Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/20/2013 -- PCMA Convening Leaders is once again offering a complimentary hybrid live stream of its content on January 13-15, 2014. At Convening Leaders 2013 more than 800 leaders around the globe participated in the virtual event from their remote locations; a review of the 2014 registration pace indicates PCMA will more than exceed that number for the Boston event.
“We’ve debunked the myth that virtual cannibalizes face-to-face attendance and have recognized record breaking attendance for both events for the past three years,” said Deborah Sexton, President and CEO for PCMA. “It is exciting to see the metrics. We believe this is an important opportunity for PCMA to showcase the content and education of our premier event for those that cannot attend because of work conflicts or budget constraints. We are only seeing a positive impact on our numbers.”
“Physical events are very important, but the use of hybrid events offers benefits beyond the typical show.” Said Malcolm Lotzof, Co-Founder and CEO of INXPO. “Hybrid events allow users access regardless of their needs. Whether users are physically unable to attend because of ailments, cost, or time out of office, hybrid events bridge the gap for more content consumption. And as Deborah Sexton mentioned, cannibalization does not exist. In fact, we see the exact opposite ourselves. Physical event owners who use hybrid events experience more attendance and even virtual attendees joining live the next year.”
This year PCMA will showcase General Session speakers Lisa Bodell, Mike Walsh, Tina Brown and Salman Khan; along with featured speakers David Pogue and Hilary Mason.
The event will also include a number of concurrent sessions that are already creating a buzz like Crisis Management: The Boston Marathon Case Study; Exhibitor Retention Strategies for the New Economic Landscape; and Understanding our Business Models: A Conversation Between Hoteliers and Meeting Planners, among others.
“A key element of PCMA’s hybrid success has been our focus on designing the event specifically for our remote participants – it’s not just a passive experience. Attendees can connect with the speakers, moderator and other peers throughout the event,” said Mary Reynolds Kane, director of experience marketing for PCMA.
Participants can earn up to 12 Clock hours or 1.2 CEUs over the course of 21 hours of live broadcasting. If they are unable to attend during the complimentary live streamed hybrid event, they can attend the “Best of Convening Leaders” simulive event on February 12 for a nominal fee or purchase 50+ sessions for onDemand viewing.
PCMA partners with InXpo to provide the virtual event platform; Mediasite events by Sonic Foundry for streaming and capture and Freeman for production.
For more information visit: http://conveningleaders.pcma.org/attend/hybrid-event
About Professional Convention Management Association
PCMA is the multi-channel professional resource and premier educator for leaders in the meetings, conventions, events and trade show industries. PCMA provides their 6,300 members with a community of likeminded colleagues, innovative education and creative global solutions to enhance both their professional development and their organization's face-to-face and virtual connections. Headquartered in Chicago, PCMA has 17 chapters throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico with members in more than 35 countries. For additional information, please visit the PCMA Web site at http://www.pcma.org/.