2009 Information will be available in Spring 2009

2008 SHOW INFORMATION
Seminars


Seminar learning tracks include:



Click here for a PDF of the conference grid.








Click here for the complete Conference Program.





Each seminar is 75-minutes in length. Seminar rooms are located on Level 1 of McCormick Place South. Please access these rooms from the escalators at the end of the center aisle in the exhibit hall, or by turning right inside the entrance to McCormick Place at Gate 4 (taxi unloading).



EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & RECOGNITION



Tuesday, September 23

10:00 - 11:15


Motivating the Millennials: Recognition Preferences of the Emerging Workforce

 Surveys show that our youngest workers have higher expectations than any other generation, and 60 Minutes recently said that the newest generation of workers is one that takes only "yes" for an answer. The latest generation of workers is befuddling and confounding their employers. How do you motivate them?

A recent survey shows that, as with the generations before them, recognition is a key to their retention and motivation. Yet millennials don't seem to respond to the same rewards as Boomers or GenY.

In this session you'll explore: Presenter: Cindy Ventrice, Employee Loyalty Specialist, Management Consultant, Professional Speaker, and Author of Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works

Wellness Programs: Bottom Line Booster Shots
Corporate Presenters: Kellogg Company and Amway Global

Hear how two of America's leading companies, Kellogg's and Amway Global, are keeping their employees healthy and productive. In this panel discussion you'll also learn: Presenters: David Tanis, Health Promotion Specialist, The Kellogg Company; Tom Boehr, Optimal You Manager, Amway Global; Susan Jackson, Vice President of Operations for the American Institute for Preventive Medicine and the Director and co-author of the SMOKELESS®; program.
Moderators: Barb Hendrickson, President, Design Incentives; Stacie Pinnavaia, Account Executive, Design Incentives

1:30 - 2:45


The Many Hats of the Recognition Professional
Corporate Presenter: Wells Fargo

Have you ever taken a moment to step back and acknowledge the diverse role you play as a Recognition professional? Flexibility, consistency and ingenuity are just a few of the talents you must possess. Sometimes it almost feels like a juggling act, doesn't it? How do you manage the day-to-day expectations of team members while providing your customers with the tools and programs they need to meet their recognition and retention goals? Who are your business partners and are you identifying them? Are you tapping into industry research to support Best Practices in your organization? This informative session will rely on audience participation in a focus group setting. In this open, comfortable setting attendees will: Presenter: Ryan Maddux, Systems Consultant for Wells Fargo, Institutional Trust Services

Best Practices Case Study: Hard Rock International:
Retaining Rock Stars

This session is focused on employee performance management, especially for the Millennials entering today's workforce. In this session you'll hear philosophical approaches to managing and measuring performance, as well as specific Hard Rock tools that have delivered proven andeffective results. Ideas will be discussed in almost every area of the Employee Life Cycle. You'll leave this session having learned: Presenter: Jim Knight, Senior Director of Training and Development, Hard Rock International

FORUM Best Practices
Case Study: NEW YORK HOSPITAL QUEENS:
Achieving Organizational Health

Organizations which embrace a strategy of People Performance Management are healthy by all measures: they're profitable, they have satisfied customers and their employees are loyal and engaged. Follow the story of a hospital that had a vision of complete health, inside and out. Learn the process they used to identify where it hurt, and the actions they took to increase the vitality of their employees. In this session you will: Presenters: Camela Morrissey, Vice President – Patient Satisfaction, Public Affairs and Marketing, New York Hospital Queens; Frank Mulhern, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research, Northwestern University and Academic Director - Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement

3:15 - 4:30


How Technology and Globalization are Changing Employee Recognition
Company Presenter: Wachovia

Explore best practices for employee engagement and employee recognition around the world, and how technology can assist in the management and delivery of programs. This session will reveal findings from interviews with business leaders who run global programs, as well as leaders who run regional programs outside of North America. You'll learn: Presenters: Carol Wain, President, Incentive Depot; Lisa Massiello, CRP, Vice President, Employee Engagement & Recognition, Operations and Technology Group, Wachovia Corporation

For more information, please contact Carol Wain, Incentive Depot, cwain@incentivedepot.com


"Onboarding" with Carrots: How Recognition Can Integrate and Retain Employees

Learn how recognition makes the "onboarding" experience fun and engaging, while improving retention and productivity scores in this dynamic session led by New York Times best-selling author, Chester Elton. In this session you will learn: Presenter: Chester Elton, National Best-Selling Author of The Carrot Principle and Motivation Show 2008 keynote speaker



Wednesday, September 24

10:00 - 11:15


Not Just for Laughs with Second City: Improv is a Uniting Force for Employees

Improvisation is an innovative employee engagement tool - and it's not just for cheap laughs. You'll get plenty of them, but with improv your people also learn skills to make the organization more nimble, collaborative, silo-free and customer-focused. Join experts from Second City and Carlson Marketing to learn how improv training and humor succeed at breaking down barriers, broaching difficult topics, energizing employees and changing your organization's culture in the best of ways. Come see why laughter truly is the best medicine - no joke! In this session you will: Presenters: Tom Yorton, President and COO, The Second City; Jennifer Rosenzweig, Senior Director, Engagement & Events, Carlson Marketing

For more information, please contact Jennifer Rosenzweig, Carlson Marketing at jrosenzweig@carlson.com


Best Practices Case Study:
Aligning Recognition Programs with Corporate Goals and Culture

It is impossible to pick up a magazine without seeing articles on the importance of employee engagement in delivering the promised brand experience and differentiation from competitors. But how do you apply that to your own company? Drawing on his years of experience in building Bank of America's recognition culture, Kevin Cronin, along with Michele Smith, will demonstrate how to use the power of recognition to obtain desired behavior and performance at all levels of your organization.

Presenters: Kevin Cronin, Recognition and Reward Consultant; Michelle Smith, Vice President Business Development, O.C. Tanner Recognition Company

1:30 - 2:45


Best Practices Case Study: Scotiabank:
One Team One Goal: Driving All-Employee Engagement in a Global Organization

With a culture of recognition firmly entrenched throughout its Canadian operations, Scotiabank clearly understands the critical role that employees play in delivering its brand promise. As Canada's most international bank, Scotiabank continues to aggressively expand its global footprint, and employee recognition has become a cornerstone of the organization's international customer experience strategy. Hear ScotiaBank's amazing story of its journey of designing and implementing Scotia Applause, the bank's award-winning employee recognition program and learn how it is leveraging this platform to effectively motivate and reward employees in the Caribbean and Latin America. In this session you will: Presenter: Rick White, Vice President, Brand & Marketing Management, Scotiabank; Martha Barss, Senior Vice-President, Carlson Marketing Canada

Maximizing Your Reward Investment Through Sweet Spot Reward Strategies

Savvy companies utilize rewards for retention/motivation and carefully evaluate employee feedback to optimize their programs. What employees say they want, however, is not always in the best interest of the program or the company. With a broad range of options, risks and benefits available, selecting the most effective rewards is more complex - and important - than ever before. When evaluating programs, companies should weigh several factors including effectiveness, corporate values and program goals to reach educated decisions. In this session we'll examine: Presenter: Matt Harris, Vice President, Marketing, American Express Incentive Services

Forum Panel of Experts:
Making The Invisible Visible: Measuring the Intangible Assets of People and Talent

Businesses are increasingly realizing that their worth has less to do with machinery and inventory, and more to do with the hidden, intangible assets of the people across their organizations. Find out ways that businesses are uncovering this value, the role of incentives in maximizing it and how you can apply it in your own organization. In this session you will: Panelists: Rick Blabolil, CPIM, President, Marketing Innovators; Tom Miller, President and CEO, The Miller Company; Jennifer Rosenzweig, Senior Director, Engagement & Events, Carlson Marketing
Moderator: Michelle Smith, Vice President Business Development, O.C. Tanner Recognition Company

3:15 - 4:30


Best Practices Case Study: The Nielsen Company:
Making Recognition the Constant in Times of Change

Despite ownership changes, transitioning from a public company to a private-equity owned company, new senior leadership and a variety of business changing initiatives, the one remaining constant at The Nielsen Company has been its commitment to recognizing employees who continue to deliver outstanding performance across 100 countries of operation. In this session you will learn: Presenter: Eric Lange, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, The Nielsen Company

Employee Recognition Awards That Motivate and Inspire

The use of strategically chosen recognition award products can significantly help your efforts to achieve company goals. In this session you will: Presenter: Scott Siegel, MAS, President, R.S. Owens & Co., Inc.



Thursday, September 25

10:00 - 11:15


FORUM: Purpose-Potential-Possibilities: How A Strategy of People Performance Management and Measurement Can create Profound Business Change

People may need people, but businesses need engaged people. Business that understand this need are now the most successful organizations in today's economy, and it has nothing to do with luck. This session will focus on the new strategy of People Performance Management and Measurement and how a successful PPMM approach is at the heart of profitability, customer loyalty and shareholder value. We'll also discuss the characteristics that organizations can implement to leverage the power of their workforce. In this session you will: Presenters: Frank Mulhern, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research, Northwestern University and Academic Director - Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement; Michelle Smith, Vice President Business Development, O.C. Tanner Recognition Company



MOTIVATING SALES & CHANNEL PARTNERS



Tuesday, September 23

10:00 - 11:15


A Kick in the Attitude™

Need to get yourself and your team moving, but not sure how to get started? This program is designed to rekindle your organization's best attitude with humor, insight and a creative art presentation. It's not just about having a positive attitude ... it's about putting that attitude into action! Transform your group into energized and empowered Attitude Kickers! An attitude kicker recognizes that attitude is significant in creating success personally and professionally. Sometimes life has a way of knocking the kick out of us, and that "kick" is our enthusiasm, focus, sense of humor and resilience . Our kick gets weakened when we let stress build up or when life throws us an unexpected curve ball. This program will: Presenter: Sam Glenn, Motivational Speaker, Author and Artist





Best Practices Case Study: Whirlpool Corporation:
Recognizing the Best of the Best

What does it take to become an industry leader?
At Whirlpool, the appliance industry leader, programs that reward and recognize outstanding performance have been instrumental in its rise to the top. In this session, Whirlpool will share its best practices for motivating a top performing sales organization. The session will examine Whirlpool's annual Winner's Circle program, which rewards employees on performance results while also recognizing teamwork and the ability to drive change in the marketplace. Also addressed will be Whirlpool's new employee engagement practices that recognize efforts on a more frequent, informal basis.

Presenter: Sam Abdelnour, Vice President of Sales, Whirlpool Corporation

1:30 - 2:45


Best Practices Case Study: GE CAPITAL SOLUTIONS:
Change the Channel Program Paradigm: Transfer Control to Your Customers

Channel incentive programs have traditionally been pushed to distributors or resellers by the brand manufacturers or finance companies. The biggest challenge to this model is the lack of integration of programs run by different suppliers to improve sales results with non-exclusive dealers that sell multiple brands. GE Capital Solutions has recently found success by shifting the paradigm for channel incentives. Its powerful new tool “YourPerformancePoints.com” is a dynamic web platform that allows dealers to custom create their own incentive program site to drive the behaviors that are most important to their business success. The dealers control their brand, content, program rules and what they want to reward, in a single site that supports the integration of multiple reward programs. In this session you will learn: Presenter: Jeff Grace, Marketing Leader, Commercial Initiatives, GE Capital Solutions; Michael DePaul, Vice President, Technology and Product Strategy, Marketing Innovators

The Journey to Optimal Program Design Continues: Participant Research and Predictive Design

First it was listening to program participants to create more targeted travel rewards, then more effective meetings, then more meaningful recognition and reward options. The journey to optimal program design continues with new research on program structure, communications and more. Hear success stories about this innovative approach to program design, and get a preview of new design tools that are coming our way. In this session you will learn about: Presenter: Jennifer Kallery, Vice President of Business Intelligence, Maritz, Inc.

3:15 - 4:30


The 1-2-3 on Sales Contests: What Works, What Doesn't

Looking to run a sales contest? What issues are critical? What communication and award approaches work best? What pitfalls lurk? And how will the right decisions you make now get you an even bigger seat at the planning table tomorrow? In this session, you'll learn: Presenter: Mike Ryan, Senior Vice President Marketing and Client Strategy, Madison Performance Group

Socially Responsible Incentives

Corporate social responsibility is not only the right thing to do for society, but research has identified several significant corporate financial benefits.  The incentive market is searching for answers to the question, "How do we incorporate social responsibility into our programs?"  Both leading incentive companies and corporations will discuss how they are already answering this question, along with the presidents of three leading social purpose companies, and an employee of a social purpose company. In this session you will learn: Panelists: Michael Arkes, President, Helping Hand Rewards; Julius Walls, Jr., President & CEO, Greyston Bakery; Heather Catlin, Former Employee, Women Helping Other Women; Priya Haji, CEO and Co-Founder, World of Good; Larisa Mendenhall, Director of Individual Awards , ITA Group; Nicole Harris, Merchandise Manager, Maritz Motivation



Wednesday, September 24
10:00 - 11:15


Making Incentives Fun: Engaging the Right Brain Through Creative Rewards, Communications and Games

Spreadsheets, formulas and analysis are critical parts of operating effective sales incentive plans, but they aren't the things that capture people's hearts and minds. They may also not be enough to inspire enthusiastic effort right when you need it. Learn from experts in the field of non-cash reward programs how to engage the right brain of your sales force to focus their efforts just where you need it. Learn about new trends in rewards, ways to make programs more engaging through games and captivating interest through creative communications. In this session you will learn: Presenter: Paula Godar, Director Brand Communications, Maritz, Inc

Best Practices Case Study: T-Mobile USA:
Motivating Front Line Employees to Care About the Customer

When designing its incentive programs, T-Mobile USA starts with the premise that driving year-over-year sales growth begins with the experience customers have at any T-Mobile touch point, such as in company-owned and channel-partner stores, or on the phone with a customer service professional. In this session you'll learn: Presenter: Hilary Dreiling, Sr. Manager, Rewards & Recognition, T-Mobile USA

1:30 - 2:45


Best Practices Case Study: Cisco Sales:
Channeling Your Channel Spend

Channel marketers focused on optimizing the effectiveness of their program investments are often faced with the challenge of where to spend their limited budgets - with the partner or with their sales reps. In this best practices case study, Cisco Services shares how over time they did both by pursuing a clear strategy to maximize partner and sales rep engagement. In this session you will learn: Presenters: Lauren Robinette, Segment Manager, Cisco Commercial Markets; Shari Marion-Hoff, CEO, hawkeye channel practice

Let Technology Do The Work: Best Practices in Non-Cash Execution

Reward programs have come under increased scrutiny of late. Planners are being asked to do more with less. What are the new best practices in non-cash incentive planning? How can the latest technology help progressive companies optimize their outcomes? This session will examine how progressive companies are: Presenter: Mike Ryan, Senior Vice President Marketing and Client Strategy, Madison Performance Group

3:15 - 4:30


Easing Program Administration

As the motivation industry has become more sophisticated, so have the corresponding program administration tasks. Challenges such as security, fraud and tracking can make the simplest administration complex. Although today's reward management tools ease the administration burden, choosing the best tool has become the new challenge. How do you determine which solution makes the most sense for your program? This session will address: Presenter: John Rose, Vice President, Information Technology, American Express Incentive Services; Monica Morgan, Reward Systems Manager, American Express Incentive Services



Thursday, September 25

10:00 - 11:15


Fast Forward: Keeping Pace with the Ever-changing Business and Consumer Environments

This session will discuss ways to keep the pace of incentive programs parallel with the ever-changing pace of commerce. Next year will bring significant generational and political changes, and companies must become nimble enough to ride the waves of change. Consumer-world expectations are changing our industry, and innovation has come by the combining existing products and services from the consumer and business-to-business markets. With the advent of technology as a delivery system, essentially any product or service can be distributed anywhere, anytime. In this session, you will: Presenter: Rick Blabolil, CPIM, President, Marketing Innovators



CONSUMER MARKETING



Tuesday, September 23

10:00 - 11:15


Making Mobile Motivate: Overcome the Intrusiveness and Mobilizing Your Company
Corporate Presenter: Nokia Interactive

The world of marketing is changing dramatically due to technology. The Internet has created a society of seekers, a culture for consumer control with an ability to opt in or out on a whim, all while seeking to be more mobile yet remain even more connected. Mobile marketing has the promise of what Interactive is today but the hype of what Interactive was prior to the dot-com bubble. Many brands have been sampling the use of mobile in their marketing mix - often in simple promotional text to win campaigns. But the big wins occur when mobile is deployed across multiple consumer and stakeholder touch points - as a key component of a multi-channel relationship. We call this "Mobilizing Companies" - and activating campaigns. In this session you will learn: Presenters: Jeremy Wright, Global Director, Mobile Brand Strategy, Nokia Interactive; Jeff Anulewicz, Senior Panner & U.S. Mobile Marketing Lead, Carlson Marketing

For more information, please contact Jeff Anulewicz, Carlson Marketing at janulewicz@carlson.com


Shopper Marketing: Actionable Insights That Build Retail Traffic and Sales.

Every marketer knows that more and more consumer decisions are made at the moment of purchase in the retail environment. How do you make sure your products and services are making the right first impression, and how do you work with customers to grow their categories while you build your brands? In this session you will learn: Presenter: Don Ladhoff, VP Client Solutions, Seismicom, Inc.

1:30 - 2:45


Creating Value by Creating Experiences

In today's economy, marketers must deliver more than goods or services. To generate desired results with internal and external audiences, it is critical to deliver memorable experiences. Whether the objective is aligning employee behaviors to corporate goals or inspiring consumers to purchase again and again, "If it doesn't go WOW, it doesn't go." Every area of performance and service motivation and recognition must include methods of turning the mundane into a memorable experience. Creating experiences means infusing the brand with positive memories and pushing beyond that into transformations. Promotional marketing needs to be more than a program. It needs to be a highly memorable experience that transforms performances to new levels. In this session you'll learn: Presenter: Paul Kiewet, MAS, CIP, President/CEO of BrandKiwi, LLC. and immediate past chairman of the board for Promotional Products Associations International

Green Is the New Gold: How Embracing a Green Strategy Can Brand Sales and Revenue

There are solid business reasons for finding and leveraging the strategy of environmental awareness. Hear from a marketing leader who has found that going green has meant success. In this session you will learn: Presenter: Fred Bidwell, President and CEO, Malone Advertising

3:15 - 4:30


Best Practices Case Study: HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL:
Building a Rock Star Brand

This session uses the brand heritage and re-invention of Hard Rock International to build a road map for your own brand approach. As head of The School of Hard Rocks, Jim Knight will focus on: This session will incorporate elements of Hard Rock's storied history and its unique organizational culture. Although too irreverent and unpredictable for some, you will still walk away with some great best practices, all told through the spirit of Rock 'n' Roll.

Presenter: Jim Knight, Senior Director of Training and Development, Hard Rock International

Marketing in a Digital World

Every company today has a digital marketing strategy, from e-commerce to social blogs. What are the newest marketing options to more effectively reach your consumers? What is happening in the areas of social networks, gaming and virtual reality, and how should marketers use them in their plans? In this session, you will learn: Presenter: Mark Singer, Head of Digital, OgilvyAction



Wednesday, September 24

10:00 - 11:15


Building Brands Using 3D Media
Corporate Presenter: Coca-Cola USA

Are you looking to more effectively connect your brand with audiences and strengthen marketing programs? In this session you will learn how integrating promotional products into your program can help accomplish both goals. You will also hear marketing case histories and best practices from Coke, the most valuable and recognized brand in the world. In this session you will: Presenters: Marc Harris, Strategic Procurement Manager, Specialty Merchandise and Drinkware Supply Chain, Global Marketing Procurement, The Coca-Cola Company; Paul Kiewiet, MAS, CIP, President/CEO of BrandKiwi, LLC. and immediate past chairman of the board for Promotional Products Association International

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The Agency Client Relationship: Can This Partnership be Saved?

Surviving the RFP process – Do you have the sense that the RFP (Request for Proposal) process is more painful than it could be? Hear as experienced marketers and agency practitioners share lessons learned to help you make the process more effective for everyone involved, leading to a higher success rate and less stress. In this session you will learn: Presenters: Ann Rindone, Director, Integrated Marketing, Conagra Foods Retail Products; Bill Sinnott, Chairman, Executive Committee D.L. Ryan Companies, LTD

1:30 - 2:45


Not Just Loyalty: Engagement: How Engagement Is Changing Loyalty Programs

This globally focused session will provide a clear definition of engagement, its reality and contributing factors in today's business climate, as well as showcase why engagement should matter in the modern economic world. The session will also include case studies from around the globe highlighting who is doing a good job of rethinking loyalty and moving toward engagement, and why they are taking those important steps. In this session you will:
  • Understand the drivers and realities of engagement
  • Gain a perspective of engagement approaches from around the world
  • Understand the value of building stronger relationships
Presenters: Luc Bondar, VP Loyalty Marketing, Carlson Marketing; Thomas D. Lacki, Ph.D., Senior Director, Knowledge Management, Carlson Marketing

For more information, please contact Thomas Lacki, Carlson Marketing at tlacki@carlson.com or Luc Bondar, Carlson Marketing at lbondar@carlson.com


Is This Against the Law?

In a world of fast changing marketing technology and tactics, the old rules can be insufficient. Hear from two legal and regulatory experts on how to best protect your brand and company from potential legal issues. Anyone working in the marketing and communication fields should not miss this important session. You will hear the experts address the following areas:
  • Product placement and integration
  • Digital, mobile and text promotions and user-generated content
  • Sponsorships and licensing
Presenters: Stephen P. Durchsalg, Partner, Winston and Strawn, LLP; Linda Goldstein, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

3:15 - 4:30


Score Big with Your Next Promotion:
Leveraging Sports Marketing to Build Brand Image and Equity

Incorporating sport marketing into your overall marketing strategy can be a powerful way to gain visibility for your products and programs, particularly when you are working in a channel focused company. In this session you will hear how one company, Citrix Systems, helped build its brand image and equity with sports tie-ins. You'll also learn how to:
  • Drive business growth, ROI, sales and awareness with sports tie-ins
  • Effectively incorporate sports and celebrity marketing into a traditional incentive program
  • Choose the right athlete or celebrity to headline your incentive or promotional program
  • Weigh the pros and cons of athlete/celebrity incentives
  • Work with a celebrity and sports marketing firm to execute a successful program
Work with a celebrity and sports marketing firm to execute a successful program

Presenters: Israel Pagan, Jr., Senior Marketing Manager, Channel Marketing & Incentives, Citrix Systems, Inc.; Robert Tuchman, President and Founder, TSE Sports Entertainment



Thursday, September 25

10:00 - 11:15


Metrics of Marketing Accountability: A Practical Guide to ROI

This session features a renowed expert in the research arena discussing the long-term value of customers. There will also be a review of a variety of ROI measures. In this session you will learn:
  • How to get the best return on your marketing spending
  • What can and cannot be measured
  • The right role of ROI in the decision-making process
Presenters: Robert Passikoff, Ph.D., Founder & President, Brand Keys, Inc.



MEETING & INCENTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGIES



Tuesday, September 23

10:00 - 11:15


Thought Leaders Panel: The Best Minds in Meeting and Incentive Management

Join top meeting and incentive executives, including leaders from the CMI 25, and corporate end users, for an engaging and interactive panel discussion tackling the most pressing challenges and issues of the day. In this session you'll learn what America's top minds in meetings have to say about:
  • Corporate social responsibility
  • Motivating in difficult economic times
  • Outsourcing and procurement models
  • Strategic meetings management
Panelists: Beth Cooper-Zobott, Director, Conference Services, Equity Residential; Cynthia Dugan, CMP, CMM, Manager, Meeting & Events, Abbott Nutrition International; Scott Graf, President, BCD Meetings & Incentives; Louann Cashill, CMP, CMM, Meeting Services Manager, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.; Brenda Andersen, CEO, The Society of Incentive & Travel Executives

Moderators: Betsy Bair, Editorial Director, MeetingsNet; Barbara Scofidio, Editor, Corporate Meetings & Incentives

Global Meeting 101: Power Plays for Pressured Planners

Despite economic downturn in the U.S., organizations must maintain international presence to succeed in the global economy and stay relevant to their industries. For meeting planners, that means planning international meetings and incentive programs. In this panel discussion, participants will learn:
  • What to expect when starting to plan international meetings, including cultural differences, facility expectations and service standards
  • How to ask the right questions of international suppliers
  • Smart budget strategies for international programs, including: budget-friendly destinations, managing expenses and budgeting correctly
Presenters: Carol Krugman, CMP, CMM, Director, Client Services, George P. Johnson; Terri Hardin, Editor-in-Chief, MeetingNews

For more information, please email Carol Krugman, George P Johnson at carol.krugman@gpj.com


1:30 - 2:45


Attendance Is Nice; Engagement Is Better: How to Use Meetings, Incentives and Events to Truly Influence Behavior

This session will discuss how organizations can use meetings, incentives and events to engage key audiences and, in turn, drive innovation and increased sales for their respective businesses. Presenters will share examples of meetings, incentives and events designed to educate, engage and influence the way people think, act and feel, and the measurement methodologies that allow the programs to evolve and become increasingly more effective. In this session you will:
  • Gain insight into marketplace opinions on this topic
  • Understand the philosophy behind engagement, and why it matters
  • Gain insight into various engagement methods
Presenters: Kurt Paben, Vice President, Engagement & Events, Carlson Marketing; Jennifer Rosenzweig, Senior Director, Engagement & Events, Carlson Marketing

For more information, please contact Kurt Paben, Carlson Marketing at kpaben@carlson.com or Jennifer Rosenzweig, Carlson Marketing at jrosenzweig@carlson.com


Planning the Environmentally Sustainable and Socially Responsible Meeting

Everyone wants to do the right thing to save the planet and make the world a better place for everyone. But how do you incorporate those values into a meeting or incentive agenda in a meaningful way? This session will offer a how-to manual full of tips and case studies that will help planners hit the ground running as they plan meetings that make a difference to their attendees and the rest of the world. In this session you’ll learn:
  • How to find the right cause for your company
  • How to achieve your company's corporate objectives through initiatives that contribute to social and/or environmental causes
  • How to incorporate social and environmental goals into your meeting or event
Presenters: Alan Ranzer, Executive Director, Impact4Good; Pirjo Niemi, Senior Vice President of Operations and Purchasing, Conference and Incentive Travel Management Division, Ambassadors
Moderator: Vince Alonzo, Editor-in-Chief, Successful Meetings

3:15 - 4:30


Is This the Perfect Storm? A Legal Review of Issues Threatening Meetings and Incentives

The convergence of environmental issues, increasing price demands, the reemergence of instability in the marketplace. These are just some of the factors coming together to create a "perfect storm" environment for meeting and incentive planners. In this must-attend session you'll hear what you need to know to ride the waves of this storm including:
  • Appropriate responses to emerging trends
  • Useful contract tips to ensure you're protected
  • Responses to the perfect storm dynamics
This session will offer an opportunity to address your individual legal concerns, so be sure to bring your questions.

Presenter: Jonathan T. Howe, Esq., President and a Senior and Founding Partner of Howe & Hutton, Ltd.

Measuring What Matters: The Key to Improving Your Meetings and Events

Event and meeting measurement has been long talked about and rarely executed properly. Measurement is typically used to justify budgets, but what most miss is applying the right techniques to understand how to make events and meetings more effective. Hear real examples, which demonstrate that measuring satisfaction, or the impact on objectives alone, is an incomplete approach to insuring event and meeting effectiveness. In this session you will:
  • Understand the various forms of event measurement
  • Gain insight into which measurement techniques are best for your company
  • Be introduced to a new measurement technique that allows you to make your events deliver more
Presenter: Wayde Fleener, Manager, Decision Sciences, Carlson Marketing

For more information, please contact Wayde Fleener, Carlson Marketing at wfleener@carlson.com




Wednesday, September 24

10:00 - 11:15


Customized Content

You can't help but see customization affecting many consumer transactions. Consumers today expect to be able to ask for and receive exactly what they want. What are the implications for meetings? Will people expect information in meetings customized to their specific requirements and needs? Today's technology allows anyone (especially the younger generation) to create their own customized content. From YouTube.com to creating IPod movies, the expectation is that customization is just a button or two away. That means a growing pressure on meeting planners to create on-demand content. How will meeting managers respond? What tools will they use? During this participatory seminar, you will have the opportunity to see how trends in the consumer world impact the expectations customers have for meetings. Come increase your awareness of user-generated content and leave able to:
  • Extrapolate how consumer trends will spill over into the meeting arena
  • Identify how existing technology is already creating more personalization
  • Illustrate how future technology will impact our ability to deliver customized information
Presenter: Sue Tinnish, Principal, SEAL, Inc.

Weathering the Economic Storm: Measurably Improve Incentive Program Perception and Effectiveness through Meetings

Justify the need to continue investment in incentives to rally and retain your best people in turbulent times. Integrating meaningful content into your incentive travel program can open up exchanges with your highest performers in ways you never imagined. Hear how progressive companies such as Microsoft and Cisco are re-thinking the combination of meetings with their incentives; thus, fueling their highest achievers to continued success while recognizing them for past performance. Including measurement of top performer perceptions, commitment and conviction helps convince Senior Executives that these events aren't discretionary but a necessary requirement for business success. In this session you will learn:
  • Best practices and new techniques for including exclusive content
  • How to integrate on-going action planning
  • How to optimize the information executives receive from top achievers by specifically crafting a meaningful exchange in a business meeting environment
Presenters: Sherrie Newman, President, Firstpoint Consulting (representing Microsoft and Cisco); Lynn Randall, Strategic Meetings Consultant, Maritz, Inc.

1:30 - 2:45


Where's the Line: Ethics, Intellectual Property and You

Borrowing a best practice or an idea is a smart business strategy. "Don't reinvent the wheel," is a known tactic in business. However, exactly where is the line between borrowing and stealing ideas, otherwise known as intellectual property? Join this panel for an impassioned discussion of the legal and ethical implications that occur whenever we handle creative proposals, make a photocopy of an article or borrow an idea. We will discuss the "gray" areas that exist between suppliers and meeting planners. By participating in this session, you will be able to:
  • Evaluate your own practices from a legal and ethical perspective
  • Identify how other people may perceive their "interests" when sharing creative ideas and intellectual property
  • Decide for yourself "Who owns ideas?" and "What's fair game?"
Please note that issues of copyright and intellectual law will be discussed. However, this is not a legal workshop; the law will be discussed as a framework for understanding the issue.

Panelists: Cathy Gajewski, Senior Manager - Corporate Events Department, Sara Lee Corporation; Francine Pepitone, CMM, MAS, President, Francine Marketing Inc.; Kathy Miller, President, Total Event Resources; Andrew Schorr, President and Principal, In the Loop-Chicago; Nancy Hays, President and CEO, Nancy Hays Entertainment, Inc.
Moderator: Sue Tinnish, Principal, SEAL, Inc.

Taking Notice: Guaranteed Ways to Generate Excitement and Attendance for Your Meeting or Event

Take advantage of recent research and statistical findings that demonstrate the unique power select products can have on your meetings and incentive travel programs. In this session you will learn how incorporating promotional products can help you:
  • Drive attendance numbers
  • Truly engage attendees
  • Significantly improve overall satisfaction of your meetings and events
  • Tailor "open door" solutions from major corporations to your organization's needs
Presenter: Anne Lardner, Senior Manager of Communications, Promotional Products Association International

3:15 - 4:30





Is Your Finger Really on the Pulse of the Industry? Understanding and Applying The Incentive Research Foundation Pulse Surveys

More than ever before, our industry is changing each and every day. Your success depends on your ability to keep pace with these changes and apply them to your meetings and incentive travel programs. The Incentive Research Foundation has created a method to help planners keep abreast of the latest trends. Using Pulse Surveys throughout the year, The IRF has started to take the true pulse of our industry. This session will outline the results from the first of these Pulse Surveys for 2008 including:
  • The impact of World Affairs on incentive travel programs
  • The impact of procurement or purchasing iinvolvement on incentive programs
Presenter: Bob Dawson, Chairman, The Incentive Research Foundation Research Committee and Vice President, Custom Design Marketing

How Emerging Trends and Talent Are Changing the Motivational Meetings Business

Emerging technology and trends are changing buying habits of consumers. Baby boomers are moving into retirement, Generation X and Y buyers are moving into Senior Management positions and Millennials are coming into the workplace. Incentive programs need to adapt to these changes. Motivational strategies that are most effective vary dramatically from one generation to another and across demographic segments. This high-energy session will:
  • Provide research and information about generational marketing
  • Highlight international and national business trends
  • Examine new technology in the workplace
  • Offer ideas and solutions for buyers and their tastes in entertainment and motivational programs
The session also includes a Q & A and a video presentation of entertainers and unique programs that represent the future of the corporate and association entertainment business.

Presenter: Nancy Hays, President and CEO, Nancy Hays Entertainment, Inc.



Thursday, September 25

10:00 - 11:15





Practical Applications: How to Make the Latest Industry Research Work for You

We all know they exist - studies that prove the true value of our industry. Yet, despite having this compelling evidence as proof that what we do works, the utilization of incentive research in both the proposal and implementation stage of incentive programs is highly under utilized. This presentation will provide you with examples of how incentive research has been used by corporate buyers to:
  • Create a compelling incentive business case using incentive research
  • Combine incentive research facts with the methods used to create measurable results for incentive programs
Presenter: Bob Dawson, Chairman, The Incentive Research Foundation Research Committee and Vice President, Custom Design Marketing



PROMOTIONAL CONSULTANTS



Tuesday, September 23

10:00 - 11:15


Consumer Sales Promotion Tactics and Strategies

What's the best way to get consumers to act now? Consumer sales promotion techniques must be both on-strategy and on-budget. They also have to be legal! If you work with or want to work with consumer marketing clients, you'll need to understand what your clients are trying to accomplish, and how you can recommend the best products and promotions to make it happen. In this session you'll learn about:
  • The Strategic Uses for Promotion
  • The 10 primary promotion techniques
  • Promotional Products as a brand-building promotional tool
Presenter: Paul Kiewiet, MAS, CIP, President/CEO of Brandkiwi, LLC and immediate past chairman of the board for Promotional Products Association International

1:30 - 2:45


IMA Principles of Results-Based Incentive Program Design Workshop for Promotional Consultants Part 1

IMA's Principles of Results - Based Incentive Program Design Workshop for Promotional Consultants is designed for distributors who are interested in expanding their sales in the dynamic, $46 billion plus incentive marketplace. The Principles Workshop is based on a textbook written by Rodger Stotz, CPIM, Maritz, Inc., and Bruce Bolger, CPIM, Selling Communications, Inc. This curriculum was developed from sound research from a variety of sources including the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, the Incentive Federation, and the Incentive Research Foundation. Specifically designed for promotional consultants, the program addresses:
  • Underlying motivation theories
  • Program design principles
  • Award selection and administration
  • Measurement
Registration fee includes program manual and interactive CD.

Presenters: Mark Repkin, Vice-President, Certif-A-Gift; Brant Dolan, Director, Business Development, Certif-A-Gift

3:15 - 4:30


IMA Principles of Results-Based Incentive Program Design Workshop for Promotional Consultants Part 2

IMA's Principles of Results - Based Incentive Program Design Workshop for Promotional Consultants is designed for distributors who are interested in expanding their sales in the dynamic, $46 billion plus incentive marketplace. The Principles Workshop is based on a textbook written by Rodger Stotz, CPIM, Maritz, Inc., and Bruce Bolger, CPIM, Selling Communications, Inc. This curriculum was developed from sound research from a variety of sources including the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, the Incentive Federation, and the Incentive Research Foundation. Specifically designed for promotional consultants, the program addresses:
  • Non-sales employee programs
  • Sales & cChannel partner programs
  • Consumer incentive programs
  • Corporate gift giving
Registration fee includes program manual and interactive CD.

Presenters: Mark Repkin, Vice-President, Certif-A-Gift; Brant Dolan, Director, Business Development, Certif-A-Gift



Wednesday, September 24

10:00 - 11:15


An Introduction to Selling Incentives

Your customers want to drive sales, recruit and retain top employees and increase customer loyalty. The Incentive Federation's latest survey found that 74 percent of companies with annual revenues of $100 million plus purchased merchandise for their motivation programs from distributors! Are you selling incentive programs to help your clients meet their critical business goals? If you want to increase your sales and profit from the $46 billion plus annual incentive marketplace, this seminar will get you started. This session will address:
  • Basic incentive program applications
  • Components of an effective incentive program, including open and close-ended budgets
  • How to access brand name products for incentive programs
Presenters: Pete Mitchell, Director, B-to-B Sales, Samsonite and Director of the Incentive Marketing Association; Gary Slavonic, President, Premier Incentives and Past President, Incentive Manufacturers & Representatives Alliance

1:30 - 2:45


MYTHBUSTERS: Can Promotional Product Distributors Really Make Money Selling Premium Products?

Utilizing the format made popular by the television series MythBusters, this session will tackle some of the myths that have served to prevent and/or intimidate Promotional Product Distributors from actively seeking their clients' premium business. Among the myths that will be discussed are:
  • Profit margins in premiums are too small to make money
  • Clients that purchase promotional products are not interested in buying premiums
  • Promotional Product distributors don't have the tools/knowledge to create premium programs including sales, safety, dealer, employee and consumer programs
  • Promotional Product purchases are insulated from economic downturns
  • Premiums don't offer the same industry volume opportunities as promotional products
Each myth will be addressed using a combination of industry research (including what types of companies are buying premiums, who within the companies are purchasers, what are the most popular categories, what are the margins in relation to promotional products, etc.), case studies and personal anecdotes from our more than 30 years of industry experience.

Presenters: Martin Myers, President, SIMCOR; Michael Myers, Vice President of Sales, SIMCOR, Inc.

3:15 - 4:30


Integrating Incentive Program Selling into Day-to-Day Promotional Product Sales

Today's promotional product salespeople face a dilemma. How can they balance the transactional sales of promotional items with the consultative approach of program selling? While their personal expertise lies in transactional promotional product sales, the greatest opportunities for differentiation lie in helping their existing clients implement incentive and recognition programs. This session will address:
  • Developing an incentive and recognition strategy for existing clients
  • Prospecting techniques
  • Questions to ask
  • How to become more educated on best practices
This thought-provoking panel discussion offers case histories and examples from both supplier and distributor perspectives and leave attendees with practical solutions, which can be immediately put into action.

Panelists: Mark Repkin, Vice President, Certif-A-Gift; John Farrell, Incentive and Marketing Consultant; Linda Heyse-Highland, President and Founder, LinJen Promotions, Inc.