MPISCC InterCom September/October 2015

INTERCOMDesigned and Edited by Alvalyn Lundgren | Alvalyn Creative VOLUME 117 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

ADVOCACY

What Is the Problem? Identifying A Problem Is the First Step In Solving It

Their Perception andOur Reality It’s Time To Create A New Story

Becoming ContagiousThe Meetings Industry Should Not Be the Best Kept Secret in Town

PAGE 14

PAGE 10

PAGE 18

advocacy | nounpublic support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy

InterCom Online: www.mpisccintercom.com

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Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter

DESIGN & EDITORIAL

Managing Editor/DesignerAlvalyn Lundgren | Alvalyn [email protected]

Contributing EditorAmy Zelinsky, CMP

ContributorsCarl Christman Geraldine Gatehouse Thomas Smith, CMP DeShawn Wynn, CMP

Photo Credits pp. 12-14: The Good Photographer pp. 20-21: Alvalyn Lundgren

INTERCOM is published six times a year by Meeting Professionals International–Southern California Chapter, a nonprofit professional association of meeting planners and suppliers. ©2015.

Article contributions are welcome. Article submissions and editorial guidelines requests should be sent to Alvalyn Lundgren, Managing Editor, at [email protected].

Advertising Information www.mpiscc.org/marketplace/ advertising-kit/

www.mpiscc.org275 East Hillcrest Drive, Suite 215

Thousand Oaks, CA 91360Phone: 805-449-9111

Fax: 805-557-1133

MPISCC MISSION STATEMENTMPISCC will be recognized as the leading local

membership community that is committed to shaping and defining the meetings and

event industry in Southern California.

IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Message 3

Leadership You and I Will Make The Difference 4

Advocacy 10 Their Perception and Our Reality

Event Highlights 12 2015 Awards Ceremony & Installation

Professional Development 14 What Is The Problem?

Marketing 16 How To Manage Your Brand

Advocacy 18 Becoming Contagious

Professional Development 19 CMM Program Comes To Anaheim

Event Highlights Summer Soul 20

New Members 22

Strategic Sponsors 23

INTERCOM117 MPISCC Officers & Directors 2015-2016

PresidentMariles Krok, CMP

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

424-731-7781

President-ElectNicole Newman

SearchWide951-640-3745

Immediate Past PresidentDavid Anderson, CMP

Eventive Group 562-438-4834

Vice President of CommunicationsAmy Zelinsky, CMP

A to Z Meetings & Events818-646-3445

Vice President of EducationShelley Grey, CMP

TCW213-244-0579

Vice President of Finance MPI Foundation Liaison

Joe Marcy, CMPWestin Long Beach

562-499-2005

Vice President of Leadership Development

Christine HartmanIce Hat Creative310-601-0695

Vice President of Membership Laura Bergersen, CMP

Laura B Events562-234-8819

DIRECTORSMember Care

Michelle Conant LuxBus America 949-400-4583

Member Recruitment Carlos Murillo

Caesars Entertainment National Meetings & Events

760-899-2708

Monthly Programs Anna Kim

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

562-865-0179

Professional Development Joe Martin. CMP

BDI Events323-692-0802

Public Relations and MediaAmani Roberts

The Amani Experience424-244-1443

Special Events Mai Johnson, CGMP

MGM Resorts International702.262.4824

Strategic Sponsorship Bryan Quinan, CMP

Milken Institute310-570-4638

InterCom Onlinewww.mpisccintercom.com

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INTERCOM | Volume 117 September/October 2015

I hope you are all having a fantastic summer and that you’ve been able to take some time to relax and enjoy this beautiful Southern California weather!

Our year got off to a running start and I could not be more proud of or excited about what our committees have already accomplished thus far!

Hopefully, you were able to come to our first networking reception on July 22nd at Malibu Family Wines! What a wonder-ful evening of connecting with old friends and colleagues in such a beautiful location. If you were not able to join us, I hope you made it to the August Monthly Program on Emergency Preparedness at the Hotel

Maya on August 11th, and took away some valuable information to bolster your own emergency preparation plans. Thank you so much to our sponsors of both programs, and kudos to our Education and Monthly Programs teams for putting together these great networking and educational opportunities!

In this issue of InterCom, we are focusing on meetings industry advocacy. As I mentioned in the July/August issue, one of our goals as a board of directors for this year is to provide relevant, quality education and profes-sional development opportunities

to further the meetings industry, as well as promote meetings industry advocacy. Please consider, as you read the articles in this issue, how you may be able to get involved in either a formal advocacy effort to promote our industry, or how you may be able to further the promotion of the positive impact of the meetings industry informally though your everyday contacts and connections.

One way that we at MPISCC are planning to promote meeting industry advocacy is by building on the Meetings Mean Busi-ness and Meetings Move Us Forward campaigns and initiatives. Stay tuned for our monthly program that will be tied into

North American Meetings Industry Day (NAMID) as well.

Did you know that we have a tab on our website [mpiscc.org] dedicated to Meet-ings Advocacy? Well, we do! I invite you to click on the tab and read more about the Meetings Mean Business and Meetings Move Us Forward initiatives, along with the Face Time, It Matters initiative. We also have an Advocacy Chair, Deshawn Wynn, who can be a great resource for you. Her contact information is on pages 6 and 18, and also on our website: www.mpiscc.org.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with our meetings industry advocacy initiatives, I in-vite you to join us on social media by using #meetingsadvocacy in your posts. Help us to promote the importance of meetings face-to-face, the positive impact it has to our economy, as well as the jobs that it provides each and every one of us to your social networks.

You can also support our industry as a whole by coming to monthly programs. Get involved. Volunteer. Attend conferenc-es and conventions. Not only are you sup-porting our industry, but you’re developing yourself professionally in the process, and hopefully even making valuable connec-tions and gaining resources along the way!

We are passionate about continuing to create a lasting legacy for the benefit of our members, the strength of MPISCC, MPI International, and for the meetings industry as a whole. An active advocacy role is just a part of that legacy – thanks for being a part of our MPISCC Legacy.

From one advocate to another,

Mariles Krok, CMP2015/2016 MPISCC President

by Mariles Krok, CMP Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board MPISCC 2015-2016 President

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

MPISCC,Meetings Industry Advocacy& You

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AS I share these thoughts on Meetings Adv-cacy, it’s hard to believe that half of 2015 is behind us. How did this happen? This is a time of year where we reflect on our suc-

cesses and learnings from the past. What worked well and what can we improve upon for the remainder of this year? I would imagine that, as many of us give thought to our personal goals and resolutions for 2015, that they most likely included eat healthier, slow down, establish normal working hours and enhance our personal and professional relationships.

I wonder how many of us gave thought to setting a goal for ourselves that included making a difference in our meetings industry, making it just a bit better. Or, as I pre-fer to say it, as meetings advocacy.

How many of you would agree with me that advocacy and to advocate are powerful words?

There are several definitions for advocacy that quite sim-ply articulate my message. They include: Advocacy is ac-tive support of an idea or cause… Advocacy is the act of pleading for, supporting with a strong recommendation… Advocacy is a person who pleads for a goal or propounds an idea…

With all of these in mind, I ask the question: How can each of us make a difference in our meetings industry? It’s very simple. We need to speak up!

It’s not political, it’s personal.

Some might think that meetings advocacy is a politi-cal frame of mind. I’m not so sure of this. I believe that advocacy begins where we live and work. Like anything we embark on, it begins with that first step. Perhaps we can make a difference right here where we work; where we interact with our employers, clients, and local industry partners. While thoughts of jetting off to Sacramento or Washington, DC to carry signage and make noise sounds exciting, we must be realistic with what we can individu-ally do. It all begins with you and me. It all begins right here in Southern California with our day-to-day dealings.

I reached out to respected members of our industry for their thoughts on meetings advocacy. Interestingly, many shared the same views. All agreed that meetings mean business. Our industry creates jobs, drives economic growth, and contributes greatly to the U.S. GDP.

If we collectively step up and advocate for our industry, what incredible successes we can bring forth? Begin at Step #1 and work your way up the advocacy ladder. In time, with teamwork and the dissemination of our shared successes, we’ll make a difference for everyone within our great career field:

1.First and foremost, clearly understand your role in our industry. Have an up-to-date job description. Be smart with your social media. Read,

read and read more. Educate yourself on everything happening in our industry. Don’t put those hard-copy magazines aside. Take them home and actually read the articles when time allows. If you have questions or if you disagree, reach out to the author or editor and share your thoughts. Be visible and question thoughts and ideas that you believe should be enhanced. Schedule appointments with key thought leaders within your organizations that touch government relations; human resources, investor re-lations and marketing. Understand these internal partners and ensure that they understand your valuable role.

2. Document. Take notes. Capture pictures. Listen. Be aware of your surroundings. Approach your daily work life with the mantra that everything

today can and should be better tomorrow. Don’t ever settle or accept that the present that is before you is somehow okay. It’s not. It really isn’t.

3. Track successes. Be mindful of all the small and large win-wins that you bring to your organization and clients. Let your voice be heard. Email and

write smart. Carefully pen your thoughts and observa-tions. Watch for inappropriate actions and defend those with a faint voice.

by Thomas Smith, CMP

LEADERSHIP

ADVOCACYYou and I Will Make the Difference

Continued on page 6

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When you witness inappropriate behavior – poor man-agement skills, unacceptable communications and those who are wrongly accused, be their advocate and let your voice and words be heard and read. Let management know what you and your team do for your organization. Celebrate certifications, designations and the existence of your field.

4.Contact your local community and state officials. If you do not know who they are, it’s time to collect their

data. Check their websites and calendar their upcoming town hall meetings. Understand what their priorities are. Re-search what, if anything, they are doing to enhance local tourism and the meetings industry. Send your officials a communication. Introduce yourself. Let them know what you do for the local meetings and hospitality industry. Put yourself out there. There are committees, councils and task forces where you could make a difference. Share with your elected officials any and all information about MPI. Be our advocate.

5. Teach and speak. Embrace our industry and understand what is

happening in our own commu-nity. Be knowledgeable about employment trends, wages and area taxes. Are we work-ing in a community that business wishes to bring their meetings and events to? How does the infrastructure support our industry – local airports, traffic and light rail systems? Housing is either smart or unmanageable for the hard-working people who make this industry run.

6.Expand Your Network. Many of us are long-time MPI members. There are numerous industry associations that touch what we do — associa-

tion, catering, marketing and sales functions just to name a few. Attend and if do-able, belong to fellow organiza-tions. Don’t just attend. BRING YOUR VOICE to their

gatherings. Set a goal for promoting recognition and understanding of what we do. The legislature cannot and will not help us if we are not clear in the value that we bring to the workplace and local economies.

7. Listen and speak up. Don’t sit quietly when you hear something you disagree with. Bullying does not just happen on the school ground. It happens

right here – every single day where we live, work and function in this industry.

8. Think ahead. The year 2000 seems like it was just a few months ago.

Since we are quickly approach-ing 2016, let’s think about our future and a legacy we can leave behind for the newest genera-tion of meeting professionals. Like many, I have but a few more years before retirement. My goal is to help make things better for everyone following behind me. Let’s advocate for equal pay for men and women. Wages must be fair and appro-priate for the communities that our workers live and work in. The work place must be accept-ing, diverse and 100% welcom-ing of everyone who serves on that team. Employers should be fair, protect our personal rights and understand that individuals are unique and deserve respect.

The meetings industry is an honorable and hard-working career path. We must speak up and share our voices so that our industry continues to be recognized and valued for generations to come.

You and I will make the difference with our fundamen-tal Meetings Advocacy. Take small steps and, walking together, we will make enormous strides.

Thomas “Tom” Smith, CMP, leads Global Medical Events for Baxalta. Tom is an Adjunct Professor on Event Planning and Management at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA.

LET’S THINK ABOUT

OUR FUTURE AND A

LEGACY WE CAN LEAVE

BEHIND FOR THE

NEWEST GENERATION

OF MEETINGS

PROFESSIONALS.

YOU AND I continued from page 4

sss ACTION ITEM sss

TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR VOICE AND EFFORTS TO MPISCC’s ADVOCACY EFFORTS, PLEASE CONTACT DESHAWN WYNN, 2015-2016 ADVOCACY CHAIR: [email protected]

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I feel fortunate to be part of our vibrant, exciting industry that cre-ates so many job opportunities for

individuals at almost every level in such a wide variety of categories.

I’m proud to be a part of it for many reasons — the opportunities we get to make a difference, the ROI we provide, the knowledgeable profes-sionals that make up our hospitality community, and the enthusiasm for the work that we do.

I am also now proud to be a part of our efforts and gains around industry advocacy — in raising awareness and support for how meetings and events help drive the global econo-my, jobs and knowledge sharing.

Prior to 2009 and the U.S. financial crisis, advocacy was not a word gen-erally heard in connection with the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. When money seemed like it was flying everywhere but into our pockets or strengthening our busi-nesses, when meetings were being cancelled and planners laid off, our first thoughts were not of advocacy but of survival. In an industry where sole proprietors, and companies of all sizes, could do what they loved and earn a good living, the financial meltdown was a difficult, unexpected shock, and a wakeup call of massive proportions.

The industry had suffered downturns before, but this was different. The severity of the situation made us

realize it was time for action… and since then, the meetings industry has made some substantial progress.

The U.S. Travel Association has served as a consistent voice for the value of business travel and meetings and its direct link to the future health and growth of the American and global economies.

IMEX has been pleased to organize the annual Politicians Forum in Frankfurt, Germany since 2003. The Forum brings together senior gov-ernment representatives, ministers, policy makers and meeting industry leaders to better understand how

meetings bring economic opportuni-ties to cities, regions and countries, as well as spur progress in scientific, educational and research exchanges.

In the last year we’ve also connected with an exciting “outside” industry champion in Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP, one of the world’s largest software companies. Bill has spoken passionately at both IMEX America 2014 and IMEX in Frankfurt 2015 about the value and effectiveness of meetings as a means to drive business growth and profit.

All of these efforts help us inform clients and governments, companies and partners, about the true bottom line, business benefits of getting people together to meet and collabo-rate in our digital, global, knowledge sharing economy.

However, while great progress is being made on an industry-wide level, to truly strengthen our industry for the future, advocacy must find a pervasive home in all of our jobs, day to day activities, ideas, plans and strategies.

But how do we do this? It can seem like a daunting task, but may actually be a lot easier than we think.

First, as industry professionals we need to be telling the story of the value of meetings. With the industry growing stronger and meetings being increasingly viewed as an important part of business success, we plan-ners have the opportunity to demon-

by Geraldine Gatehouse | IMEX America

ADVOCACY

THEIR PERCEPTION and OUR REALITYIt’s Time To Create a New Story

To truly strengthen

our industry for

the future, advocacy

must find a pervasive

home in all of our

jobs, day to day

activities, ideas,

plans and strategies.


9

strate and expand on that. Meeting planning is more than logistics and we have the opportunity to create and implement more meaningful strategic business events for our clients – ones that fit into their industry trends, opportunities and expertise areas.

Second, we need to stop laugh-ing at the long-standing joke in our industry that no one, not even our families, understands what we do for a living. That used to be funny. These days, it is our respon-sibility to tell people about the significance of what we do. It could be based on stats around how many jobs and economic benefits our industry creates. According to 2012 CIC/PwC research, the meetings and convention industry injected $115 billion into the U.S. GDP and supported over 1.6M jobs. That’s pretty impressive!

It may be to talk about how your pharma groups discuss new treat-ments or how your agricultural clients are looking for more sustain-able ways to farm. It can be about how a particular destination is rich in industry, academic and research resources for your clients meet-ing there. Sharing this type of data helps combat the misconception that our industry is about glitz and glamour. It shows the economic impact and knowledge transfer benefits of our industry.

Third, do good. By incorporating sustainability into our programs we can impact bottom lines as well as help the planet. By bringing CSR elements into our programs, we enable our groups to give back to underserved communities.

So, whether you are involved in meetings, conferences or incen-

tives, and regardless of which part or place of the industry you call home, I invite you to take a long look at what your job really involves and create a story of the business and community value you are creating. Use that story to advocate for the value of meetings.

Every day meeting professionals are involved in helping businesses grow, expand and evolve, and we should all be proud advocates for that.

Geraldine Gatehouse, IMEX America, is the 2015 President of SITE SoCal, an MPISCC member and Chair of Strategic Projects in 2014-2015.

MEET, EAT, PLAY, MEET AGAIN.

(800) 648-2124 venturacountywest.com/meetings

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On June 17th MPISCC gathered for our annual Awards Ceremony and Installation. The Shera-ton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel hosted the event and showcased their stunning newly

transformed ballroom.

The networking session was the perfect beginning to an extremely upbeat and fun night. Upon arrival, guests were treated to some delicious comfort food, and Malibu Family Wines allowed us to sample some of their fine wines. Champagne Creatives’ photo booth was defi-nitely the hit of the night, as guests tapped into their inner ego and took pictures with colleagues and friends.

The doors to the California Ballroom opened to reveal a beautifully decorated space that sparkled and popped with gorgeous glittering tablecloths, beautiful orchid centerpieces, as well as elegant lighting and stage décor. The purple and grey accents not only complimented the renovated décor of the ballroom, but it was the perfect branding for this year’s logo.

Although our purpose was to celebrate a year of amazing accomplishments, there were a couple of bittersweet moments that took place during the program. During the year end wrap-up, Mariles Krok paid tribute to our beloved Beverly Laing, who lost her battle with cancer midway through

her term as president. Although she was not able to see

her vision come to fruition, the 2014-2015 Board of Direc-tors made sure that her theme to Engage, Educate and Evolve was realized.

Some of the year’s highlights include:

• A successful fundraiser at Dodger Stadium

• The renamed Beverly Laing Golf Tournament executed its first 5K

• February’s State of the Industry meeting was held in two locations, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, for the first time.

• Increased scores in every category of MPI International’s Member Satisfaction Survey.

Debbie Hawkins made a video accep-tance of the Chapter Leader of the Year award for her 11 years of invaluable service as Executive Director. The announcement of her retirement brought a brief bit of sadness to the moment.

The engagement of MPISCC’s membership was a very important part of Beverly’s vision. Many members took up the challenge and became involved on committees for the first time. A few of the members whose contributions stood out were honored during the awards ceremony, accepted their crystal trophies from a pair of beautifully creative human swans.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

2015 AWARDS CEREMONY and INSTALLATION

Legacyby DeShawn Wynn, CMP | Wynning Touch Events

CREATINGOUR

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The 2014-2015 Award Winners were:

Lois K Hauser Award: Carlos Murillo

President’s Award: Lynne Bynder

Past Presidents Award: Michel Dominguez

Chapter Service Award: Debbie Hawkins

Gary Rosenberg Scholarship: Shelley Grey, CMP; Michelle Berman, CMP

Chapter Planner of the Year: Geraldine Gatehouse

Chapter Supplier of the Year: Nicole Newman

Chapter Leader of the Year: Bryan Quinan, CMP

Shining Star of the Year: Marcelle Moje

After the awards were presented, Past President Maribel Denner called the 2015-2016 Board of Directors to the stage to be sworn in. This was a very special moment because Maribel is the person responsible for encourag-ing Mariles Krok to become an MPI member. Little did she know that 19 years later she would swear in her col-league and friend as President.

Mariles spoke about her path to presidency, from selling raffle tickets at events to leader of our chapter. She spoke about how her involvement with MPI has made her a bet-ter supplier by increasing her understanding of the indus-try and the needs of her planner clients. She stated that she has drunk “the MPI Kool-Aid through a fire hose” and is looking forward to this next opportunity. Continued on page 12

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The theme that Mariles has chosen for her board year is Legacy. Her goal is to motivate incoming chapter leaders to create a legacy that leaves MPISCC stronger and bet-ter than when they started.

Mariles outlined the Board’s initiatives for the year:

I. Create and better communicate our value in order to recruit, retain and engage members

a. Personalize the member experience by creating additional value and benefits

b. Offer more networking opportunities

c. Develop a Community Outreach program to address the needs of our diverse membership

d. Include social media in sponsorship and advertising packages

e. Create more opportunities for volunteers to get involved

II. Provide relevant, quality education and professional development opportunities to further the meetings industry as well as promote meetings industry advocacy.

a. A new February event which will be a hybrid Weekend Education Summit and EdCon

b. The annual State of the Industry meeting will be held in conjunction with North American Industry Day (NAMID)

c. The October educational program will focus on Senior Planner members

d. The creation of the Beverly Laing Student Scholarship that will award a 1-year membership and registration to programs and events for a year.

e. Continued support of the Meetings Mean Business and Meetings Move Us Forward campaigns.

III. Add to our Chapter’s current financial reserve to ensure that the legacy endures despite any future storms

Mariles concluded by thanking the members who have supported her thorugh her MPI career. She also thanked her extremely supportive employer, the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. And most importantly she thanked her wonderful family; her mother, stepdad, daughter Kayley, and her “rock” — her husband John.

This evening ended with a fantastic after party. The Replicas got everyone on their feet and out on the dance floor. During dance breaks attendees feasted on cupcakes, the most amazing mini doughnuts, cookies, and custards. And what better way to wash it down, than with tastings of local craft beers.

DJ Danno closed out the party with a mix of salsa, R&B and pop hits. After a night of laughs, smiles and lasting memories, everyone was able to take home a sweet treat from Dylan’s Candy Bar.

VIP Table Sponsors

LA Tourism & Convention BoardSheraton Gateway Hotel LA AirportCaesar’s Entertainment & Concourse Hotel at LA Airport.

We appreciate our Installation Sponsors:

Replicas Music Chameleon Chair

Inventive Lighting Miso Full

Lounge Appeal Malibu Family Wines

The Good Photographer Luxe Linen

Choura Events Classic Party Rentals

LA Beer Hop Dylan’s Candy Bar

DJ Dano LA Photo Party

Fun 4 Events The Sound Dude

Champagne Creative Group LAPD

Details by Oksana Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown

LEGACY continued from page 11

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W ith the massive amount of information available to the public, we can all solve prob-

lems. The skill comes in defining the problems in the first place. With this paradigm shift, problem identifiers are in higher demand than problem solvers. According to a survey of employers conducted by the Con-ference Board, the most important creative skill the employers looked for in new employees is the ability to identify and articulate problems. To address this need, schools like the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business are offer-

ing courses on Problem Finding, Problem Solving. As lecturer Sara Beckman explained, “Part of being an innovative leader is being able to frame a problem in interesting ways and to see what that problem really is before you jump into solving it.”

Thanks to WebMD and other web-sites, I can find the cure to whatever ails me. The problem is that, without medical training, I seldom know what my ailment is. When I type in my symptoms I find out that it could be heartburn or cancer. The most important role of medical profes-sionals is to identify the problem and make a diagnosis. Doctors figure out

why I am nauseous. Dentists figure out why my tooth hurts. Therapists figure out why I am afraid of clowns. None of that can be found online.

Anyone can look at the grade book for my classes and identify which students are struggling. The role of a teacher, a good one anyway, is to figure out what the root prob-lem is, why that student is having problems. Once I have figured out whether it is a problem compre-hending the material, a lack of moti-vation, or personal problems, I can focus my efforts to help him or her succeed.

Albert Einstein put it best when he said, “The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution.”

In the information age, it’s not usually hard to find solutions once you understand the problem. We have a world of knowledge at our fingertips. In a few seconds I can answer almost any question. Of course, in order to do that I need to know what the actual question is.

WHAT IS THEPROBLEM?

For meeting planners the first step needs to be: iden-tifying what problems an organization has. For meetings to be a necessity rather than a luxury, they have to solve a problem. Solving that problem and putting together amazing meetings is where planners thrive. But it is important not to overlook the original problems the meetings are solving.

Within organizations employees often become isolated in their own departments. Meetings are a wonderful way of strengthening relationships across the organiza-tion. Within industries, people can become isolated in

their own companies. Meetings are a great way of keep-ing up to date on industry standards. When it comes to webinars and video conferencing, participants miss the chance encounters and bonding that help strengthen organizations. Meetings are the best way to build those real human relationships.

For suppliers, the first step is to identify what problems a meeting planner has. There is a lot of competition out there and with the Internet; virtually every service is right at people’s fingertips. If you can identify a problem meeting planners will have before they do, you will be

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

by Carl Christman

15


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in an excellent position to solve it for them. If, of all your competition out there, you best understand the real world problems they are facing, you will be their choice to help solve them. Don’t wait for them to call you with their problems. Help them find the problems in the first place.

I don’t take my car to the mechanic to have my timing belt replaced. I take it in to find out what that strange sound is under the hood. I don’t take my computer in to have the RAM increased. I take it in to figure out why it is running so slow-ly. And I don’t go to my accountant to take advantage of specific tax deductions. I go in to find out what deductions are available. Naturally, I will continue to give them my business because these profession-als have established authority. I now like them, they have helped me, and I want to reciprocate, and because I want to be consistent.

A good salesperson — and we are all in sales of some sort — will identify a problem that the custom-ers never knew they had. My sister always seemed to get mineral deposits on her shower door. She never really thought about it and did not realize she had a problem. One day a salesman came to her door out of the blue. He asked her if she had a problem with spots in her shower and she told him that she did. He then proceeded to explain the problem with hard water. Even though she had never given it much thought, he successfully identified the problem. It was only natural then that she would buy the water filtration system he was selling.

There are countless examples of good salespeople discovering prob-lems, but the most extreme ones I

can find are on infomercials. They often start with a black and white reenactment with terrible actors. As they overreact to the common annoyances of everyday life, the narrator says, “Don’t you hate it when this happens?” or, “Have you ever had this problem?”

For example, I never knew that I had a problem of my hands getting cold when I had to take them out from under the blanket to hold my book or type on my computer. But now that they mention it, that does bother me and I definitely need a Snuggie.

The only way to address people’s needs is to know what they are. Part of this has to do with just being human and relating your experienc-es to theirs. What problems do you generally have that other people probably share? The more you know about your customers, the easier it will be to identify their needs.

This article is an excerpt from Carl Christman’s bestselling book How to Read Minds & Influence People. Carl is a teacher, author, and speak-er. He plays with language, psychol-ogy and non-verbal communication to educate and entertain audiences.

For meetings to be a necessity rather than a luxury, they have to solve a problem.

SAVE THE DATE

MPISCC Annual Fundraiser Madame Tussaud’s November 5, 2015

Stay tuned for more details!

For more information

and sponsorship

opportunities, please

contact Mai Johnson,

Director of Special Events

at [email protected]

or Michele Berman,

Chair, Annual Fundraiser

at [email protected]


16

by Alvalyn Lundgren | Alvalyn Creative

MARKETING

A Philosophy of BrandingHOW TO BUILD INFLUENCE AND MANAGE PERCEPTIONS

Branding is a popular discussion topic in my circles, and in the course of those conversa-tions I gain a lot of insight into the perceptions we have about it. One widely-held understand-

ing is that branding means having a logo and using it in your marketing efforts. On the surface, that is a correct perception. But there is a bigger picture that is often unnoticed, and because it’s unnoticed, it’s neglected.

Branding is reputation and influence. We do not really create a brand. Instead, we create the visual as-sets and experiences upon which a brand is built. For meeting suppliers and planners, the work of manag-ing our brands for ourselves, our businesses and the events we create is that of managing others’ percep-tions. To do that, we carefully choose how we dress, act, respond and communicate, in a figurative sense. We decide how we want to be known, and do what’s necessary to become known in that manner, but at the end of the day, it’s up to our customers and guests to understand us correctly.

Where design and business, or design and events, meet is in the facilitation of good reputations and the growth of influence. Great care needs to be taken to craft the graphic environments — an email blast, a print ad, a slide deck, a website, an invitation — that will accurately represent businesses to their customers or engage an audience at a conference. Some of what I keep top-of-mind during my creative process include:

Building a brand is not immediately achieved. Branding is the process of demonstrating who you are. It’s your reputation, which is earned over time. There are first impressions, but there are no instantaneous successes.

You don’t need to convince everyone. You just need to convince the right ones. The entire world is not your audience. A narrowly-targeted audience is necessary for branding success. The targeted audience should be specifically defined based on who you are and what benefits you offer. You can’t sell to everyone, because not everyone wants or needs your services.

Any design created for branding purposes needs to appeal specifically to those people you are targeting.

Your values are the basis of your branding deci-sions. An enterprise is built and functions on a set of standards. Those standards – values – need to be de-fined and consistently upheld internally and externally. In order for a designer to create your brand assets, she need to be informed of your values. These values will inform your graphics.

Invest in your brand. Building your brand requires time, strategy, tweaking, and readjustment. Commit the necessary time and funding to do it right. Graphics are just the beginning of public brand building, and they should be of the highest quality you can afford. Your logo and related visual assets require the appropriate amount of time for proper development in order to function effectively once they’re put to use. Rushing the design process, crowdsourcing, holding a competi-tion, or buying a ready-made graphic on the cheap may prove to be very detrimental to your brand.

Once you send your graphics out into the marketplace, you will need to manage perceptions. Allowing things to simply float out there without steering and adjusting your course can bring unfavorable results. In fact, the greatest effort begins once the brand is launched. You will spend far more on managing your brand than you did on its visual development.

The success of your brand is up to you. Once the designer has created those amazing graphic assets, your work really begins. It’s no longer up to the design-er. You are now at the helm. Ways in which planners and suppliers can manage a brand include:

Use and enforce visual guidelines. The most basic aspect of brand management is to ensure that the visual components are being used consistently and appropriately across all platforms. The larger your en-terprise is and the more people you have working with those components, the more you will need to make sure the graphic guidelines are being upheld. If you did not ask your designer to create a graphic standards

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Alvalyn Lundgrenwww.alvalyn.com [email protected] 805.857.7981

Corporate Event Branding

@alvalyn /AlvalynCreative /Alvalyn /alvalyncreative /AlvalynCreative

BREAKAWAYCAMP

to the Great Frontier

Lighthouse Church Fall Branding Program | v1 | 7.10.2012

and

Visual design and branding strategies for Festivals, Conferences, Seminars, Trade Shows, and for those who create them.

Print, Web, Email, Signage, Social Media

manual for your brand, go back to him or her and have them create one. Then, be sure to provide the guide-lines to those who will handle your graphics.

Build trust. Trust is a core value of branding. A suc-cessful brand is well-defined and authentic. It is not a copy of another, but emerges from a unique story. Beyond the quality of your visual communications, you’ll need to address the intangibles such your customer service, your voice, your attitude, how you manage and train your staff, how you work with subs, and the consistency of your message compared to your actions.

Stay relevant. To be successful over the long term, your brand must remain valuable to your audience. How many businesses have launched a product or service that flared and fizzled as culture, technology or systems changed? Constant monitoring of the mar-ketplace is necessary, as well as the ability to antici-pate the direction things will take. To remain relevant, connect with your audience through email marketing, social media, web sites, and print. Ask questions. Conduct surveys. Launch apps. Listen to the feedback your customers provide. Take note of the questions your attendees ask, and tweak your visual communica-tions to address those questions. Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing. Take the lead in updating and innovating new products and services.

Update strategically. A change of values or a change of audience requires a brand update. When the vision of your enterprise changes, your brand assets need to evolve as well.

Don’t update just to follow a trend. Branding is based on values and vision, not popularity. Update based on your core values. Updating any visual pieces to follow trends means that they will no longer be on trend once the trend fizzles.

Be patient. Reputations are not built overnight. A successful brand establishes value through strategic choices and implementations over time. Staying-pow-er, adaptabilty and consistency are necessary. A well-managed brand is inherently meaningful and becomes powerful in time, and that’s what you need to sustain and grow your enterprise.

Your brand is what your audience experiences it to be. An enduring brand is meaningful, visual and actionable. It represents something that people want to attach to. Grow your brand well, and your business will grow.

Alvalyn Lundgren is owner of Alvalyn Creative, an independent design practice focusing on visual branding for businesses, events and non-profits. She is Editor and Creative Director of MPISCC’s InterCom. A version of this article was published on her blog.

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i am excited to be the new chair of MPISCC’s Advocacy Committee. The committee was formed in 2013 under the direction of Past Presi-

dent, David Anderson. Under David’s leadership the committee sought to educate MPISCC members about the importance of being a champion for the meetings industry. They created the Advocacy Charter which is located on the MPISCC website. The Charter defines the committee’s overall purpose which is to coalesce event professionals, students, business lead-ers, media, and politicians to become advocates for one of the largest and most economically beneficial indus-tries in the country.

This year we plan to build upon the work that has already been done by focusing our attention on building re-lationships with influential people outside of our industry. We want

to explain to our local leaders why we are so passionate about the work that we do. We want to introduce MPISCC to the local politicians from each of the cities represented in our chapter. We want our excitement to become contagious.

The North American Meetings Industry Day (NAMID) was created to show the real impact that meetings and events have on business. The second NAMID will take place in April of 2016. Our chapter has decided to support this endeavor by holding one of our largest monthly programs, the State of the Industry, on that day. It is our goal to ensure that this event is not just attended by MPI members. We want to welcome local press, politicians and business leaders to attend as well. We want to solidify our relationship with these entities by allowing them to see and experience just how amazing MPISCC and its members are.

In order to reach our goals, the committee needs your help!

Do you love what you do? We need you to tell your story and explain just why this is absolutely the best profes-sion to be a part of. Do you have

contacts with people who work in city government? We solicit your help to meet and schedule meetings with our local leaders. What about the press? We want to utilize our local news-papers and news outlets to tell our sto-ries. If you have relationships with the press, we would love your help.

We don’t want MPISCC to be the best kept secret in town. We want the peo-ple in our communities to understand that we don’t just know how to throw a great party. We want our local lead-ers to understand that it is because of us that things get done.

If you have questions or want to get involved please contact me at: [email protected].

Becoming Contagiousby DeShawn Wynn, CMP | Wynning Touch Events, MPISCC Advocacy Chair

ADVOCACY

We don’t want MPISCC to be the best kept secret in town.

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We don’t want MPISCC to be the best kept secret in town.

Is earning your CMM a priority in 2015?

MPI and GBTA have teamed up to bring you an updated Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) Program to bolster your business management skills and advance your career. And, the next program is in your own backyard!

Scheduled for November 12-15, 2015 in Anaheim at the Ana-heim Convention Center, you can take advantage of the close proximity and have your CMM designation behind your name in 2016! Need a bit of monetary assistance? There are several MPI Founda-tion scholarships available to assist with your expenses.

To take advantage of the CMM Program in Anaheim, all you have to do is fill out your application. Once your application is completed and accepted, you will be able to register to attend any upcoming CMM program in 2015 and beyond.

If you have already taken the step to apply and have an accepted ap-plication on file, you can go straight to the GBTA website to register.

Registration for the Anaheim CMM Program closes on October 8 but don’t delay as spaces are filling up quickly.

If cost is a barrier, remember the MPI Foundation has a limited num-ber of CMM Program scholarships available for those applicants who have been accepted and are MPI members in good standing. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship to attend the Anaheim program, click here for the application and for more information on eligibility requirements.

Take the next step, and earn your CMM in 2015!

www.gbta.org/cmm/Pages/default.aspx

Certificate in Meeting Management

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SUMMERSOULMPISCC members and guests

had an amazing time in the outdoor garden setting of

Malibu Family Wines on July 22. The gathering included wine tasting of Semler and Saddlerock labels, food and wine pairings, lawn games, and exotic animal tours on the adja-cent 1,000-acre Saddlerock Ranch. Music by L.A. Soul Project and the Santa Monica Mountains created the audio and visual backdrop for the event. The food was crafted by L.A. Roots Catering.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

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Tara Becker Los Angeles Party Designs [email protected]

Deborah Bohunita Student [email protected]

Lenore Boling Student [email protected]

Wendy D. Bolte KSL Resorts [email protected]

Sandon Brady RED Company [email protected]

Danny Brassell Danjea Corp. [email protected]

Gigi Cabrera St. Regis Monarch Beach [email protected]

Katia Cano Student [email protected]

Amanda Cantu Student [email protected]

Christine Chang Petersen Automotive Museum [email protected]

Kathleen Cook Embassy Suites LAX South- Hilton Hotels [email protected]

Tessa Crist Marriott International [email protected]

Robin Crocker St. James [email protected]

Sabrina Dimond JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa [email protected]

Jamison Dufour Raytheon Company [email protected]

Eric Edmunds Questex Media Group [email protected]

Traci Ferritto Green Valley Ranch Resort [email protected]

Patricia Fisher YP Event Manager [email protected]

Jaclyn Friedlander Lucky Laughter Photo Booth [email protected]

Keith Fromm Stradella Court Mansion [email protected]

Nancy Garvey, CGMP, CTA Sonoma County Tourism Bureau [email protected]

Marilyn J. Glawson Marilyns Event Management [email protected]

Heather Gonzalez Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau [email protected]

Tracy Griffin Atomic Design (Rental Solutions) [email protected]

Ruby Guzman DIRECTV Corporate Office [email protected]

John Hansen La Quinta Resort & Club - A Waldorf Astoria Resort [email protected]

Alexis Higginbotham Student [email protected]

Emily Kain Rose Bowl Operating Company [email protected]

Dee Knopp Diversity Alliance for Science, Inc. [email protected]

Nicole Leonetti, CMP Wolfgang Puck Catering [email protected]

Julian Lile LA Auto Show [email protected]

Melissa Loos Patina Restaurant Group [email protected]

Yesenia Lopez Student [email protected]

Martin Lowery OpusVertex International, LLC [email protected]

Mario A. Manzanilla Student [email protected]

Christine Mendez Pacific Park [email protected]

Bruce Merrin Celebrity Speakers Entertainment [email protected]

Candace Miller Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles [email protected]

Parker James Miller The Langham Huntington, Pasadena [email protected]

Anne Muehlenbeck-Descloux The Boeing Company [email protected]

Kazia Olkowski Causeway Capital [email protected]

Doreka Patterson Student [email protected]

Ginny Pohlman Smart Meetings 360 [email protected]

Rachel Prince OUE Skyspace LA [email protected]

Alexis Robbins Student [email protected]

Denise Ronayne LA Auto Show [email protected]

Kim Ruggles Kim Ruggles Events [email protected]

Veronica Savage UCLA [email protected]

Casey Singh OUE Skyspace LA [email protected]

Pauline Sokolovsky Academy Ground Transportation [email protected]

Judith Swingler, CMP The Garland [email protected]

Ashley Totin JC Resorts, Inc. [email protected]

Justin VerBurg Justin Ver Burg Corporate Entertainer [email protected]

Anna Wahl Luxor Hotel & Casino/ MGM Resort [email protected]

Tiffani Walker Paragon Events, Inc. [email protected]

J.J. Wedel Davidson-DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles [email protected]

Lucy K. White The Boeing Company [email protected]

Melissa Widman Student [email protected]

Bo Willsey JD [email protected]

Heidi L. Winston Wedbush Securities [email protected]

Sheri Young Blizzard Entertainment Inc. [email protected]

Thank YouNEW MEMBERS

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OUR MPISCC STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Thank You

President’s Message 3

You and I Will Make The Difference 4

Their Perception and Our Reality 8

2015 Awards Ceremony & Installation 10

What Is The Problem? 14

How To Manage Your Brand 16

Becoming Contagious 18

CMM Program Comes To Anaheim 19

Summer Soul 20

New Members 22

Strategic Sponsors 23

INTE

RC

OM

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275 East Hillcrest Drive, Suite 215Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

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IN THIS ISSUE

InterCom Onlinewww.mpisccintercom.com

FALL CMP STUDY GROUP STARTS 9.10.2015 www.mpiscc.org/education-events/cmp-information/

MPISCC InterCom September/October 2015

Documents

Transcript of MPISCC InterCom September/October 2015