| Thursday, August 5 | |
| Introduction to Event Bootcamp for Emerging Professionals | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
| All tracks Opening General Session v What if and Why Not? | 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. v Guitarist Mike Rayburn Mike Rayburn uses his uproarious songs and world-class guitar work to create a presentation unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Combining music, comedy, and a truly inspiring message about overcoming perceived limitations and challenging the status quo, Mike shares the three tools that took him from playing at a bar in Virginia to the stage of Carnegie Hall! In this energetic presentation, Mike uses his guitar and comedy to teach simple, powerful takeaway attendees can use immediately and forever to access their unrealized potential, to look at old things in a new way, and to leap beyond their perceived limitations. He’ll share the most basic cognitive human brain function and how to program it for success on a foundational level, and explain how to stop managing change, and start creating change. He’ll reveal three critical steps to goal achievement, and the most powerful motivational force on the planet.Mike Rayburn uses his uproarious songs and world-class guitar work to create a presentation unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Combining music, comedy, and a truly inspiring message about overcoming perceived limitations and challenging the status quo, Mike shares the three tools that took him from playing at a bar in Virginia to the stage of Carnegie Hall! In this energetic presentation, Mike uses his guitar and comedy to teach simple, powerful takeaway attendees can use immediately and forever to access their unrealized potential, to look at old things in a new way, and to leap beyond their perceived limitations. He’ll share the most basic cognitive human brain function and how to program it for success on a foundational level, and explain how to stop managing change, and start creating change. He’ll reveal three critical steps to goal achievement, and the most powerful motivational force on the planet. |
| All tracks Topic-focused Roundtables | 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
| Friday, August 6 | |
| Business Applications v You hate insurance. Your customer hates insurance. I hate insurance. | 9:00a.m. – 10:15a.m. v Larry Cossio, Cossio Insurance Agency We will be discussing what types of insurance is needed by the event planner, the venues, their customers, and what insurance they should be asking for from their sub contractors. We will review what to watch out for if you receive a certificate of insurance and to read one so that you understand what you are covered for and what you are not. |
| Topical Trends v Getting Started with Social Media for Event Professionals | 9:00a.m. – 10:15a.m. v Corbin Ball, CMP, MS, Corbin Ball Associates Session one in a two-part social media series. If you have been wondering what all the talk about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn is about but haven’t had the time to explore or wonder how they all can be used for promoting special events, this session is for you. This session will provide step-by-step training on setting up social media accounts with lots of practical advice on best practices, security settings, major potholes to avoid and more in a user-friendly and fun session. Wi-fi will be available and you are encouraged to bring your notebook computers. Learner Objectives: • Receive numerous tips, ideas and step-by-step details about setting up social media accounts and start using them. • Find time-saving methods to keep the time spent using these tools to a minimum, while maximizing their impact. • Bring your notebook computers to get hands-on advice |
| Event Practices v Young Guns – Corporate Up-and-Comers | 9:00a.m. – 10:15a.m. v Rebecca Coons, Broadstreet (Moderator) v Emily Dull, IAC v Joei Schmitz, Under Armour Corporate Meeting Planners are getting younger and younger....do you ever feel like you just don't know how to communicate with them anymore? Do you feel like the hard work that you have put into your career over the past does not help you understand the ways of the new Meeting Planner? Texting, Twittering and a refusal to pick up the phone are just some of the differences that come between the Meeting Planning generations. Learn tips directly from the younger corporate meeting planners themselves to help you communicate more effectively with them and continue to earn the business. Don't get left behind on the generational business curve. |
| Business Applications v Legal-Ease for the Independent Planner | 10:30a.m. - 11:45a.m. v James M. Goldberg, Esq., Goldberg & Associates, PLLC Being an independent planner can be fun, flexible and rewarding, but it's also fraught with legal risks. This session will focus on making the independent planner's legal life a bit easier, offering practical tips on how to structure and maintain a business to limit liability, including necessary protections in a client contract, when to sign contracts on behalf of a client, protecting valuable intellectual property and evaluating what types of insurance to carry to minimize risk exposure. |
| Topical Trends v Moving from Social Media to Business Media for Event Professionals | 10:30a.m .- 11:45a.m. v Corbin Ball, CMP, MS, Corbin Ball Associates Session two in a two-part series on social media. So you are on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn… now what do you do? This session will cover how to use social media to market, manage and improve special events. It will cover hot trends with many social media case studies and best practices specifically applied to meetings and events. Steps to develop successful corporate social media policies as well as tools to manage multi-headed corporate social media campaigns will be analyzed and assessed. Bring your questions and ideas as the group will be asked to share best practices and suggestions in this very rapidly changing and exciting area. Learner Objectives: • Analyze a range of best practices and case studies on how social media tools are being used to market and manage events. • Uncover many efficiency ideas and tools on how to manage a successful corporate social media program for events. • Bring your questions and share with each other best practices in this very quickly changing environment. |
| Event Practices v Requests for Proposals (RFP) – Unraveling The Mysteries | 10:30a.m. - 11:45a.m. v Rebecca Coons, Broadstreet v Terry Singleton, CSEP, CCP Events, Inc. v Claudette Bouton, Creative Branding Solutions v Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, Thrive! Meetings & Event How much money should you spend on an RFP? How do you get the questions answered that aren’t included in the RFP? And how can you find out if you’re just being used to fill the client’s 3 bid requirement? Join our experienced panel of planners and producers as they open the door to the mysteries of the RFP! |
| All tracks Birds of a Feather Roundtable | 1:30 p.m. - 2:45p.m. One of two targeted opportunities to interact with your peers to learn about the industry topics you are most interested in from those you trust the most! |
| All tracks General Session - "Come Together - Right Now!" | 3:00 p.m. - 5:00p.m. This interactive town hall session tackles the complexities of communicating with clients/vendors across generations in a fast-paced, “Jerry Springeresque” manner. Got an opinion? Bring it! |
| | |
| Saturday, August 7 | |
| Business Applications v Business Owners Forum- A Discussion of Business Practices, Policies and Trends | 8:30am - 9:45am v Debbie Meyers, CSEP, BRAVO! Entertainment v Allin Foulkrod, CSEP, Creative Visions v Sally Webb, CSEP, Special Event Company This will be a discussion of business practices, policies and trends with a panel of successful international event professionals for business owners, managers and people thinking of opening their own businesses; including company structure,management, forecasting, marketing hiring,and firing. |
| Topical Trends v Event Entertainment – What’s Next? | 8:30am - 9:45am v Damon Guidry, Innovative Entertainment v Sonny Morris, East Coast Entertainment v Pamela Moore, Cast of Thousands Join entertainment producers from around the country for an informative panel discussion on the newest trends in the entertainment world. If you’re still buying off the shelf, you’re going to be left behind. Don’t miss this insider view of what’s next in event entertainment. |
| Event Practices v Award Winning Events and Menus | 8:30am - 9:45am v Joann Roth-Oseary, Someone's in the Kitchen Excellent visual examples of all subject matter with great ideas to take home for immediate implementation. You will see how to build upon a concept and put the whole package together. Many ideas for increasing streams of revenue. |
| Business Applications v Creative Writing for Proposals and More | 10:00am - 11:15am v Rebecca Coons, Broadstreet One of the most important business skills that you can develop is effective written communication. This interactive session will focus on the more creative aspects of business writing and provide tips to getting started, improving on your existing skills and helping to make your written words more powerful. |
| Topical Trends v The Viewpoint | 10:00am - 11:15am v Kathy Miller, Total-Event Resources v Dianne Devitt, Dianne Devitt Presents! v Janet Elkins, Eventworks v Sally Webb, CSEP, The Special Event Company v Lori Hill, lori hill event productions "The ViewPoint" an outstanding talk show provides a lively forum for dynamic industry leaders of different backgrounds, experiences and ages to participate in an open discussion about current event "hot-topics". The ViewPoint will encourage lively dialogue and intriguing conversations between hosts and the audience with hot topics such as "Maintaining the Value of Events", "Choosing the right Entertainment" and "Interesting News, Trends,and Products" to name a few. |
| Event Practices v The Psychology of Event Design | 10:00am - 11:15am v Kevin White, CSEP, Empire Force Events v Richard Foulkes, Imagination Using a company's corporate colors. Hosting an event outdoors. Honoring a recipient using live testimonials. Adding surprises to an experience. Each of these has certain considerations to take into account - budget, logistics etc. But how often are the psychological effects of our event design choices taken into consideration? This presentation will explore the human mind, the various needs we as human beings have, and how through event design we can achieve the greatest impact on guests. |
| Business Applications v Staying One Step Ahead | 1:30pm - 2:45pm v Cindy Lo, Red Velvet Events, Inc. E-mails are hitting your Inbox; clients are calling with changes; your manager is asking for a status update. With smart phones and laptops, it's so much easier these days to stay connected to your job, but how does one manage all the input without pulling out your hair? This session will discuss getting things done and how to best use Excel, Outlook, Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat to maximize your efficiency and best of all to stay one step ahead of your client and your manager. Bring your laptop and questions as this will be a fast-paced class showing you some of the best tips and tools used every day by Cindy and the Red Velvet Events team. And feel free to Twitter questions in advance to @RedVelvetEvents. |
| Topical Trends v Design Trends | 1:30pm - 2:45pm v Evan Carbotti, perfect surroundings, inc. v Jordan Carbotti, perfect surroundings, inc. As the event landscape evolves and new products and resources become available, it’s increasingly important to understand how to integrate natural colors and textures with sleek, crisp contemporary style. Discover how eclectic design solutions are becoming solutions for floral, table design and events as a whole, and uncover some of the many avenues that the PS Inc team takes on their on-going search for inspiration Exciting alternative space design formats are being used in the ever-changing future of the Special Event. Join Jordan and Evan as they share dozens of photos, experiences and some of their best design secrets! |
| Event Practices v Building and Maintaining Non-Profit Client Relationships Beyond the Event | 1:30pm - 2:45pm v Tracy Moran, CSEP, Jobe and Associates v Cheryl Smoot, CFRE, American Cancer Society It’s all about relationship development. Planner and client. Client and donors/sponsors. Learn firsthand what works and doesn’t work from both the client and event professional perspectives. Join Tracy Moran, CSEP, event specialist and Cheryl Smoot, CFRE of American Cancer Society – Ohio Division as they talk openly and honestly about partnerships beyond the party. Consulting on events for a non-profit organization needs to be strategic and mindful of the organization’s mission and culture. It’s not just about planning an event, it’s about creating a purposeful, successful experience that develops long term donor affinity. Creating a long term relationship and partnership is often overlooked as an opportunity to create strategic change and development of a non-profit’s event program. · When you approach a non-profit organization, are you thinking about only one event? · Are you developing a plan from the donor’s perspective? Non-profits need donors who are committed to the organization, more than just for the event dollars. · Do you have the talent and experience to help an organization recognize and develop their program(s) into more strategic, cohesive and mission-oriented experiences? · When you work with a client do you become a member of their team? Understanding their culture and personalities that influence, enhance, or impede progress? · Do you know what your client wants? How they want to communicate? In your current clients and relationships, what do you have offer and what other needs might your non-profit partner have? Do you have partnerships beyond the party? 3 learned objectives 1. Beyond the party – build strategies into the plan to engage donors before, during and after the event 2. Strategic approaches to non-profit partnerships that are a win-win for both parties 3. How to approach event/organizational audits to build a comprehensive plan |