Conversations
Events
Fall Education Program
Date: Sept. 17
Time: 3:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. CDT
Location: Chicago Marriott at Medical District/UIC, Chicago
Signature Luncheon
Date: Nov. 26
Time: 11 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. CDT
Location: Marriott Marquis Chicago, Chicago
Volunteer Spotlight
  
How to Make Your Corporate Meetings Accessible to People with Hearing Loss
Kathy Monte, Convene
 
With around 48 million Americans experiencing some level of hearing loss, it’s essential that your meetings and events are accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It’s almost guaranteed that any meeting or event of medium size will host someone with hearing loss, so here’s how to make sure your next meeting or event meets their needs.
  
The Awkwardness of Networking
Holly O'Donnell, Slone Solutions, LLC
 
When attending networking events, the end game is to schmooze; build awareness of services, develop clientele, sell. Yet our basic human need to be social becomes awkward and clumsy during networking gatherings.


  
Great Questions to Ask from the Supplier Perspective
BJ Strote, AV Chicago
 
Suppliers are professional “question-answerers,” but great suppliers pride themselves on asking great questions. Questions reveal motivations, and asking great questions demonstrates depth of value.
 
   
Detroit Metro CVB
      
MEET Chicago Northwest
   
Meet in Milwaukee
VISIT Milwaukee
With a 300,000 square-foot convention center, 17,000 hotel rooms, and 10 miles of lakefront (not to mention the home base of Harley-Davidson, sausage races, a flying art museum, mountainous bloody marys, and everything from 5-star dining to scrumptious cheese curds), Milwaukee should be on your shortlist for your next meeting. Oh, and beer. We have beer too.
It's totally random, totally wonderful, and totally Milwaukee.
Advertisement
Five Reasons Why You Should Stop Using Spreadsheets to Manage Your Events
Source: Trade Show News Network
There are several limitations to using spreadsheets for meeting management, including a lack of transparency among team members, version control and increased chance for error. Meeting Automation Platforms, a new technology that simplifies the conferences and trade show experience, automates the tasks and activities for which you typically rely on spreadsheets and landing pages.
The Role of Future Event Planners
Source: Event Manager Blog
As long as there are events, planners will be around to ensure they run smoothly. However, the corporate meeting and event landscape is shifting - in major ways - so the role of the event planner is evolving alongside it. The good news is that the future of event planning looks bright for those willing to anticipate the trends driving these industry-wide changes. 
Who’s on Your Risk Assessment Team?
Source: MPI Blog
The team that works on assessing the risks associated with any given meeting or event include both internal and external professionals from a variety of your stakeholder groups. Be all inclusive; have buy-in and input from subject matter experts. Preparedness reduces legal liability, and the more awareness and input you get, the better prepared you will be.
   
Hornblower Cruises & Events