Strong Association focus and wide-ranging variety means there is something for everyone
AIBTM’s diverse professional Education Program provides comprehensive content for exhibitors, Hosted Buyers, and trade buyers, equipping them with expert advice and practical training to enable them to drive their organisations forward and deliver bottom line results.
The content for the first America Meetings Week and AIBTM’s Professional Education Programme, created in conjunction with the leading associations CIC, MPI, ICCA, and JMIC, kick starts with AIBTM Education Day, a day solely dedicated to professional education on June 21st.
A strong Association theme runs throughout the programme featuring a number of sessions aimed at this audience. The Association Leadership Conference will take place on June 21st and will provide professional development and leadership strategies for association meeting planners.
Penetrating the US Outbound Meetings Market: Practical Advice for International Meetings Suppliers seminar, run by ICCA, features a panel of experts, experienced in generating U.S. business for international suppliers and their destinations. International Association Meetings: Decision-making, Bidding and Ambassador Programmes – Lessons from Leading Global Destinations, also run by ICCA, features a number of top destination marketers who will share the secrets of their success. Joan Eisenstodt, considered a one-woman powerhouse in the U.S. meetings industry with over 30 years’ experience, will provide an insightful session on Women in Business focussing on the association market.
Paul Bridle, Information Contextualizer, who has spent over two decades studying effective organisations and the people that lead them, will present the final session aimed at associations, Leadership Challenges for the Future Association.
On Wednesday June 22nd, AIBTM will be the platform for the exciting launch of the AIBTM and MPI Business Value of Meetings (BVOM) research. The international study has uncovered best practices, steps to avoid, expected outcomes, and practical ways to introduce the measurement and reporting of BVOM within organisations. Presented by Bill Voegeli of Association Insights, the session will enable delegates to recognize BVOM opportunities within their organizations, learn practical ways to measure and report BVOM, and the mistakes to avoid when establishing BVOM measures and reports.
Trade buyers and Hosted Buyers can attend all Education sessions and, for the first time, the program includes a session specifically aimed at exhibitors. Branding Your Product Master Class: Socialization of Your Brand, which will discuss the role that social media plays in branding, presented by international guru and branding expert Ilan Geva.
Steve Knight, AIBTM Project Director says: “AIBTM aims to equip industry professionals with information, thought-leadership and practical advice to excel in the global meetings industry. With over 3,000 industry professionals expected to attend, 2,000 of which will be Hosted Buyers, and over 700 exhibiting companies, we recognize that one size does not fit all, and so we’ve developed an education program that will effectively meet the needs of all participants.”
The program also includes Focus on Technology sessions to help professionals understand the impact that technology is having on the industry. Exploring the Benefits of Virtual Events, Mobilizing your Events, Behind the Scene of a Successful Events will provide valuable insight and practical advice on how attendees can harness the latest technologies to maximize their company’s market presence.
In addition to the sessions on AIBTM Education Day, there is also a number of Wake up to AIBTM morning education seminars taking place before the AIBTM trade exhibition opens on June 22nd and 23rd, starting at 8:30 am and ending as the show floor opens at 10:00 am.
Pat Durocher, CEO Global Synergies will present The Challenges and Triumphs of Delivering Global Events. Corbin Ball, international speaker and technology consultant will chair a technology panel discussion, and Dianne Devitt, DND Group President, will also present a morning education seminar on Wednesday June 22nd. Thursday morning presenters include BCDMI executive team members Mathew Wall and Mary MacGregor, the current SITE President.
All of the AIBTM educational sessions will be Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) accredited, the foremost certification of the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry.
Erica Keogan, Associations and Education Manager Meetings and Events Portfolio, Reed Travel Exhibitions comments: “AIBTM is the first large scale exhibition to bring together the world’s meeting and events industry in one U.S. location, giving us a great opportunity to reach out and connect with a very established market.
“With offices on five continents, we’re able to tap into the various teams that possess local knowledge, helping to ensure that we have a local, regional and international aspect to our education programme. This year’s AIBTM program will also provide valuable feedback, enabling us to develop and enhance the programme for AIBTM 2012.”
For the latest information on the AIBTM’S free Education Programme, please visit www.aibtm.com.
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