1.25 Clock Hours | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

Reflection results in meaningful learning. It draws participants inward to tap the originality and creativity of thought and understanding of their new learnings. It also draws them outward, asking what change their new knowledge brings. Discover how and why our conferences need to engage in deep reflection programming.

Learner Outcomes:

• Discover the process of re-enchantment, where we shift our attention from cynicism and doubt to possibility and potential.
• Practice the deep reflection process of wonderings for future conference experiences.
• Discuss why deep reflection is necessary for conference participant experiences to move from awareness to on-the-job action.

1.25 Hours | Domain A: Strategic Planning

Today's attendees are consumers, discerning travelers who may choose to attend conventions and exhibitions ─ or not. Be the first in the industry to hear the newly-released findings of the second MPI-endorsed Decision to Attend Study, which examines the behaviors behind the decision relative to the wants, needs and expectations of prospective attendees. New insight will be gained on booking outside the block, booking within 30 days, Millennial preferences, and more! Gain best practices on how meeting professionals and DMOs can work together to build their site selection and attendance promotion strategies. The goal? Maximizing attendance, together.

Learner Outcomes:

• Recall prospective attendee behaviors that impact the Decision to Attend
• Learn how the 'perceived' destination experience matters
• Obtain a 'sneak peek' into the new Behavioral Profile Template
• Learn about changing preferences for booking outside the block and more

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

Discuss technology challenges and opportunities with subject matter experts in the Knowledge Café. Rotate around the room and explore best practices with some of the industry’s brightest techsperts—and with your peers—as you explore new ways to find, manage and deploy technology at your meetings and events.

Learner Objectives:

• Discuss what is new and next for technology in the meeting industry.
• Experiment with a Knowledge Café session.
• Consider how you could use a Knowledge Café at one of your meetings or events.

1.25 Clock Hours | Domain A: Strategic Planning 

Does the new reporting requirement for meetings and events analytics seem overwhelming and intimidating? This workshop session will help you to understand all areas of key meetings data and how you can fulfill this new area of data collection and reporting for your key stakeholders and executives.

Learner Outcomes:

• Participants will better understand the requirements for individual or single event reporting to apply to manage stakeholder expectations
• Participants will gain insights into complete Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) reporting and how it affects their own job performance requirements
• Attendees will learn how to collect and report key metrics on Attendee, Meeting, and Budget areas of meetings and events to satisfy newfound interest for analytics for senior executives

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

The medical meeting landscape has been in a state of change since 2010. Every company manages their meetings and spend tracking differently as does 87 countries making compliance reporting daunting. It hasn’t gotten any easier so learn what lies ahead for medical meeting planning.

Learner Outcomes:

• Realize the On-going changes in the Healthcare Meeting Landscape
• Learn how to Improve the Medical Meeting and HCP Experience
• Understand what Trends And Changes are predicted in healthcare reporting

Not for Clock Hour Credit

Have you ever thought about leaving your job to become an independent event planner? The purpose of this presentation is to provide a realistic view of what it takes to start your own business and to provide you issues to consider.

Learner Outcomes:

• Have a method to evaluate if it is a good decision to start their own event planning practice.
• Have a more complete understanding the risks and rewards of owning your own business.
• Understand the operational issues that should be considered when setting up your business.

1.25 Clock Hours | Domain A: Strategic Planning

In the past 18 months there have been unprecedented examples of crisis affecting our industry. This session will provide insights into 3 recent examples of how suppliers and planners worked through unanticipated emergencies. The 2016 airport attack in Brussels, Belgium, a wildfire closing a convention center in Alberta, Canada, and Ballroom Construction failure in Florida, USA will all be examined.

Learner Outcomes:

• Understand how to manage through the lingering effects of a post-terrorist attack, and how to prepare for the future.
• Identify proactive pre-planning steps to employ that will help ease the stress of crisis management
• Determine the importance of selecting the right partners and building relationships can help ensure a positive outcome.

1 Clock Hour | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

Hackathons bring together an industry’s greatest minds to solve problems and help communities in need. During our WEC 2017 Hackathon, we amass the industry’s greatest thinkers to help a local nonprofit by creating a one-of-a-kind experience it can bring to the meetings and events that come to Las Vegas.

Learner Outcomes:

• Join your peers for a morning of creation and ideation, and utilize best practices to design a unique experience.
• Leave a positive social footprint for the local Granada community.
• Participate in a Hack-a-Thon, and think about how you might utilize it to similar effect at your meetings and events.

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

In this course, participants will learn to craft and use compelling stories to sell incentive travel solutions to clients. Participants will learn to develop an audience profile to help tailor the story to the client, as well as components that comprise a compelling story to aid in development of the story.

1 Clock Hour | Domain F: Stakeholder Management

Assumptions and anarchy loiters in the mind of the third-party planner. At least, that’s what a hotelier will say. This is a light-hearted look at the control issues, big egos, and demanding clients that comes with working with third-party planners, and a fun, interactive and intrinsic insight to their minds.