PCMA Convening Leaders Preview: Stephane Garelli:  In January at PCMA 2013 Convening Leaders, Stéphane Garelli, a professor at the top-ranked International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and a leading expert on global competitiveness, will present his view of what we can expect in the economic and business environment in 2013 and beyond

Forward Thinking: How to Repel Your Best Customers:  This summer, Dave Lutz attended three large conferences - one in the industry and two that weren't. Each was a premium conference. And each missed out on numerous opportunities to build customer loyalty.

Innovative Meetings: The Big Picture:  At Whole Foods Market Vision Day 2012 for its Florida sales regions, the natural-foods supermarket chain wanted to ensure that attendees got the most out of each conversation - taking with them new lessons, innovative sales methods, and fresh ideas that would resonate for a long time. To do this, Whole Foods enlisted the help of Ink Factory, a Chicago- based “graphic recording” company, to illustrate the conversations going on throughout the conference.

Working Smarter: They Had Us at Hello:  Conference badges are getting smarter. Some of them can buy an attendee a cup of coffee or even a ride back to the hotel.

Meeting Management: Sponsorship - More Than ‘Logo Soup’:  How can meeting professionals help to make their events mutually beneficial for sponsors and attendees? Two sponsorship experts offer their advice.