The two conferences were merely a week apart… enough to send one into an education overload! Were you not able to attend the World Education Congress in St. Louis, Missouri? Or maybe you missed out on the Southeast Education Conference in Orlando, Florida? Perfect! We have done all the research and are ready to inform you on the highlights of both events this summer.
Let’s start with WEC:
With about 1,800 pre-registered attendees, this event was the place to be for all Meeting Professionals worldwide. With connectivity being the key, these professionals make lasting relationships in their industry and field of need. And according to the facts, WEC has historically delivered an average of 308% ROI for their attendees’ investment of time and resources.
According to Stacey Paul Barabe, a GOAMPI member who attended WEC for the 5th time, these were the top three most memorable highlights:
- Opening Night Celebration – “Party at the Park”
Picture this: You arrive at the Busch Stadium, home of the 2011 World Champion Cardinals, and you are surrounded with the authentic sights and sounds of St. Louis! Check out this video posted by the St. Louis CVC. - Flash Point Idea Assembly
“Big ideas can come in small doses.” As was seen at WEC 2011, Flash Point took place once again in the hopes that attendees would walk away with their ‘big idea’. Eight different professionals outside of our industry shared their big idea in 15 minutes or less. Some of the topics discussed included conference design, sustainability, and the collaborative economy. - Event Marketing Classes
The Event Marketing Institute (EMI) partnered with MPI to deliver this dedicated event marketing track titled “The Power of Event Marketing: Inside the World of Strategic Events.” Being limited to just the first 150 senior & advance-level planners, this session informed why event marketing is growing so rapidly, as well as what the emerging trends are.
And now for SEC:
As the 20th annual conference, the theme this year was “Meeting Forward.” Four different Florida chapters planned this year’s conference which yielded about 500 attendees. Meeting Forward is about “creating and recreating our industry, applying new approaches to building ROI, and developing innovative tools and technologies.”
As a first time attendee to SEC, these are the three most memorable highlights that Selina Christine Mullenax listed:
- Tradeshow
With 85 booths, the Tradeshow sold out well before it was expected to. This was definitely not your “typical” tradeshow as the cutting-edge ideas were some that have never been seen before. Not only were there giveaways and ample time to meet all the vendors in an energetic environment, but there were refreshments and snacks along with some great entertainment provided by T. Skorman.
- “Play Party”
This had to be the most fun anyone experienced during this conference. As you walked in, not only were you on a blue carpet (part of the dress) but you were also asked for your autograph by name and had your picture taken by paparazzi. There was definitely a lot of energy here and everyone was ready to “play.” The stage pictured provided karaoke with back-up singers and a live band… have I said enough? - “Communicating Your Value” – Pegine
Aside from Violectric playing modern songs on violins, nothing could wake you up more and get you excited for the day than Pegine. The motivational speaker, author & thought leader shared her fun and feisty personality with the attendees in the general session early on Friday morning. She had us all up, dancing with strangers in an interactive morning meet & greet while learning about why we are gems.
“Peacocks without feathers are just brown chickens. It’s time to start
showing off our skills and to share our true value.” – Pegine
Registration is now available for WEC 2013.
See you in Las Vegas!