HSMAI's Affordable Meetings Mid-america Launches Online “Match” Program And Personalized Agendas
Program Highlights Value of Face-to-Face Meetings
MCLEAN, VA | Exhibitors can now collect new sales leads even before the doors open to the Ninth Annual HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America at Chicago's Navy Pier, April 1-2, 2009.
New to Affordable Meetings, NetworkNow!, an online attendee/exhibitor matching program will help foster new relationships between buyers and sellers by capturing and matching relevant buyer interest to exhibitor product benefits. This innovative technology will help exhibitors increase sales and attract new customers.
Attendees can also create personalized agendas for their time at Affordable Meetings with the Chirp-E Mobile solution, another new technology offered at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America. The Chirp-E Mobile tool allows attendees to search for products, exhibitors and conference sessions, and add exhibitors and sessions as favorites to craft a personalized agenda for the conference and Expo. The technology works on all major smart phones with no downloads required.
Due to the overwhelming response from attendees and exhibitors at the debut Event Technology Expo™ (ETE) at the 2008 Affordable Meetings National, Affordable Meetings Mid-America will also feature an “ETE Preview” in the exhibit hall and incorporate ETE educational sessions into the conference program.
The conference program is also expanded this year with topics relevant to today’s meeting planner. A new session, called “Meetings Mean Business: How Meetings Can Help Your Organization Thrive in a Recession,” will provide planners with the resources to promote and defend the value of face-to-face meetings. Panelists include John Folks, Founder & President, Minding Your Business and 2009 Chairman for PCMA; Deborah Sexton, President and CEO, Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA); Mark Thompson, Vice President of Marketing, Irving Texas CVB; and John Washko, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, The Broadmoor. President and CEO of HSMAI, Robert A. Gilbert will moderate the session.
More than 1,000 attendees, representing meeting and event planners from a variety of organizations, with a majority representing corporate, association and independent sectors and the balance from government, non-profit, education, religious and medical/health care organizations, trade show management and the military, are expected to visit HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America 2009 show. Attendance at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners.
Booth space is still available at the Mid-America Show and can be obtained by contacting Craig Baker, account manager, J. Spargo & Associates, (703) 679-3942, e-mail: [email protected].
Other shows for 2009 include: HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West, June 10-11, 2009, San Jose McEnery Convention Center – San Jose, CA and HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National and Event Technology Expo, Sept. 9-10, 2009, Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Washington, D.C. In addition, HSMAI will host its third annual Hotel Sales Strategy Conference, March 31 in Chicago, in conjunction with Affordable Meetings Mid-America.
Attendee information for HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America is available by calling 800-564-4220. For additional information and a complete program schedule, visit .
About HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America |HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America will once again offer attendees the opportunity to meet and do business with more than 300 exhibiting companies during a unique exposition that will showcase venues, products and services to help produce various types of meetings and events. Year-after-year, the highly-acclaimed trade exposition is a main attraction for attendees looking to meet and network with knowledgeable suppliers who are determined to help produce valuable meetings and assist with purchasing decisions. Exhibitors represent hotels and resorts, university conference centers, unique meeting sites, convention and visitor bureaus, transportation companies, trade publications, software and audio/visual businesses, and other meeting and convention suppliers. HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings is owned and presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Americas region and managed by J. Spargo & Associates. Visit www.affordablemeetings.com for more information.
Rachel Rosenberg
+1 404-832-7711
HSMAI
