dallas

This month, Randy sits down with Jeff Hurt, Director of Education & Events for the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP).

Jeff has worked in the events/non-profit arena for more than 20 years, including Keep America Beautiful as a consultant/trainer/writer and Professional Development Manager for Meeting Professionals International. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Black Tie in North Texas and as a volunteer for several other local charities and organizations. He blogs about the convergence of Web 2.0, the social media space and its relation to meetings, events and education at http://jeffhurtblog.com.

WTTC: What is the biggest change the meetings and events industry is going through today?

JH: The biggest change in meetings and events industry is still the impact of the recession. The convergence of social media and virtual meetings along with affects of recession is also causing an interesting revolution.

WTTC: What’s new in the events industry this year and where can we expect to see trends heading?

JH: I think we’ll continue to see the integration of offline and online experiences for attendees of meetings and events. Meeting planners are increasingly faced with how to integrate their event into the overall attendee community experience and not just a one-time shot in the arm. Meetings professionals are moving from logistics coordinators to community strategists with the meetings and events being one face-to-face touch point in a larger community or industry experience.

WTTC: How is your role changing?

JH: My role is unique to start with as I focus on education and events. I concentrate on the education design of a meeting or event first and have always seen it as part of a larger community endeavor. I’ve seen my role move towards a community manager position, facilitating education and event experiences online and face-to-face with attendees and members. I’ve also seen a fast-pace integration of Web 2.0 technologies into both the education and meetings world. Meetings cannot continue to be hierarchy type events with the audience passively listening. They have to become more social with facilitated networking experiences, from presumed authority to collective credibility, with a horizontal structure and increased connectivity and interactivity. Attendees want a different type of meeting experience today as compared to 10 or 20 years ago.

WTTC: What have you learned over the years that you didn’t really understand when you first started producing events?

JH: Intentionality, intentionality, intentionality. Creating meetings and events that engage attendees and provide time for networked learning or experiences takes intentionality. This is the strategic planning of the events. The logistics are the underpinnings that help the engagement process occur smoothly and that process is more important than forcing information from the podium into someone’s brain.

WTTC: What’s the biggest mistake people can make at their jobs right now?

JH: Not understanding what is happening in the social Web 2.0 world and how it is changing business, education, marketing, advertising and of course, meetings and events.

WTTC: What are you working on right now?

JH: The registration and social eCommunity for our upcoming annual conference. It creates a conference eCommunity that is similar to Facebook for our attendees.

WTTC: What technologies do you use to assist you with your job?

JH: Basecamp for project planning, online registration with eCommerce and eCommunity, Website, blogtalkradio.com, Wiffiti for projection of questions and comments via SMS or Twitter onsite, Twitter, Facebook, image magnification, sound & AV, iCohere for webinars, UStream.tv for free live streaming, recording and hosting the event and more.

WTTC: What advice would you offer to students or newcomers venturing into the event or hospitality industry?

JH: First, focus on your passion and what you do well. If you focus on what you love to do, and what you are good at doing, in the hospitality industry, the rest will fall into place naturally and you’ll be a success.

WTTC: How can people best prove their worth in the workplace today?

JH: I think this is going to sound trite. It’s about being relevant to the issues in your industry, showing how a meeting or event can produce return on influence and how meetings and events affect the industry community at large. Staying abreast of meeting and events trends is more critical than ever.

WTTC: Has the current economic climate affected the number and/or type of events you’ll do this year?

JH: Yes. We cut all face-to-face events with the exception of one and if we could have gotten out of that venue contract, we would have cancelled it too.

WTTC: How is your association saving money?

JH: As we say here in the office, “We are focused on events that are lean, mean and green.” Lean meaning content-rich but no frills. Mean=full of meaning and relevancy. Green meaning focusing on being environmentally friendly and reducing our carbon footprint.

WTTC: Do you have a preferred list of vendors, or do you constantly try out new companies?

JH: Both.

WTTC: How much do you rely on outside suppliers?

JH: I rely on outside suppliers for my online eCommunity support, registration and eCommerce, Webinars, AV, decorators, and for my green promotional products.

WTTC: What’s your forecast for the industry?

JH: The industry is seeing the rise of new competitors including unconferences and BarCamps with low-cost to no registration fees and increased quality content, virtual meetings and events, decreased budgets, increased attendee expectations for relevant and unique experiences and the greening of events. I think the industry will continue to grapple with disruptive technologies like free live streaming through UStream.tv,  social media, virtual meetings and tweeting from events. We’ll see meeting and event professionals who will take these competitors and turn them into partners while other meeting professionals who can’t deal with the changes begin to fade into the past.