Knowledge Session

Below are current sessions booked for WEC 2009.
Be sure to check back often as we continue to add to the program!

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday

Tuesday July 14

Change Begins With You: Meeting Responsibly
Kristi Casey Sanders
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Have you ever considered your purchasing power? Where you spend your money can be just as influential as the conventions, meetings and events you produce. In this session, you'll learn how to incorporate the idea of corporate social responsibility into your planning decisions, and going beyond green to see what kind of impact you, your vendors, your attendees and your company can truly have on the communities in which you meet.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify ways to “go green” in your meetings without breaking the bank.
  • Create a sustainability plan for your events.
  • Develop communication strategies to get key decision makers, vendors and attendees on board.

Creating Peer-To-Peer Learning Environments
Kevin Olsen and Bethany Veerman
8:30 AM– 9:30 AM
Individuals learn best when they are given the chance to engage with people they like and respect. In this session, we will build on this concept by discussing some of the ways to facilitate peer-to-peer learning to increase attendee engagement. Brainstorming will be used to facilitate the development of new ideas for incorporating interactive learning elements into your next event. Topics will include statistics that support the value of peer-to-peer and interactive learning, justifying the value of interactive event elements to your executive and supervisors, creating meaningful peer-to-peer interactive elements, and challenges and considerations for integrating interactive elements into events.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • State the benefits of peer-to-peer learning.
  • Create meaningful peer-to-peer interactive elements.
  • Identify factors to consider when integrating interactive elements into your next event.

Food Feasts
Katja Morgenstern
8:30 AM- 9:30 AM
Menu planning for a conference can be creative, challenging and demanding. Creating a menu that appeals to multiple people's tastes, cultural expectations and budget is a tough recipe. Studies have shown that you feast with all of your senses. You feast with your eyes first, followed by your sense of smell, sense of touch and finally, your sense of taste. How do you incorporate all your senses into a winning recipe? This is not your ordinary lecture on how to use lighting to create your mood. This is a real sensory exploration of how sight, smell and sound create a full-food environment.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Discover ways to feast with your senses before you even taste the food.
  • Identify ways your meeting partners can help create a full sensory experience for attendees.

Secrets of Productivity - Achieve Amazing Results
Neen James
8:30 AM- 9.30 AM
Do you ever hear yourself saying there are never enough hours in the day? Do you feel like you get to the end of the day and you haven't achieved anything? Do you wonder if your 'to do' list is ever going to be completed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to hear the International Productivity expert share practical advice on how you can accelerate your business and start creating impact with Super-Productivity. It's not about time management; it's about focusing your time, attention and energy in the things that will deliver the best results for you and your planning business.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Apply five practical productivity strategies to increase your daily activity.
  • Identify your individual productivity style and use it immediately.
  • Boost your personal effectiveness by eliminating time robbers and leveraging activities that energize you.

Social Networking and Web 2.0 -Expand Marketing Opportunities
Ed Lemire
8:30 AM- 9:30 AM
Social networking continues to evolve as a valuable resource to reach out and promote your organization at a minimal cost. This session details how organizations of all sizes can utilize social networking and other Web 2.0 tools to promote events and engage their communities. With this presentation, you will receive precise information that will help you formulate an event marketing strategy supported by the proper selection and utilization of the latest Web 2.0 tools. For example, we'll provide an overview of rapidly growing technologies such as RSS Feeds, Bookmarks, Blogs and Podcasts as well as niche websites such as Technorati, Flickr and Twitter. With these tools, you will raise the profile of your organization, continue to grow the organization, increase memberships and maximize promotional and fundraising efforts.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Determine how to easily leverage social networking sites.
  • Explore intuitive ways to communicate with others in a private, controlled and secure forum.
  • Keep customers, members and donors informed and active in your organization through social networking.

Starting an Event and Meeting Planning Business
Michael Shannon
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
With the global economy changing rapidly, more companies are looking to outsource various business functions. Working in a downsizing and outsourcing global economy is not what it used to be and you need to be prepared. Find out how becoming an independent business owner might be the right next step for you at this informational session.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify what is needed to meet specific requirements in starting a business.
  • State expectations of an independent planner.
  • Identify how to develop a market niche and research viable business opportunities.

Building Effective Teams in Turbulent Times
Carole McKellar and Carl Winston
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
There’s never been a more critical time to do more with less. Regardless if you are a supplier, buyer, large company or small company, getting more productivity with fewer resources is critical for success today. This session will assist attendees in developing a plan to optimize the talents and experiences of their team members. The first phase will involve identifying those talents, dispositions and areas of strength. The second phase will involve identifying critical business needs and opportunities. The third phase involves mapping and reconciling the two to optimize the team for effectiveness.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify team member gaps and have tough conversations about reconciling them.
  • Deal with internal saboteurs who are holding your business back from its ultimate success.
  • Get your team focused on tasks and not the lack of resources and other related issues.

Cultural Competence For a Complex World (c)
Sonia Aranza
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
The environment is more diverse than ever and your cultural competence can mean the difference between failure and success. In this dynamic session, you will learn about the range of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and values individuals bring based on their culture. More importantly, you will learn how to flex and adapt so you can engage effectively across cultural differences.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify the impact of culture on human interaction.
  • Flex and adapt across cultural differences.
  • Create an action plan to help you be more culturally competent.

Current Technology for the Small/Home Office and Road Warriors
Corbin Ball
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
Meeting professionals are often on the road or working from remote locations. Do you want to learn tips that will make it all work more effectively and at a lower cost? Do you just want the stuff to work? Then this updated, interactive session is for you. The presenter is a leading meetings technology consultant who has learned from experience for more than a decade managing a small office and traveling about 130 days each year.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify the range of technology options available and how to manage them efficiently.
  • Discover ways to manage technology on your own or with minimal IT support.
  • Use technology tricks to save frustration and dollars.

Getting X and Y to Show Up
Sarah Sladek
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
Generations X and Y are the most elusive, skeptical, smart and savvy generations in history. Within a few years, these generations will be the majority of purchasers, decision-makers, executives and members of boards of directors. You need them to participate in your meetings and events. Discover how Xers and Ys make purchasing decisions and how to design events that exceed their expectations, bridge the generational divide and draw them in. Learn about the latest trends in meeting planning and innovative techniques that have been successful at engaging younger audiences.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Gain a better understanding of generational differences.
  • Discover how Generation Xers and Ys make purchasing decisions and what they look for when choosing to attend an event.
  • Identify the latest trends in marketing and technology tactics for meetings.

Management And Leadership In The Social Media Age
Amy Vanderbilt 
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
In the age of social media, managers and leaders must come to terms with one very important fact: control is fallacy, but leadership is real and required. In this highly interactive session, the speaker will detail how the communications age, and subsequently the social media age, has changed the ways managers must lead. Using case studies and best practices from the military, industry and everyday life, the presenter will review each step of the leadership cycle. The presentation will include handouts and worksheets that cover real life examples and techniques that participants can implement immediately. Special cases and real-life scenarios from participants will feed a portion of the presentation on handling difficult and unique situations with new methods and an enlightened point of view.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Build and maintain highly effective teams of multiple generations and skill levels.
  • Manage and lead openly to build trust and cohesion.
  • Develop great leaders from within your ranks and transition leadership to them at the right time.

Planning Healthy Meetings for the Mind and Body
Lawana Gladney
9:50 AM – 11:30 AM
For the ultimate meeting experience, it is important to focus on health for the mind and body. Companies and organizations realize the importance of healthy employees because the soaring cost of health care negatively affects their bottom line. In this session, you will learn how to be a planner on the cutting edge by helping companies reach their goals of creating and delivering healthy meetings and employees.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Discover what a healthy meeting looks like.
  • Identify health needs for mind and body.
  • Create and deliver the ultimate experience.

Building a Successful Partnership with Your Audio-Visual Vendor
Jon Trask
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Do you ever feel like your audio-visual (AV) vendor speaks another language? Do their questions sometimes make no sense to you? Do their solutions not meet your needs, vision or expectations at the event? Develop an understanding and common ground that is free of technical jargon. In this session, learn the basic information your vendor uses to create the best solutions for your event and to give you the most value for your AV budget. You will learn the basics of reading an AV budget and some understanding of how a vendor designs and builds your event based on the information you have provided them. You will also learn some tips for looking at a venue from an AV vendor’sperspective and why things like the room ceiling height can be vital to a successful event.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • State the basics of an AV budget and what to include to make a successful event.
  • Ask a venue the right questions so theAV vendor is given the best information to provide the best impact.
  • Find a common language to communicate AV needs and understand a vendor's suggestions.

Green Your Meetings!
Karen Purves
1:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Green is in! Whether you are a planner or supplier, learn how embracing green practices makes business and environmental sense. This session various aspects to consider including paper, food and beverage, onsite facilities, hotels, and transportation. Discover how going green can affect your bottom line.

Green is in! Whether you are a planner or supplier, learn how embracing green practices makes business and environmental sense. This session various aspects to consider including paper, food and beverage, onsite facilities, hotels, and transportation. Discover how going green can affect your bottom line.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify the critical reasons for environmental actions.
  • Identify how to make environmental changes for your next event.
  • List organizations and groups who have made changes and saved money.

Keep Customers Coming Back!
Janine Driver
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Are you effective at keeping customer turnover low? Are the business losses you suffer only of the "natural and unavoidable" variety? Or do you routinely deal with other preventable losses, like those resulting from poor customer service? Customers are the lifeblood of all retail and service firms. Established customers, even the small ones, are your best accounts because they are easier to sell, cheaper to maintain and require fewer "special deals" to keep them coming back. Do you get the message across to all your customers that they are important to you? Do you go out of your way to keep them committed to your business? The good news is, customers who have problems and complain are actually GIVING you a chance to keep their patronage. The bad news is, an unhappy customer won't keep quiet!

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify the six techniques that will keep your customers coming back.
  • Incorporate our "Lyin' Tamer Recommendations" for managing complaints.
  • Win over difficult customers by sending the right message through body language and voice control.

New Media Tools for Your Events or Business.
Jon Trask
1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Do you want a better web presence for your business, career or meeting? Learn the basics of podcasting, blogging and new media. Explore the new media environment and strategic implications for your and your organization. We will give you the tips and tricks to get you up and running quickly. In this session, you will learn the basic information on how to establish a new media presence and the beginning steps to get you there.

 

After attending this session, you will be able to:

  • Identify the basic jargon and the different aspects of a new media campaign.
  • Set up a blog and a podcast.
  • Determine how to start a social media campaign.

The Strategic RFP - Selecting The Perfect Site
Jennifer Brown
1:15 PM– 3:15 PM
Selecting the perfect site every time requires an extensive needs assessment process with all meeting stakeholders (internally and externally) and creating the strategic request for proposal (RFP). The other part of the equation is a targeted site search and a sure-fire process to evaluate all proposals and options "side by side" to assure all meeting criteria are met. We will also analyze components of the strategic site inspection and a "virtual site inspection" option if you can't get away.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Discuss how to conduct a comprehensive meeting needs assessment.
  • Create a strategic RFP based on hotel revenue management criteria.
  • Identify methods for the strategic site inspection or "virtual site".

Who's in Charge of Your Career? Creating a Strategy for Success
Sheryl Sookman Schelter
1:15 PM- 3:15 PM
We've experienced dramatic changes in the global economy during the past couple of years that affect every aspect of our lives, especially with regard to jobs. Layoffs due to mergers, acquisitions, or a company downsizing continue to affect our industry. That's why it's important to create a strategic plan for your success so you can evaluate whether your next job is moving you in the right direction. Through a series of exercises and interactive dialogue, you will identify your goals and priorities, and any additional skills or training you may need to make your strategic plan a success. You'll learn about creating a personal marketing plan and selling yourself with your primary marketing piece — your resume. This session will also provide you with a new perspective on how to enhance the way you present your achievements and accomplishments to employers.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Develop a career strategy that matches with your personal priorities and professional goals.
  • Recognize that resumes are a job seekers primary marketing piece to prospective employers, and that it must include an individual's unique selling propositions and personal brand.
  • Improve employer response to your resume based on the tips and tools provided about resume design.

Writing a Business Plan
Michele Wierzgac
1:15 PM – 4:45 PM
A business plan is a document communicating ideas and needs to a boss, a potential investor, or a banker. A business plan assists in accumulating thoughts and ideas, and provides a structure for organizing the required information to move an idea forward. Participants will learn about the common elements in a business plan and begin to determine the categories of information relevant to the reader(s). When writing and presenting a business plan, your confidence will come from knowing that you completed your homework with discipline and order.

After attending this session you will be able to:
  • Gain familiarity with the information required for a business plan.
  • Identify the reader(s), market research and financial elements for a business plan.

Learning to Live a Healthy Life - Emotionally and Physically
Lawana Gladney
3:45 PM- 4:45 PM
Did you know that 75 – 90 percent of your health problems start with your emotions and stress? Understanding how to manage your emotions will not only increase your productivity in the work place and bring balance to your personal life, but also help keep you physcially healthy. In this session, you will learn how to make logical decisions and effectively manage your emotional and physical health.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Discuss the impact of emotional health and wellness.
  • Discover the power of logical thinking versus emotional thinking.
  • Identify the keys to living an emotionally healthy life.

The Irreplaceable You: Prove Your Worth
Kristi Casey Sanders and Evan Casey
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

As a meeting planner, you are not considered a "revenue producer." In a weak economy, that means your job may be at risk, or you may see vital events canceled. Until you realize that the work you do not only produces revenue, helps build client relationships and increases marketshare, it will be impossible for you to get the respect you deserve or argue the worth of your work. This interactive session will give you the tools to not only measure the impact of your work, but also give you tools and strategies to communicate those results. If you're a supplier, we'll examine ways that you can prove the worth of your relationships to potential and existing clientele.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Calculate your worth and your contribution to the bottom line.
  • Create a communication strategy to increase your profile within your organization and the industry.
  • Identify tips on how to boost your confidence and communicate it to others.

The Recipe for Food and Beverage Trends
Katja Morgenstern
3:45 PM- 4:45 PM
Vegan? Gluten? Organic foods? Locally grown foods? Low carb diets? Low sodium diets? How do you plan a menu that satisfies your attendees, your budget and keeps people happily sated? How do you decipher what food trends are just trendy? Which food trends are here to stay? Which ones should you really consider trying to incorporate into your menus? Planners are discovering that their attendees are more food savvy than ten years ago, more demanding and expect more for their money and their meals. Attend this session to learn these answers to these questions and more.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • Identify the top ten food and beverage trends of 2009 and the forecast for 2010.
  • State budget conscious ways to work food and beverage trends into your menus.
  • Discover the difference between trends and trendy.

Working With Speakers at your Event
Gail Hulnick
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Discover the secrets for ensuring a smooth, stress-free experience with the keynote speakers, workshop presenters and greeters at a meeting. Whether you book and guide them yourself, or provide advice to client organizations as they plan programs, this presentation provides information and ideas for managing all of the steps. Some of the points covered include keynote speaker priorities, the technical side, matching client needs to the speaker pool, working with a speakers' bureau, and 10 crucial details that make or break the success of the session.

After attending this session you will be able to:

  • List criteria for selecting a speaker or making a recommendation to a client.
  • Establish a system for setting up a database.
  • Use a checklist of in-advance and on-the-day details.