These Venues Go Above and Beyond to Stand out A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION JANUARY 2022 VOL. 15 NO. 1 $13.00 AMERICA’S TOP CONVENTION CENTERS SUSTAINABILITY GOALS 2022 INDUSTRY FORECAST SOCIAL MEDIA TACTICS LOUISIANAFLORIDA The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is in the middle of a $557 million improvement plan.Open up to the possibilities Meet you in Detroit TM We are thrilled to introduce Detroit’s new convention center, Huntington Place. New name. Same place. Same spectacular view. A place to connect, to see what’s next, for open air and opening minds. A place to meet in a place that moves. We invite you to see the possibilities for yourself. HuntingtonPlaceDetroit.comDEPARTMENTS DESTINATIONS FEATURES 32 2622 VIEWPOINT 8 Organize Online The Keys to a Successful Virtual Sales Kickoff BY ED STEVENS 12 2022 Association Industry Forecast There Are Many Challenges, but the Industry is Resilient COMPILED BY HENRY FITZGERALD 14 Selling Sustainability Experts Offer Practical Tips to Achieve Your Goals BY DAN JOHNSON 18 The Right Tool for the Job Find the Best Project Management Software for You BY MAURA KELLER 22 Social Studies Use Social Media Properly to Boost Your Event BY MAURA KELLER 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 50 Career Track 26 Louisiana New Orleans, Baton Rouge Ready for Events BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS 32 Florida Tampa Has Evolved Into a Top-Tier Florida Destination BY MAURA KELLER 14 12 18 ISSN 21628831 | USPS 003500 | A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION | JANUARY 2022 | VOLUME 15 | NUMBER 1 AMERICA'S TOP CONVENTION CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION PAGE 39 JANUARY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 3 ISSUECONTENTSA COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harvey Grotsky harvey.grotsky @ themeetingmagazines.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kristin Bjornsen kristin.bjornsen @ themeetingmagazines.com MANAGING EDITOR Henry Fitzgerald henry.fitzgerald @ themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sophia Bennett Sara Churchville Cynthia Dial Maura Keller Christine Loomis Nancy Mueller Patrick Simms David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2700 N. 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Provide old and new addresses including zip code. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. ©2022 Harvey Grotsky Publisher See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2024 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account. linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2022 PUBLISHER’SMESSAGE 4 Looking Forward to a Bright Future F or the meetings and conventions industry, as well as for many other seg- ments of the economy, 2021 was largely a year to forget. One event after another seemed to bring worsening and more troubling conditions. First, the recession took hold of the economy, and meeting planners across the country had to deal with that, along with COVID-19 restrictions and concerns. COVID brought even more severe restrictions, making planners feel as if the world was standing still. However, the future is bright. Meeting face-to-face will see a big rebound this year, as proven by the attendance at the recent PCMA Convening Leaders gather- ing at CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas. With all health and safety requirements in place, attendees took advantage of the educational and social activities in a safe environment. While some planners are still opting for technology, such as Zoom, for example, as a means of creating a safe meeting environment, the key to success- ful meeting planning will require innova- tion and enhancements to improve the productivity at all events. Simply put, you need to recognize that change is occurring, and adapting to change is a prime prerequisite for executing successful events. The meetings industry must think about tomorrow. Traditionally, it has been driven by innovations over the years. Now, with technology, budget cuts and downsizing all posing threats to even the most professional association planners and vendors alike, efforts to unearth increased value, dependability and reliabil- ity must be made in order to survive and meet successfully. I’m betting on a big upturn in face-to-face meetings. Let’s hope I’m right!See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2024 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account.themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2022 LAS VEGAS, NV — The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) successfully hosted 52 trade shows and events in 2021, wel- coming more than 700,000 attendees back to Las Vegas. The LVCC brought five new shows to the destination for the first time in 2021, including ICSC, Working Ranch Expo and The ARA Show, while also seeing the return of many familiar events, including World of Concrete, MAGIC Marketplace, MINEXPO, National Hardware Show and The SEMA Show. The LVCC has a robust schedule of events and shows for 2022, and is expected to host nearly 20 events through March. In June 2021, the LVCC’s $1 billion, 1.4 million-sf West Hall expansion debuted, with doors opening to Informa Markets’ World of Concrete, the first major convention to return to Las Vegas and to the U.S. post-pandemic. The destination and the LVCC are prioritizing the health and safety of all visitors by following current state and local guidelines, and implementing additional precautions as requested by individual shows and events. The Las Vegas Convention Center Had a Busy 2021 PHILADELPHIA, PA — VISIT PHILADELPHIA has announced that they have engaged a leading execu- tive search firm, Diversified Search Group, to identify a new president and CEO to succeed Jeff Guaracino follow- ing his recent passing. Throughout the pandemic, VISIT PHILADELPHIA has worked closely with industry part- ners, launching a series of marketing initiatives to help drive business back to hotels, attractions, restaurants and shops hit hard by COVID-19. Quali- fied candidates should contact Leslie Pickus Mazza, senior vice president, search operations & qual- ity, Diversified Search Group, at lmazza@divsearch.com. DALLAS, TX — The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has announced it will hold its Predict Annual Exhibi- tion Industry Outlook Conference September, 15-16 at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. For more than 10 years, Predict has served to provide insights into the future perfor- mance of the exhibitions industry, along with a forecast for the upcoming three years. Each year, Predict attendees leave with insights gleaned from experts in macro-economic, socio- economic and geopolitical backgrounds. The 2022 conference will once again serve as the only industry conference to present future-forward information needed for executives to make stra- tegic business decisions. Registration will open in early June, and the program will be announced in the coming weeks. More information about the upcoming Predict conference may be found at ceir.org/2022-predict. Visit Philadelphia Board Searching for New President & CEO CEIR Predict 2022 Forecasts Where Events Are Going The LVCC’s $1 billion, 1.4 million-sf West Hall expansion debuted in June 2021. FRANKFURT, GERMANY — The IMEX Group announced that it has secured new dates for IMEX in Frankfurt 2022. The change allows the team to stage the 20th anniversary of its market- leading trade show from Tuesday, May 31 to Thursday, June 2, giving the global meetings, incentive travel and events industry an additional five weeks to prepare. The increase in Omicron cases across Europe and around the world, together with cur- rent regulatory uncertainty caused Ray Bloom, chairman, and Carina Bauer, CEO, to review their plans, together with their host venue, city and industry partners. Registration is ongoing. NEW YORK, NY — Meetings, conferences and events are back, and Development Counsellors International’s (DCI) newest edi- tion of “Winning Strategies In Destination Marketing: A View From Meeting Planners” offers insight to destination marketing organizations and convention bureaus. DCI went right to the source and asked more than 300 U.S. and Canadian meeting planners about their concerns, needs and habits. The findings are invaluable to destinations as they rebuild meetings and conventions, hammered by cancellations since March 2020. To view the study, visit aboutdci.com. Change of Dates Announced for IMEX Frankfurt’s 20th Anniversary Edition Business Events Study Highlights Planner Concerns 6 NEWS&NOTES GuaracinoJANUARY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES LOUISVILLE, KY — Louisville Tourism has released the 15 most anticipated 2022 Louisville events, with shows at Kentucky Venues dominating the list. Twelve of the top 15 events will call either the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) or Kentucky Inter- national Convention Center (KICC) home this year. From major trade shows to music festivals, these 12 events taking place at Kentucky Venues properties are expected to attract more than 800,000 visitors and generate more than $165 million for the local economy. Bookings for 2022 are already on pace to surpass 2021, with more than 150 events currently in the con- tracting stage. Throughout the year, events will continually be added to the robust 2022 calendar. Downtown bookings have increased by 29% over 2021’s January bookings, a promising start early in the year. Kentucky Venues operates two major convention and exhibition facilities, the KEC and the KICC. WASHINGTON, DC — The Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) board of directors has selected Martha J. Sheridan, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB), as its next co-chair. Sheridan will join Michael Massari, chief sales officer of Caesars Entertain- ment, in guiding the coalition through a pivotal moment for the meetings industry. Under their leader- ship, MMBC will continue to advance its mission of promoting the enduring value that professional meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and the economy, particularly as this hard-hit sector emerges from the pandemic. Estab- lished by the U.S. Travel Association in 2009, MMBC is comprised of organiza- tions across the meetings and travel community who came together after the 2008 economic crisis with a focus to grow the influence and importance of business travel, meetings and professional events. Sheridan, a 25-year veteran of the travel and tourism industry, has served the last three years at the helm of GBCVB, where she recently formed a groundbreaking Tourism Destination Marketing District to promote travel to Greater Boston. Kentucky Centers Expect 2022 Bookings to Surpass 2021 Martha J. Sheridan to Co-Chair Meetings Mean Business Coalition 7 Sheridan LEARN MORE: boisecentre.com Make a Plan. Make it Boise. • Centralized, downtown location • Only seven minutes from Boise airport • Over 25 direct flights to and from Boise • Closely surrounded by more than 100 restaurants • Over 1,300 hotel rooms within walking distance • Close to outdoor recreation, including The Boise Greenbelt Centrally located in the heart of vibrant downtown Boise, the recently expanded Boise Centre has a variety of customizable meeting spaces, modern amenities, exceptional culinary services and a friendly and dedicated staff ready to make your next event an unforgettable experience. Explore Idaho’s premier convention center for yourself.Organize Online The Keys to a Successful Virtual Sales Kickoff BY ED STEVENS T he working world is changing faster than many companies can keep up, it seems. The way we work has changed, including moving work to the vir- tual space. When the pandemic hit, up to 70% of office workers switched to remote work, and video conferencing became part of many employees’ new normal. This shift meant the way we did things in-person had to change, including sales kickoffs. Many execu- tives still managed to host sales kick- off meetings at the onset of 2021, and more will want to host events in 2022. Sales kickoff events vary from orga- nization to organization, but the one constant they share is bringing the team together and motivating them to make sales. These events help a busi- ness start a year or a quarter off on the right foot, banding together toward a common goal. The pandemic and the associated partial shutdowns will eventually wind down in most areas of the country, but many businesses still plan to continue virtual meetings into late 2022 and per- haps indefinitely. Crafting an effective and encour- aging virtual sales kickoff is getting easier as people become accustomed to virtual meetings. There are definitely do’s-and-dont’s to consider when put- ting together a virtual sales kickoff event for your team. Organizations can expect maximum engagement and returns that spell success by thought- fully executing an event. FIRST OFF, MAKE IT FUN A sales kickoff event should be something employees look forward to, not dread. It’s a chance for some team building, yes, but also a time to let your hair down a bit and have some work- place fun, even virtually. Planning some fun ice-breaker activities such as “Two Truths and Lie” to get to know team members a little bit better before you jump into the meat of the meeting is a great place to start. You can also plan trivia games or themes to liven up your sales kickoff. Perhaps ask your team members to come wearing their favorite sports team gear or send out shirts with the company logo to everyone participating. Yes, you are coming together to work, but there is no reason people cannot play hard virtually as well. When employees can settle into a more relaxed setting, the ideas start to flow, and there’s more room for produc- tive dialogue. LEAVE ROOM FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING When offices went remote, part of the in-office camaraderie was dis- rupted. However, there are ways you can leverage advances in virtual com- munication technology to gain some of that connection back. Allowing for breakout groups or “hang out rooms” during your meeting lets the kickoff feel more like a real-life, in-office atmosphere. Leadership can get the right people together to hyper- 8 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2022 PIXABAY.COMfocus on goals. Team members can make closer connections with those in their breakout groups and motivate one another. People may be more apt to share ideas in smaller groups than they may be in an all-hands-on-deck situation. One massive positive aspect of vir- tual events is that it allows more people to participate, even overseas. Hosting the kickoff event virtually will enable employees to save money on travel and accommodations. Organizations can likely expect attendance to be bet- ter with their virtual event, especially within larger companies with more employees spread far and wide. Just as hosting your sales kickoff virtually is at a cost-savings to your employees, an organization cannot overlook the cost-savings for them as well. Bringing people together virtu- ally means no costly venue rentals or catering bills. It’s a win/win situation for all involved. RECOGNITION OF EMPLOYEES One of the best parts of any sales kickoff, whether in-person or virtually, is the opportunity to recognize employ- ees and celebrate wins. Recognition is vital to employee retention and, ultimately, sales success. Recognition of employees has become more critical in this age of The Great Resignation, where more and more peo- ple are choosing to leave jobs for better opportunities or better treatment. When organizations go out of their way to prop- erly recognize the good work employees do and their successes, they are far more likely to retain those employees. Recognition of employees also increases the participation of all employees in your virtual sales kickoff. One of the complaints from organiza- tions regarding virtual meetings or events has been the struggle to get all employees engaged and participating. Organizations can address this by focus- ing on recognition and celebrating wins. SETTING EXPECTATIONS AND HAVING A GOOD, SOLID AGENDA Probably the most important key element of a great virtual sales kickoff meeting is setting clear expectations for what you hope to gain out of the event and creating a solid schedule for the order of things. Participants want to know what leadership expects of them and, in turn, what they can expect out of leadership. Some helpful agenda tips include scheduling brainstorming sessions early in the event so that you can discuss the results of the brainstorming, later on, perhaps during the breakout sessions. Also, if there are any “losses” to share, rather than all “wins,” get those out of the way early. Build up to positivity. Every kickoff should be preceded by a sales kickoff agenda, laying out the order of events and who is expected to attend each event scheduled. The sales kickoff plan should include time for breakout sessions and smaller group discussions and breaks. Breaks are essential for more extended or mul- tiple-day events. If your sales kickoff event were in-person, breaks would be an expectation. Expected breaks should remain the case as you take your event virtual. Virtual meeting spaces and the tools that come with different platforms and software play a big role in helping busi- nesses facilitate successful virtual sales kickoffs. One cannot simply shift a live event into a virtual space. The event needs to be thought out and planned for what the virtual space can provide. When the virtual kickoff event is over and people return to their remote work lives, organizations should sched- ule a time to connect with the key play- ers and other employees. Listen to feedback and take recommendations for the next virtual event. Are the goals for the kickoff event being reached, and does it seem like those who attended walked away feeling energized and ready to sell? The past few years have been dif- ficult for companies, especially those who pivot to remote work and vir- tual gatherings on a dime. Training employees how to best utilize virtual conferencing software and keeping them motivated and engaged has been an added challenge to successfully running a business. “Zoom Fatigue” is real and is hitting people as we enter our third year of the COVID pandemic and upheaval. However, there is a silver lining: the ever-evolving technology surrounding video conferencing and virtual meet- ing software. With today’s software and services that work in tandem with platforms such as Zoom, the options are becoming endless. There is availability for breakout sessions, interactivity and further reach for better engagement. It’s a new day, and virtual events are here to stay. By being intentional about planning their sales kickoff event, organizations can instill confidence in their team, leading to better sales results. | AC&F | 9 Ed Stevens is the founder and CEO of Preciate. He is deeply committed to helping others build strong, authentic relationships with the power of technology. Stevens has a B.A. from Stanford University. JANUARY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES There are ways you can leverage advances in virtual communication technology to gain some of that connection back.Next >