Blog #4: Top Three Takeaways

Top Three Takeaways

I have learned so much in such a short time during this course and am truly grateful for the opportunities it has given me to grow in and out of the classroom. Here are my top three takeaways!

1. Informational Interview - Networking

While the informational interview was one of the most nerve-racking assignments this semester I am grateful that it was assigned to us. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone to network in a way I don’t I would not have done otherwise. Not only do I better understand how to request and conduct an informational interview I gained a wealth of knowledge from my interview subject on what it takes to build relationships in the meetings industry, build my professional reputation and how to drive the success of my own business. Additionally, I gained a mentor and access to a network of meeting professionals I would not have been able to connect with otherwise. 

2. Gaylord Hotel Field Trip

The Gaylord Hotel field trip was one of my favorite class experiences. It provided us with the opportunity to better understand what it takes to manage a hotel and how that plays into supporting meetings and events on their property. I never considered a position with a hotel as a meeting planner because I felt that I would not have the same involvement in the event planning process as a hotel staff member. However, this field trip made me consider the possibility of working in a hotel after completing the MTA program. While Gaylord properties are unique convention properties I see the value of what hotel meeting planners do a lot better now. I also understand that there is much more than what meets the eye that the job entails. It was exciting to see how well the staff understood all aspects of the hotel and company to better serve the meetings and events. It was also great to hear from an MTA alum on his journey with the company!

3. Social Tables Field Trip - Meeting Design 

This field trip was such a unique experience because it offered so many learning components outside of a traditional field trip. During this field trip I was able to understand meeting design not only through our text book but through hands on experience learning how to use the software. Additionally, how technology can enhance our events experience is something I have always been interested in. So it was very exciting to see and hear about what SocialTables is doing to change the meetings and events industry using cloud-based technology.They are helping to better plan and design meeting space layouts in real time by connecting both the property and the meeting planner in a way they have not been able to communicate before. Finally, I also really appreciated the opportunity to get certified in their software as this is something I would like to continue to develop as a skill! 

Blog #3 PCMA Capital Chapter: What Do You Do When the Circus Comes to Town? Contingency Planning for the New Millennium Planner Workshop

PCMA Capital Chapter: What Do You Do When the Circus Comes to Town? Contingency Planning for the New Millennium Planner Workshop

I attended PCMA Capital Chapter’s planner workshop titled What Do You Do When the Circus Comes to Town? Contingency Planning for the New Millennium on September 16, 2015 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Crystal City, Virginia. The program consisted of a 2 hour educational session on contingency planning and risk management as well as a 1 hour reception. The education portion was facilitated by Joan Eisenstodt of Eisenstodt Associates, LLC. She is a meeting planning consultant with over 30 years of experience in the industry. I chose to attend this event because it’s content directly related to topics that we discussed in class and I hoped to gain additional understanding on how to implement contingency plans.

We received the session powerpoint slides the morning of the event with an email confirming the details of it. When we arrived there was PCMA Capital Chapter branded signage with directions to the meeting room by the garage elevators and in the lobby making it easy to find our way in the hotel. Joan had set each table with dark chocolate for attendees but also included signs next to them clearly noting what ingredients in the treats could cause an allergic reaction. This small detail was just one example of how important it is to think through every possibility when assessing risk and deciding how likely it is to occur and how it will be managed. While food allergies may not seem very important they are common and the signage that was included was a simple but effective way to manage the risk. 

Some chocolate to get our brains working (The yellow paper is the sign I had)! 

The session was very interactive and asked attendees questions such as “share the worst thing that’s ever happened at one of your meetings?”. While this was a simple question for the experienced planners participating there was an unusual task that went along with it. We were asked to draw the experiences and share them with our neighbors! Touches like this made the session fun. In addition to stressing how important it is to start risk management in the initial planning stages such as site selection we learned more on how to incorporate requirements into contracts. Finally, we got a chance to respond to scenarios created by the facilitator to practice our new skills! 

After the session there was a reception in the attached room for all attendees. The organizers chose a circus themed menu to go with the title of the event. I thought this was a creative touch!  This hour allowed attendees to network and share their thoughts on the educational piece with each other.

Overall, I think this workshop was well developed, facilitated and balanced the education portion with a creative networking reception at the end. As a student member and first time attendee I was not only impressed with the level of education provided but at the willingness of members to network and speak with me.

To share some of what we learned I have posted a link to the powerpoint presentation with some of my notes. To see this please click on the link below.

PowerPoint Presentation Slides with Notes

Blog #1: Brick Fest Live

Brick Fest Live

I attended Brick Fest Live on November 14th, 2015 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. It is a 2-day Lego fan convention held in several cities in the United States. This conference featured something for Lego lovers of all ages! 

It had interactive stations that incorporated all aspects of the Lego brand and products. These areas included a derby where attendees could build their own model cars and race them, a reading rest area with mats and pillows where younger attendees and their parents could take a break and read books about  their favorite lego characters, and a theater for live sessions open to all attendees.

A reading rest area for younger attendees. 

 There were also “inspiration stations” that had Legos of all shapes and sizes so attendees could build whatever they wanted to, mosaic walls to display attendee creations, a video game area where people could play the latest lego games, a movie area to watch Lego movies and building pools set up on mats. These building pools were interesting because they were divided by the size of the legos as to provide a safe play experience for younger attendees and display their products for that age group. Something that interested me about the inspiration stations was that they encouraged attendees to take photos of their creations and post them to social media with a hashtag to promote the event. This was a strategy we discussed in our event marketing class! 

Inspiration Station Signage

There were also some amazing 3D models on display. Many national merchants exhibited and sold their unique Lego products as well. This included collector items and hard to find pieces that drew older attendees to the conference looking to purchase items they could no longer find in store or online. 

A 3D Model on Display!

I was impressed by how they turned the space into a true Lego experience. All of the signage was consistent with the conference’s brand and the event design really took into consideration the location of each activity station while still putting vendors and sponsors in the middle of the floor so attendees had to walk through that space even if they might not be interested in buying. I think this was a good idea on the event organizer's behalf because it ensured that exhibitors received the most amount of traffic they could get. I also found that all of the different stations were well marked and each offered something unique.

Building pool with Legos for older attendees

I preferred to shop at some of the exhibits but still enjoyed participating in their trivia night that drew attendees of all ages to the theater area with prizes provided by the sponsors. 

Overall, this conference did a great job of offering something for all ages. It showed that the brand understands it’s consumer demographic well and continues to develop its following with these type of interactive events all over the United States. 

Blog #2 - The Walk to End HIV

Volunteering at The Walk to End HIV

I volunteered for United Way National Capital Area’s Motivation Station at The Walk to End HIV on October 24,2015. This fundraising walk and 5K timed run benefits and is organized by Whitman-Walker Health and took place at Freedom Plaza.

Some of the signs we used at our motivation station.

When I arrived that morning there was a miscommunication between the organization I volunteered with and the event organizer about whether we would have a tent at our station as we had received in previous years. As it turned out we would not receive a tent this year because the city permits for tables at our location were denied. However, we were still able to motivate the walkers and runners as they approached the finish line. 

We found a solution so we could still be an involved sponsoring group. Instead of having tables under the tent for the music, candy, donuts and water bottles some volunteers were assigned to hold signs and others were designated to hold the snacks and offer them to walkers or runners as they passed by. No matter what our jobs were we all cheered loudly for the walkers and runners that passed by. 

Heroes running towards the finish line!

Something that caught my attention was the race’s marketing tagline. It read “Super Heroes Don’t Fly They Walk To End HIV”. They did a good job of incorporating it into the race and it’s date, since it was so close to halloween. Race organizers asked race participants to wear hero costumes  to take part of this event. Most participants did which resulted in a fun, high energy race and walk for a great cause. I believe the theme of the run did a great job of incorporating the spirit of the upcoming holiday and the cause of the event. 

  

Overall, it was great to see how to support a fundraising event from the sponsor perspective! 

The organizers did a great job of incorporating the upcoming Halloween spirit!