SPIN: The Senior Planners Industry Network

Issue #12

August 2011

Be part of our SPIN Hosted Buyer group.

Our group will be comprised strictly of senior-level planners, which promises great networking and social opportunities as well. 

You must apply to join our group and be approved by IMEX to participate as a Hosted Buyer.

SPIN is participating in Hosted Buyer Programs all across the U.S. and overseas: click here to be notified when we head to cities of interest to you.

• Do you have a success story?
• Do you want to be featured as an In-Transition Member of the Month?

Send your story to Shawna at shawna@spinplanners.com.

If you have suggestions on how to make this newsletter more beneficial, please let us know.

This question drew a lot of buzz on SPIN’s LinkedIn discussion board recently.  The question originally arose at SPINCon, during the session on the future of our association.  According to 85% of you who completed the SPIN Needs Assessment Survey (thank you for your input!), you are willing to support SPIN through an OPTIONAL paid elite membership, if the benefits are worth your while.

That’s why it’s critically important that we hear from as many of you, through the Needs Assessment, by  Friday, August 12 (click here to devote 4 minutes of your time to the future of SPIN).

The model we’re planning to roll out next month will continue to include free basic membership, giving all of you continued access to the wonderful LinkedIn discussion board, Think Tanks, SPINCon, a new Preferred Supplier list (coming Fall 2011), and speaking/consulting opportunities via the SPIN Experts initiative (see related article).

Elite Membership will be at a reasonable fee.  What does reasonable mean to you?  Complete the Needs Assessment to tell us what fee you recommend – yes, we’re actually asking what to charge, and we’re listening to your input!  What will it include?  We’re listening to your input to determine what’s valuable to you.  What your colleagues have suggested so far: Discounts with industry suppliers (free internet, A/V freebies, etc.), savings on non-industry services (technology, car rentals, etc.),  discounts on SPIN events, exclusive Elite Member education and resources, and more.

What if you can’t afford Elite Membership?  I’m going to ensure that anyone can earn their way to Elite Membership through involvement and volunteer time with SPIN. 

We’re serious about reinventing the industry association – we need your help to know what it will look like. 

If you haven’t picked up on my recurring theme here, it is:
PLEASE COMPLETE THE SPIN NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY! 

Tentative dates for upcoming SPIN Think Tanks
Updates and more details can be found at www.spinplanners.com/live-think-tanks.html

An interview between Shawna Suckow, SPIN Founder, and Loren G. Edelstein, Editor of Meetings & Conventions magazine.

SS. Last year some of our members attended M&C’s inaugural Interact event in Miami and came back with very good things to say. What is in store for this year?
LE. We chose a luxurious mountain setting; we’ll be at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The format will be essentially the same: This is an exclusive hosted-buyer event, with a maximum of 50 high-level corporate and association planners and about 45 suppliers. Over the course of two and a half days, planners will have 15-minute meetings with 20 suppliers representing various properties and destinations.

SS. How are the planners and suppliers matched for the appointments?
LE. Good question. We refined that process this year to make it even more targeted to participants’ business needs. We are using an automated system whereby planners rank the suppliers they most want to meet with, and suppliers likewise rank the planners. The system matches them up based on mutual preferences and business needs, so only those with the strongest opportunity for future business will be matched up. It’s like a perfect dating service!

SS. Our SPIN members tell us that an educational component is critical to justify their time out of the office. Is any education on the agenda?
LE. We hear the same thing, and yes, we have a very informative and compelling keynote presentation lined up. At 8:30 a.m. MDT on Monday, Bruce McIndoe, president of iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, will share some really eye-opening information and advice about risk management for meetings. Planners will learn to anticipate worst-case scenarios and act appropriately, as well as how to create a comprehensive risk management plan for their meetings and events. I should also note that the session will be available via live webcast, so any SPIN members who aren’t at the event can participate for free — and they’ll earn CMP credits too. Registration is at mcmag.com/webcasts.aspx.

SS. I’m originally from Colorado and Colorado Springs is beautiful. Will attendees have time to explore?
LE. Absolutely! It would be a shame not to experience such a gorgeous destination. The format calls for half day of meetings in the morning, then some great destination activities to choose from on both Monday and Tuesday afternoons, including cowboy-led Jeep tours through Cheyenne Canyon, horseback rides through Pike National Forest, a visit to the United States Air Force Academy or a cog railway trip up Pikes Peak.

SS. So this is a hosted-buyer program, meaning qualified meeting planners do not pay to participate. What is included for those who qualify?
LE. We cover air travel, three nights at The Broadmoor, airport transfers, event registration, all scheduled meals and networking events, plus destination activities. There are some other great extras too: Planners will take home a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses of their choosing, and will also be entered into a drawing to win a Royal Caribbean Cruise for two.

Our event is capped at 50 planners, so anyone interested in applying should do so as soon as possible at www.mcmag.com/interact.

There’s at least one aspect of meeting planning that you’re a serious expert at. Come on, you know you are! And, wouldn’t it be great if you could get people to understand how to do it better (your way)? Well, there’s no greater gift than to share your knowledge with others.

We’re creating a kind of speaker bureau, if you will, because we realized that we have over 2,000 amazing experts that can change the industry by sharing their wisdom with others. 

We are looking for subject-matter experts who are willing to serve as keynote speakers, panelists or consultants.  We’ll promote our wonderful roster of experts to other industry associations and as a resource at industry events.  Experts receive a nominal fee for their time, plus travel reimbursement.

Not only will you be paid for your time and expenses, you will earn CEU credits. And, you’ll gain standing within the meetings industry community as someone who knows their stuff and who’s willing to share it.  This collection of experts will be a fantastic resource for our industry, plus help raise funding for SPIN so we can continue to grow. 

To apply, click here.

For more information, please contact Tracey Smith at tracey@spinplanners.com.

Washington, D.C., July 31, 2011: Streampoint Solutionsis proud to announce their support of the Certified Meeting Professional (“CMP”) Education Scholarship. The $700 scholarship is awarded to an industry event professional who strives for excellence, and who is an active member of the meeting and events community.

 “The CMP Scholarship program is launched to be in line with our values of growth and knowledge for the greater good of our event industry,” says Dharmesh Dayabhai, Vice-President of Marketing. “With these two elements, not only does it set us up for success individually, but also as a community.”

For each supporter, Streampoint Solutions will contribute $1 towards the scholarship. When the target of 700 supporters is reached, Streampoint will have fully funded one applicant for this year’s CMP exam. Show your support for the scholarship by signing up! “This campaign is a community-driven approach. With the support of the event community, change can happen. In this case, we’re elevating the level of education for the events industry,” Dayabhai adds.

The recipient of the scholarship will be announced when 700 individuals have indicated their support, or on October 1, 2011, whichever comes first. All scholarship applications must be submitted by August 30, 2011. 

The CMP Education Scholarship is for the CMP Exam taking place on January 7, 2012. Eligibility for the scholarship is open to all industry professionals residing in the USA or Canada who are pursuing their CMP, and will be granted to the recipient as a reimbursement upon completion of the CMP certification.

About Streampoint Solutions

Founded in 2001, Streampoint Solutions is an insightful, customizable, and resourceful event management solutions company. Serving clients globally, we offer tailored tools to the conference, tradeshow and special events community. Small or big, comprehensive or select, Streampoint event management solutions are adaptable and scalable to ensure ideal suitability for a wide range of events.

 Streampoint is founded on three principles: innovation, dedication, and social responsibility. 

Through innovation, we empower event managers with practical, affordable, and specialized tools that make their occasions a raging success.

Through dedication, we provide an unparalleled level of customer service which allows for full solution customization, reliable back and front end support, and timely product delivery.

Through our acceptance of social responsibility, we give back to our community and do our part for the environment with charitable project contributions, fund-raiser support, sustainable business practices, and green initiatives