Working with an Association
Management Company (AMC)
Idoia Rodés Torróntegui
Michele Sanvictores
11th ICCRM
Seville, Spain
7-9 July 2005
www.iccaworld.com
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
• MCI’s AMC structure
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
About us: Idoia Rodés, CMM
• Spanish
Belgium since 1996
• UB:
Masters in Economics
• 94-95:
Meeting Planner (Madrid)
• 97-2000:
Meeting Planner (Brussels)
• Since 2000 :
MCI
(Medical Assoc.)
(Medical Assoc.)
Focus
Associations Meeting Management
Managing 15 Staff in Conference
Division
(35 meetings annually)
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
About us: Michele Sanvictores
• American
Belgium since 2000
• Education:
Degrees in Finance and Marketing
• 1994-1999:
Marketing & Communications in
Corporate Sector
• 1999-2002:
Marketing & Communications in
Association Sector
• 2002-Present: Business Development &
Special Projects
in Association Sector
• With MCI since April 2003
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Quick Overview of Basics
Definition of an Association:
Two or more entities with a shared
objective
Types of Associations:
a) Leisure
b) Cause-oriented
c) Business
d) Virtual
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
The “Business” Association
Trade Associations:
Company Members, Represent Interest of
an Industry
Activities:
a) Lobby
b) Standards Setting
c) Promotion
d) Education
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
The “Business” Association
Professional Associations:
Individual Members, Represent interest of
people or profession
Activities:
a) Education
b) Certification
c) Networking
Other Professional Groups:
User Groups, Federations
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
What is an AMC
• A firm of skilled professionals
– Provides management expertise, cost-effective
services and flexible solutions
– Provides centralised office
• Several types of AMCs
– Specialty focus (only healthcare, only technical)
– Different management models
– Administrative vs Strategic
– Allocation of Resources/Dept Structures
– MCI’s focus: strategy and added value
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
MCI Structure
Mktg &
PR
Comms
Content
Membership/
Certification
Design
Sales
Print Prod.
Government
Affairs
Community
Finance/
Systems
Executive
Web/
e-solutions
Mktg.& Comm
Assn Mgmt
Regist. &
Housing
Program
Mgt.
Facilities
Accounting
Exhibition
Events
PCO
Conference
MD
Talent
Strategy
IT
AMC and/vs. PCO
AMC goes beyond PCO characteristics:
• Long term perspective
• Integrate Conference in other Association
activities
• Active involvement in Programme
Development
• Finances through accounts of the clients
• Values:
– Pro-activity (you are the client)
– Transparency
– Integrity
„What is good for the Client is good for us“
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Merger of Large AMC and Large PCO
Why:
•Access to more potential clients
•Enhanced internal systems
•Cross-fertilisation of resources
•Increased Buying Power
•Build long term relationships Proof of Success:
•Clients only looking for
combined AMC/PCO solution
•Depth of resources
•New contracts signed
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Client use of AMC and PCO services
ISN: International Society of
Nephrology
• 8000+ members
• 3 types of events
 Forefronts in Nephrology
 Bench-to-Bedside
 WCN
• AMC: MCI Brussels office
• PCO: MCI Geneva office
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
How the AMC works for ISN
ISN: International Society of
Nephrology
AMC
Marcom
Dir.
Executive Director
Forefronts
(AMC)
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Conf
Dir.
Bench to
Bedside
World
Congress
(AMC)
(AMC+ PCO)
Sampling of Clients
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
The conference activity
within an AMC
Who We Are
A team of 15 staff
organising conferences
(35/year)
for our associations
all over the world
The conference activity
within an AMC
Areas of Expertise
Programme Management
Registration Management
Conference Management
(Logistics & Finances)
Strategic Analysis
The conference activity
within an AMC
Our Drive
We understand conferences are a
tool for associations to help them
follow their vision and achieve
their mission.
Conferences are part of the
association’s life cycle.
The conference activity
within an AMC
Our Added Value
– Cross-fertilisation
– Strategic Advice
– Long-Term Relationships
– Buying Power
– High Experience Working with Volunteers
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
How does this relate to suppliers?
Model 1
Associations
Conferences &
Congresses
Suppliers
CVB, Hotels,
Convention
centres, PCOs,
DMCs
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
How does this relate to suppliers?
Model 2
AMC
Conferences &
Congresses
Suppliers
CVB, Hotels,
Convention
centres, PCOs,
DMCs
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
How does this relate to suppliers?
Differences between Model 1 & 2:
• Professional staff vs volunteers
• Efficiency: getting the right questions and
answers
• Long-term view
• Multiplying leads
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Case studies
2 clients: ESCP and ASME
• MCI manages these 2 clients.
• Purpose of the exercise is for you to
think what is the best approach to
sell your destination/property.
• Each table will look at one case study.
• At the end of the exercise a
spokesperson will summarise their
discussion.
• Brief presentation on the 2 clients
follows (copy on your table)
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Case studies
About ESCP: European Society of
Clinical Pharmacy
• 1000 members from all over Europe
• 2 events/year (Spring Conference and
Annual Symposium in the fall)
• Goals of their conferences:
educational, networking and internal
business (GA)
• Past conferences specified on the
sheet
• Meeting specs on the sheet
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Case studies
About ASME: American Society of
Mechanical Engineers
• 120,000 members worldwide
• 50 events/year; 15 in Europe
• Goals of their conferences:
educational and networking
• Past conferences specified on the
sheet
• Meeting specs on the sheet
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
• Agenda
1 About Idoia Rodés & Michele Sanvictores
2 What is an AMC?
• Types of AMCs, clients, meetings
3 The conference activity within an AMC
4 How does this relate to suppliers?
5 2 case studies
6 Lessons learnt: from basics to
understanding the supply chain
7 Q&A
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Lessons learnt
It is all about common sense
you will think….
Demographics
Accessibility
Rotation
Research
Relationship building
(pre, on-site, post)
…but reality shows it is
not always the case.
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Lessons learnt
Trends
1. Conferences = a key source of non-dues
revenue
2. Sophistication of sponsorship model
3. Bid process is changing
4. Centralisation
5. Conferences are a strategic tool for
associations
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Lessons learnt
The ideal relationship
1. Know your prospect
2. Keep the momentum
3. Lobby locally (but follow the right procedure)
4. Focus on your strengths but acknowledge
your weaknesses
5. Smart selling
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Typical Client Congresses
Sector: Business Solutions
Europe, Asia and Latin America (600+ pax)
Sector: Transportation
Worldwide (600-850)
Sector: Healthcare
Regional Congresses (1,500 pax)
Worldwide Congresses (4,500 pax)
Sector: Healthcare
EMEA Congresses (2,500-3,000 pax)
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
Q&A
Thank you
Idoia Rodés-Torróntegui
Michele Sanvictores
11th ICCRM, Seville, 2005
idoia.rodes@mci-group.com
michele.sanvictores@mci-group.com