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IMEX – 2015 Recap Jennifer Prusa, Director of Meetings and Education, attended IMEX October 12-15 in Las Vegas. My purpose was to learn from other meeting experts about cutting edge ways to present content for BEMA’s meetings and IBIE’s education program. I also looked for new sponsorship ideas, products and met with a number of hotels to whom we have RFP’s out for BEMA’s Annual Meeting, workshops and Board Meeting.

IMEX Recap

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Page 1: IMEX Recap

IMEX – 2015 Recap• Jennifer Prusa, Director of Meetings and

Education, attended IMEX October 12-15 in Las Vegas.

• My purpose was to learn from other meeting experts about cutting edge ways to present content for BEMA’s meetings and IBIE’s education program.

• I also looked for new sponsorship ideas, products and met with a number of hotels to whom we have RFP’s out for BEMA’s Annual Meeting, workshops and Board Meeting.

Page 2: IMEX Recap

POWERFUL PANELS• Tons of tips for improving the format and

presentations of our speaker panels. • Ways to help our guest panelists AND our

moderators deliver engaging content• Resources for panel moderator training and

for professional moderators.

Speaker: Kristin ArnoldIMEX, MPI – Smart Monday

Page 3: IMEX Recap

IT’S NOT JUST TABLES AND CHAIRS• What if?• Our general session looked like this? • Our workshops or committee meetings looked like

this?• The photo below illustrates the way that room set

can affect engagement. A mix of furniture = talking, connecting. Chairs facing front = smart phone zombies. Taken at the same time at the same meeting in two different rooms.

Page 4: IMEX Recap

LOCATION, LOCATION• From Nashville to Portland, Dubai to

Cancun – I was able to speak with hoteliers and CVB reps from all of the cities and properties currently under consideration for BEMA’s EIGHT annual events!

• Talking face to face and asking questions is SO much better than online research on the locations.

Page 5: IMEX Recap

SPONSOR RECOGNITION• I did some recon work for Deb Blaylock,

sponsorship sales director for BEMA and IBIE, and found some original ideas:

• Festival Chairs (top) – fully imprintable corrugated seating – perfect for an event sponsorship.

• COOLEST DISCOVERY (bottom 2) – 4-D Interactive. Each photo on this banner works like a QR code to unlock video, photos, and more. The bottom photo shows what one of the product photos unlocks – what if these were location stations at IBIE?

Page 6: IMEX Recap

GREAT IDEAS!• Catch Box – the tossable, catchable

microphone – makes Q&A time come alive!• Fun Stackable Ribbons – Get them from PC

Nametag to give out at your IBIE booth and create some fun. Considering “Been Here Forever” for our 100th Anniversary Meeting.

• Personalized Printing – Customize each item for the recipient – might be our new speaker gifts.

Page 7: IMEX Recap

GREAT IDEAS - continued!• Who knew some airwalls were metal? –

sometimes a simple realization can change the way a session is presented. Every bit of knowledge is a resource.

• Great Speaker – I encountered a number of great speakers and speaker resources. Chris Heeter is also a wilderness guide – BEMA tours anyone?

• Find Your Match – Buttons with fun descriptors on them…select one that describes you. When you find a match, you can both enter a drawing. I picked “I’m a Walking Cookbook.”

Page 8: IMEX Recap

SHOW FLOOR EDUCATION• I have the privilege of working with Lynn

Schurman at RBA to co-lead the IBIE Education Task Force along with chairperson, Andrea Henderson.

• With that role in mind, I experienced IMEX’s “Innovation Hub” and the way they presented seminars on the show floor – from small seminar rooms to the “campfire” and “hot topic tables” – the hub was hopping all day!

• BEST TAKE AWAY – Use a headset system tied into the speaker’s mike so that the speaker can be heard above the hum of the show floor.