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	<title>IT Exchange Group Blog</title>
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		<title>Do We Need More than One Way to Connect?</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/do-we-need-more-than-one-way-to-connect/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/do-we-need-more-than-one-way-to-connect/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:57:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meeting Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[face-to-face]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meetings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual]]></category>
<category>face-to-face</category><category>meetings</category><category>virtual</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=73</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Two articles crossed my desk recently. One was entitled &#8220;Meetings Deliver&#8221;, a white paper on the ways that face-to-face meetings of all kinds have a positive impact to drive sales and profitability. The other was an article on how virtual presentations saved one company &#8220;serious time and money&#8221;. Which one is correct? To be fair, [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Great Offers from Leading Mexico Resorts</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/great-offers-from-leading-mexico-resorts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/great-offers-from-leading-mexico-resorts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:02:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Meeting Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hotels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[venue]]></category>
<category>hotels</category><category>Mexico</category><category>venue</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=63</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We had the pleasure to meet with representatives of some high-end properties in Mexico. There are great deals to be had for meetings through 2011.  Just to give a few highlights we heard:
Several years ago Mexico implemented a 0% VAT on international conventions organized through foreign meeting planners. Be forewarned – incentive meetings do not [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Capitalizing On Market Opportunities With Low-Cost Or Cost-Neutral User Conferences</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/capitalizing-on-market-opportunities-with-low-cost-or-cost-neutral-user-conferences/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/capitalizing-on-market-opportunities-with-low-cost-or-cost-neutral-user-conferences/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:00:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dana Toland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meeting Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market-opportunities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[user-conference]]></category>
<category>budget</category><category>content</category><category>market-opportunities</category><category>marketing</category><category>research</category><category>user-conference</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=58</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In our last blog post, Vicki pointed out that market share shifts are most prevalent during a down economy.  This happens because some companies hold back and slash their budgets. Their brand suffers, and this creates a void with opportunities for competition. Sure this is a time you have to cut costs, but cut [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Looking at  the Upside of the Downturn</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/looking-at-the-upside-of-the-downturn/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/looking-at-the-upside-of-the-downturn/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:35:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[downturn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[opportunity]]></category>
<category>downturn</category><category>opportunity</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=50</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I do not mean to make light of the difficulties many companies and people are facing during this recession. But I have been thinking that there is a bright side to it. It forces us to be more reflective. We were blessed with an unprecedented run of good fortune previous to this recession. We were [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t Just Sit There &#8211; Market!</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/dont-just-sit-there-market/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/dont-just-sit-there-market/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:03:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exhibiting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exhibition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exhibitor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade-show]]></category>
<category>exhibiting</category><category>exhibition</category><category>exhibitor</category><category>marketing</category><category>trade-show</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=46</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Trade show and exhibition marketing is not always handled in the optimal way by exhibitors. Despite that fact that there is enormous value through participation, many companies fail in the follow through. There are so many ways to maximize involvement beyond just the booth space. The most effective companies understand that exhibiting is not just [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Negotiating for Meetings &#8211; Part II</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/negotiating-for-meetings-part-ii/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/negotiating-for-meetings-part-ii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:59:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Meeting Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contract]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[negotiating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=41</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In our last post we talked about the buyer’s market in the hotel market. That said, you still need to go into any negotiation with your homework done. Preparation is key. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, such as regarding dates/rates/space. For example, do you want the event held in the venues high season/low season/shoulder season? Are [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Negotiating for Meetings &#8211; Part I</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/negotiating-for-meetings-part-i/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/negotiating-for-meetings-part-i/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:33:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Meeting Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[negotiating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=36</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The economic downturn has created some positives for planning meetings. This is the first time since late 2001/early 2002, that planners have some leverage. The reason? We are now in a buyer’s market. Industry research projects an overall 7.5% drop in revPAR in 2009, one of the largest annual declines since the 1930’s. There will [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Marketing in Tough Times</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/marketing-in-tough-times/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/marketing-in-tough-times/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:54:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vicki Blake</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
<category>marketing</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/?p=31</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are so many outside forces today that are out of your control. Try to forget them for the moment, and focus on what you can control. Take a deep breathe, for starters, and let your mind stop racing. A calm mind will help you focus. In times like these, it’s so important to keep [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sustainable Marketing</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/sustainable-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/sustainable-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:44:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dana Toland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category>
<category>marketing</category><category>planning</category><category>sustainability</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itexgroup.com/blog/?p=29</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sustainability is a concept that is back in fashion after decades of unsustainable excess. It is not a concept just for agriculture and energy, but for marketing strategy as well. Sustainable marketing is mindful marketing. It&#8217;s careful planning, watchful waiting, and strategic implementation. All companies, both big and small, have limited resources to put into [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Why Create an Integrated Marketing Plan?</title>
		<link>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/why-create-an-integrated-marketing-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.itexgroup.com/blog/why-create-an-integrated-marketing-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:14:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dana Toland</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goal-setting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[integrated-marketing-plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing-Plan]]></category>
<category>goal-setting</category><category>integrated-marketing-plan</category><category>marketing</category><category>marketing-plan</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itexgroup.com/blog/?p=28</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A couple posts ago I talked about creating an integrated marketing plan. I&#8217;m sure some of you thought it seemed like too much bother. It is a lot of work, but can save you time and money in the long run. Especially with current concerns over the economy, smart marketing is the only way to [...]]]></description>
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