As we draw closer to the nomination deadline (Sept. 20) for The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year 2013 awards, The Exposure reached out to several former SMOTY winners for their thoughts on the award and its impact.
Today we hear from one of last year’s winners, Molly Mérez, from Ticket Summit.
How did your life change professionally after you won the SMOTY award?
Being a SMOTY recipient provided me with the opportunity to network with an even more expanded group of top-notch planners, as well as meet suppliers. Even just the simple interaction with these folks allowed for an even higher level of exchange of ideas regarding what can make events even bigger, better, and more successful.
Did you enjoy the SMOTY Awards event? Where is your award right now?
I thoroughly enjoyed the SMOTY Awards event! As a planner with meticulous attention to detail, I found the entire program excellently executed. From the content of the sessions, to the décor and F&B, it was a top-notch event. Following the ceremony where I received the award, I travelled with it protectively in my carry-on suitcase, and it now sits on my desk at my office headquarters. It definitely serves as a unique conversation starter.
What qualities do you think a good show manager should have? Why?
If a current or “wannabe” meeting planner does not have attention to detail, then they should do their conference attendees a favor and find themselves in a different industry. A good show manager needs to take into meticulous consideration how all the logistical puzzle pieces fit as a whole, manage the brand messaging, and ensure cohesiveness and a smooth flow regarding all elements of the conference—from the miniscule business card holders, to the pipe and drape for the stage-setting. In addition, a good show manager needs to be able to multi-task to the max! This means putting out last-minute fires, dealing with customers, managing the hotel back-end—simultaneously. If a person has at least these two qualities, multi-tasking and attention to detail, they are definitely on the road to becoming a potential SMOTY Award winner.
Tell me why you think the SMOTY awards are important.
The SMOTY Awards are an extremely valuable component of celebrating industry achievements. Oftentimes, the events themselves are the ones that get all the glory and attention and people forget about the human beings behind the scenes that made it all happen. It is definitely a worthy celebration and I hope it continues for many years to come.
What would you say to people who are reluctant to nominate someone for a SMOTY award?
I would say, “Go for it!”
What projects are you currently working on?
Among our top initiatives is to designer a greener event. For our most recent 2013 conference, we took several big steps in this direction by largely restricting the amount of paper products distributed, thus reducing paper waste generated at the show. In addition to this, we did an overhaul on the suppliers used for all signage so that all printed items were on eco-friendly materials, and distributed the bulk of conference information through online or mobile channels. We are looking forward to ramping up this initiative even more for our 2014 conference.
If people have questions about your company, how can they learn more?
For questions or inquiries about Ticket Summit, please visit www.ticketsummit.org or follow us on Twitter @Ticket_Summit.