Donna Sanford
Founder and former Publisher of EXPO Magazine
Program Consultant for the Virtual Edge Summit
dsanford@virtualedge.org
If you’re like many in the event industry, 2011 will be the year you go virtual. And you’ll likely call someone like me to ask “how,” when what I wish you’d ask is “why.”
Do I think you should produce a virtual or hybrid event? Maybe. OK, probably. But for the right reasons – not because it’s trendy.
What I want to know is what you hope to accomplish with a virtual event. Are you trying to “tease” potential …

Michelle Stoddard
Specialist, Project Management
PCMA
When the PCMA Green Task Force began discussing the new APEX/ASTM Standards on a spring 2010 conference call, I started to think of how PCMA could teach its members about these new standards.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the APEX/ASTM Standards, they are guidelines to produce more environmentally-friendly meetings and conventions. CIC has been working on them for a few months now, to produce a set of industry standards to make meetings more sustainable. Currently, CIC and the APEX/ASTM Standard Committee are working on finalizing …

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Jennifer W. Brown, CMP
President, Meeting Sites Resource
For those of you attending my Strategic Meeting Management (SMM) workshop at the PCMA annual meeting: Convening Leaders in Las Vegas this January, I am looking forward an interactive discussion and analysis on how to get the most value and ROI from your SMM plan.
The big picture goal of course will be on “how to demonstrate real meeting value to senior management” and specific metrics to define and measure success. Whether you control enterprise wide meetings and events for your organization, or only meeting activity in …

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Jordan Schwartz
CEO, Pathable
Perhaps it sounds heretical coming from the president of an Internet-based “social media company”, but I don’t think on-line social networks and communities can ever replace the power and value of face-to-face meetings.
At this point, you might be asking “but isn’t that your business?” No, it isn’t. Here’s why:
The value that on-line social networks for events provides come from the way they can enhance and extend face-to-face meetings, not replace them. Here are three simple ways:

Increased Attendance: On-line social networks are uniquely suited to set off viral …

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Debbi Beldon, CMP
Experient National Account Manager
Community Service is an important part of my life. I have served on the committee for an annual local industry event that raises money for the Food Bank of the Rockies for years. I am currently serving as the Chair of the National Network for the Needy Committee for PCMA. Community Service has always been important to my company, Experient and I am grateful that they give us the ability and support to participate in some very important activities.
 

The Denver Experient Office holds an annual …