Disclaimer: It should be known that I am not involved AT ALL with our site selections - I'm in Membership for goodness sake....so I have no voice in the decision....
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What exciting news to report that PCMA will be in Las Vegas and San Diego in 2011 and 2012 respectively!
Las Vegas has so much to offer and I know our attendees will get an experience to remember. Our Vegas will be showing...baby!!!
San Diego - ahhh - San Diego - one of my favorite cities in the United States. My memories of my ONE visit have lasted me more than 8 years - fish tacos by the ocean, warm weather (relative to Chicago) in February - does it get better??? I look forward to reliving my good times and seeing all that has changed since I was there last.
-Christine
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Blogs and The Meeting Planner-A love story!
No, that's not the name of a new fairy tale - the time is upon us to see new ways (which could be good or bad) in which our members are only a text message away, blog or streaming video from talking about our events to the world at large.
I found this blog entry very interesting and thought I'd pass it on. I got it off a website I recently just found (as in last night) - these folks are at the forefront of new ideas - it's time for us to pay attention.
A taste of the blog entry from Kare Anderson, co founder of Say it Better Center, LLC :
"Live blogging just started recently, mainly at tech-centered conferences or unconferences. Audience twittering just started within the past 14 months or so. Yet the trend will spread quickly to more kinds of meetings. Parents are learning text messaging to keep in touch with their children. Young meeting attendees expect to make their views heard, in the moment. As more meeting attendees adopt these social media tools, they’ll use them the conferences they attend.
Thus more and more attendees won’t wait to vote on the questions the speaker or panel wants to ask. They’ll be commenting, asking the questions and trading opinions as the program unfolds. They’ll take photos from their seat, then try streaming video."
Thus more and more attendees won’t wait to vote on the questions the speaker or panel wants to ask. They’ll be commenting, asking the questions and trading opinions as the program unfolds. They’ll take photos from their seat, then try streaming video."
See the whole article here:
http://theswom.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1306361%3ABlogPost%3A2268
If you were in Seattle you heard Mich Matthew's talking about this...that it's coming. I think that time has come.
What do you think? How are you using new technology at your events? What's stopping you? Who's the evangelist in your organization that's pushing for this? Do you have one? If not, you might want to gather a team together and look at this to see what you can do to join in the fun....and it is fun, exciting and just a little intimidating.
- Christine Melendes
Monday, March 10, 2008
Call for Ideas....
Did you attend the Annual Meeting in January? If you did, did you stop by the Pavilion? If you did, I need your help. Really, I'll take any suggestions - so don't worry if you didn't attend....
I created a PCMA Pavilion at the Annual Meeting - the sole purpose was to show off the new website, have staff on hand to discuss member benefits and all the cool new things PCMA is doing. I think it went well. We had a good spot and traffic was decent. The concept rocked and I don't want to lose it in 2009 - actually I want to make it BIGGER AND BETTER in 2009.
This is where you come in. What ideas can you think of to make it better in 2009...keeping in mind that I want to highlight PCMA. We will be in the New Orleans convention center - it's long and thin and there are a lot of opportunities to accomplish this idea...but it won't look the same.
What creative ideas are you using at your meetings to promote your own organization?
How can I creatively use the space for maximum benefit and traffic?
What ideas can I steal (thank you very much) - to really knock this out of the park?
Let me know your thoughts - would love to incorporate ideas that come from members.
-christine m
I created a PCMA Pavilion at the Annual Meeting - the sole purpose was to show off the new website, have staff on hand to discuss member benefits and all the cool new things PCMA is doing. I think it went well. We had a good spot and traffic was decent. The concept rocked and I don't want to lose it in 2009 - actually I want to make it BIGGER AND BETTER in 2009.
This is where you come in. What ideas can you think of to make it better in 2009...keeping in mind that I want to highlight PCMA. We will be in the New Orleans convention center - it's long and thin and there are a lot of opportunities to accomplish this idea...but it won't look the same.
What creative ideas are you using at your meetings to promote your own organization?
How can I creatively use the space for maximum benefit and traffic?
What ideas can I steal (thank you very much) - to really knock this out of the park?
Let me know your thoughts - would love to incorporate ideas that come from members.
-christine m
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Next F2F Opportunities
Monthly programming from PCMA HQ that you can take advantage of. Make your plans today to attend and get these events on your calendars today!
Legal "On the Go!" Webinar - February 29 at your desk:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x2434
Masters Series - March 5 in NYC:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x892
Education Foundation Dinner - April 2 in DC:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x767
Masters Series - May 21 in DC
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x900
Leadership Conference - June 8-10 in Los Angeles
http://www.pcma.org/Education/Leadership_Conference.htm
Legal "On the Go!" Webinar - February 29 at your desk:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x2434
Masters Series - March 5 in NYC:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x892
Education Foundation Dinner - April 2 in DC:
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x767
Masters Series - May 21 in DC
http://www.pcma.org/x147.xml?events=x900
Leadership Conference - June 8-10 in Los Angeles
http://www.pcma.org/Education/Leadership_Conference.htm
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The next opportunity...
Where do you think your next opportunity to connect is with the fabulous people who attended the Annual Meeting? Well, it's at your fingertips, on your computer - it is PCMA Connect! Check out this recent article in Tradeshow Week that talks about PCMA Connect.
Don't delay - stay involved with PCMA through this wonderful online networking tool....
http://www.tradeshowweek.com/article/CA6518258.html?industryid=47362
Don't delay - stay involved with PCMA through this wonderful online networking tool....
http://www.tradeshowweek.com/article/CA6518258.html?industryid=47362
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thank You Seattle....Good Night!
....that was the famous send off of the theme song from the TV show Frasier.
PCMA has left Seattle - but I can tell you that Seattle is still in me. Without a doubt I fell in love with Seattle! Maybe it was the flukey sunny days and mild temperatures, maybe it was the rolling hills of the city, maybe it was the FRIENDLY cab drivers who thanked me for coming to Seattle, maybe it was electric street cars, maybe it was the shopping. But in the end, it was all of it rolled up into one sweet package!
As an organization, PCMA is leaving behind a legacy of planting a tree for everyone who donated $20 to the Education Foundation. What I also hope is that what PCMA is leaving behind is the good will of our organization and a lot of meeting planners who will look at Seattle for their next meeting. The green carpet was rolled out for us in a BIG way - let Seattle show your organization the same hospitality - your attendees will thank you!
Thanks again, Seattle - I had a great time!
Christine
PCMA has left Seattle - but I can tell you that Seattle is still in me. Without a doubt I fell in love with Seattle! Maybe it was the flukey sunny days and mild temperatures, maybe it was the rolling hills of the city, maybe it was the FRIENDLY cab drivers who thanked me for coming to Seattle, maybe it was electric street cars, maybe it was the shopping. But in the end, it was all of it rolled up into one sweet package!
As an organization, PCMA is leaving behind a legacy of planting a tree for everyone who donated $20 to the Education Foundation. What I also hope is that what PCMA is leaving behind is the good will of our organization and a lot of meeting planners who will look at Seattle for their next meeting. The green carpet was rolled out for us in a BIG way - let Seattle show your organization the same hospitality - your attendees will thank you!
Thanks again, Seattle - I had a great time!
Christine
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Here we come Seattle....
So, I leave for my first PCMA Annual Meeting tomorrow morning. Now, in my time in this business I've planned and executed LOTS of annual meetings/conferences - so I know what is in store as far as sleep deprivation and my poor poor feet go.
What totally makes it worth it for me - and here's what I'm really looking forward to - seeing it in action. I can never tire of that energy, that sense of one - even if there are 3,000+ people - that happens when everyone is together...it is a huge adrenaline rush for me.
I don't know about you when you have a big event, but I make absolutely certain that I give myself some space to step back and watch the meeting happen, to enjoy the tiniest of moments...so that I don't feel like all I've done is execute and don't remember a thing. There is nothing worse than the feeling of "I MISSED IT!" - that is something I will make sure doesn't happen in Seattle.
And I know, as I sit here and type this that next Wednesday when it's the last day of the event I will wake up and wonder, "where the heck did the time go?" It's inevitable, despite the throbbing feet, that I will be sad that it is over. That I will have to say goodbye to all the new people I have met and to a city that is opening it's arms to us.
If you get a chance, check out this story that published this morning: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/346609_convention09.html
Seattle is ready for us and we are ready for Seattle....here we come!!!!
What totally makes it worth it for me - and here's what I'm really looking forward to - seeing it in action. I can never tire of that energy, that sense of one - even if there are 3,000+ people - that happens when everyone is together...it is a huge adrenaline rush for me.
I don't know about you when you have a big event, but I make absolutely certain that I give myself some space to step back and watch the meeting happen, to enjoy the tiniest of moments...so that I don't feel like all I've done is execute and don't remember a thing. There is nothing worse than the feeling of "I MISSED IT!" - that is something I will make sure doesn't happen in Seattle.
And I know, as I sit here and type this that next Wednesday when it's the last day of the event I will wake up and wonder, "where the heck did the time go?" It's inevitable, despite the throbbing feet, that I will be sad that it is over. That I will have to say goodbye to all the new people I have met and to a city that is opening it's arms to us.
If you get a chance, check out this story that published this morning: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/346609_convention09.html
Seattle is ready for us and we are ready for Seattle....here we come!!!!
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