CME Fall 2014

PM 40063056

Strategic Solutions for Today's Planner

Fall 2014

DESTINATION SUCCESS

PLUS BALANCING THE BUDGET RULES OF ENGAGEMENT THE POWER OF LEARNING

Page 17

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FEATURE STORY 10 BALANCING THE BUDGET

Making the Most of What You Have

By Mary Beth Holmes

14

CONTENTS FEATURES 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

8

BUILDING BUZZ

By Ben Moorsom

16

INDUSTRY REPORT

By Rita Plaskett

17

DESTINATION GUIDE

Rules of Engagement

CEIS 3.0: Letting the numbers tell the story

30 THE BUSINESS OF MEETINGS Matchmaking 101: The keys to building

client-planner relationships

34

By Kristin Hosie

READER SURVEY Canadian planners rank their biggest challenges

42

TECH TALK

By Claire Harrington

Tech Revolution

44 MUSIC

Sound Decisions

36 EDUCATION

By Bryan Osuszek

The Power of Learning

By Lynda Hoff

48

REGISTRATION SYSTEMS

By David Dugas

40 MENTORING

The Mentorship Difference

By Sandy Biback

Registration Solutions

Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 3

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EDITOR’SNOTE

CM&E: YOUR EVENT PLANNING RESOURCE

Corporate Meetings & Events Volume 15 Number 2 Publisher

Chuck Nervick

Associate Publisher Managing Editor Online Editor Senior Designer Designer Production Manager Circulation Directory Manager

Trevor David Sean Moon Steven Chester Annette Carlucci Jennifer Carter Rachel Selbie Gill Daniels Petra Brown

Editorial Advisory Board Leanne Andrecyk, Creative Director, ZedEvents Sandy Biback, Principal, Imagination Meetings Lynda Hoff, Chief Strategist, LNH Strategic Event Management Ben Moorsom, President and Chief Creative Officer, Debut Group Joe Nishi, Regional Director, Meeting Encore Francis Pare, Account Manager, Zeste Incentive Martin Perelmuter, President, Speakers’ Spotlight Rita Plaskett, President, Agendum Inc. Brent Taylor, Principal, Timewise Event Management Inc. Angela Zaltsman, A to Z Event Management

For advertising information Contact Chuck Nervick 416-512-8186 ext. 227 chuckn@mediaedge.ca Contact Trevor David 416-512-8186 ext. 262 trevord@mediaedge.ca Contact Petra Brown 416-512-8186 ext. 233 petrab@mediaedge.ca For editorial enquiries Contact Sean Moon 416-512-8186 ext. 265 seanm@mediaedge.ca Printed and published two times per year by MediaEdge Communications Inc. Printed in Canada. Reprint permission requests to use materials published in Corporate Meetings & Events should be directed to the publisher.

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When I first began planning events back in the early 1990s, the resources at my neophyte disposal were considerably less than those available today.

The online world was still in its infancy (except for a few computer geeks who were dipping their toes into Compuserve and AOL), the daily onslaught of email had not yet begun to take over our lives and most of our event planning activities took place over the (land-based) phone.

Things have certainly changed in the last couple of decades. Today’s meeting planner has access to more information and data than ever before. They can check out facilities and destinations (a virtual FAM so to speak) from the comfort of home, thanks to online technology. Suppliers can share their product and service offerings through highly effective online and print directories (such as those available at www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca). And mobile technology can help planners connect all the dots to create seamless events, whether delegates are physically present or thousands of miles away, logged in online.

With this in mind, we set out to create this special edition of Corporate Meetings and Events magazine to help add to this selection of abundant planning resources. In this issue, you will find insightful articles on everything you need to make your next event an unparalleled success.

First, be sure to check out CM&E’s special Destination Guide, which contains helpful information and details on some of Canada’s (and the world’s) hottest meetings destinations. In addition, the team here at CM&E has provided many fantastic articles on the meetings industry topics that are most important to you, including: • An always insightful Building Buzz columnist, industry expert Ben Moorsom explains how planners can use mobile event apps to move people to action and better engage audiences; • Industry veteran Mary Beth Holmes shares inside tips on how you can make the most of what you have when it comes to meager event planning budgets; • Authors Sandy Biback and Lynda Hoff share their professional teaching experience and expertise with CM&E readers by examining two crucial aspects of the future of the meetings industry: Education and mentorship; • Successful event planner Kristin Hosie discusses the importance of creating solid client-planner relationships; • Music expert Bryan Osuszek explains how choosing the right music can make or break your next event; • And contributor Claire Harrington takes a detailed look at how the technology revolution is helping transform audience engagement.

While much has changed over the last few decades of event planning in Canada, most of us share similar concerns and challenges. Our goal in this issue of CM&E is to provide you with the information and resources you need for success in both your business and career.

Enjoy the issue!

Subscribe to e-newsletter at corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca Follow on Twitter @MeetingNetwork Like us on Facebook /cmemediaedge Join our group on linkd.in/cmemediaedge

Sean Moon Managing Editor

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BUILDINGBUZZ

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Is your event app engaging or simply functional?

By Ben Moorsom

I was at a conference recently and was using a mobile application to find my way from one part of the event to another. As I checked my schedule, it got me thinking: Are we maximizing the potential of mobile technology in the event space? These apps are great for physically moving people from place to place, but couldn’t they also be used to move people, in the sense of engagement?

No longer is it enough to use mobile technology purely for logistics purposes or to create a paperless meeting. While these are both great uses, it’s time to consider what else we can do with the technology that we’re investing in.

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY Mobile technology can be an instrumental tool to enhance the event experience, becoming more of a catalyst for content and sharing. If your purpose is to engage attendees and move them toward action, then why not leverage the power of technology to help you do just that?

8 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

Here’s an example of something Debut did recently: At a multi-stream event for a large company, we used a mobile app to synchronize and unite attendees while connecting them with the overall “story” of the event. By pushing out a compelling message to all participants every morning th rough the app, we were able to introduce attendees to the day’s focus. We also directed them to a private networking space (think Twitter but a closed network) where they could continue the conversation and share ideas.

This was then broadcast to a live screen in the event space so participants could

interact with the online conversation in real life.

LINKS TO EVENT OBJECTIVES I believe technolog y should be used primarily as an engagement tool that draws people into the message you’re trying to deliver, rather than distracting them from it. The shift here is from a logistics tool to one that is seamlessly integrated into the storyline of the event.

The app should be linked to the objectives of the meeting and should allow for real time ideation and content development.

We’ve been working with many mobile

BUILDINGBUZZ planners by responding to surveys in real-time and providing immediate feedback. It can also be strategically choreographed into the meeting content through the live polling functionality, providing measurable results of retention and interest.

app companies recently, so we asked them what they think about leveraging their app’s capabilities to leverage the meeting content and further engage with participants.

“Engagement is still very much driven by organizers,” explains Robin Jones, CMO of QuickMobile (www.quickmobile. com). “If organizers promote, publicize, and encourage people to participate, then things like gamification and social networking in the app can really raise the bar on engagement.”

GAMES ADD MEANING Mobile games are an exciting means of engaging participants in a way that’s interesting and memorable. Says Jones: “Games are a great way to add meaning to the story—if you tie the activities to the overall theme. A game for the sake of a game, however, will add little value.”

As we continued speaking, Jones mentioned something that I feel strongly about: “Too many times organizers have an app for the sake of having one, and actually don’t take the time to align the app functionality to the meeting objectives. You want the app to really facilitate flow, energy, and delivery that syncs perfectly with the goals of the event.”

A program like QuickMobile offers planners a highly configurable app with more than 40 components. They work with planners to ensure the app meets their event objectives and maximizes engagement opportunities.

PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE I continued the conversation by checking in with another event application company, EventMobi (www.eventmobi.com).

Jonah Wolfraim, Communications Manager at EventMobi, had some insight to add. I asked him how their app is being used for engagement purposes and what, if any, opportunities event planners are missing when it comes to utilizing the app.

Wolfraim made a good point when he said: “A personalized experience goes a long way. If event planners take the time to utilize EventMobi’s various personalization tools, they will be able to connect with their attendees on a whole new level. It’s not the app itself that connects, it’s the content and the people on the other end; an event app is simply a channel.”

As far as this app goes, there are a few specific features that provide the opportunity for engagement. One such feature is a polling function, which allows participants to engage with

POLLS, SURVEYS UNDERUSED According to Jones, event planners aren’t using polls, surveys, and audience response systems as much as they could be. She says: “When people are sitting in sessions and are asked for their opinions, they are way more engaged and connected.”

Another engagement feature offered by many including EventMobi, which I mentioned above, is the direct notification functionality, which allows planners to create a personalized experience and send focused messages to particular segments of the attendee population.

With mobile technology offering a world of possibilities when it comes to event engagement, it’s time that planners hop on the mobile bandwagon in a more meaningful way.

The possibilities for moving your attendees and increasing retention, if utilized to their fullest, are endless.

Ben Moorsom is President and Chief Creative Officer at Debut Group, an agency that specializes in corporate business communication and events across North America. Since 1997, Debut has pioneered new ways of delivering content and has mastered the art of creating greater perceived production value for their clients. For more information, visit www.debutgroup.com.

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

BALANCING T

Making the most of what you have

By Mary Beth Holmes

10 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

THE

As an event planner, budget is sometimes the toughest part of my job. Amounts are often set and approved well in advance for an event and sometimes not even all of the plans are in place. Trying to make the event work with the amounts allocated can sometimes be difficult and will take all of your event planning skills. Over the years, I’ve had to learn ways to be creative in order to make the event work within budget. Here are some things to consider.

Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 |  11

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Anyone who has taken their CMP has been hit over the head with goals and objectives. Taking these into account can really impact everything that you do including your budget. Consider what the expected outcome is of the organization that is putting this event on. Are all the expenses you are committing to helping you achieve that goal? Are you spending too much money on things that you think are important, or have been doing that way for years, but aren’t helping to meet the goals? Then change it up. Are registrants attending for one purpose? Is it the same as that of the organization’s? For example, if the delegates are attending to make business connections are there enough networking opportunities?

Do you need to reconsider the agenda in order to accomplish both the goals of the organization and those of the delegates?

REVIEW AND REFLECT

When plan n ing an event, it is important to take a critical look at what you are doing and why you are doing it. This is an important step when you do your event review at the conclusion of your event. It’s a great place to begin planning for the future. Did you really need the delegate bag that was handed out at registration? Maybe you don’t need to spend money on something that has always been part of the event but doesn’t really serve a purpose.

A couple of examples from my experiences over the last couple of years include removing a morning break with full refreshments. This break took place one hour after a hot full breakfast and 90 minutes before a full lunch. Delegates weren’t hungry, so why spend the money on food? We offered drinks and water stations and they were perfectly happy with the opportunity to network at a fraction of the cost for us. sq.ft

KNOW YOUR SUPPLIERS

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing vendors for many years and I’ve also started working with some new ones as well. It’s my opinion that it is really in your best interest to get to know your service providers well and to work with them. Ask them for advice. Our vendors work with other clients and can sometimes share great ways that they were able to do something differently that in the end was successful and will save you money.

Other partnerships, like your sponsors, are incredibly important as well. If you have the opportunit y to offer sponsorship partnerships, this is a great way to offset some costs for your event.

Have a look at your sponsorship package — is there room to add to it? Is there another source for sponsors that you have yet to tap into?

Talk to your current sponsors to see how your package is working for them and what else they would like to see.

EXAMINE MAJOR EXPENSES

Every event budget that I ever worked with had two large line items: Food and Beverage and Audio Visual. Often, sen ior management will look at your budget and request that you cut a certain amount of money from Food and Beverage or from AV because they see how much the overall cost is for those items.

I will often suggest that we cut the same amount but from the overall budget. It’s tough to simply cut these lines, even when you are budget conscious and careful, these expenses are still 12 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

high. There are ways you can lower expen ses a nd st ill meet t he goals and objectives.

In certain events, delegates rate networking as the most important part of the event for them and it’s often the only reason they attend.

By remov i ng t he even i ng di n ner, w it h a f u l l age nd a a nd s p e a k e r, and replacing it with a networking reception with food, our costs were significantly less and delegates had a chance to mingle more with each other.

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TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP

The same holds true with the audio-visual port ion. Work with your AV part ners to look how the sessions are currently planned, saving money by modifying how the AV is set up, what is being used and why, and money that can be saved without compromising delegate experience. There is some great new technology out there that can truly heighten the delegate experience.

While some may cost more money, it may offset the costs elsewhere by eliminating the need for other technology. This is where you partnerships with your vendors can truly make a difference.

It’s very easy to get caught in a routine that has you executing an event the same way year after year. I always try to look at what we are doing with “fresh eyes” and see if we can make small changes to how we do things.

I ask others in my organization that attend conferences and trade shows to come back and tell me about their experience. What did they like? What was frustrating? We try to see if there are things that we can do to make it easier for our delegates and, of course, reduce the cost of the overall program.

Some changes can be made immediately and some are going to need lots of advance warning so that your delegates that are creatures of habit and expect certain things to happen a certain way can be properly prepared. One of the best ways to encourage change is to survey the attendees and when you get their support via the survey, make the change and communicate, communicate, communicate.

It is true that budgets will always be a thorny issue in the event planning industry and it will often require all of your creativity and skill to manage them effectively. But with some flexibility, an open mind and a collaborative mindset, even the toughest budget challenges can be overcome.

Mary Beth Holmes, CMP, is an event planner that has loved this industry for over 18 years.

She has experience on many different sides of the industry including as an independent, corporate, third-party and association planner. She is currently the Manager, Conferences and Events at the Canadian Urban Transit Association. She can be reached at marybethholmes@cogeco.ca and on twitter @gr8eventz.

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INDUSTRYREPORT

CEIS 3.0

Letting the numbers tell the story

By Rita Plaskett What do the forestry, agriculture and entertainment sectors have in common with meetings and events? The meetings industry is on par with all these sectors in terms of their impact on the Canadian economy as a whole. But as amazing as it may sound — almost unbelievable to many — the numbers do indeed tell the story.

Earlier this year, the MPI Foundation Canada released the Canadian Economic Impact Study (CEIS) 3.0, a study produced

by Maritz Research, Conference Board of Canada, Greenfield Services and the Canadian Tourism Human Resources Council. This study demonstrated that the business events industry in Canada attracted 35.3 million participants and involved $29.1 billion in direct spending across a broad range of participants and non-participants.

The aim of CEIS 3.0 was to report on the economic significance of meetings, specifically business events, held in Canada for the base year 2012. Building on the original CEIS conducted for the base year 2006 and other subsequent studies conducted in the United States, Me x ic o a nd Un it e d K i n gdom , t h i s study included the additional capacity to produce e conom ic a sse ssment of b u si ne s s eve nt s at t he r eg ion a l, provincial and metropolitan levels.

Here are some interesting statistics revealed by CEIS 3.0: • 585,000 business events were hosted at 2,100 different venues • Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa accounted for 41 per cent of the 585,000 events and drew 17.3 million participants • Toronto employed 57,000 full time employees in the events sector, followed

by Vancouver at 39,000, Montreal at 28,000, Calgary at 24,000, Edmonton at 18,000 and Ottawa at 16,000 • In total, the meetings sector employed 16 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

over 340,000 people with an average annual wage of $50,600 • These events delivered $27.5 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) — approximately 1.5 per cent of Canada’s total GDP • Business events supported $55 billion in economic activit y for Canadian business • Business events contributed $8.5 billion in taxes and service fees to all levels of government • The 35 million people who attended business events in Canada in 2012 included 30.7 million delegates, over 2 million exhibitors and 2.6 million professional speakers or other attendees • Of those, 14. 6 million attendees (41 per cent) were tourists, having travelled more than 80 km to attend the business event with 1.5 million of these tourists coming from other countries These numbers are very similar to those of the forestry, agriculture and entertainment sectors. Numbers do tell the story! Now we need to do the same.

The government does not recognize the business events/meeting sector as an industry. This imbalance can be corrected.

It is up to us to drive awareness. It is our responsibility to urge government, corporate Canada, academia and the public at large to recognize the magnitude of the business events/meeting sector, to identify the strengths and challenges unique to each province and actively support the sector’s continued growth and competitiveness within each province.

A CALL TO ACTION

We have powerful information and by speaking out, writing articles, making presentations, attending governmental forums, continuing with initiatives like National Meetings Industry Day and taking this information into the schools a nd educat i ng our fut ure i ndust r y leaders, one day at a time, we will bring public awareness to our sector and the movement to becoming an industry.

T he C a n ad i a n E conom ic I mpac t St udy (C EI S 3.0) wa s t ra n sit ione d from MPI Foundation Canada to the Business Events Indust r y Coalition o f C a n a d a ( BE ICC ) i n Ju n e 2 0 14 .

T he BEICC ’s m i s sion i s to e levat e awareness and activate in-market use of the CEIS study findings to ensure that the business events industry is not an overlooked asset.

Visit www.BEICC.com to download the Executive Summary and the full reports.

Use this material at every opportunity to elevate the business events/meeting industry of the future — a future that is only getting stronger and brighter. The findings of CEIS 3.0, along with future research, represent proof the industry is a formidable force, contributing heavily not only to the economy but also shaping how people come together, interact, innovate, and bond.

Rita Plaskett, C M P, C M M , is C h air, Canadian Economic Impact Study and President of Agendum Inc.

DESTINATION

SUCCESS!

From St. John’s to Victoria, Canada puts better meetings on the map

D E S T I N AT I O N G U I D E

With everything that goes into planning a major corporate or business meeting, few considerations are more important than choosing the perfect meeting destination that has the right mix of location, amenities, off-site activities, dining, entertainment and accommodations.

Fortunately, meeting and event planners in Canada have virtually unlimited options when it comes to destination selection.

From the charming seaside hospitality of the Atlantic provinces to the majestic Rocky Mountain vistas of Alberta and B.C. or the bigcity dazzle of Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, any type of setting is available to set the tone for a spectacular event.

And even though Canadian destinations and venues offer every amenity, service and attraction imaginable, this country’s proximity and easy travel time to many more incredible international meetings destinations such as the United States, Latin American and even Europe opens the door to thousands of additional destination options.

Here are just a few of the considerations you’ll obviously want to keep in mind when planning your next important meeting, whether here in Canada or further abroad.

Geographic Location: Are water-based sports and activities important to your 18 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

delegates? Con sider seaside venues such as Halifax, P.E.I., and Vancouver or lakeside destinations such as Toronto, Kelowna and Ontario’s Muskoka Region.

If access to direct flights to and from international destinations is important, t hen major cit ies such as Mont rea l, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax might be the best bet.

Atmosphere and Style: Many Canadian dest i nat ion s a re ver y walkable a nd afford delegates numerous options for entertainment, sightseeing and overall atmosphere. From quaint spas and resorts in Quebec, Ontario or the Maritimes to the thrill-a-minute action of many major cities as well as winter sports havens such as Calgary, Whistler and Quebec’s Gatineau region, planners have lots to choose from.

Food and Dining: Perhaps your delegates would prefer lobster i n Lu nenburg, pout i ne i n P ier r e fond s or t apa s i n Toronto. It’s no secret that Canadian

destinations offer more culinary delights than many other countries in the world.

From tantalizing ethnic cuisine to the freshest local produce, meat and seafood, your attendees are sure to enjoy the spectacular cuisine available throughout the country.

Cult u re and Enter tainment: Music, theatre, sports. Once again Canada has it all. Catch the Blue Jays in Toronto, saunter down to the waterfront for the Halifax Jazz Festival or head for a hoedown at the Calgary Stampede.

Infrast ruct ure and Amenities: With reliable and fast Wi-Fi access an absolute necessit y for ever y corporate event, more and more facilities and venues are offering inclusive Internet and mobile services. And more Canadian cities such as Fredericton and Edmonton are leading the way by offering free Wi-Fi access in many of their public spaces.

With each Canadian and international destination featuring its own unique flavour, style and character, deciding on your next meeting destination may be one of your most challenging tasks but it could also be one of the most fun! Check out the following pages for some great ideas on planning your next successful event.

MONTREAL, QC

CENTRE MONT-ROYAL is the perfect host and here’s why…

While every hotel and other “unique venue” claim to be the ideal spot for your meeting, only Centre Mont-Royal can emphatically avow that meetings are their business. Situated in downtown Montreal, it is in the center of… everything.

An IACC member since the conference center’s inception, the high standard that Centre MontRoyal holds itself to is inspired by IACC’s membership criteria and code of ethics. Does it have an ergonomic environment? Yes. Guests fi nd complete comfort in 8 hour chairs, write on hard surfaced non reflective tables and breathe the highest air quality possible.

Does Centre Mont-Royal have the latest technology? Yes. Centre Mont-Royal takes pride in offering high level conferences supported by the latest technology and a new WIFI system.

Is CMR handsome? Yes again! Centre Mont-Royal has undergone an extensive transformation over 2014. Looking good

is feeling good. Meeting in an ergonomic environment that just happens to have new carpeting, wallpaper and furniture makes everyone feel young again.

Food, food, food! We know you can have all the beauty, all the technology, be in the most desired area in Montreal but it’s all about the food. Executive chef, Yves Malenfant and his outstanding brigade strive to deliver gourmet meals that thrill - from the CMR kitchen with passion and precision.

What more can you ask for? 17 meeting spaces including a 730 tiered seat state-ofthe art theatre? Indoor parking? An outdoor terrace? Floor to ceiling windows and abundant natural light? A VIP suite? Being

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connected to the underground city? Yes! Centre Mont-Royal offers it all and delivers through the expertise of a finely tuned professional group of coordinators. The CMR team strives to please their clients and guests. Have a look at the perfect host – Centre Mont-Royal. CMR accommodates groups from 10 to 850.

Contact information: Luis Ribeiro Phone: 866-844-2200 Email: info@centremontroyal.com Website: www.centremontroyal.com

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MONTREAL, QC

THE PALAIS DES CONGRÈS DE MONTRÉAL: your Best High Tech Venue In 2014, the cutting-edge technology environment and innovative revenue generation opportunities have earned Montréal’s convention centre a place on PCMA’s 2014 Best in Show list in the category of “Best High Tech Venue”. “Proud to offer a productivity-driven event experience, our teams are always minded to staying a step ahead of our industry’s needs,” concludes Raymond Larivée, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

The Palais recently completed a $5 million technological modernization project including: • Improved 10 Gbps Internet networks with a 1 Gbps bandwith, so high-speed access is available anywhere • E-commerce web platform for exhibitor that simplifies and accelerates the purchase of Palais products and services • Digital display network of 90 highdefinition 55-inch screens and a 90 sq. ft. video wall

Contact information:

• Personalized event mobile application solutions developed by CGI

Suzie Roy Phone: 514-871-3182 Email: suzie.roy@congresmtl.com Website: www.congresmtl.com

Planners and promoters can use these technologies to generate new sources of sponsorship revenue through the various tools and spaces available.

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Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 19 14-10-31 3:17 PM

M O N T-T R E M B L A N T, Q C

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS REINVENTED

BY TREMBLANT Listed as one of National Geographic’s World’s 25 Best Ski Towns, Tremblant boasts the largest ski area in all of Eastern Canada. With a European feel that will charm you, Tremblant is an unsurpassed playground, with everything within walking distance. A multitude of activities and events await you as well as two championship golf courses and a breathtaking lake, steps away from the pedestrian village and its many renowned lodging options. All year round, you will find a great selection of amenities ready to welcome you and your group while providing a complete change of scenery!

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Throughout the resort, a total of 52 meeting rooms, totalling 60,000 square feet, are available to you including a Conference Center which holds 12 meeting rooms and a panoramic summit chalet located at an altitude of 875 meters! Easily accessible from the hotels, restaurants and shops, the choice is yours when it comes to finding the perfect location to suit your needs.

A CREATIVE AND STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT Looking for a distinctive location to disconnect from the pressures of daily life? Tremblant is the perfect destination for your meeting, conference or group activity. An inspiring environment that promotes reflection, fosters creativity and encourages human connections.

Our destination will surely amaze you with its world-class facilities, services catering to your specific needs and a lively ambiance that tells of Québec’s legendary “joie de vivre”.

DIRECT AND WORRY-FREE ACCESS From Toronto, park your car, forget about it for a week, and fly direct to Tremblant in as little as 65 minutes. Enjoy this short plane ride to hold your first team meeting (or team building activity). Or simply relax and enjoy the view from high up in the sky.

Upon arrival, you will immediately feel miles away from home. With a luxurious log-cabin terminal, the airport’s atmosphere and the staff’s warm welcome will surprise you. The airport’s single terminal will save you the city

airports’ long lines and waiting times. Luggage is quickly handed out, registered and loaded on the comfortable shuttle that will take you to your hotel on the resort. There, you will be able to rest without worry as everything you need is easily accessible by foot, in the heart of the pedestrian village nestled at the base of the mountain.

A DESTINATION WITH ENDLESS OPTIONS Breathe in, breathe out. Explore Tremblant’s natural environment, its village with its many colored roofs, its more than 30 cafés, pubs, restaurants and bars, its two movie theaters, and its more than 35 art galleries, stores and workshops.

Discover Tremblant’s unsurpassed hospitality.

Steps away from public gathering places, ski lifts and a full-service casino nestled in nature, where ski boots are common sights, you will find over 1,900 lodging units spread throughout 13 renowned hotels, studios, condos, slopeside and mountainside properties ready to welcome your group – whether it be for the night, for working sessions or memorable informal gatherings.

TOWARDS NEW SUMMITS In addition to year-round animation, major sporting events and over 300 free music shows, Tremblant offers original activities in unexpected locations that will take your group to new summits.

In winter, snowsports lovers will be in heaven as they make their way down the slopes of SKI Magazine’s #1 resort in Eastern North America whether on skis, telemark or snowboard. You can also explore the area on snowshoes, cross-country skis, dogsled, snowmobile or horse-drawn carriage. Or you can try your hand at ice climbing, trapping and ice fishing.

Come summer, our playground stretches out even further providing access to hiking trails, running and biking circuits, swimming and nautical sports. You prefer tennis? More than 13 courts await you. Is golf your passion?

Take on our two championships courses while enjoying their sweeping views. Are you a thrill seeker? Then try the luge or experience Ziptrek Ecotours’ ziplines high above the treetops.

CMY

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MEETING NEW COLLEAGUES

REINVENTED BY TREMBLANT

Extend your network or connect with your team.

Our resort is your meeting room.

Direct flights Toronto - Mont-Tremblant in 65 minutes

GET A QUOTE NOW !

Conferences Conventions Reunions

groups.tremblant.ca/toronto

1-866-214-6940

WINNIPEG, MB

STRETCHING OUR WINGS

Expansions and new developments take flight in Winnipeg Imagine a great city. Now, name all the ingredients that make a city great.

Start with smart growth, gentrification and rejuvenation, all-season recreation, and eclectic neighbourhoods with local shops. Then come diverse restaurants, parks and green spaces, dog parks, universities, and proximity to forests and lakes. Finally, finish with a world-class reputation for attracting and hosting stellar national and international events and conferences.

Add it all up, and what do you have?

Winnipeg.

The prairie city, located smack dab in the geographic centre of North America, has all that.

And we’re always ready for guests. We’ve got the rooms, convention space and heaps of homegrown expertise to host your next meeting, convention or corporate event.

We’re also in the midst of unprecedented change and expansion. More than $2 billion is being spent on new infrastructure and attractions, all to make Winnipeg an even greater city. Nine new hotels have opened in the last four years, with another slated to open next year. By early 2016, Winnipeg will have 8,000 rooms. Existing hotels have completed millions in renovations, and our convention centre is undergoing expansion.

SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: The RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg is Canada’s newest convention centre. Located in the heart of downtown, it’s undergoing a $180 million expansion and upgrade. Upon completion in 2016, the centre will have taken over almost an entire city block and nearly doubled its size to 264,000 sq. ft. The new facility will include multi-purpose spaces that can be divided to suit needs, 135,000 sq. ft. of pillar-free space, additional underground parking and a main floor public assembly space.

The jewel in this crown is the new City Room, a third-floor, 46,000 sq. ft. space for hosting sit-down dinners and dances for 2,800, or trade shows with up to 217 exhibit booths.

Full windows on the east and west stream light into the expansive room and offer excellent downtown views.

In the meantime, the centre is open for business and still hosting first-rate conventions, corporate events and group meetings. Its central location—all within walking distance of hotels and attractions, shopping and dining—make Winnipeg’s convention centre a prime spot to host delegates.

Bonnie & John Buhler Hall at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Photo credit: William Au/CTC

Another new meeting space includes the expansion and redesign of the conference centre at Victoria Inn Winnipeg Convention Centre. The ballroom boasts a size of 25,000 sq. ft., making it the largest Winnipeg convention centre hotel space in Manitoba.

Imagine throwing a cocktail reception or gala dinner at Canada’s newest international architectural icon—The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). The grand hall boasts 7,260 sq. ft. of open space, with dramatic high ceilings. Create a spectacular gala event with 400 guests, set up the hall as theatre space for 500 people, or entertain up to 700 with a reception. For a truly unique gathering space, The Garden of Contemplation offers 4,400 sq. ft. of space, suitable for a 60-person dinner, or stand-up reception for 150. A boardroom and classroom are also available to rent for meetings.

For the past several years, Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park and Assiniboine Park Zoo have also undergone considerable changes with new meeting spaces. Host a tranquil meeting or banquet at a state-of-the-art, 220seat hall surrounded by nature, or a one-of-akind cocktail reception at the zoo’s new Arctic species exhibit Journey to Churchill. Planners will earn serious kudos for giving delegates a memorable experience as they watch polar

Sea Ice Passage in Journey to Churchill at Assiniboine Park Zoo. Photo credit: William Au/CTC

bears swim overhead, or watch the bears roam past the wall of windows in the 120-seat restaurant and dining room.

When it’s time for delegates to chill out, they can relax mind, body and soul at Winnipeg’s luxurious spas, including the new $6 million Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature. Opening in fall 2014, the spa invites guests to rejuvenate the Nordic way in a sauna, steam bath and cold and hot water pools.

It’s clear we’ve been very busy in Winnipeg.

Like all great cities, we’re always in motion.

And we’re always looking to the horizon, imagining the next great thing and then making it a reality. Join us, bring your delegates and we’ll make your vision a reality, too.

EXPAND YOUR

HORIZON WINNIPEG IS CANADA’S NEWEST CONVENTION CENTRE Expansion complete spring 2016

With more than $2 billion in new developments, Winnipeg is thriving and ready to welcome your meeting or convention. With a growing convention centre that will soon boast more than 264,000 sq.ft. of prime meeting space, dynamic new hotels, and iconic show-stopping venues such as the newly opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg invites you to join us and expand your horizon.

To book your next convention please call Tourism Winnipeg 1.855.PEG.CITY (734.2489) or visit meetingswinnipeg.com

Canadian Museum for Human Rights, opening September 2014

DELTA TORONTO Expect Even More ÂŽ

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Experience Toronto’s coolest new neighbourhood, SouthCore (SoCo), at Delta Toronto. As the anchor of SoCo, Delta Toronto is nestled between the Air Canada Centre and the Rogers Centre and directly connected to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre south building via the PATH. SoCo is an imaginative and inspired mix of work/live/play.

You can do anything and everything just a few steps from our front doors.

Inspired meetings? Absolutely: it is easy to stay focused and engaged. Every one of our meeting rooms has natural light and is pillar free. The feeling throughout the building is fresh and vibrant, light and airy.

With 567 guest rooms divided across a 46-storey building, the views are breathtaking.

Opening November 2014. Something new is happening here.

deltatoronto.com

DELTA HOTELS AND RESORTS® COAST-TO-COAST ALBERTA

BANFF: Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge CALGARY: Delta Bow Valley [XL] Delta Calgary Airport [XL] Delta Calgary South [M] [XL] EDMONTON: Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel Delta Edmonton South Hotel and Conference Centre [M] [XL] KANANASKIS VILLAGE: Delta Lodge at Kananaskis [M] [XL]

BRITISH COLUMBIA

BURNABY: Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre

NEWFOUNDLAND

ST. JOHN’S: Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre

NOVA SCOTIA

HALIFAX: Delta Barrington [XL] Delta Halifax [XL]

ONTARIO

GUELPH: Delta Guelph Hotel and Conference Centre KINGSTON: Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel [M] [XL]

QUÉBEC

JONQUIÈRE: Delta Saguenay Hotel and Conference Centre [M] MONTREAL: Delta Montréal [M] [XL] QUEBEC CITY: Delta Québec [M] [XL] SHERBROOKE: Delta Sherbrooke Hotel and Conference Centre TROIS-RIVIÈRES: Delta Trois-Rivières Hotel and Conference Centre [XL]

SASKATCHEWAN

LONDON: Delta London Armouries

REGINA: Delta Regina [M] [XL]

MARKHAM: Delta Markham [XL]

SASKATOON: Delta Bessborough [M] [XL]

KELOWNA: Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre [M] [XL]

MISSISSAUGA: Delta Meadowvale Hotel and Conference NEW DEVELOPMENTS Centre [M] [XL] PRINCE GEORGE, BC: Delta Prince George (2015) VANCOUVER: OTTAWA: THUNDER BAY, ON: Delta Vancouver Suites [XL] Delta Ottawa City Centre [M] [XL] Delta Thunder Bay (2015) VICTORIA: SAULT STE. MARIE: CALGARY, AB: Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel Delta Calgary International Airport (2015) Spa [M] [XL] and Conference Centre [XL] BURLINGTON, ON: WHISTLER: Delta Burlington Waterfront Hotel (2018) SCARBOROUGH: Delta Whistler Village Suites [M] [XL] Delta Toronto East EDMONTON, AB: Delta Edmonton (2018) MANITOBA TORONTO: Delta Toronto [M] [XL] WINNIPEG: Delta Winnipeg [M] [XL] WATERLOO: LEGEND Delta Waterloo [M] [XL] NEW BRUNSWICK [M] ModeRoom™ | [XL] InternetXL FREDERICTON: Delta Fredericton [M] MONCTON: Delta Beauséjour [XL] SAINT JOHN: Delta Brunswick [XL]

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

CHARLOTTETOWN: Delta Prince Edward [M]

NATIONAL SALES OFFICE | meet@deltahotels.com deltahotels.com LAST REVISED: NOVEMBER 2014

Expect Even More™

YXE!

conventionssaskatoon.com Toll Free: 1.800.567.2444

THEBUSINESSOFMEETINGS

MATCHMAKING 101

Discover the keys to building client-planner relationships

By Kristin Hosie It’s not every day you meet the man or woman of your dreams — the person you wish you could spend the rest of your life with — and the same goes for clients. If you are a third-party planner, clients come from all walks of life, all areas of business and a variety of industries. It becomes our job to assess their needs and wants, manage their expectations, and walk the line of professional versus personal for each and every client.

Mu c h l i k e a p e r s o n a l r e l at i o n s h ip, a c l i e n t-pl a n n e r relationship is built on trust. The concept of loyalty in this industry is short lived, unless there is trust. It’s not often something you can earn quickly, and instead is built over time, over countless phone calls and emails after hours.

Only after a track record of successful events, sharing of personal stories and taking the relationship beyond strictly professional does a solid bond begin to develop. Of course, we all do our best to know about our client’s lives as this builds rapport, gives you a conversation starter or a reason to touch base when their favourite band is in town. It’s the clients that care enough to know YOUR children’s names and ages, YOUR birthday, YOUR interests….those are the ones that stick around.

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The honest truth is, most don’t. Most are too busy with their own job’s demands to take the time. Most just want the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most need you to make them look good to their managers or bosses. It often comes down to dollars, not relationships.

LUCK PLUS REPUTATION

It’s the exception you want on your client list. Finding them, however, takes as much luck as it does professionalism. I believe whole-heartedly that your track record of success with current clients propelled by word-of-mouth reputation is the very best way to attract these clients. This is intangible — hence the mention of luck —but it remains the very best channel for reaching these top tier clients. The ones you want to keep.

www. convention. qc.ca

“ We are flabergasted! Your staff is not normal! Your level of service is way above any other facility we’ve experienced in our long career of meeting planning.

You were truly an extension of our team. ”

Julie Peden

COO & Chief Event Strategist, Ruby Sky Event Planning Inc.

THEBUSINESSOFMEETINGS

There are keys to building these strong relationships and, much like the correlation to personal relationships, they require the same work as a marriage or partnership.

1. Share. Talk about your weekend, your kids, your sports

teams. The only way to draw out things you have in common is to unveil details of your own life with your clients. Share the excitement of your son’s first day of kindergarten, and maybe…hopefully…they’ll share something personal about themselves as well.

5. Be the best at what you do. This one seems obvious but

2. Be available. There are a lot of studies out there now about

it won’t matter if you’ve got the most interesting kids on the planet, or an insider’s tip on when their favourite band is coming to town, if you aren’t any good at your job. The rest only works if you really are professional and provide excellent event planning services.

3. C o m m u n i c a t e . Com mun icate. Com mun icate. It can’t be

Only once you’ve proven your skills will it matter that you remember their birthday. But I can guarantee, if you pull off their annual conference on budget, on time, and with minimal hiccups AND you remember the things that matter most to them, you are well on your way to building the exact kind of client/planner relationship we all aspire to.

the detriment of being ‘online’ at all times. The reality is that it’s become expected. Whether we like it or not our clients are overworked and stretched thin for time, just like we are.

If they don’t get to your email about venue suggestions until 10:00 p.m., they’ll really appreciate your reply at 10:15 p.m. expressed enough how important it is to keep the lines open.

This is the best way to manage client expectations and ensure all the details are covered. Develop a critical path for each event you do and stick to it. Hold your client accountable for their responsibilities as well. If they can’t provide the company logo for the menus by “X” deadline, well, that pushes back production. By keeping the conversation going, your client knows you’re available to them and that should give them peace of mind that their project is on track.

4. M a in t a in ‘ to p - of - m in d ’ s t a t u s . Your connections should be

meaningful and offer some tangible benefit. If you know your client’s birthday is on April 12, you should be booking a coffee or lunch meeting in the weeks prior so that they can have a moment out of the office to celebrate on or around their birthday. Merely reaching out with an email every three months to the day, gets habitual, boring, and blends you right in with your competitors.

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Kristin Hosie is Senior Account Manager for Ruby Sky Event Planning and has extensive international conference and event management experience as well as an enviable track record of leadership and success with her events. Kristin’s additional skills include event registration software, mobile apps, social media and Ruby Sky’s annual marketing campaign. For more information, visit www.rubyskyeventplanning.ca

The real deal with:

CONVENTION CENTRE

FOOD It’s never as good as it is in a restaurant: It’s bland. It’s always cold.

Yikes, rubber chicken!… Yeah we heard it all before, but not around here. At the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls the team of food & beverage professionals from Centerplate take pride in delivering a boutique style service, where locally sourced ingredients, flavours and aromas combine to create a unique Niagara culinary experience. Our team is committed to upholding a high level of quality; whether it is for 16 or 1600 guests. We prepare each meal as if it was the only meal. It’s not easy, but we believe that our clients will taste the difference.

“Contact us and learn how our team can be part of your event’s success.”

fallsconventions.com | 1.888.997.6222

Chef Shaun Goswell Executive Chef, Centerplate Scotiabank Convention Centre

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SCCNIAGARA

READERSURVEY

AND THE SURVEY SAYS….

Canadian planners rank their biggest challenges

Whether it is shortened lead times, continually shrinking event budgets, the influx of new meeting apps or rising food and beverage costs, we wanted to find out what is most important in the minds of today’s meeting planner. In a recent online poll of CM&E readers from across Canada, we discovered that corporate and independent planners share many of the same concerns and challenges when it comes to planning, budgeting and managing meetings in Canada.

Here’s a brief snapshot of what planners had to say in the CM&E Reader Survey poll conducted in September 2014:

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LEAD TIMES, BUDGETS MOST CHALLENGING

50 40 30 20 10 0

Short Lead Times

Reduced Budgets

Venue Availability

Format Change

Based on percentage of respondents rating the category as either "Most Challenging" or "Very Challenging" 80 70 60 50 40 30

10 Audio-Visual

Meeting Apps

Social Media Apps

Hybrid Meetings

Based on percentage of respondents rating the category as either "Most Challenging" or "Very Challenging"

Food and Beverage Challenges

An overwhelming 65 per cent of planners responded that the audio-visual component is the most crucial aspect when considering the impact of technolog y.

With another 24 per cent considering A/V as “very important,” it is clear that other technology concerns continue to take a back seat to lighting, sound and staging. However, among those other concerns, the rise of popular new meeting apps captured a significant portion of readers’ attention.

Fa r a n d aw ay t h e r u n aw ay l e a d e r i n m e e t i n g s destinations was Canada. A whopping 83 per cent of planners surveyed said they hold 75-100 per cent of their meetings here in Canada, with the United States a distant second at just 15 per cent. Other popular destinations of international meetings organized by Canadian planners included Asia and the Caribbean.

F&B COSTS MAKE WAVES

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The clear leader when it comes to food and beverage challenges is the rising cost of food, with over 65 per cent of survey respondents answering that the cost or price of food was the most challenging aspect of F&B planning. Other leading categories of the most challenging aspects of food planning included having to provide gluten- or allergen-free options as well as the continued emphasis in healthy or low-calorie food and beverage choices.

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

A/V LEADS THE PACK

HOME SWEET HOME

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For most respondents to the CM&E survey, it was a virtual dead heat between shortened lead times and reduced budgets when it comes to the most challenging components of event planning. In fact, 52 per cent of respondents said that these two issues were the most or very challenging aspects of planning their events. While significantly less important to most planners surveyed, other major concerns included a lack of venue availability and year-toyear format change.

Cost-Price Alcoholic Beverages

Lo-Cal Options

Allergy-Free Options

Ethnic Foods

NonAlcoholic Beverages

Other

Based on percentage of respondents rating the category as either "Most Challenging" or "Very Challenging"

Meeting Location 90 80 70 60 50 40

OTHER ISSUES:

In addition to the major categories discussed earlier, here are just a few of the other important issues that our survey unveiled as top-of-mind for CM&E readers: • Incentive travel • Education and certification • Ice breaker ideas and games • New lo c a l ve nue s a nd c h a nge s or upg rade s to existing venues • Meeting theme ideas • Client/Planner relationships • Networking • Ethics

30 20 10 0

Canada

USA

Asia

Caribbean

Europe

Based on percentage of respondents rating category as 75%-100% of meetings held at location

If you have additional story ideas or topics you’d like to see more of in CM&E, feel free to contact Managing Editor Sean Moon at seanm@ mediaedge.ca.

Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 35

E D U C AT I O N

THE POWER OF LEARNING The book builds the base – hands on experience does the rest!

By Lynda Hoff From the time we are born we have consistently been exposed to new things — skills, environments, people and situations. There is so much to accomplish we wonder how we will ever manage it all. We go to school, we seek out mentors and experts of the skills we are learning and keep trying to improve. We offer our expertise to others who may be less accomplished. We are constantly learning and educating ourselves to do a better job, be the best we can be.

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If we live life thinking we already know everything, where is the “a-ha” moment?

Where do we find the satisfaction in completing a task we didn’t think possible?

Where is that sense of pride in knowing that we are better with this new skill than we were without it?

Learning comes in many forms. Formal education encompasses grade school through high school and beyond. College and university provide us with opportunities to build on the fundamentals we have acquired with a more targeted and specific approach based on our desired careers. The meeting and event planning industry has recently become a popular course of study. Not all that long ago, the opportunity to study in this field wasn’t as readily available. There were limited offerings and our industry was not seen as a “professional” opportunity until quite recently. Many of us “fell” into this line of work or “picked it up” along the way while doing other things.

How much better would we have been at our jobs with a set base of skills to grow upon?

How much easier would it have been to build skills upon that base? How much better would our early programs have been with an added knowledge framework? These are great questions that today’s student doesn’t need to worry about. Now programs are offered at colleges and universities across the country providing a sound base for students today and our coworkers of tomorrow.

Mentors are providing the knowledge and sharing their experience, with the next generation of planning professionals.

We all understand the value of a skills base – just like a building – if the foundation is sturdy then probably the building will be too. A base of skills is that foundation upon which skills can be honed, crafted and molded into a talent that will change and morph with time. That foundation allows for quick thinking and maneuverability when challenges arise.

LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE We perfected our craft by doing and by trial and error. Many of us practiced the “form vs. function” method and adapted Freeman_CME_March_2014_FINAL.pdf processes to this line of work.

LOOKING FOR “A-HA” MOMENTS When I hear students talking about an event they attended or a sector of the industry that they were not familiar with, I 14-04-07 12:58 PM think to myself, how could they

1

know? Until you actually experience an event in full planning mode or attend the event in the presentation phase you don’t know how it will look and feel.

Those skills may not come to life and merely be words on a page. Recently I had the opportunity with a group of 17 students to work on a corporate event from load in through execution of the program. It was eye opening for all of us to see what “a-ha” moments presented themselves and how their participation impacted attendees at the event. It gave us all an appreciation of their base skills as learned in the classroom and the practical application on site when things are moving a mile a minute.

Col leg e a nd u n ive r sit y p r og ra m of fer i ngs prov ide st udent s w it h a n o p p o r t u n it y t o wo rk w it h a n d b e mentored i n a n act ive envi ron ment where planning business events is an everyday occurrence. They can take the base skills learned in a classroom and apply them to a live situation and feel the euphoria of seeing that event come to fruition and work through the challenges when things don’t quite go according to the plan. That opportunity will create their “a-ha” moment.

The art of presentation technology.

I N N O V A T I O N

D E D I C A T E D

1.800.868.6886

T O

Y O U R

B R A N D .

w w w. f r e e m a n a v - c a . c o m

Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 37

E D U C AT I O N THE VALUE OF MENTORSHIP Now is the perfect time to thin k about what kind of mentor you worked with in the past – what experience gave you your first “a-ha” moment? Think about how valuable it could be to provide that chance to someone looking to move into or within this industry. Think about what skills you a re lo ok i ng for i n pro sp e c t ive employees within your organization.

How can you in f luence the t ypes of planning professionals you will work with in the future?

You c a n pl ay a v it a l r ole i n t h e educat ion a nd lea r n i ng of t he next generation of planning professionals by getting involved with your local college/ university program to provide internship/ externship opportunities within your organization, being a member of their Program Advisory Council (PAC), sharing your industry story with a class as a guest speaker, or working within your chosen industry association committee structure to mentor someone. Not only will it grow the student opportunity, you could also learn from the experience!

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES If you have been planning business events for many ye a r s, you b e l ieve wh at works and what doesn’t in many situations. However, environments change. Our industry has learned through time that we can’t remain static and we need to address change just like every other industry. Several of our associations have recognized change as an opportunity to become better at what we do and have developed courses and accredited designations to ensure that planning professionals consistently have resources to help them navigate the changing landscape of business.

We don’t stop learning once we graduate from high school, college or university – we continue to learn by reaching out and embracing all opportunities that come our way with an open mind. Check out industry designations and accreditations. By attaining them you will show your clients your commitment to learning your craft and your ability to adapt to the changing environment and your awareness that it is never too late to amplify your skills. Industry designations can be found through your

industry association events (WEC, IMEX) and professional development sessions (CMP/CMP-HC, CSEP, CMM).

Learning is change and at times it can be intimidating. The “learning curve” always seems to be steep and can be viewed as inconvenient at best. It can also be exciting and exhilarating to know that you are broadening your knowledge base. Learning and being involved with today’s student, whether they are in school currently or in one of the professional development activities you are participating in, will benefit our entire industry and our relationships with colleagues. It is never too late to learn something new, embrace a new situation and gain a new perspective. Be open to change - we learned from the stories told to us and our shared experiences will help the next generation to become even more proficient.

Lynda Hoff, CMM, CMP, is Principal of LNH Strategic Event Management. She is also a professor at Seneca College’s School of Hospitality & Tourism; Durham College and is the Incoming Chair of the Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada for 2015. She can be reached at 4lyndahoff@gmail.com.

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14-09-05 10:21 AM

MENTORING

THE MENTORSHIP

DIFFERENCE A discussion on the finer points of mentoring

By Sandy Biback Mentoring can mean different things to different people. For some, mentoring happens in an organization when a new employee is mentored by a senior staffer, ensuring the new employee both fits in with the corporate culture and stays on track with their professional development. Mentoring can also happen outside the corporate environment between colleagues on a specific area of expertise.

And many times mentoring is a twoway street, not simply a case of a younger person being mentored by someone older. In fact, most of my social media knowledge and comfort level comes from a young woman who mentored me in the wild new world of social media.

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No mat te r what de f init ion you use , me ntor ing is de f initely about shar ing knowledge, opening doors in a specific profession and helping a person to grow professionally. In light of these varied interpretations of what mentoring is all about, I decided to go out to our event planning community and ask them for their definitions and thoughts.

Thanks to the following panellists who have graciously shared their insights in our roundtable discussion below: Ellen Boddington,

Sandra Moniz,

Janet Jakobsen,

Nikki Sayers, CMP, Nikki

CMP CMM, Stellar

CMP, Meetings +

MBA CMP, Professor

Sayers Events.

Conference & Event

Conventions Calgary

Hospitality & Tourism,

Management Inc.

Niagara College

HOW DO YOU DEFINE MENTORING OR MENTORSHIP? Ellen Boddington: Mentoring is a wisdom exchange that extends beyond the factual knowledge. It is also a share of personal experience that best comes from the heart.

to associates throughout all levels of the hierarchy in the workplace. Additionally, I make it a practice to seek out support and advice from those younger and less experienced than me. This is especially relevant in my current role as I say this is a “learning institution” and we all learn from each other every day.

Sandra Moniz: Mentoring is an opportunity to honour those that have shared their experience and expertise with you. Mentoring also provides a tremendous opportunity for a two-way learning experience.

Janet Jakobsen: I consider mentorship as a form of philanthropy and the assets given are time and talent. The greater reward is enjoyed by the giver, not the receiver.

Nikki Sayers: Mentoring is 360-degree feedback. Tell your mentor what your ultimate plans are and the mentor will help you re-adjust to stay on track. It’s also about giving back to your industry.

HOW HAVE YOU BENEFITED FROM BEING A MENTOR AND/OR MENTORING? Ellen Boddington: From being mentored I have learned that I had nothing to lose if I tried (when I decided to begin my own business). Education is the best gift you can give yourself. I surround myself with mentors who believe in education and who have supported and encouraged me.

Sandra Moniz: Being mentored has allowed me to learn through other people’s experiences. Talking with emerging leaders and showing them the potential within themselves that they may not have yet seen is one of my favourite parts of mentoring. I am happy to offer a realistic perspective on what one might have to do (earn respect, gain experience) prior to landing that “dream job” that they may want now, not later.

Janet Jakobsen: Mentorship is nondirectional. I have been a coach and confidant

Nikki Sayers: As a person who thinks in big pictures, my mentor helps me see the small steps to get to the big picture. Everyone should have a mentor, — it’s vital to advance your career and business. As a mentor to my students, I can tell them about my mistakes along the way and suggest how to do things differently. And I can help them with the questions that need to be asked.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON STRUCTURED VERSUS AD HOC MENTORING? Ellen Boddington: I prefer an ad hoc format — this is where ideas and concerns are expressed with genuine communication that isn’t tied to a structure. Some of the best mentoring comes with sharing a bottle of wine or just picking up the phone and seeing where the conversation leads.

Sandra Moniz: I’m a firm believer of a structured mentoring — in a busy world, it adds accountability. Many of us have the best of intentions but a formalized mentoring program adds to a deeper commitment for success.

Janet Jakobsen: Time is our most valuable asset and, unlike money, we are all given the same amount. How you invest your time to grow your relationship capital defines the mark you leave. Just like some of the giving guidelines of financial philanthropy suggest a certain percentage of your net worth be given to those in need, so should a percentage of our time be given to help others, regardless of who they are or the role they play in our lives.

Nikki Sayers: Structured mentoring is the way to go. It gives a broader perspective to the bigger picture and allows me to seek advice in new directions. Ad hoc is a one-time thing, and there is no flow to the mentoring. It always depends on the individuals.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON MENTORING YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? Ellen Boddington: Mentoring is not tied to career. It may start off that way but many of my mentors are life coaches whether they realize it or not! I am so very thankful for my mentors.

Sandra Moniz: Mentoring is a great opportunity for us all to learn from one another. I often say that we are lucky to be in the meetings industry because in many cases it is like a family as so many of us have known each other for many years. I honour industry greats that have made such a great impact in our industry by helping to mould and see potential in the emerging leaders that will become industry leaders in the years to come. We all have hidden talents. If I can help them realize their passion and potential through mentorship, I feel that I have given back to the Industry that has already given so much to me.

Janet Jakobsen: I have spent my life both professionally and personally seeking and championing mentorship for very selfish reasons. When I sought out mentors it was to learn and grow from their expertise. When I was in a position to be a mentor I thought I would just give back. What a wonderful joy it was to realize that I actually continued to learn and to grow from those who I sought to “help.”

Nikki Sayers: It’s always give and take. You learn from your mentor and they learn from you. The mentee often sees one direction, a mentor helps you see the other side and more possibilities.

And there you have it — views from four industry professionals. Where do you stand? Do you mentor others? Do you have a mentor? It is a cycle. Get on the wagon — everyone will benefit.

Sandy Biback, CMP CMM, has over 30 years in an industry that has fuelled her passion, has many mentors and has been a mentor to many. Her legacy is seeing those she has mentored be successful and fuel others’ passion for the profession. She can be reached at Biback@imaginationmeetings.com, on Twitter (@SandyBiback) or on Facebook and LinkedIn. Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 41

T E C H TA L K

TECH REVOLUTION How event technology is transforming engagement

By Claire Harrington As technology makes the map smaller and flattens the world of hospitality, can the meetings and event industry of the 20th century rise to meet the demands of the 21st century attendee? Can your company? Can you?

T h e i n n o v a t i o n s av a i l a b l e w i t h i n t h e h o s p it a l it y m a rk e t pl a c e t o d ay h ave e volve d b e yo nd s i mple, o n e ser vice focused products to become pragmatic, sensible solutions for costconscious, productivity-oriented, datahungry planners while simultaneously en ha nci ng at tendee engagement, communication, and satisfaction.

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ENGAGEMENT Event and meeting pla n ners a re cu r rent ly experimenting with technology — but if we’re honest, ma ny a re on ly playi ng with e ve n t t e c h o n t h e p e r i p h e r y. T h e appl icat ion of dig it a l i n novat ion to the events world has the opportunity to completely transform how planners create their events and interact with their attendees.

A study by Frost and Sullivan found that mobile event apps increase attendee engagement by 33 per cent. In today’s world, attendees aren’t satisfied with good – they expect great. They could care less about wading through best practices – they want to be swimming in innovation.

They aren’t impressed by attendance — they want engagement.

The meetings industry is a delicate balance of innovators interested in technology and professionals who value face-to-face engagement. From creating mobile event registrations that include community forums to diagramming platforms that enhance face-to-face collaboration, startups worldwide are rising to the challenge of marrying the physical and online environments that the hospitality industry now f i nds itsel f playing in each day.

DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION L a s t s p r i n g , Fo r r e s t e r Resea rch fou nd t h at 93 p e r c e n t o f e xe c ut i ve s believe dig ital will disrupt their business in the next 12 months. According to Paul Hoskins, Executive Chairman of Precedent, the term, ‘digitally transformational’ is the innovation of business, allowing you to understand what technology can allow you to do that you might not have been able to do before.

T o d a y ’s e v e n t a n d m e e t i n g technologies aren’t just shiny apps or fancy products – they are strategic operational tools that planners should – and soon will — feel naked without.

Cont ra r y to popula r belief, (good) technology doesn’t just materialize from a garage in Silicon Valley as if by magic.

No, the industry leading apps that you learn about are created after meticulous research and development, more A/B tests than you can imagine, and with significant guidance and buy-in from industry thought leaders.

They aren’t successful unless there is a defined need in the marketplace for them, and those that pass that test have managed to progressively disrupt the traditionally minded hospitality industry in powerful ways.

THE QUESTION OF RESOURCES One critical challenge for the hospitality industry is to u nde r st a nd t h e va lue added by these new technologies.

T h e m e r e m e n t io n o f t h e wo r d

T E C H TA L K “technology” sends dollar signs into the line of vision of even the most forward thinking of planners. But — and this sounds dramatic —I want you to consider it quite seriously: What is the cost of irrelevancy?

Surely the cost of a market-proven software that alleviates time, amplifies returns, and enhances communications is worth more than the fear of presenting it at a budgeting meeting? Worth more than the time it takes to sit down for a demo? Worth more than the upfront cost? Worth more than the moment your boss says to you, “Why don’t we have this – our competition has it and they are killing us with it.”

Better service. Bigger profits. Broader data. Find the app that does all of these things for you, then spend whatever is necessary to leverage its services for you. Of course, the investment pays off only if the tool is suited for the job at hand. Research, test, and familiarize yourself with all functionalities of these new technologies before you purchase, to ensure your needs are being met and that you understand the full power of your purchase.

WHO TO USE FOR… EVENT APP CREATION: QUICKMOBILE’S MOBILEEVENT Vancouver-based QuickMobile was t he fastest g row i ng technology in Canada in 2013, according to Deloitte Canada. Scalable from 1 to 1,000 events and beyond, MobileEvent offers a wide range of configurable components that help you captivate, motivate and inspire your attendees. It also offers impressive analytics to help you measure your ROI. DIAGRAMMING AND SEATING: SOCIAL TABLES Winner of the Favorite Event App from a popular event planning website, Social Tables is the industry leading provider of cloud-based hospitality software that positions venues to work more collaboratively and efficiently with their event and meeting customers. More than 30,000 unique users rely on the desktop and mobile product line, which includes Social Tables On-Site, an online sales and marketing solution; 2D and 3D room diagramming; business intelligence for hotels; and event attendee management. Users have planned over 175,000 events within the company’s Venue Library, home to over 220-million square feet of meeting space.

ATTENDEE-SPEAKER COMMUNICATION: CATCHBOX Catchbox is a professiona l wi reless microphone that can literally be tossed from a speaker to an audience member to create a fun connection, rather than the traditional hand microphones being passed around. The device communicates with a receiver (included) that can be connected to any sound system. To avoid unwanted noises when being thrown around, internal electronics sense the motion of the cube and switch off the audio when it is caught, thrown, or dropped.

NETWORKING SOLUTION: POKEN Poken is a sleek device that e n able s you to d ig it a l ly exchange your contact details with a touch, or collect digital content that's stored in special stickers that we call “tags” just by touching them. Create a digital business card with all your social network profiles, and swap it with other people simply touching pokens. Collect digital content offline (such as videos, coupons, brochures, photos), a nd h ave it a l l orga n i z ed and available online. Poken ignites conversations, makes networking simple and fun, a n d c r e at e s a n e n g ag i n g e x p e r i e n c e f o r p e o pl e t o collect promotional literature at events.

FREE: THE POCKET PLANNER The Pocket Planner is a free event and meeting calculator from Social Tables and the Convention Industry Council that uses CIC standards to recommend food, beverage,

service and safety quantities for events based on attendance. Engage your clients and attendees in the planning process by handing them your phone to play with the number of guests to immediately see the amount of coffee, number of tables, or even required fire extinguishers they will need for their event. Empowering them from the early stages will yield a trusting relationship.

A FINAL THOUGHT As te c h nolog y cont i nues to proliferate within the events and meetings industry, the products that will be introduced will be the embodiment of futuristic. You will have a virtual tool in your hand, a pulse on your attendees through an app and a deeper connection to your programming on a mobile device.

There is a lot of ground to cover, and it needs to be done in a highly efficient and timely manner. What are your plans to keep up with the innovation permeating through the events and meetings industry?

Will you be relevant tomorrow?

Claire Harrington, CMP, is the Public Relations M a n age r f o r S o c i a l Tables, and has been active in the meetings and e ve nts indust r y for nearly a d ec ad e .

Claire is responsible for spearh eading o verall content efforts, strategic t h o ug h t l e a d e r s h i p, branding and industry expansion. Prior to joining Social Tables, Claire directed national events for a premier U.S. lobbying firm. For more information, visit www. socialtables.com Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 43

MUSIC

SOUND DECISIONS

The right music system can make or break your next event

By Bryan Osuszek Music exists all around us and, whether we know it or not, it influences the way we feel and, at times, the decisions we make. It helps shape the way we think, defines our personal tastes and draws us to those who share these same tastes.

By recognizing this power, music becomes as equally important to an event as the venue choice, the catering, the keynote speaker and the decorations. When done right, harnessing music’s potential to create a unique ambience, which resonates positively with an intended audience, can leave a lasting impression on the attendees.

44 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

MUSIC

“IF YOU DECIDE TO GO THE DIY ROUTE, TRY AND THINK LIKE A MUSIC CONSULTANT. DEFINE THE SUBTLE SHIFTS IN MOOD AS AN EVENT PROGRESSES AND THINK CREATIVELY TO MATCH THESE MOODS WITH SONGS.” Before music select ion ca n be considered, however, having the right music systems in place is very important.

Nothing is worse than spending a great deal of time and energy selecting the right music only to have these selections ruined by technical difficulties. When thinking about music systems, the right partner is crucial, ensuring a flawless experience.

Many venues will have an in-house aud i o/v i s u a l t e a m w i t h e x p e r t i s e i n set t i ng up spea kers, m i xers, a nd microphones and operating them on the day of your event. Ideally, choose a venue w it h one of t hese i n-hou se t e a m s i n o r de r t o avoid h av i n g t o sou rce a k nowledgeable t h i rd-pa r t y who can ensure the right sound for the venue. However, if an in-house team is not available at the venue, there are many k nowledgeable third-part y AV experts who will offer clear guidance, installation and operating staff the day of the event.

PROVIDES EXPERTISE Another music system consideration is the business music provider. Business mu sic prov iders a re f u l ly l icen s ed, music solut ion s t h at cater to ret a i l, commercial and hospitality clients for backg round use. Different providers each have their own benefits, but when choosing a provider for a live event, the ideal system should be: • Portable — allowing full-control over the music from a tablet or smartphone; • Reliable — there should never be a dropout in service, and; • On-demand — allowing access and full-control over the music selections.

Once the systems are in place, thought can be g iven to the music selections

and there are two different options for this: DIY (do-it-yourself) or working with a music consultant. Similar to the above recommendation about selecting a venue with an in-house AV team, it is best to work with a music provider that also offers in-house, music consultants.

This way there is a network of support shou ld a la st-m i nute c h a nge to t he music be required.

ENHANCES BRAND IDENTITY Mu s i c c o n s u lt a nt s a r e p e ople wh o work i n t h e mu s ic s p a c e, de f i n i n g brand identities and creating the right son ic ident it y, w it h music based on demographics, intended ambience, and brand personalit y. Moreover, music consultants monitor the ever-changing musical la ndscape a nd ca n keep the auditory component of an event new and exciting. In the same way a music consultant works with a brand, ensuring the music messaging is complementary to the overall brand messaging, they too can define the right sonic landscape for an event.

The music consultant is armed with a deep knowledge of the different genres of music from different time periods and has access to a limitless database from which they curate their selections.

Most times it takes more than one type of music to create different moods and, because of this, the music consultant’s knowledge is invaluable. Additionally, a music con su lt a nt w i l l orga n i ze and schedule the music based on an event’s itinerary and can create added dynamics to the overall impression of an event.

SETS AN EMOTIONAL TONE It is important to note, a good music consultant knows the music is, by no means, the draw to an event and that mu sic s e r ve s t he pu r po s e, i n t he s e physical spaces, as it does in movies.

Like a movie, the music creates a mood i n a p a s s i ve way. W h e n we wat c h movies we actively focus on the visuals, the characters, the dialog ue and the plot but, passively, we are instructed how to fe el ab out t he s ce ne by t he music. In d raw i ng t h is compa r ison, a mov ie a nd a n e ve nt c a n b e ve r y Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 45

MUSIC similar, with regard to music. During a net work i ng session you may wa nt to set an upbeat, relaxed mood. Before a key note spea ker you may wa nt to create tension and anticipation that is released only when the speaker arrives to talk. There may be a themed dinner or luncheon that requires a nostalgic, “Rat Pack” t ype of mood. This often can only be accomplished with music.

The possibilities are really limitless and the right music consultant can assist in unlocking this potential.

I f you de cide to go t he DIY route, try and think like a music consultant.

Define the subtle sh ifts in mood a s a n e ve n t p r o g r e s s e s a n d t h i n k creatively to match these moods with songs. If pairing moods with music is a lit tle too abst ract of a concept, t r y a n e xe r c i s e: T h i n k b a c k t o wh e n a movie made you feel a particular way, r e v i s it t h at s c e n e a nd t a k e n o t e o f the music playing. Though it may be t i me con sum i ng, I’m su re you could come up a playlist of music for your event by de f i n i ng t he s e mood s a nd matching them to parts in movies.

The Table is seT for a five-sTar meeTing. and ThaT’s no exaggeraTion.

Whatever you decide for your next event, take t he libert y of shat teri ng the mould, breaking the rules a little and offering someth ing new and exciting. If the goal is to create a lasting impression, one that will retain your c u r r e nt at t e nde e s a nd at t r a c t n e w ones, then there is a lot of opportunity to explore the power of music to meet these ends.

Bryan Osuszek is Director of Communications of PCMusic. PCMusic enhances brand identities through sonic branding. Equipped with a vast knowledge and passion for music, our expert music consultants curate the right sounds for brands from our extensive library of over 6 million fully licensed songs. With a state of the art scheduling system and on-demand access to music and videos from the three major labels, major inde pe nde nt labels and independent artists alike, PCMusic's music consultants have the f lexibility of choice and de pth of knowledge required to build the right mood and atmosphere for any business environment. For more information, visit www.pcmusic.com.

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R E G I S T R AT I O N S Y S T E M S

REGISTRATION

SOLUTIONS

Innovating towards seamless integration and customization

By David Dugas

Although online registration has been a part of meetings since the 1990s, registration systems have evolved significantly during their brief history. Of course, new features keep getting added to registration system platforms but, more and more, integration is key. And seamless integration is what the future will hold for online registration — with your event app, with your sales tools, with your website, with your fundraising or association management platforms.

Below are some key trends in integration along with some key components event organizers are looking for in their core registration platform.

INTEGRATION Sometimes it’s great to have a registration platform with built-in features but often, reg ist rat ion data needs to i nteg rate with other software — be it accounting, at tendee engagement such as event apps, Email CRM (customer relationship management), sales metrics and platforms like Salesforce, fundraising systems, websites and products like Wordpress, survey tools like Survey Monkey and a host of others.

As good as registration systems can be with their built-in features, many event organizers need more robust Email CRM, survey or accounting functionality and 48 | www.corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca

this is where integration comes in. With the largest registration platforms, you’ll see widgets for just about everything that will con nect your reg ist ration software with all the other software out there that focuses on some other aspect tied in directly or indirectly to an event, be it a simple product like Quickbooks or a turnkey association management plat for m l i ke IMIS Ma n agement Software. Of course, event apps is a hot trend and event apps use registration data to engage attendees onsite. Many registration platforms are either building their own event app or building widgets to bridge to event app platforms for a quick and easy transfer of data and information.

T h e r e a r e plug-i n s a nd w idg e t s that li n k reg ist rat ion systems with hundreds of applications out there.

R E G I S T R AT I O N S Y S T E M S

“MOBILE INTEGRATION AND FUNCTIONALITY MEAN THE ATTENDEE SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ CONTENT AND EXECUTE REGISTRATION FROM A MOBILE DEVICE QUICKLY AND EASILY.” For the most part, they are providing integration with calendars, accounting and sales, social net working, mobile apps, su r veys, em a i l m a rket i ng , web site s a nd de sig n, pr i nt, a s wel l as la rger system s for associat ion management and fundraising management.

S o, wh i le i nt e g r at io n w it h o t h e r soft ware is like arms on an octopus, what do event planners look for in their core registration platform? Below is a list of must-haves for a robust online registration system: Customizat ion — Customized event templates make everyone’s job easier.

When creating your event registration sites, working with a system that has existing templates of similar events is far easier than building from scratch.

Templates for golf tournaments, gala dinners, charity events and a host of other event types can simplify the registration event build a nd help pla n ners wit h providing suggested input fields related to these specific events that they may not have thought of. Also, giving planners who use a registration system the ability to customize their pages with templates as opposed to using a cookie-cutter look is important. Branding is often key and this extends to the registration site.

Create your Own Event — Registration systems are often used by planners on

a recurring basis. Having the ability to build your own event on the system is effective both for the planner and software provider. Quick and easy wizards and forms can allow planners to set up their own events.

Email CRM and Event Invitations — Yo u r f i r s t step in engaging t h e at t e nde e i s of te n v ia eve nt marketing, invitation and online registration. All your efforts in setting up the right onsite environment for your event are wasted if you send an invitation in plain text. Your first pitch to a potential attendee comes w it h t he i nv it at ion a nd Em a i l CRM functionalit y within the registration system should allow event organizers t o c r e at e g r aph ic s r ic h i nv it at io n s a nd com mu n icat ion s. Import i ng invitee lists can facilitate customized URL i nvitat ions whereby all data is prepopulated for the potential attendee.

Survey Module — Many registration systems now include survey capabilities for both pre- and post-event surveys.

Attendee satisfaction, data collection, etc., can all be easily facilitated through the regist ration system. While some event organizers are married to outside

systems and require integration, many standard surveys can easily be managed from within a registration product.

Social Media Integration — While some events do not need or use social media due to the nature of the event, having a system that accommodates social media marketing is a basic requirement. Using social media to spread information of the event, providing details about who is going, can help increase attendance and awareness. Hot buttons to share r e g i s t rat ion con f i r m at ion or e ve nt i n for mat ion a re but one exa mple of using social media. In the years to come, social media features like “Facebook Events” will integrate more tightly with registration systems.

Data Management and Reporting — Detailed financial and graph-based reporting can provide insight into events: When are reg ist rat ion s h ap p e n i n g?

Are they tied into marketing or ema i l blasts? How much revenue i s b ei ng col le c ted? How a re pe ople pay i ng? S e s sion r e p or t i ng , s p e c i a l needs, and other event, financial and Corporate Meetings & Events Fall 2014 | 49

R E G I S T R AT I O N S Y S T E M S

reg ist rat ion repor ts a re a n essential component to online registration systems Mobile Integ rat ion a nd Functionality — By 2014, more than half of all web traffic will be initiated from a mobile device; according to research from Morgan Stanley. Mobile integration and functionality mean the attendee should be able to read content and execute registration from a mobile device quickly and easily. Visitors need to get a good first impression of an event through its registration pages and mobile will be where half of them are coming from.

Bilingual and Multilingual Registration Support — In Canada, as we all know, attendees usually need registration in a variety of languages. Only a handful of registration systems currently offer automated multilingual registration pages.

We love it When you mind our business.

And thAt’s no exAggerAtion.

If your event is national or international in scope, language support options need to be considered.

PCI Compliance — PCI, an acronym for Payment Card Industry, has a set of security standards which it expects e com merce prov iders to ad here to.

Registration systems are not all PCI compliant and any planner considering online registration should be aware of their systems’ compliance with PCI DSS 2.0. The objectives of PCI compliance are: • Secure network • Protect cardholder data • Maintain a vulnerability management program • I mple me nt st r ong ac c e s s cont r ol measures • Regular monitoring and testing of system W het her credit ca rd data is bei ng stored or not, how it is being collected (via secure site), encr yption of data,

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e tc., a re a l l add re ssed t h roug h PCI compl ia nce a nd on l i ne reg i st rat ion systems should be fully compliant for the protection of registrants and their personal data.

Badge, Check-in and On-Site Features — Many registration systems address the online component of registration and payment but fail to address features such as badge printing, onsite checkin and at tendance t rack ing. Because registrant data is usually stored on a cloud-based centralized database, these features are both easy to include in a reg ist ration system as well as easily e x p or t e d to work w it h t h i rd-pa r t y applications.

A t t e nd a n c e Tr a c k i n g a nd L e ad Retrieval — An important component of t radeshows a nd lea r n i ng event s, orga n i zers ne ed to t rack at tende es, be it a visit to a booth for sales follow up or education credits for attending a s e s sion. T h i s c a n b e fac i l it ate d a number of ways: Via badge scanning, but also wit h new tech nolog ies li ke RFID or NFC, we could have automatic data generation of where every event attendee was during a con ference or other large scale event.

As technology takes an ever-increasing role in our day-to-day activities as event organizers, the software we use needs to ensure effective use for the attendee, provide robust tools for the planner, while maintaining solid security of personal data. Getting the right mix for online registration is crucial. Whether through integration or core functionality, event organizers have no shortage of options when it comes to event management..

David Dugas is Vice President of D. E. Systems Ltd. with a key focus on D. E. Systems’ online cloud-based software solutions. D. E. Systems provides event technology solutions throughout Canada. Their range of services includes online registration, abstract management and online ticketing through their MyConferenceSuite and Snapup Tickets applications. As well, D. E. Systems is one of Canada’s largest suppliers of technology hardware for rental. For more information visit www.desystems.com

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