Interest levels in learning at IMEX America 2013 showed no signs of slowing on day two as attendees again filled the high quality, free education sessions on the show floor. The day kicked off with former Las Vegas Mayor and Chair of the Las Vegas Host Committee, Oscar Goodman, introducing the keynote speaker Jenn Lim, Consultant to Zappos and CEO of Delivering Happiness. Lim spoke about the dedication needed to create a corporate and client service culture that delivers Personal Emotional Connections (PEC). PEC in turn builds happy and productive employees and delighted, returning customers, she explained.
Following on the heels of this invigorating start, ready-to-learn meetings industry professionals then quickly filled the Networking Hub (sponsored by Turkish Airlines), Tech Hub (sponsored by Double Dutch), Sustainability Hub (powered by GMIC), IMEX-CIC Inspiration Center and the QuickMobile-sponsored App Bar.
In a sustainability session entitled, “Value by Design,” Judy Kucharuk, Trainer for Footprint Management Systems, touted the concept of value of investment. According to Kucharuk, “Value of investment is the development of social goodwill or the creation of collateral value. Providing sustainability options and layering in value allows attendees to make the right choice. This layering can distinguish your event; attendees not only will remember your event positively six months later but also feel confident in returning the next time it is held.”
Later in the day, “Are You Leading or Lagging?” showcased sustainability best practices and tips for convention centers to offer value. Led by Cara Unterkofler of Greenview and Johanna Walsh of Twirl Management, the session captured the essence of greening up teams and communications, as well as the importance of making thinking and being green a priority. Under the mantra of “Making Sustainability the Default,” the pair outlined steps from recycling to donations and cleaning that companies can initiate to build their sustainability programs on a consistent basis.
Also in the afternoon, Paul Gordon, Sales VP at Rymax Marketing Services, Inc. spoke to attendees interested in learning more about tailoring rewards to multiple generations of event and meetings attendees and clients. They learned that baby boomers, for example, tend to appreciate rewards that are more traditionally brand and family-oriented, whereas GenXers prefer items that are functional and help them when working and traveling. Finally Gordon explained that Millennials, who will make up 50 percent of the workforce by next year, are looking for rewards that are fashionable and electronic and that foster peer-to-peer recognition or connection.
