Orlando rolls out a new sales approach to attract citywide conventions.

Agile has become the popular description for organizations that successfully navigate and respond to both positive and negative market forces. The reference is especially applicable for groups within the business travel industry that have adapted their sales and marketing strategies to deal with the declining attendee visitation Orlando is currently experiencing.

With attendance at the Orange County Convention Center down 15 percent through September, compared to the same period last year, the opportunity to improve this performance has never been more critical.

In response, the Orlando/Orange County Conventions & Visitors Bureau recently announced a multifaceted vision for a new meetings and conventions sales approach that is designed to expand its sales reach and deliver enhanced value and partnership to customers and the industry at large. “Roadmap 2010” involves a series of changes beginning in late 2009 to impact future sales efforts.

Those changes include:

* Promoting Tammi Runzler from vice president, convention sales and services, to senior vice president, convention sales and services, to oversee the organization’s worldwide meeting, convention and trade show sales.

* Creating a senior vice president of strategic sales and industry relations position, located in Washington, D.C., or Chicago, responsible for long-term citywide sales and industry relations with key strategic partners.

* Hiring longtime Marriott sales director Ken Barnett as director, corporate accounts development. The position is focused on new citywide corporate business development and enhanced visibility within this overall market.

* Partnering with the Orange County Convention Center on an integrated citywide sales force pilot program to streamline client interfacing with the destination and to support increased convention business development for the convention center and the destination.

* Developing an industry white paper on the future direction of the meetings industry, as a result of recent economic and political pressures, with insights into the changing attitudes of meetings’ professionals.

* Producing an annual educational series of seminars designed for meetings professionals.

“We’re reinventing how we sell and service the convention district as it expands with new hotel and entertainment offerings, and as the global meetings and conventions industry continues to rapidly evolve,” comments Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando CVB. “Our ‘Roadmap’ allows us to more fully capitalize on all sales opportunities while delivering our clients the best value and service available anywhere in the country.”

Runzler will colead the integrated sales teams with Yulita Osuba, senior director, sales and marketing, for the Orange County Convention Center. The combined sales force includes 10 account managers from the Orlando CVB and seven from the convention center, making it one of the largest destination sales forces in the country focused on citywide conventions. The integrated sales force has its offices at the convention center.

The move streamlines the proposal process, enhances communications and reduces duplicative efforts, as well as provides a central location for planning and servicing meetings, conventions and trade shows. This shared vision and mutual cooperation with community and industry partners is a good example of the destination working together in real time to rebuild and expand Orlando’s citywide convention business.

“The new structure allows us to work faster, smarter and more efficiently,” says Tom Ackert, executive director of the Orange County Convention Center. “This combined ‘dream team’ is something planners have asked for, and we’re thrilled to now have the capability to more effectively cross-sell our products and services.”

While the convention sales force aggressively pursues future bookings, the marketing strategy to engage relevant audiences has shifted to keep pace. Reaching meeting planners in a variety of industries — such as medical, insurance, sports, technology and retail — is still the focus. Yet, another segment has joined the mix — C-level executives, those who make the definitive “go” or “no-go” decision on the location of a meeting. A campaign targeting C-level executives on the value and affordability of business travel to Orlando is currently under way.

Rather than continuing with the same plan and expecting different results, the Orlando CVB, along with its partnership with the Orange County Convention Center, is adjusting to the realities of the current economy. With the newly integrated sales force and additional marketing push, Orlando is well positioned to win a disproportionate share of domestic meetings and conventions.

Editor’s note: To learn more about the way Orlando markets the destination to global meeting, convention and trade show groups, visit www.orlandoinfo.com/cvb.