In this interactive session, discover how to measure the outcomes beyond leads, satisfaction and sales. Share your own insights. We will show the results of a tool used to measure intangible outcomes around learning, loyalty and networking, based on a research initiative supported by MPI and sponsored by Lanyon.

Learning Objectives:

• Review current practices in order to move to next stages in SMM from cost to value.
• Identify the different outcomes meetings can create.
• Gain insights into how to measure elusive outcomes in order to review current measurements and refine existing measures.

Why is a chicken wing $4? This interactive session will explain the factors that influence food cost in events. Event menus will be broken down by cost, with suggestions on how to exceed your participants’ expectations while maintaining your budget and helping your supplier partner maintain their bottom line.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how food and beverage prices are determined for events.
• Gain knowledge of menu construction and how cost of ingredients influences total price.
• Understand the other factors that impact the price you pay.

HSMAI and MPI have a strong partnership. This session provides an interactive discussion between executive members in both associations. What challenges do both hotels and meeting professionals face in this very dynamic and evolving environment and how can we reach solutions together to help our businesses continue to grow?

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how hotels review business opportunities as well as how meeting planners prospect and book destinations allowing each group to form new strategies and communication to get what is needed to deliver successful programs and meetings.
• Learn how hospitality revenue managers evaluate business opportunities in this new sales environment and how open communication with industry sales professionals can truly be a win/win for everyone.
• Hotels have space, planners have meetings – why is everything so difficult to book? Analyzing cities, dates, rates and space has never been more important. Applying new tactics to both handling and delivering RFP’s can be learned in this important session.

Do you find it increasingly challenging to locate your event Wi-Fi network amidst all the other networks visible on your phone, tablet, or laptop? Or, do they drop off when you least expect it? Tune in to this session to learn all about Wi-Fi issues.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the issues of disruption in venue Wi-Fi networks and how they impact your event.
• Review the recommendations that venues and suppliers would like show organizers and meeting planners to understand.
• Examine a short glossary that will be essential for the “Bandwidth Conversation.”

This education opportunity will present new meeting and event solutions in a rapid-fire presentation format. Attendees will be able to learn more about some of the new technologies and innovations from the creative people who've developed them.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about new event technologies that can increase audience engagement
• Experience new technologies that promote wellness and content capture
• Understand what new technologies can assist meeting professionals in project or speaker management

Active shooter scenario, medical emergency, natural disaster. How would you react?Event security experts say it is not a question of if but when.

Learning Objectives:

• Create a mental mind shift to enhance awareness and provide the best in customer service
• Increase personal safety and decrease stress when you meet someone uncooperative
• Enhance conflict management to assist you in preventing confrontations from becoming violent situations
• Reduce vicarious liability by training employees how to handle encounters skillfully and professionally, thereby reducing potential complaints and lawsuits