Joint Meeting of PCMA Heartland Chapter and KCMPI

By Missy Johnson

Members from the PCMA Heartland Chapter and KCMPI joined together on Thursday, July 10, 2014 for a "Best in Class" educational program on the Business of Reinvention. John Folks, founder and chairman of Minding Your Business in Chicago, was our guest speaker. Attendees were treated to a unique venue in the Amigoni Urban Winery in the West Bottoms who served as our location host and the event was also co-hosted by the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau and Four Season’s Hotels & Resorts.

Attendees from both chapters learned to ask, "How do you know when your meeting/convention needs a boost or a re-tool?" John explained that many factors can help answer that question when you consider the changes in technology, generational changes of attendees, emerging international markets and economic challenges. We learned that when considering major changes to a meeting/convention, you need to find a change agent that will be on your side to support you at the executive/decision level. Get this "buddy" on your side to help advocate for the changes you desire.

Speaker, John Folks mingling Our guest speaker also discussed the importance of seeing what your competitors are doing before making major changes. "Put money in your budget to have someone on your staff go to a competitors meeting to do a competitive analysis of what they are offering. See everything they are doing from an attendee’s perspective and you'll be amazed how insightful it is", Folks offered.

Folks walked attendees through the thoughtful process that a meetings manager must undertake in order to thoroughly and accurately go about accessing and implementing re-invention in meetings/ convention. The session allowed for ample audience interaction and was lively at times. Folks reminded members of both organizations that "the worlds of our attendees are changing so rapidly, we have to change with them!"