Several outstanding experts will give seminars at the Small Market Meetings Conference. All speakers are leaders in the fields of hospitality, marketing or meetings.
Jonathan Howe, an attorney and noted leader in the hospitality and meetings industries, will discuss industry change and how to adapt to it — or else.
“One of the major issues we face today is that this industry isn’t static. What worked yesterday may not work today,” said Howe.
Meeting professionals work in the hospitality business, not the “hostility business,” said Howe, and he reminds planners that their reputations, good and bad, can be cemented based on level of service to clients.
Attendees will enjoy the enthusiasm of sales expert and author Frank Pacetta, president of the Central Ohio Region for ComDoc, which sells copiers, printers and software services for document management.
Pacetta’s opening address will challenge attendees with such thought-provoking questions as “Do you believe in the impossible?” “Do you surround yourself with great talent?” “Does the message you have for customers differentiate you from the competition?”
Pacetta might ask attendees to think about how they feel about their current position. “If you’re doing what you want to do, give it all you’ve got,” he said. “Otherwise, go find another job; if you can’t do this, then leave.”
Sue Tinnish, dean of the School of Hospitality Management at Kendall College in Chicago and a frequent national and international speaker in the meetings and events industries, will talk about expectations. Tinnish promises to bring practical insights and ideas to help planners grow professionally.
She explains that it’s not enough for meeting planners to stage well-executed and logistically sound meetings. The packaged content must be “the most palatable it can be for audiences,” she said.
For more information, visit www.smallmarketmeetingsconference.com.
