Vanessa LaClair, CMP is vice president of communications and marketing for MPI NENY, and the event coordinator for IPPNY, a trade association in Albany, N.Y. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

It’s that planning time of year again!  The holidays are over, the decorations are put away and 2010 has begun.  Although spring may seem far away with the bitter cold still hanging over our heads, in a planner’s world a spring meeting is right around the corner and there is a lot of work to be done — and soon!

This year my association has decided to host an expo and sell exhibit space to those involved in our industry — energy.  I am new to the expo-showcase scene in that I have never hosted one, but have attended plenty.  Does attendance make one an expert?  Probably not, but we have 15 slots to sell for our first event (small time for many expo experts) and I plan on making it happen.

Already, I wake in the middle of the night thinking about how many prospects we might have.  Are there too many on the list?  Are we charging enough to cover our costs? Will I have to turn people away?  And the worst case, will no one show up?  I have a pretty good feeling that we will get a handful of exhibitors who will ultimately spread the word and turn the event into an annual success.  As you well know, a word of mouth recommendation is one of the best marketing campaigns out there.

What am I doing to make this work? Tell one, tell all, and tell them early.  Save the date cards, invites, brochures, e-mails and finally — a personal phone call.  A good location and flexible venue staff (make friends with your director of sales or sales manager) are key.  I’m working with a great rental company (Total Events) and I have found that they are an asset to a meeting planner — the right company can give you lots of insight.

With fingers crossed and promotional materials still in draft on my desk, I’m throwing myself into the fire and giving it my all.  Quite honestly, you can accomplish anything by putting your mind to it, working hard and having the right people by your side.

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