel like you're part of it all, volunteer and help out in registration, resource central, orientation (see you there), or any of the other areas of need. You'll find you make new friendships and relationships in those areas as well. I said it above...The ABA Marketplace is simply the very best Group Sales show available today.
See you in Charlotte, NC in January!