1 Clock Hour | Domain C: Risk Management 

While COVID-19 has not been proven to be transferable through food, can it theoretically be possible? Think about all the touch points there is with the food and beverage we serve at events. Food safety is something planners often overlook, relying on caterers to handle. In the new normal, what do we need to consider about our attendees safety as it relates to the food and beverage we serve them. Buffets vs plated vs boxed? Single-serve prepackaged food? How many people do we sit at table = social distancing? Do we need to add sneeze guards? F&B costs are already high, what if we need to have more servers so to serve the buffets? Do we need to add hand washing stations to the rooms? Do we go back to using bottled water vs. water jugs.

Learner Outcomes:
1. Learn the what questions you should ask food service providers about their food safety practices.

2. Familiarize yourself with food safety policies and practices required of food service providers

3. Discover ways to provide safe food and beverage experiences easily.

3 Clock Hours | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Content May Be King – But How Well It Is Delivered Can Make Or Break Your Event

Presented by: Nikole Fridenmaker

Most business events have goals or outcomes around two common areas, networking, and education. If you orchestrate an amazing networking event but your education falls flat, eventually your participation will dwindle. When people commit to spending their time at your event or their money, they typically want to leave with skills, trends, new ideas that they can help implement with their own organization, for their own professional or personal development.

As the planners and organizers of these events, it’s critical that we place enough time and focus to develop a stellar education program and process. It doesn’t matter if you have the budget to pay speakers or if your speakers participate without compensation, the process and the content still need your expertise and curation.

During this session, we will walk through some best practices on how to attract outstanding speakers, how to evaluate outstanding speakers plus how to help your speakers improve and maximize their connection with the attendees. However, the work isn’t done on the last day of the event. There are ways to keep speakers engaged, your stakeholders and attendees engaged and motivate your speakers to improve and keep coming back with bigger and better topics.

Key Take-Aways:

1. Participants will be able to evaluate and create a complete, well-developed process for their speaker and education needs, as well as their goals and outcomes for the life-cycle of the event (pre-event, event, post-event).

2. By participating in this session, planners will be able to apply simple techniques that will elevate the quality of their speakers, speaker selection and education outcomes.

3. By the conclusion, participants will be able to organize and implement an intentional plan to help grow and improve their speakers.

This Is What Tomorrow Tastes Like!

Presented by: Christine Couvelier

Is popcorn the new potato chip? What is a pink lemon blueberry? Peek inside the next breadbasket ~ You can design food experiences, food news & food tastes. Think about Innovation Imagination as we explore the next emerging, developing and existing food trends & learn how to get the most out of your f&b budgets for your events.

Key Take-Aways:

1. Be inspired by the next tastes and trends & get great tips to turn them into food memories at events.

2. Creative solutions for speaking with F&B departments & getting the most of your food & beverage budgets.

3. Find out where to look for new tastes in the food world & how to translate them into great-tasting menu items.

Designing Your Event with Connectivity in Mind

Presented by: Brandt Krueger and Will Curran

As an #EventProf your mind is running in a million directions when planning events. You need to think about the visual design, create engaging content, and of course, the overall experience of your event. But have you thought about connectivity design for events? On average attendees have at least two devices on them at events. If they can’t connect or have a bad connection, it could ruin their experience, and tank your event! Attendees have been known to walk out of an event if they can’t connect. This doesn’t have to happen to you! In this session, we will teach you how to make sure you have the best connectivity so your guests can connect with ease to your event app, social media, live streams and more. Hint: it’s more than just wifi!

Key Take-Aways:

1. Learn the basics of internet connectivity, including WiFi and “hard-line” connections

2. Learn about the modern connection requirements your attendees and partners demand, and tactical tips to keep them connected in the best way possible.

3. Start having productive conversations with stakeholders, venues, technology providers, and beyond!

This Session Graciously Sponsored by: 

1 Clock Hour | Domain I: Marketing

If you want to boost revenue, it is imperative that you optimize your sales mindset. By applying cutting edge research in neuroplasticity, Dr. E delivers an entertaining and prescriptive process. Sales associates will leave with actionable steps on how to apply the True Success^TM

The formula in their lives and businesses so that they can eliminate obstacles, increase productivity and amplify engagement. Learn about the winning sales mindset from Shaquille O’Neal’s “Head Coach for happiness.

Learner Outcomes:

1. Name the three pillars of True Success in order to be able to apply them in your life.

2. Convert a victim mindset to an empowered mindset using two specific strategies in order to be more empowered in any situation.

3. Apply the Over-Under Principle in order to optimize relationships with anyone.

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

Global hotel industry trends showing where the industry has been and where the industry is going for the top US and international cities will be presented. Key performance metrics shared will include the hotel room rate, hotel room demand, and hotel occupancy. A major focus will be given to the meetings side of the hotel business including a look at markets with a growing pipeline of hotels with meeting space. Additional factors impacting the industry such as Airbnb, convention/conference center renovations, environmental issues and seasonal impacts (holidays, hurricanes and special events such as festivals and sporting events) will also be shared. Meeting planners will receive information to help them in the selection of markets and hotels for their meetings. Suppliers will learn what role the hotel plays in the overall meetings landscape and why shifts in the hotel business impact the entire meeting's business.

Learner Outcomes:

1. Improved decision making when selecting a hotel or destination to host your meeting or event

2. An understanding of trends driving current changes in the hotel industry

3. 2020 and 2021 hotel forecasts for the major US and International cities

This Session Graciously Sponsored by STR: 

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

Well planned and executed events should be effective and essential to an organization’s success. They should also host and drive diverse and inclusive experiences for everyone. Yet often they either fail or result in less than desired outcomes for some participants who have special dietary needs and/or other disabilities. Association professionals must regard diversity and inclusion as a strategic and logistical approach in the planning process and should consider all facets of the event, including the food and beverage being served. In this session, we will learn how to create more inclusive food and beverage environments, manage for diversity and capitalize on the unique perspectives of a diverse participant base.

Learner Outcomes:

• Discover how diversity and inclusion are related to food and beverage.
• Learn how disability laws apply to different event participants.
• Set forth a framework to manage for diversity and create inclusion at your events.

1 Clock Hour | Domain I: Marketing

Sales and marketing professionals have access to a wealth of information nowadays through CRM systems, metrics and analytics platforms, and industry-related research and reports. There is so much data, it’s overwhelming. However, based on a recent survey by eMarketer, less than 25% of sales and marketing executives worldwide said they had a comprehensive view of customer data, what data they have available, and how to use the data to make strategic decisions. In order to start converting data into usable insights, sales and marketing professionals need to learn how to be data-driven, analytical, and strategic in all their decisions.

1 Clock Hour | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Food and wellness-based meetings trends are transitory by nature; however, over the past several decades, we have seen an unprecedented increase in health-orientated foods that are driving consumer spend and cross-sector operations. Discover the trends that are shaping conference food and beverage from a comprehensive survey of IACC conference venues, meeting planners and culinary experts around the globe, and how those trends can help you rethink the ways you feed your attendees.

• Discover the latest and greatest catering ideas from venues across the globe.
• Learn how meeting professionals are using meals and menus to prepare audiences for learning, engagement and business.
• Find out how you can better utilize F&B to maximize the event experience.

1 Clock Hour | Domain A: Strategic Planning

When considering events of 150 delegates or less, there are myriad venue types that claim to satisfy smaller meetings. In this webinar, we will explore the pros and cons of different venue categories, including resorts, conference centers, hotels, academic venues and day conference centers, and consider how to discover unique venues that will deliver memorable meeting experiences for delegates.

• Discover the types of unique venues that service the small-meetings industry.
• Understand the pros and cons of each venue type, and how each will enhance or challenge your meeting or event.
• Learn how to use unique venues to deliver unique experiences.

This Session Graciously Sponsored by the IACC Meetings

Sponsored by Amadeus

Proposed 1 Hour Domain I: Marketing

According to recent research, planners want to use technology to evaluate function space, book their meetings and events and plan and manage their events. They want information in real-time, and they want to be able to make requests or ask questions at any time, even outside of traditional business hours. Discover how emerging technologies can provide hospitality organizations with the means to successfully market venues and function space, book meeting and events and plan and manage events.

Learner Outcomes:

• Understand the emerging digital buying process for meeting planners and organizers.
• Learn about what information planners want to see on your websites and digital promotional materials.
• Discover how new technologies can transform the way you market your destination or venue.

1 Clock Hour | Domain I: Marketing

Discover how best-in-class venues and brands are managing to adapt and reinvent themselves in a changing world, based on two years of research by industry experts Paul Bridle and Vicki Hawarden, and discuss real issues that impact your business. Bring your best game and be prepared to discover what is holding you back from meeting the challenges ahead.

Learner Objectives:

• Discover how innovative organizations structure their businesses for success.
• Find out what leaders focus on in a changing business environment.
• Learn the difference between customer service, customer experience and customer engagement.