What a difference a year makes. When we published Convene's Annual Meetings Industry Forecast at this time last year, our industry was in a good place. Meetings and exhibitions were growing in size and attendance, overall travel levels were positive, and hotel occupancy was strong. Our panel of expert contributors raised some concerns about the economic outlook for 2008, but by and large, things seemed almost rosy.

This year's forecast (p. 23) is significantly different. "Anxiety," "uncertainty," and "caution" are our experts' watchwords for the coming year. At the top of the list is the decline of the country's economy, which of course has a trickle-down effect on every aspect of our industry - attendance, exhibitor participation, meeting costs, and business travel.

All of this means that we as meetings professionals must work smarter to make sure our events provide a clear and compelling value proposition for all of our stakeholders. We can't control the economy, but we can control what our events offer. And we certainly can control how effectively we communicate that value to attendees, exhibitors, and partners.

Not sure where to start? Perhaps it's time to make a fresh commitment to education … your own, that is. PCMA offers a wealth of opportunities for you to acquire more knowledge, develop new insights, and expand your professional outlook. Yes, this requires an investment of your time, but our educational offerings are designed to be as convenient, efficient, and effective as possible.

Take our CMP® Online Prep™ course, which allows you to learn at your own pace, 24/7. There are no sessions to attend and no scheduled time commitments. This year, you'll also be able to sit for the CMP exam at our Annual Meeting in New Orleans … no extra travel required to a separate exam site.

There's also our Certified Association Sales Executive (CASE) program for suppliers, the "On the Go!" PCMA Webinar Series, our Online Learning Center (a wide selection of reference material all in one place with easy access), Executive Edge for senior-level professionals, The Masters Series for all experience levels, and of course this magazine - a treasure trove of insights and analysis, all available for years at a time online at www.pcma.org.

So don't hit the panic button. I encourage you to turn our current challenges into opportunities. The knowledge you commit to acquiring from either the CMP designation or other educational offerings not only will raise your level of professionalism, it also will improve the work product of your own organization. And - by net result at many individual organizations - raise the bar for our entire industry. 

 Turn Challenge Into Opportunity
The current economy requires us to work more creatively, do a better job of tapping into resources, and explore possible partnerships. I'm confident it's something this industry can do … and will be better off because of it. I'd love to hear about how the market is prompting you to be more innovative. E-mail me at deborah.sexton@pcma.org.