Need Management Approval to Attend the NBTA Convention ?

Create a Winning Proposal!

As a business travel management professional, you know the newest travel concepts, innovations and technologies can all be found when you attend the NBTA’s 2008 International Convention & Exposition, July 27-30, in Los Angeles. You also know that to be competitive, you must constantly fine-tune your skills, find new ways to cut costs, streamline processes and drive innovation. You must know how to be effective and incorporate these processes into your daily operations.

Communicate Why Attendance is Vital
Since travel management is one of the top two or three controllable expense functions in most corporations, professionals who are better prepared than their competition have the advantage – as do their companies.

While travel cutbacks are often imposed in a down economy, there is a very strong financial case you can make for attending NBTA 2008. From education to vendor selection, the information you get at NBTA 2008 will more than justify the cost of attending.

Whether you belong to a large or small organization, investments in improving travel management operations will be repaid many times over. Plan to attend. It will be your chance to bring the benefits of knowledge home to your company!

Gain Buy-In

Review NBTA’s Convention registration brochure or this website to identify educational seminars, continuing education opportunities and exhibitors that address specific needs within your travel operation.
List your current initiatives such as cutting costs, streamlining processes, building relationships or overcoming specific challenges and then find corresponding seminars.
Identify current vendors with which you need to discuss future contracts or services.
Find new vendors who you are considering adding to your list of travel management suppliers. Prepare a list of the benefits that can be realized by your attendance.
Then, explain the relationship between these Convention activities and your organizational goals. It’s important to be able to logically describe the benefits to your organization and how you can make an impact.

Here are just a few benefits of your attendance:

Learn money-saving ideas that you can immediately implement
Get practical solutions to complex problems
Investigate real-world case studies
Analyze best practices and management trends
Register for your choice of over 40 education seminars
Adopt world-class travel management practices and strategies
Discover new approaches to standard situations
Discuss hot topics with colleagues
Network with other travel management professionals
Hear from powerful keynote speakers
Advance your professional development through CCTE, GLP or Fundamentals of Business Travel Management coursework.

During the Convention, you will meet the best and the brightest in the corporate travel management profession and you get a great idea as to what NBTA has to offer. With more than 40+ educational seminars, you and your company will reap the benefits of best management practices, success stories, tools and practical solutions. You will also have the opportunity to turn your biggest challenges into your greatest accomplishments when you learn from the experts, leaders in the field and fellow practitioners.

Everyone Benefits
Be a force for change in your organization by bringing the knowledge home. Everyone in your organization can benefit by your attendance. You will be able to learn successful methods and best practices from leaders in business travel management. You will also learn how to apply these methods in multiple situations.

Develop a Proposal

Put your ideas in writing and submit a formal proposal to your direct supervisor.
Include your intended schedule of seminars and why the knowledge gained will be valuable to your operation.
Provide a list of exhibitors (both current and potential suppliers) and note not only what you hope to accomplish during meetings, but also point out the efficiency associated with being able to visit so many of current and future business partners over a short time period.
Strengthen your proposal by listing department goals and their corresponding seminars.
List all areas where your department faces challenges and the seminars you want to attend or the exhibitors you plan to visit will help you overcome these challenges.
Don’t forget to include the cost of registration, airfare, meals and lodging in order to make it a well-rounded proposal.

Note: Los Angeles is a convenient destination to reach from most places. In addition, the full Convention registration fee includes three breakfasts, two lunches, and two or more receptions (depending on your involvement in other NBTA activities, such as chapters), thus decreasing the outlays necessary for meals.

Give Feedback to Management
Follow up with your manager after you return from the Convention. They will want to know firsthand your impression of the convention, whether you gained something from it and how you will be able to apply lessons learned. This is where you will refer to your original proposal and goals to achieve while at Convention. Let your manager know what you have learned and how you will implement this knowledge. Most importantly, let your manager know that your participation in the NBTA Convention was a worthwhile investment for your company.

So, plan your strategy, prepare your proposal and secure your approval to go. Registration is open now for NBTA’s 2008 International Convention & Exposition, July 27-30, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA. Bring the benefits of knowledge home to your company!