ART CREDIT

PHOTO BY JACOB SLATON

PCMATODAY SEPTEMBER 2013

PCMA is the leading resource and premier educator for professionals in the meetings and conventions industry.

Creating Emotional Connections At Convening Lead- ers 2013, a session led by Freeman’s Mike McCauley concentrated on the attendee experience.

Crossing Borders and Broadening Minds

Education sessions at Convening Leaders 2014 will push the envelope — focusing on everything from international contracts to graphic design.

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hether you have questions about how to make your hybrid events more interac-

tive for virtual attendees, or you’re interested in the latest ways to make your face-to-face events more sustain- able, there will be a session for you at Convening Leaders 2014, PCMA’s annual meeting, to be held Jan. 12–15 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Concurrent session topics will cover everything from how to select a destination based on strategic business intelligence, to what technology tools are best for independent planners. A three-part series of sessions on

12 PCMA CONVENE SEPTEMBER 2013

strategic meetings management (SMM) will offer rich content for planners at various stages in the SMM process. Sessions will focus on how to start a successful SMM program, how to use data to build a business case for SMM programs, and how to challenge the current definition of SMM and take it to the next level for the future. Because Convening Leaders has increasingly drawn international attendees and meeting professionals who plan conferences around the globe, there will be an emphasis on education sessions dealing with international con- tracting, navigating cultural differences,

boosting revenue from international meetings, and hosting events in Africa and the Middle East. For those who plan trade shows, a number of exhibits-focused sessions will help you up your game. You’ll expe- rience innovative design trends from around the globe, learn how to grow your sponsorship revenue, and discover new ways to ensure your attendees get more out of your next exhibition. To get a glimpse of what’s in store at Tuesday’s General Session, read our PCMA Convening Leaders 2014 Preview interview with futurist Mike Walsh on p. 73.

. PCMA.ORG