NEXT 2020

What is NEXT?

NEXT ’20, MPI-CAC’s annual one-day education and technology conference will deliver innovative and enlightening educational content, cutting-edge technology trends, and an unlimited opportunity to make new connections, or reconnect with friends.

NEXT brings together over 300 industry professionals from all over the Chicagoland area from, meeting planners, event producers, and experiential design experts to embark on the journey of learning from thought leaders, industry influencers, and subject matter experts.

MPI-CAC boasts a long history of advancing the meetings industry, and will continue to fuel the personal and professional growth of our membership. NEXT will be no different! This year’s topics and speakers will be invigorating, engaging, and will inspire you to another level!

Agenda

8:00 AM - Registration 
8:15 AM - Breakfast - MPI Community Meet-Ups / "Find Your Tribe"  
9:15 AM - Kickoff from Office of President 
9:30-10:15 AM – Keynote - Michael Lyons 
10:30 - 11:15 AM - Breakout Sessions 1 
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM - Breakout Sessions 2 
12:15 - 1:30 PM - Networking lunch with Table Topics

Session Details

Connecting the Dots: How to Stay Relevant and Position Yourself for Career Success: This session is for everyone - from beginners to CMPs who have been in their careers 20+ years - and is relevant to both planners and suppliers. As professionals, we should constantly seek to improve, which in turn positions us to move up in our careers, yielding positions of increased responsibility and the financial rewards that accompany that advancement. This session focuses on how to "connect the dots" and addresses many of the areas that must be worked on simultaneously such as communication skills, social skills, leadership skills, time management, and how to be an excellent role model to others.

Alison Henderson - Listening with Your Eyes: Advanced Body Language for Better Leadership: Over 70% of communication is non-verbal, yet it is surprising that most people do not have mastery over their nonverbal communication. Soft skills aren’t taught in university and the ability to read nonverbal behavior and engage in truly collaborative communication is at risk in a society where technology often takes the place of relationship building. Learn about both sides of body language communication. What are the signals you are sending to others and how can you make those signals better? AND What are the signals being sent to you and how can you read them? In a time when face to face interaction is becoming less and less, leaders must learn to make the most of every minute.

Alan Kleinfeld - Crisis Communication: It’s More than Social Media: In this day and age of ubiquitous Facebook and compulsive tweeting, it may seem practical during an emergency to put your thumbs into “smartphone” overdrive. However, communication in a crisis is so much more than a few quick posts. A good crisis communication plan does more than help when it comes to your organization’s reputation and public relations. Hear from a planner, safety professional and journalist on how your message is translated from verbal to print to the news cycle. A suitable plan can help keep people safe and the doors to your organization open during an emergency.

Emily Washcovick - Bringing Your Business Online - Yelp Information Session for Meeting Planners: You’ve probably done a search on Yelp before, but did you know people go to Yelp to search for Event Planners and Event or Meeting Planning Services? This session will walk you through how you can use the free tools in Yelp for Business Owners to put your best foot forward on Yelp and tell the story of your business in a place that consumers are looking to find you. Update your business hours, add photos of yourself, your staff and your services, learn what tools can make you most successful in telling your story on your Yelp Business Page.

In this session attendees will learn best practices for completing their profile on Yelp and taking advantage of the free tools available to move the needle and be found more often by potential customers. They will also be educated on best practices for responding to online reviews and have an opportunity to ask questions of a Yelp representative.

Mike Moulton, Sofia Martin, CMP, CCTP and Rachael Callahan, CMP - Where’s my ride? How technology is shaping event transportation in 2020: From Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology to real-time ridership reporting, technology is driving efficiency for event organizers and enhancing the overall passenger experience for event guests. During this session, attendees will hear from event transportation experts and certified meeting professionals on how advances in technology are enabling a data-driven approach to event transportation and impacting events both operationally and financially.

Convene
16 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60603