The Hosted Buyer program, which begins June 14 at WEC Vegas and continues throughout the event, has been totally redesigned to offer participants more than traditional appointments. They are experiencing WEC Vegas like a true VIP, with engaging and interactive networking activities to deepen business relationships.
There is also a virtual component called the Digital Business Exchange (Hosted Buyer) program. We recently spoke to Marcel Coleman, manager of MPI’s Exchange Programs, about the new Digital Exchange series, which began in February.
To begin, can you share a bit about the new digital event series?
The MPI Digital Exchange Series: 2021 Road to Recovery, a collaboration between the MPI Business Exchange and the MPI Academy, explores ways both planners and suppliers can come together not just to discuss business but to create roadmaps for the future of our industry. The series includes six digital events that use the traditional hosted buyer model while creating opportunities for participants to solve complex industry issues together. Each event focuses on a specific MPI community: Experiential Marketers & Designers, Corporate Planners - Financial & Insurance, Medical Planners (July 28), Women (Aug. 28), Association Planners (Oct. 27) and Administrative Planners (Dec. 1). Suppliers interested in meeting with these specific groups could purchase packages to attend one or all of the events. Content from the events will subsequently be published in a whitepaper and distributed to the respective community.
2021 Road to Recovery: MPI Exchange Digital Event Series
How will the MPI Exchange/hosted buyer experience be different for planner and supplier participants this coming year?
This year, we are focusing on blending business meetings with opportunities to connect, learn and grow by shifting from a pure transactional business model to one that is also experiential and educational. These experiences are far more collaborative, allowing participants to focus on relationship building as we press forward to industry recovery. The Hosted Buyer Program at WEC Vegas has been completely redesigned to ensure this purpose is fulfilled. We did a lot of research in the industry to figure out what’s happening with hosted buyer programs and I spent a lot of time with people at WEC Grapevine to really learn what attendees are looking for and what’s missing. What can MPI do to turn the tide and reset the parameters of what we know as hosted buyer? It’s important to really highlight what separates MPI from the rest of the industry to be a leader in action, not just in name. This is an opportunity to take the success of WEC Grapevine’s program and really push it—ensure the Hosted Buyer Program is a must-attend in the industry.
Can you explain more about how you’ve been gauging what planners and suppliers desire from hosted buyer events and programs like the MPI Exchange within the current business landscape?
We conducted two separate focus groups: one purely for suppliers and another that was a mix of planners and suppliers. Understandably, each group had different expectations; however, one thing was very clear—they all highly value relationships. Suppliers not only see our programs as a way to build new relationships, but also as a way to stay connected with existing contacts. Planners are looking for value and use hosted buyer to connect with partners who can help take their events to the next level. The 15- to 20-minute meetings are great and productive, but the work truly begins before anyone arrives at the event and extends far beyond the closing party. So, all Exchange programs now focus on end-to-end experiences, providing all participants more time with each other through new and exciting adventures, more possibilities to think outside the box and more ways to push their boundaries.
