MPI Toronto Chapter Blog

Jan/Feb 2010 Olympics-themed issue of MEETING - now available online!

We are delighted to announce the January/February 2010 issue of MEETING is now available online!

Designed to supplement the print publication, the digital edition comes complete with the same great editorial content and visual appeal; plus convenient, interactive tools only available online.

Feature articles from this issue include:

• Ethics and the Olympics -- Vancouver Meeting Professionals Rise to the Challenge
• A World Audience -- Corporate Sponsorship at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
• People, Planet, Profit - Is a 'Green' Olympics Possible?

You may access past issues of MEETING in our digital edition archives. Please remember to add noreply@naylorcampaign10.com to your safe-sender list to ensure you receive future e-mail notifications.

A big thank you to the following members of the Communications Committee who co-created this issue of MEETING: Geoff Mak (Chair), Wendy Baker, Pamela Brohm, Amanda Cormie, Bori Csillag, Christine Gruber, Kyle Tomlin, Doug Wojick, Sharon Worsley, Nikki Wright and Vicky Zeppa. Are you interested in joining our committee or submitting an article? Email us at office@mpitoronto.org.

Five Stories that Rocked Our Industry in 2009

Meeting professionals faced a lot of challenges in 2009: sagging economic indicators, hotel foreclosures, travel scares, (yikes!) attrition. But the year also saw the emergence of new social media possibilities, groundbreaking research and green technologies. One+ assessed reader feedback and its own research to create this list of the top five stories that rocked the industry in 2009. Read more...

Behind every great member……

We all know the phrase…“Behind every great man there’s a great woman”. Taking it to the next level… who is your great supporter in your professional life? We all know what it takes to be an active and engaged member of any association or a successful business owner or employee….and we also know we can’t do it without a strong support system – who is your supporter?  Is it someone at home, work or a friend?

Whether a spouse, a partner, children, a parent, a colleague or an employer they all surround and encourage us everyday, whether we admit it or not. We’ve all got someone.  Who heads up your support system? 

Let’s see how big our circle of supporters really is.  Who are my supporters?  My two sons…Marco & Nicolas!!  

Bob Giorgini

Are you Conflict Free?

Did you know that when you become a member of MPI, you agree to abide by the Principles of Professionalism? (http://www.mpiweb.org/Archive/0/55.aspx) These principles include a statement about avoiding actions which are or could be perceived as a conflict of interest or for individual gain.

In addition, many organizations today have conflict-of-interest policies. Conflict of Interest policies are intended to ensure impartial decision-making by officers, directors and senior employees. Conflict of Interest policies typically require insiders to disclose their relationships and connections to suppliers seeking their business. 

So are you conflict free? Consider the following scenarios:

• You receive commissions on bookings - do you disclose that information to your client?
• Several destinations are under consideration for an incentive program you are planning - one of the destinations offers you a trip for you and your family if their destination is booked. What do you do?
• You serve on the Board of an industry association. During your term, you are asked to serve on the Board of another organization who has similar interests. What do you do?
• Your organization has issued an RFP for some upcoming events. Your best friend has started his own catering company. He asks you to write a letter of reference, or put in a good word when your organization considers the proposals. What do you do?
• You are a volunteer on a committee and they are looking for a service of a company that your husband happens to work for. When recommending that this company be considered do you disclose your relationship?
  

We'd love to hear from you on your conflict of interest experiences or policies and procedures. Post a comment.

Nikki

Unique Venue Ideas

Some of these may be a little too adventurous for your meeting or event, but look what's trending around the world in unique venues.

60 Unique Nightclubs and Bars - From Dancefloors Over Shark Aquariums to Pop-Up Clubs (CLUSTER)

(TREND HUNTER) Now, these are unique nightclubs I'd love to party at! These innovative clubbing hot spots around the world go far beyond the regular dance floor with cute servers behind the bar -- these unique nightclubs… [More]

And in our own back yard (Toronto) O.Noir has recently opened. (http://www.onoir.com/TO/frames.htm) If you've dined in the dark... let us know what you thought.

Nikki

Canadian Meetings Industry Coalition

Earlier this week, a group of meetings industry professionals met to discuss how we can work together  to elevate the profile of the industry. As industry insiders, we understand the economic value of meetings and events, however those outside of our industry often fail to recognize their importance.

The meeting, to which all industry associations were invited to participate, lay the foundation for future meetings and activities. Doug Bolger, L(earn)2 facilitated the discussion and is encouraging feedback from the industry at large via the MPI Toronto's LinkedIn Group.

If you wish to add to the conversation, join the discussion on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestions=&gid=1888685&forumID=3&sik=1243627403094

Watch for updates on the Coalition and planned activities in the near future.

Nikki

National Meetings Industry Day - Key Messages

Yesterday, over 350 meeting professionals gathered at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto for National Meetings Industry Day. This year's theme People Power - Harnessing collective knowledge for economic success, allowed panelists and the audience to explore the opportunities and challenges of the current economic climate and the need to ensure that the industry message of the value of meetings is being heard by government, media and the general public.

The key points raised were:

• Metrics are essential. Meeting professionals must demonstrate to their companies and clients the value of meetings to the organization. Demonstrating the value (ROI) that meetings contribute to an organization's business objectives and bottom line is essential.
• Meetings Do Mean Business.  Government, media and the general public need to understand the economic impact of meetings and events. In Canada, we are fortunate that the MPI Canadian Economic Impact Study is available as a resource to us to demonstrate that economic value. We need to do a better job of communicating that message.
• We are in this together. National Meetings Industry Day - Toronto was supported by seven of the major industry associations. This speaks volumes. Now is the time for a collective voice, and collective action.
• Take Charge of the Future. In the US, they have developed policy guidelines for meetings. Leaders from key organizations representing the meetings, events and incentive travel industries united to issue guidelines on acceptable business travel practices to companies that have received emergency government lending. The guidelines, built upon existing corporate best practices, are designed to ensure transparency and accountability and protect the one million American jobs supported by corporate meetings and events.The standards support President Obama's recent call for the boards of directors of companies that have received emergency government lending to develop guidelines on conferences, events and employee recognition programs. (excerpt from https://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/MPIcontent.aspx?id=23566)
• We Must Change Perceptions. How do we define this industry and what we do? The language we use to define our businesses and our industry is important. Think about your 30-second elevator conversation - Do you define the meetings and events business and your role in it? Do you explain how important meetings and events are to business performance?

If you attended National Meetings Industry Day we would love to hear your thoughts on the discussion. If you didn't attend and have an opinion, we'd also love to hear from you.

Nikki

A Community Celebrates

On March 5, MPI Toronto recognized some of the outstanding contributors to the meetings industry. It is from the support of our industry's community that individual success and achievement becomes possible. In turn the individual nourishes the community with their contributions of leadership, passion, commitment, dedication and innovation.

Congratulations to all the nominees and award recipients.

Norm Neill Student of the Year Award Nominees:
Danyelle MacCulloch, George Brown College
Rebecca Meikle, Ryerson University
Sandy Yong, Ryerson University
Norm Neil Student of the Year Award Recipient - Danyelle MacCulloch, George Brown College

Recruiter of the Year Award Recipient
Robbie Bishop, Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel

New Member of the Year Award Award Nominees:
Paul Alves, Caesars Windsor
Danyelle MacCulloch, George Brown College
Michael Marmur, Special Event Photography
Nikki Sayers, Ontario Bar Association
New Member of the Year Award Award Recipients - Paul Alves, Caesars Windsor and Nikki Sayers, Ontario Bar Association

Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award Nominees:
Lindsey Bryce, Deloitte
Dianna Di Manno, CMP Toronto Congress Centre
Andrew Horberry, CMP, Imagination
Andrew Walker, York University
Andrea Wallace, Meetings & Incentive Travel
Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award Award Recipients - Dianna Di Manno, CMP Toronto Congress Centre and Andrew Walker, York University

Supplier of the Year Nominees:
David Dugas, DE Systems
Robert Giorgini, London Convention Centre
Kelly Shannon, Peller Estates Winery & Hillebrand Winery
Supplier of the Year Award Recipient - Robert Giorgini, London Convention Centre

Planner of the Year Award Nominees:
Brenda Carter, CMP, KPMG MSLP
Leanne Hay, CMP, Amex Canada Inc.
Patty MacPherson, CMP, JPDL Toronto
Planner of the Year Award Recipient - Brenda Carter, CMP, KPMG MSLP

President’s Award Recipient
Doug Bolger, L(earn)2

MPI Toronto thanks each of you for your contributions to the industry and to MPI.

Nikki Wright

Connecting the Dots to Your Future

On Thursday February 5, those of you who were at MPI Toronto Chapter's Monthly Meeting know that Joan Eisenstodt's presentation sparked some lively conversation. Whether you think that the economic downturn spells disaster for the industry, or if you see this as an opportunity - your opinion is relevant and we need to hear from you on this issue.

There is a conversation going on at MPI Toronto's GroupSpace that was started as a follow up to Thursday's meeting. If you have an opinion - whether glass half full or half empty - I encourage you to join in this conversation.

http://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/community/CommBoards.aspx?TopicId=4539

A salient point that comes out of this economic downturn is the reminder that we are all in this together.

Nikki

What's Allowed in Your Meeting Room?

As we begin to wind down the holiday season, for many of us it is a relief to see 2008 come to a close. A year of ups and downs in many business sectors we can look at 2009 with the optimism that a new year brings.

So what is in store for 2009? Your guess is as good as mine. What I do know is that technology is going to continue to change - new tools and gadgets, new ways of interaction on the internet, and new challenges for technophobes.

There was an interesting article in the January 2009 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine on whether technology gadgets like BlackBerrys and smartphones should be banned from meetings. For those interested, here's the link to the article: http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/january/199070.html . I know that I find it annoying at meetings when others are using their phones.

The MPI Toronto Chapter Board agreed no phones during their Board meetings. After all, we survived before we all had smart phones. I believe this has increased the level of involvement in the meetings because everyone is paying attention.

What's your company policy? Do you have one? Are your meetings gadget free? Post a comment if you have something to share.

Happy New Year!

Nikki

The Power of Perks and Privileges

The October report on www.trendwatching.com/trends/perkonomics/ is on Perkonomics. The report highlights how 'perks' are being used to satisfy a consumers demand for convenience and status.

So what consitutes a perk? When you can buy your way into the lounge at the airport it seems to no longer be much of a perk... especially to those who were getting this 'exclusive privilege' as a reward for their loyalty and volume usage.

The report highlights that the benefits of offering 'perks'. Here is a cut and paste excert of what they had to say.

• Perks bring much-needed love (if not FREE LOVE), in upturns and downturns, potentially leading to more ‘brand love’.
• Perks help commodity-like industries stand out by conferring a (renewed) sense of uniqueness. Adding perks often requires the ability to partner with other products or services, so brands with the best partnering skills—and therefore access to the best exclusive offers—will win.
• Perks, when done well, foster customer loyalty.
• Perks can give you the leading edge when it comes to attracting first-time customers.
• Perks can make for great if not invaluable PR; customers will tell others—perks are excellent conversation starters—while the media (trend watchers included) love a good perk story.
• Perks can help make boring companies (insurance, anyone ...?) interesting again, and thus more desirable.
• Perks can help cultivate more desirable brand perceptions and associations—think anything from showing you actually care about your customers (gasp!) to showing you care about the environment, offering eco-perks.

(www.trendwatching.com/trends/perkonomics/)

As meetings industry professionals, we are used to some of the perks and privileges offered by service providers to the industry - club floor lounges, dedicated check-in lines, special reservation numbers, upgrades, etc. But how well do we use perks and privileges at meetings and events to build loyalty and new customers amongst meeting attendees? The possibilities could be endless in terms of what is offered, and may also be another opportunity to attract sponsors.

This summer at a music festival I attended, they had 'exclusive' parking for Volkswagen drivers - very clever sponsorship on the part of Volkswagen. And although I am not a Volkswagen driver... I still remember the offering, and here I am blogging about it. 

What interesting perks and privileges have you offered or are you considering offering at your meetings and events? Add a comment and let me know what you are doing, or are planning on doing in the near future.

Nikki 

Pecha Kucha - PowerPoint with Adrenaline

So what is Pecha Kucha anyway? 20 ppt slides, 20 seconds per slide = only 6 minutes and 40 seconds and the presentation is done! Sign me up... where can I attend those sessions? The Youtube clip embedded in this blog is a great demonstration of pecha kucha in action.

In today's world I have less time to do anything so give me the information NOW, I said NOW because I'm multi-tasking and I can't stop because there is a list of 100 things that I have to do so I have to keep going and going until... Well, I think you get the point.

Pecha Kucha would seem to fit right in with the need for information quickly. And while this format may not be appropriate for all meetings, it offers an interesting element of high-visual, succinct presentation which may just offer the necessary shake-up to the talking head syndrome that a lot of conferences and events suffer from.

I am hoping that readers of this blog will be able to offer further insights into pecha kucha - have you used it? How did it work? Did it enhance or hinder the  meeting? What was the learning curve for the presenter?

For more information check out these sites:

• http://meetingsnet.com/technology/pecha_kucha_powerpoint/
• http://michelemartin.typepad.com/thebambooprojectblog//2008/04/a-primer-on-pec.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecha_Kucha

Nikki

A Risky Proposition

I know first aid, may I help you? To be honest, these are words I hope I never have to say to an attendee at an event (or to anyone for that matter). The reality is, however, that at some point during our careers as meeting professionals we are faced with situations that require us to grab the Crisis Management Plan. Oh, wait a second… I'm supposed to have a Crisis Management Plan?

While I am not an expert in this area, I do know that as meeting professionals we have a responsibility to safeguard our people, property, information, financial investment, reputation of the company and the meeting itself as well as our own professional reputations. Creating a Crisis Management Plan is just another tool in our arsenal to help us do this.

None of us really like to think about the what if and what would we do if, but the reality is things do happen. Any kind of situation can quickly spiral out of control if the meeting professional is not prepared to deal with them.

The Crisis Management Plan is part of the overall Risk Management Strategy. Being pro-active planners we assess destinations, facilities, activities, service providers, etc to determine potential risks or negative impacts on the attendees, the event or the financial investment of the organization. For example, if you are planning a meeting in January in Toronto there is a possibility that weather will impact attendance. Looking at where attendees are coming from, what transportation options are available, whether they are staying at the facility, etc. allow us to make a determination on what impact weather could potentially have on the meeting. Having identified weather as a potential risk for our meeting in Toronto in December, we can now outline the what if it happens contingency plan.

If you are looking for resources on developing Crisis Management Plans there are lots of them available- here are just a few:

• http://www.ccep.ca/ (Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness)
• http://www.meetingsnet.com (search 'crisis management')
• http://www.mpiweb.org (search 'crisis management')
• http://www.tyrahilliard.com/ (visit the Resources page)

I know that many of you have experiences that you can share about situations that have happened at your events. I would love to hear from you on what happened, what you did and what you learned from the experience (what you would do differently if it were to happen again). This is one area where the more information we share about real life experiences, the better we are all able to prepare and develop our own Crisis Management Plans.

Nikki

Community

Last night at MPI Toronto Chapter's 30th Anniversary Celebration we were reminded of the community to which we belong. Throughout the evening, the presentations were peppered with references to our MPI community and the power of human connections.

As meeting professionals we are community builders - we lay the foundation stones at meetings for community members to come together, to dialogue and generate future outlooks within our respective industries, corporations, associations or social causes. We seek ways for individuals to interact and generate new ideas, to network and strengthen connections, to contribute to build better organizations.

For those of you also attended WEC in Las Vegas, the power of community building was demonstrated during The Drum Café at the Opening Session. The power of the drum… drawing us back to the power of tribal rhythm. We all have a role to play - we give and receive from each other in the moment. We are linked and in coming together, we are able to create great things.

Our MPI community is one in which we all have a part to play. Each individual's role is as great or as small as one may choose - but none is less or more important than the other. At the beginning of last night's event, the past and the future of MPI Toronto met on stage - past presidents and new members. Flash Back, Flash Forward and I am reminded of the importance of the present moment. The present where we experience the 'aha'. The present where we see ourselves linked to the past and to the future. The present in which we are active participants in our community. Each of us has a role to play.

Our Chapter President Suzanne Forster encouraged us to get engaged in our community. In fact, engagement is her theme for the year. For each of us the way we will be engaged is different, but we are all part of the community. Whether a village elder or someone who has just joined, each of us has a role to play.

I look forward to your comments and ideas.

Nikki

 

What Are You Serving?

For me one of the best parts of any meeting/event is the food. I love to eat, and I love to try new things. I also like to cook so am always looking for new ideas to try at home as well. When I plan events for our association clients, the challenge is to be able to make innovative menu choices on a budget. It is also becoming increasingly challenging to meet the diverse needs of meeting participants.

So what is the next big thing in food and beverage? The 2008 National Restaurant Association 2008 survey revealed the following trends:

Food

• Small plates are still big!
• Organic, local, sustainable
• Ethnic cuisine and ethnic fusion

Beverages

• Signature cocktails
• Pairings (wine and beer; beer flights)
• Craft beers
• Organic wine/beer products

Most of these food and beverage trends have already filtered their way into the meeting and events industry. So what’s next? Here are some new trends that may start popping up in our industry.

It Ingredients – you know the one ingredient that makes you ooh so cool.

• High end juices (packaged to look like wine)
• Red espresso
• Exotic edibles (giant toasted ants?)

(See the Trendwatching Briefing: http://www.trendwatching.com/briefing/ for more information)

DIY – where diners select the flavours – Geschmackslabor a restaurant in Germany allows diners to select flavoured oils that finish their dish, creating their own unique taste sensation (http://www.geschmackslabor.com/)

High End Dessert Trucks (move over Popsicle Pete) (http://www.springwise.com/food_beverage/index.php?page=2 )

Customized M&Ms (http://www.mymms.com/customprint_faces/)

I’d love to know what you think is going to be the next big thing in food and beverage – add a comment if you have any ideas or if you have tried something new and fabulous at a recent event. In the meantime, I’m off to sample more food…

To listen to the 2008 Forecast podcast from the National Restaurant Association:  http://cdn3.libsyn.com/nra/NRA_2008_Restaurant_Industry_Forcast_-_Food__Beverage.mp3?nvb=20080822124822&nva=20080823124822&t=0febf71846a1b7c5a1ebb

WEC & CSR Efforts

I was perusing the MPI website for information on the World Education Congress (WEC) which starts next week in Las Vegas, and found a  list of all the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that WEC, its venues, partners and suppliers are undertaking. While some of the items on the list are obvious, there are others that show real initative to make a difference.

WEC CSR Initatives:  http://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/wec2008/wec_content.aspx?id=16982

If you are attending WEC, it will be interesting to see these items in action… 

How do 'green' initiatives impact you in the way you experience a conference? Share your thoughts or better yet, tell us what you do as an individual to support the CSR cause. (Here's to offsetting .09 tonnes of CO₂e for a one-way flight Toronto-Las Vegas).

Other green meeting resources:

• http://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/mpicontent.aspx?id=11458
• http://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/community/CommHome.aspx?commid=97
• http://www.greenmeetings.info/
• http://www.greeninggovernment.gc.ca/f5b1c0bc-741c-4493-b4b7-b0d56bbe6566/green_meeting_guide_07.pdf
• http://meetingsnet.com/checklistshowto/green_meetings/
• http://blog.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com/
• http://groups.google.com/group/meetgreen

If you have a resource, great idea or best practice you want to share on green meetings, post a comment.