MPI New England Chapter News

November 2019

Special Features In This Issue

President's Corner by Ainsley C. Onstott, CMP, DMCP President-Elect

Missed the October Meeting? Catch Up Here!

Celebrate at the Annual Holiday Party 🥂

So You're Having a Holiday Party! Last-Minute Advice for Hosts and Planners by Gayle Gilberto, CIS

Top 5 Tips and Tricks for Running a Partner Program by Susie Prue, CMP

Member Corner: Welcome to our New Members

November Membership Special

MPI Board of Directors Applications are Open

Upcoming Chapter Events

President's Corner

By Ainsley C. Onstott, CMP, DMCP President-Elect

MPI Friends! This year is flying by, and I cannot believe that the Institute is right around the corner. The Educational Institute is MPI New England’s signature 2-day education event with keynotes and breakouts for both planners and suppliers. Don’t miss out on this fabulous event next week, and make sure to stop by the partner pavilion to learn about some of the supplier offerings in our chapter – including some great prizes. I hope you are all able to attend this event and then enjoy a few days of rest and relaxation for Thanksgiving – wherever those travels bring you!

Love education but also love to get your party on? Registration for the Holiday Party is also now open! Don’t miss our last gathering of the year on Monday, December 9th at the Boston Opera House!

In the middle of all this, the New England Chapter is holding our Annual Winter Auction. The Auction will open on November 25th at the start of the institute and officially close at 9:00pm on December 9 ^th at the holiday party. Don’t miss your chance to place a last minute bid and win your favorite item! All funds raised by the auction go directly back to supporting our chapter, from enhancing education, to scholarships, to member recognition. Thank you again to all of our generous supplier members who donate the wonderful auction items!

I hope to see you all on November 25 ^th at the Boston Park Plaza!

November 25-26 at the Boston Park Plaza. Registration is NOW OPEN!

Spanning one and a half days, the Institute will provide you with exposure to engaging and highly relevant Keynote speakers, educational tracks created to have an immediate impact on your professional growth, ample opportunities for career enhancing networking and, quality time to have meaningful and productive conversations with select industry suppliers.

We’ve filled your schedule with speakers like Mimi Brown, our day 1 opening Keynote. Check your pulse because it’s going to rise with Mimi’s “AMP Up the Energy: 10 Ways Meeting Pros Can Energize, Entertain, and Dazzle an Audience.” Tyra Hilliard PhD, Esq, CMP will Keynote the afternoon delving into event security and why it cannot be an afterthought in your planning. Education tracks will look at data security, the laws around food, and other highly relevant topics Darlene Corbett’s closing keynote: “Get Unstuck” what positive thinking can do for our outlook.

In the midst of all this quality education is the much anticipated AfterDark reception, an Institute tradition. AfterDark 2019 will be at the Moxy Hotel, a short walk from the Boston Park Plaza. It’s got a great vibe, hip style, and tons of energy. We hope to see you there!

Location:

Boston Park Plaza

50 Park Plaza

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

See the full agenda here

EVENT REGISTRATION

We would like to extend a giant thank you to all of our generous event partners and educational session sponsors:

Boston Park Plaza

Moxy

Visit Salt Lake

Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

Discover Puerto Rico

Briar Events

Fenway Park Events

Entertainment Specialists

And our trusted Annual Sponsors:

David Fox Photography

Party Rental Ltd

Your Love In Lights

Las Vegas

Future Affairs Productions

It's Time To Celebrate The Holidays!

Start your holiday celebrations in style and join us for our Annual Holiday Party at the beautiful and historic Boston Opera House. Come and experience the grandeur of this storied theatre with your industry peers, socialize and reminisce on all of our accomplishments in 2019.

Location:

Boston Opera House

539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

Agenda:

5:00pm - 6:00pm - New Member Reception

5:30PM - 6:30PM - Registration

5:30PM - 9:00PM - Networking

Additional Events:

Mitten Tree for Salvation Army

Holiday Cards for Operation American Soldier

MPINE Annual Auction

Thank you to our Event Sponsors:

Boston Opera House

DesignLight

Lombardo's To Go

Siagel Productions, Inc.

EVENT REGISTRATION

Missed the October Meeting?

After a rainy day, we were fortunate to have clear skies and warm autumnal weather set in just as we began making our way to Joe’s Waterfront. Situated on Commercial Wharf pier on Atlantic Avenue, this venue boasts a glorious view of Boston Harbor, which proved even more stunning at dusk.

The well attended “Mix and Mingle” Meet Up was catered by 4 Tavistock Restaurants and we were treated to quite a feast! The scrumptious banquet included:

New England Clam Chowder and seafood boil by Joe’s Waterfront
Pulled Pork & Black Bean Tacos (vegan & gluten free) with chef’s toppings bar by Joe’s Newbury
Tenderloin Carving Station and with Butternut Squash & Sage by Abe & Louie's
Raw Bar with oysters, clams, and shrimp cocktail
Lobster Three Ways by Atlantic Fish Co.

Delish! All of these fabulous restaurants host events so do keep them in mind for your next special event.

MPI board members representing each of our committees chatted with guests about MPI volunteer opportunities as other guests networked with one another. Thank you to everyone who attended. It was great seeing old friends and making new ones.

If you weren’t able to make this last Mix and Mingle Meet Up and would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities, feel free to reach out to us here at the newsletter and we’ll connect you to a committee contact.

Our committees are listed here.

We would like to extend a giant thank you to all of our generous event partners:

Joe's Waterfront

Abe & Louie's

Atlantic Fish Co.

DesignLight

Joe’s Newbury

So You're Having A Holiday Party!

by Gayle Gilberto, Event Designer & CIS

Thanksgiving comes late this year, which means most holiday parties are being planned within the first two weeks in December. That’s not very far from now but it’s still not too late to plan your gathering or to add some extra spice to the existing one! If you haven’t booked your venue or suppliers yet, Kristin O’Conner, Director of Sales and Marketing of Capers Catering advises the following: “Be willing to be flexible! Thursdays in December are the quickest dates to go. If you’re willing to do a different day we can play around and make it work for you. But, we almost always can make it work for our clients.”

Top 5 Tips and Tricks for Running a Partner Program

by Susie Prue, Brand Strategist & CMP

In today’s meeting & event climate, our clients spend countless dollars to create experiences for their attendees to get them engaged with their brand, but oftentimes, lack the same luster and appeal in engaging their sponsors & exhibitors.

Does the following question sound familiar from your clients?... “We love what our vendors and partners bring to the table in terms of a financial contribution and what they offer in terms of products and services for our attendees, but how can we work towards better partnerships that maximize our revenue potential all while growing our partner-base even further?”

As a boutique partnership strategy and sales execution relationship-marketing agency, we at BrandEngage get this question from our clients all the time! In an effort to help our colleagues address these burning queries from their clients, we crafted our “TOP 5 TIPS AND TRICKS” to ensure your clients are running their partner program on all cylinders to obtain maximum revenue and repeat participation!

1. The BEST partnerships and sponsorships don’t come from selling (gasp!). They come from effective relationship marketing techniques where BOTH parties invest in win/win opportunities where everyone benefits.

2. Engagement is key! If you’re looking for attendees to not just see a logo on a screen, up the ante and work your sponsor’s brand into your event fabric.

3. Think outside of your Silver, Gold, and Diamond Prospectus levels as you might be leaving money on the table with the “one size fits all” approach. Customization will open doors (and wallets!) if you’re able to package the right incentives to the right partners.

4. Words matter! It’s important to utilize the right wording techniques and marketing verbiage to streamline the partnership approach and define the “ask”.

5. Have a plan for on-site & beyond! Face-to-face conversations to discuss their involvement at the next event and the following year will be instrumental to ensure repeat involvement.

Have an interesting experience to add or a success story you’d like to share? Connect with me - I’d love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t worked!) for you!

[email protected]

(704) 248-2800

www.brandengagestrategies.com

Member Corner

Welcome to our new Members who joined in October!

Kelly Houten, Event Coordinator, Eaton Vance Management

Megan McGuinn

Douglas Melinn, Senior Consultant, Sales Partnerships, Steelcase Event Experiences

Amirta Nochols, CMP, CMM, Global Accounts Executive

David Num, Equinox Land Rover Experience

Melissa Samaras

Dayla Santurri, CMP, Meeting Planner, Dayla Arabella Inc.

Maryellen Yeager, CTIE, CTC, Senior Travel Analyst, IGT

November Membership Program

Give and you shall receive! Refer a friend to MPI and help them waive the $50 application fee while YOU save $25 off your next membership renewal. Share an MPI Membership Voucher today! Code: MyFriendMPI

MPI Board of Directors Applications

Each year, the New England area MPI chapter’s Nominating Committee recommends a slate of candidates to serve on the Chapter Board of Directors. On behalf of this year’s Nominating Committee, please follow the prompts on the form below to submit your name or the name of a peer for a position on the board.

The Board of Directors is made up of New England chapter members: Directors and Vice Presidents, who comprise the Executive Committee. Active chapter members in good standing are eligible for nomination and election to any elective office. For Executive Committee positions, it is preferable that the member has previous service on the Board of Directors. New England Executive Committee and New England Director positions are available for the 2020-2021 term.

The Nominating Committee is made up of planners and suppliers who are in good standing and are familiar and active in chapter functions/events.

To discuss available opportunities on the 2020-2021 Board, please contact:

Bryan J. Lavin, MBA, CHE

MPI New England Immediate Past President

[email protected]

(401) 598-2469 - office

(401) 871-7386 - mobile