Rapport & Relationships During a Pandemic: How to Sell Amidst Global Crisis Course

1 Clock Hour | Domain I: Marketing

During a time of unprecedented crisis, it is difficult to discern the best way to be strategic with your sales activities. However, being proactive is essential to ensuring business recovery post-crisis. The relationships you build and the rapport you develop now will determine how your business re-enters the “new normal” after a global pandemic or other wide-spread crisis.

In this course, Ciara Feely, International Sales Expert, will guide you through 4 main areas during this short, intensive sales masterclass. This has been created specially to help guide sales professionals during this emergency our industry is experiencing with the COVID-19 crisis.

Specifically, this program will cover:

• When is the right time to start selling?
• What's appropriate in this current environment?
• What is the right approach to take now to open up more conversations with clients and potential clients?
• What are the best activities to focus on now to ensure you get the edge on your competitors?
• What is the booking cycle and which industries are booking business right now?

Meeting Essentials

28 Clock Hours |  Domain A: Strategic Planning

MPI’s Meeting Essentials offers novice and mid-level meeting and event professionals a way to enhance their skills and competencies. 

The course is aligned with the MBECS (Meeting and Business Events Competency Standards) and represents a foundation of knowledge that every event professional must have to execute and deliver high-quality, relevant meetings. 

Meeting Essentials Outline

Module 1: Determine Stakeholders
Module 2: Outline Objectives & Set Metrics
Module 3: Budget
Module 4: Design
Module 5: Marketing
Module 6: Measure ROI, ROO
Module 7: Professionalism
Module 8: Administration
Module 9: Business Communication
Module 10: People Management

Going Local Certificate Program

What You'll Learn

• Define what it means to “go local."

• Explain the benefits of going local for meeting outcomes and business objectives.

• Describe the business, environmental and social case for going local.

• Recognize how to successfully incorporate local supply chains.

• Share a “go local” roadmap for events in the areas of environment, food and beverage, culture, community and thought leadership.

Meetings and Events at Sea

4 Clock Hours | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

1. Identify the advantages of cruising and hosting events at sea
2. Compare meetings and events at sea to traditional venues
3. Explain the planning process for a meeting or event at sea
4. Describe what to expect before, during, and after your meeting or event at sea

• Have a basic understanding of planning a meeting or event at sea
• Source information and know where to get additional resources for next steps
• Have the tools to match client need with cruise ship experience

At the completion of the 4-hour course, students receive an electronic certificate of completion as well as 4 CMP-IS clock hours.

This course does not have a test and there is not pass/fail. The focus is on education of current meeting and event options at sea.

Venue Sales Certificate Program

8 Clock Hours | Domain I: Marketing 

Maximize Leads, Change the Way You Sell and Create Proposals that Win!

Meeting professionals have changed the ways they buy, but have you changed the ways you market your venue? It’s not about how you want to sell; it’s about how planners want to buy. Discover what meeting professionals need to hear in order to help them say “yes.” Planners use your sales tools to help them make decisions. Are your tools up to the job? Focus on the three foundational areas of your sales process—your pitch, your positioning and your proposal—and discover how to turn them into big impact, power sales tools that position your venue for more wins.

Module 1: Your Pitch

What can you say in order to get more direct conversations with decision makers? Discover the killer questions to ask in order to uncover what meeting professionals are really buying and what will help them pay your rates. Planners need to go through certain steps in their buying processes in order for them to say “yes,” and you have to get a “yes” at each step in order to convert their business. The pitch is your first step in making that happen.

Module 2: Your Positioning

Discover how to position yourself in the marketplace, and how to stand out and sound different.

Module 3: Your Proposal

Your proposal is the biggest conversion sales tool any company can create. Learn three main areas (proposal structure, content and presentation) to master in order to write proposals that win, and take the focus off your rate.

Delivery: You will receive immediate access to all three modules upon payment. It is on demand and can be accessed at any time from any device via short training videos, case studies, cheat sheets, worksheets and real life examples.

Program participants generally see a return on investment of US$50,000+ within a few months of implementing these steps.

VENUE SALES CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FAQs

Why should I or my company participate in the Venue Sales Certificate program? This certificate will help sales professionals learn consultative selling and align themselves as experts and true partners, rather than suppliers. You will receive direct mentoring and support throughout as you learn to implement the programs key modules.

Competitive advantage by speaking the language of meetings and asking the right questions.

• ion as someone who understands the needs of meeting professionals.
• Recognized leadership by example.
• Ability to immediately implement a new buying experience for clients.

Do I need prior knowledge and experience? Yes. This course is for industry sales professionals who work in venues, convention centers or hotels.

How much time do I have to be away from the office?

You may enjoy flexibility in attending the class. The Venue Sales Certificate program can be completed on-demand over the course of several weeks.

What is the format of the class?

The class will be both self-taught and led by trained and experienced faculty and will include interactive activities.

How do I receive a certificate?

The certificate will be awarded to participants upon completion of the course and post-course requirements.

Are there specific organizations that would benefit from the certificate?

All organizations that have staff who sell meeting space will benefit from this program.

• Hotels
• Convention Centers
• Purpose-built meeting facilities
• Performing arts centers
• Arenas
• Festival grounds
• Museums
• Special event centers

Basics Boot Camp: Meeting Fundamentals - Part 1: Sourcing & Strategy

3 Clock Hours | Domain A: Strategic Planning 

Basics Boot Camp: Meeting Fundamentals was designed with the working professional in mind. Whether you have the title "meeting planner" or not, if you plan meetings, this boot camp in the fundamentals will help you get more strategic and feel confident sourcing destinations, vendors and creating your meeting blueprint.

Learner objectives:

• Define meeting goals and SMART objectives
• Identify meeting stakeholders
• Develop a meeting budget
  
• Create a meeting blueprint
  
• Manage the RFP process
  
• Conduct site inspections
  
• Assess potential risks
  
• Select vendors
  
• Develop contracts
  

Course overview:

• Module 1: Define Your Meeting
  
• Module 2: Create a Blueprint
  
• Module 3: Develop the Budget
  
• Module 4: Prepare the Request for Proposal
  
• Module 5: Site Inspections
  
• Module 6: Vendor Selection
  
• Module 7: Contracts
  

After completing this course and evaluation, learners will receive a certificate in Meeting Fundamentals: Sourcing & Strategy.

Part 1 and Part 2 are offered in a package deal here!

Basics Boot Camp was developed in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Basics Boot Camp: Meeting Fundamentals - Part 2: Design & Logistics

3 Clock Hours | Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

Basics Boot Camp: Meeting Fundamentals was designed with the working professional in mind. Whether you have the title "meeting planner" or not, if you plan meetings, this boot camp in the fundamentals will help you feel more confident making meeting design decisions, managing program schedules and content, selecting speakers, arranging audiovisual and transportation, and executing onsite logistics.

Learner objectives:

• Understand how elements of meeting design help you achieve meeting goals and SMART objectives
  
• Manage speakers and conference content design
  
• Design room sets
  
• Plan menus
  
• Work with audiovisual teams
  
• Design a technical plan
  
• Arrange transportation and attendee movement plans
  
• Oversee pre-con/post-con meetings and onsite logistics
  
• Conduct program evaluations
  
• Communicate success metrics to meeting stakeholders
  

Course overview:

• Module 1: Design Your Meeting
  
• Module 2: Program Content
  
• Module 3: Manage Speakers
  
• Module 4: Plan Food and Beverage
  
• Module 5: Manage Audiovisual and Event Technology
  
• Module 6: Arrange Transportation
  
• Module 7: Supervise Onsite and Post-Event Activities
  

After completing this course and evaluation, learners will receive a certificate in Meeting Fundamentals: Design & Logistics.

Part 1 and Part 2 are offered in a package deal here!

Basics Boot Camp was developed in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).