STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 I.      Describe the scope of the convention and meetings industry in terms of types of meetings, who holds meetings, and emerging types of meeting facilities (Topical Outline I)

 II.     explain the steps in developing a marketing plan (Topical Outline II)

 III.    describe considerations in the organizational design of a sales department, and outline how a sales office interfaces with other departments (Topical Outline III)

 IV.     identify characteristics of association meetings that are important for selling to the association market (Topical Outline IV)

 V.      identify characteristics of corporate meetings that are important for selling to the corporate market (Topical Outline V)

 VI.     describe SMERF groups and explain how to approach selling meeting services and products to them (Topical Outline VI, VII)

 VII.    list and describe the steps in making a personal sales call (Topical Outline VI)

 VIII.   summarize the process of planning an advertising strategy and describe how public relations and publicity can help a property reach meeting planners (Topical Outline VII)

 IX.     describe the elements of a letter of agreement or a contract and distinguish between those elements (Topical Outline VIII)

 X       describe considerations in determining who should coordinate hotel service to groups, and describe the duties and organizational relationships of the position of convention service manager (Topical Outline IX)

 XI.     summarize factors that hotel staff must take into consideration when assigning guestrooms to meeting attendees (Topical Outline X)

 XII.    describe the formats and uses of the specification sheet prepared by the convention service manager (Topical Outline XI)

 XIII.   describe typical function room furniture, meeting setups, and time and usage considerations for function rooms (Topical Outline XII)

 XIV.    identify different types of food functions and types of food service, and describe beverage service issues (Topical Outline XIII)

 XV.     summarize factors in the decision about which audiovisual requirements to service in-house and which to outsource, and describe types of audiovisual equipment and their uses (Topical Outline XIV)

 XVI.    describe programs that hospitality properties offer the guests and children of meeting attendees and the role of such programs in a successful meeting (Topical Outline XV)

 XVII.   describe the functions of key trade show personnel and describe the elements of exhibit planning (Topical Outline XVI)

 XVIII.  describe typical procedures for billing groups and for conducting a post-convention review (Topical Outline XVII)

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Introduction to the Convention, Meetings, and Trade Show Industry

 II.     Developing a marketing plan

 III.    Organizing for convention sales

 IV.     Selling the association market

 V.      Selling the corporate meetings market

 VI.     Selling other markets

 VII.    Advertising to the Meeting Planner

 VIII.   Negotiations and Contracts

 IX.     The Service Function

 X       Guestrooms

 XI.     Preparing for the event

 XII.    Function Rooms and Meeting Setups

 XIII.   Food and Beverage Service

 XIV.    Audiovisual Requirements

 XV.     Admission Systems and other services

 XVI.    Exhibits and Trade Shows

 XVII.   Post Convention Review