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  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/10/2013 • 0 Comments

    Video: Rushkoff on the Use of "You" and "We"

    Douglas Rushkoff wrote a great column this month about the words "you" and "we" and how the way we use them can impact meetings. 

    The following video will help you understand better what he means.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/09/2013 • 0 Comments

    Technology…What’s Next?

    The following entry was written by Jackie Mulligan, a principal lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University, which is conducting our future of meetings research.

    Jackie Mulligan

    In the world of higher education, like the world of events, there are always changes in how we deliver, manage, produce and communicate. We are certainly being digitized more. And each year it seems a new system is introduced which promises to simplify our lives or enhance what our students receive—whether it is a new search engine in our library or a virtual learning platform to enhance education, a new interactive app to gather responses or easier registration systems for external organisations. We sometimes moan about the changes (I know it is hard to believe). These are the changes and challenges we all face as individuals, as our organizations, our businesses grow, innovate and compete. But the big challenge facing businesses it seems, from the analysis of industry surveys at least, is that we feel wary of making decisions when we can’t be sure about what is coming next. There certainly seems to be so much technology out there. Do you sometimes feel you just can’t keep up?

    To help us all keep up, this latest white paper in the Future of Meetings research uncovers some of the technologies that researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University identified as key shapers of the meeting industry from what we have in the present (Internet, mobile apps and social media) to much further ahead (a world of targeted audio, augmented reality and robotics). Do you understand what all of these are? Or even what they might mean? The latest supplement includes a timeline of the most likely points of mass adoption of the technologies approaching as well as some ideas on how they might look in your meetings. Do you dare to look?

    As a comforting word perhaps if you are concerned that technology could replace face-to-face meetings, the researchers conclude that “Even with the advent of new technologies, there will always be a need for face-to-face meetings...In fact, such face-to-face meetings will benefit most from the advances in technology, as these technologies enable new ways of delivery, increase the reach of a meeting and further engage participants.” 

    The question the supplement answers is what some of those technologies might look like in your meeting spaces and places. Prepare to step into the future. You may be surprised at the forecasts. You may even be a bit excited about them, too. Hope so.

    Join us for a LinkedIn discussion about the technologies that interest you the most. And to get you thinking, why not view the Webinar: Technology and the Future of the Meetings (MPI member only)—a webinar that describes a variety of technologies for the future of meetings.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/02/2013 • 5 Comments

    Meeting Planner Makes Best Jobs List

    U.S. News & World Report released their best jobs for 2013, and guess what job is on it. That's right, "Meeting, Convention & Event Planner." It lands at No. 14 on the best business jobs list and No. 66 on the overall top 100 list.

    "If you're considering this field, work on your patience and problem solving skills—event planners are adept at making both miniscule and monstrous logistical decisions for weddings, conventions, orientations, and more," the editors wrote. "The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects meeting, convention, and event planner employment growth of 43.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding 31,300 more jobs. According to the BLS, the highest-paid in the profession work in the metropolitan areas of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Framingham, Mass., and Lowell, Mass."

    By the way, there are currently 71,600 meeting, convention, and event planners, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

    The editors ranked the job as above average on upward mobility, above average on stress level, and average on flexibility. 

    This is great news. Now, how can we get listed as the No. 1 business job on next year's list? Please let us know your ideas in the comments. 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/02/2013 • 4 Comments

    10 Qualities for Meeting Professionals

    Victoria Costello wrote a great entry on the PLoS blog called "Ten Essential Qualities of Science Bloggers." As I was reading it, though, I thought that these qualities can be tweaked to fit any industry. 

    I thought I'd do that, tweak the list, and show how the qualities can apply to meeting professionals. I'll post Costello's original list, but put in brackets, when necessary, the word(s) you can change in order to be more applicable to you.

    1. Share a love of [science]

    Replace the word science with what you love. Show off what fascinates you, what gets you excited. For example, if you love F&B trends, share that love with others by booking speakers that are on the cutting edge of trends, planning events that highlight trends, contributing columns to magazines, etc. 

    2. Respect their [readers]

    You can replace the word readers for attendees, audience, or customers. Respecting them means that you consider them smart and open to discussions.

    3. Make original research comprehensible to as many [readers] as possible

    This is the one that directly affects people's perception of the meeting industry. It's possible that we have yet to replace numbers and jargon with actual human stories, communicating what our industry means to the rest of the world outside of sheer data. Numbers can be complicated. Humans can be complicated, too. But I'd bet that you'd rather read a story featuring a human than look at a sheet of numbers. 

    4. Do it with attitude

    There's no word to change with this quality. Attitude means to do your job with personality. Let your passions (see No. 1 in this list) come through in everything you do. 

    5. Praise their peers

    Another quality that needs no alternative word. You may feel like you're doing your job all by yourself, but meeting and event planning is like film making. It's a collaborative process. Take the time to thank those who have helped you along the way. Leave comments on articles and blogs that you enjoy or disagree with. One thank-you could be all the difference in someone's life. 

    6. Show heart and humor

    I often think we take ourselves too seriously. I know we do that because we want people to respect our industry, and we think that showing emotion and humor weakens our arguments. But in order to persuade people, you have to appeal to their emotions, and the quickest way to get someone to open up in a conversation is through humor. 

    7. Take a stand 

    We often find ourselves in this industry playing nice to everyone because we're afraid of losing a future sale or client. Will Rodgers once said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Playing nice to everyone is on the right track, but sometimes you have to move. And moving means having an opinion about where you want to go. Don't be afraid to voice that opinion because you may think you're the only one who has it. I guarantee that there's at least one other person in the world that shares your opinion. If not, then take a look at No. 8 on this list.

    8. Enjoy civilized debate

    Once you a take a stand, those opposed to it will come crawling toward you as soon your last syllable is spoken. That's great, because it gives everyone the opportunity to strengthen or amend arguments. If you have a civilized discussion, then the final outcome should be a win-win for all involved. 

    9. Pay attention to their medium of communication and embrace social media

    What this quality means is that you focus on how you communicate. Keep up with the latest trends, and experiment with what works for you. Perhaps you're best at writing blog entries, or maybe you're great at writing letters to the editor. Do more of that. And be more open to social media. It's not going away, and, in fact, it's starting to replace email as the best way to communicate with others. 

    10. Make their work freely available for all to enjoy and re-use

    How often have you attended a conference, experienced a great presentation, and then went home wanting to share it with your colleagues? It happens all the time for me, and I'm shocked at the number of speakers that don't make their presentations available before, during, or after an event. If you're a speaker and you're afraid of others stealing your presentation, then don't have PowerPoint, because I promise you that many in the audience are using their camera phones to take photos of your slides. People are going to get them one way or another, so let them be free and available to all. Then make your presentation more about numbers 6, 7, and 8 on this list. Especially No. 6, because no one can steal how you make another person feel.

    I hope this list helps you make 2013 the best year for meeting professionals to date. Please let us know in the comments your favorite quality, or let us know qualities we may have missed.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 12/20/2012 • 2 Comments

    Timing Matters When Marketing Meetings

    Here's something to consider when you're marketing your meeting or event. Consumers are more likely to make emotional instead of objective assessments when the outcomes are closer to the present time than when they are further away in the future, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

    “The proximity of a decision’s outcome increases consumer reliance on feelings when making decisions," wrote authors Hannah H. Chang (Singapore Management University) and Michel Tuan Pham (Columbia University). "Feelings are relied upon more when the outcome is closer in time because these feelings appear to be more informative in such situations."

    From small to big choices, we base many of our decisions on either feelings or objective assessment. The option that appeals more to our feelings is often not the one that “makes more sense.” When do consumers rely more on their feelings than objective assessments? And how does the proximity of the decision outcome influence consumer decision-making? 

    In one study, college students were asked to imagine that they were about to graduate, had found a well-paying job, and were looking for an apartment to rent after graduation. They were then given a choice between an apartment that appeals more to their feelings (a smaller, prettier apartment with better views) and an option that is objectively better (a bigger, more conveniently located apartment). Compared to college juniors and those who imagined graduating a year later, college seniors and those who imagined graduating and moving into an apartment next month were more likely to choose the former option.

    And this is the key quote that you should remember when marketing your meeting or event:

    “Companies should consider the time between consumer decision-making and consumption," the authors wrote. "When consumers will be deciding immediately prior to consumption, companies should focus on messages that appeal to consumers’ feelings. When they will be deciding well in advance, companies should focus less on emotional appeals and instead emphasize messages that appeal to objective assessments."

    For example, if your event is many months out, market it objectively. However, if you're in that last month and trying to raise registration numbers, appeal to attendees' emotions.

    How do you market your meetings and events? Have you ever considered time frames and how that affects your marketing plans? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments. 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/10/2012 • 1 Comments

    Swank Audio Visuals Merges With PSAV Presentation Services

    Big news today: Kelso & Co., a private equity firm located in New York, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Swank Audio Visuals, LLC.

    Swank Audio Visuals provides audiovisual and event technology services within the hotel, resort, meetings and conference center industries. The majority of Swank’s services are provided via relationships whereby the company acts as the preferred outsource service provider to more than 375 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., Canada and the Middle East. Swank also provides its services by offering a destination events department that operates at multiple venues and locations.

    Kelso is also the owner of PSAV Presentation Services, the leading provider of audiovisual equipment and services to the meeting and event industries. Kelso plans to merge Swank and PSAV to create the industry’s single leading source of audiovisual and event technology support.

    “PSAV and Swank are industry leaders with impressive histories of growth, innovation and best-in-class customer service,” said Steve Dutton, vice president at Kelso. “With PSAV and Swank as one combined entity, hoteliers will benefit from a single source of audiovisual and technology support for every size hotel and event around the world.”

    “Swank is very excited about this partnership and the wealth of benefits it will provide our team members, hotel partners and customers, as well as the event technology industry as a whole,” said Greg Diekemper, president and CEO of Swank Audio Visuals. “We feel this merger will provide our hotel partners and customers with greater access to innovative new technology, as well as a deeper pool of highly trained, experienced personnel to operate it.”

    “The entire team at PSAV is thrilled about Kelso’s purchase of Swank Audio Visuals and the impending merger of the two companies,” said Mike McIlwain, president and CEO of PSAV. “This opportunity provides a multitude of advantages for the industry. Combining our companies’ strengths will give meeting planners and producers unparalleled access to advanced audiovisual and event technology support throughout the U.S. and the world."

    What are your thoughts about the merger? 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/09/2012 • 1 Comments

    IMEX12: Imagineering Tour Looks Toward the Year 2030

    Reimagining the spaces, places and ways we meet was the goal of this “tour and workshop on the move" lead by Jackie Mulligan, principal lecturer at The International Centre for Research in Events, Tourism and Hospitality, Leeds Metropolitan University; and Dr. Alexandra Kenyon, senior lecturer hospitality & retailing at The International Centre for Research in Events, Tourism and Hospitality, Leeds Metropolitan University. 

    Attendees had the chance to “see the now and imagine the future” with insights into the key trends that have emerged from the MPI Future of Meetings study. They were asked to imagine IMEX America in 2030: What will be different? How will it evolve? And what might that mean for you?

    "The future will be hyper competitive," Mulligan said. "This means that live events will have to be hyper real in order to get peoples' attention, to show them the value of attending a face-to-face event."

    During the tour, Mulligan and Kenyon discussed issues of security at events, the role that targeted audio will play during meetings, 3D printing technology and concerns related to food production and consumption.

    "There are three points concerning food that I see arising in the future," Kenyon said. "First, people will have to choose between organic or locally grown food. Organic may be not have the pesticides that locally grown food does; however, it may be produced hundred of miles away and have to be shipped to you, which can be bad for the environment. Second, by 2050, there world's population will be nine billion. New technologies will have to play a role in how food is grown. For example, skin grafting something like burgers will become much more commonplace in order to meet demand. Third, we'll see a rise in genetically modified crops, because they can include more vitamins and carbs to help feed the growing population." 

    In the end, participants were able to enhance their creative and future-thinking skills, transform the "meeting-scape" by understanding key trends, and gain key insights into one's own and others' perspectives on how to address and invent the future.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/08/2012 • 0 Comments

    Become an Advocate for the Meeting Industry: Rock the Vote

    As we've learned from the GSA experience, news stories can quickly get out of control. So, it's more important than ever that you help support meeting industry advocacy. Associations can't do it alone; we need the help of the members to advocate. To learn how, please visit our One Industry. One Voice. page.

    Want an easy, first step to becoming an advocate? Make your voice heard loud and clear. Regardless of what country you call home, voting is the easiest way to become an advocate. As industry advocate Roger Rickard told more than 200 MPI chapter leaders at the most recent MPI Chapter Business Summit: Connecting Leaders Conference, "If we as an industry can stand up and say that we are meeting professionals and 100 percent of us voted in the last election, that carries a lot of weight."

    So, if you're a U.S. meeting professional and haven't registered for the upcoming election, here's a link to Rock the Vote: https://register2.rockthevote.com/registrants/new?partner=2251. But don't delay, depending on which state you live in, the deadline to register online could be as early as today.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/08/2012 • 0 Comments

    New Research on the Future of Meetings Reveals Key Trends and Offers Meetings Industry Strategic Takeaways

    The MPI Foundation unveiled first-of-its-kind research on the Future of Meetings, October 8, at IMEX America in Las Vegas.

    The insights were culled from in-depth interviews with leading thinkers on future trends, economists and experts in the fields of science, population, technology, digital media, business, policy and tourism. The trends they identified have been considered within meeting design, content, communication and distribution. The research will provide meetings and events professionals with the tools they need to achieve success in a rapidly evolving industry.

    “The Future of Meetings research initiative focuses on emerging issues facing the industry and cutting-edge information impacting the community,” said Cindy D’Aoust, COO and Interim CEO for MPI. “This is absolutely the kind of intelligence meetings and events professionals need at their disposal in order to thrive.”

    The MPI Foundation enlisted researchers at the International Centre for Research in Events, Tourism and Hospitality at Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K. for the initiative. The report covers a broad range of issues facing the industry and offers insights on expected demographic shifts in the workplace, upcoming drivers of change and the impact of virtual and online connections on in-person events.

    “There is no question this research will have far-reaching implications for the meetings and events sector,” said Greg Van Dyke, senior vice president of global sales and marketing for PSAV Presentation Services, and an investment donor of the study. “It will help every one of us understand coming changes in the industry and empower us to respond strategically.”

    Following the Future of Meetings panel at IMEX America, the MPI Foundation will release a series of related research papers leading up to MPI’s European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC 2013) in Montreux, Switzerland. At EMEC, a complete summary of the findings will be presented in conjunction with the launch of a comprehensive Future of Meetings toolkit.

    The Future of Meetings Thought Leadership research initiative is made possible with support from PSAV Presentation Services, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and Omni Hotels & Resorts.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/04/2012 • 0 Comments

    IT&CMA 2012: TCEB’s Eye on Mega Meetings

    The following report is from Rob Cotter, a One+ freelance writer, who is attending the Incentive Travel & Conventions Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) in Bangkok, Thailand.

    The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) used the forum of this year’s IT&CMA to announce the allocation of $30 million to two campaigns behind an ambitious three-year (2013-2015) plan to boost its corporate meetings market.

    The first campaign, "Once in Thailand," is for Thailand to position itself as a destination for mega-meetings, offering financial support of $33,000 for events of 1,000 or more participants and of three-or-more days duration. The second campaign, "Thailand Again and Again," is a stepped support program for ongoing commitment to Thailand from five main business areas (direct selling, automotives, pharmaceuticals, finance and insurance), with the level of support increasing on a yearly basis so long as the event delivers a 10 percent delegate uplift over the same period.

    “Our approach to stimulating the market in 2013 will focus on driving Thailand’s meetings industry in line with the government’s ‘Modern Thailand’ policy,” said Ms. Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon. “The policy seeks to create new trade and investment opportunities by positioning Thailand as the natural gateway to the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] market and a hub for creation of new region-wide business opportunities.”

    There will also be several roadshows over the campaign period in nine main target markets: India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Britain, France and Russia, as well as presence at all the major MICE trade shows.

    “TCEB’s allocated budget of $29 million for 2013 includes approximately $9 million for meetings industry promotion,” Soonthornsaratoon said. “By year end, TCEB expects to achieve its target of 750,000 MICE travelers to Thailand,with revenues forecast at $2 billion.”

    Chasing the mega meetings could being mega results for TCEB and Thailand’s MICE industry.



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