EIC CMP Exam Questions

Correct answer: Stakeholders

Criteria for selecting speakers for an event should be developed in consultation with event stakeholders, as many stakeholders in your event will also attend numerous other events. Stakeholders will likely have input on their expectations and preferences for speakers, which must be weighed against the organization's culture and meeting objectives.

Participants, while important to consider in terms of audience needs and interests, are too numerous and diverse to individually consult for speaker selection, making this approach impractical. The local speakers bureau can provide options and facilitate connections but it does not participate in the strategic decision-making regarding which speakers best align with the event’s objectives and stakeholder expectations. An organization's attorney is involved in legal compliance and contractual issues but does not typically contribute to decisions about the thematic or content suitability of speakers for an event.

Correct answer: Tax return

A tax return is not an accounting tool used for budgeting; it is a document filed with a tax authority that reports income, expenses, and other pertinent tax information.

Balance sheets provide a snapshot of a company's financial condition at a single point in time, showing assets, liabilities, and equity, which are essential for comprehensive budget planning. Income statements detail revenues and expenses over a period and are crucial for understanding profitability and guiding budget adjustments. Cash flow statements track the actual cash inflow and outflow, vital for managing liquidity during event planning.

Correct answer: Polystyrene

Packing event materials requires careful handling, even when materials are traveling short distances. The packaging itself should be reusable or, at the very least, not made with unsustainable materials such as polystyrene.

Air-filled plastic is a protective and reusable packing material. Newspaper is a recyclable option that can provide cushioning for shipped items. Reusable foam is sustainable and provides excellent protection. Polystyrene, however, is not environmentally friendly and is considered the worst choice due to its non-reusability and negative environmental impact.

Correct answer: Sponsorships

As per the APEX industry glossary (2011), sponsorships refer to the provision of financial or material assistance, typically accompanied by recognition or a paid opportunity, enabling an entity or exhibitor to enhance its visibility during a meeting. Sponsorships can play a significant role in revenue generation, particularly when there is a well-established program in place for acquiring suitable sponsorships. In numerous instances, sponsorships serve as a primary source of revenue, contributing substantially to the overall financial success of the meeting.

Assistance broadly indicates help or support but lacks the commercial and recognition aspects inherent in sponsorships. Partnerships imply a deeper, often strategic, mutual collaboration that extends beyond the financial or material support typical of sponsorships. Provisions generally refer to supplies or support given without the associated commercial benefits or recognition that sponsorships entail.

Correct answer: Gamification

Gamification involves the strategic integration of games, social media, and incentives to drive attendee engagement. An effective approach to gamification is the creation of interactive experiences, such as a scavenger hunt within the event's mobile app, enticing attendees to explore the show floor, visit exhibitor booths, and engage with collateral materials. By incorporating gamification elements, event organizers can foster a sense of excitement, competition, and participation among attendees, ultimately enhancing their overall engagement and maximizing the value they derive from the event.

Social media is primarily used for promotion and engagement before and during the event and does not inherently involve creating interactive experiences like games within an event app. Lead retrieval is a process for gathering contact information from event attendees, primarily for sales and marketing purposes, and does not involve engaging attendees through interactive experiences. Advertising focuses on promoting the event or specific aspects within it and lacks the interactive, participative element provided by gamification.

Correct answer: Market segmentation

Market segmentation is a marketing strategy that starts with a broad target market and divides it into groups of potential participants who have commonalities. Event planners should design the event to satisfy potential participants' needs and desires and use messaging and channels that reach them.

Market division is not a recognized marketing term and incorrectly suggests a straightforward split of markets without the strategic analysis that segmentation involves. Market hierarchy implies a ranking system within the market, which is not a method for identifying distinct groups based on shared characteristics. Market integration refers to combining various market operations or strategies, which contrasts with the concept of identifying and targeting specific segments within a broader market.

Correct answer: Social media

Social media plays a crucial role in meetings and events by providing a platform for engaging, communicating, and connecting with attendees. It facilitates various forms of communication, including event-to-attendee, attendee-to-event, and attendee-to-attendee interactions across multiple social media platforms. Leveraging social media effectively allows event organizers to foster active engagement, share relevant information, encourage networking, and create a sense of community among attendees. By harnessing the power of social media, meetings and events can extend their reach, enhance the attendee experience, and facilitate meaningful connections among participants.

Digital media is a broad term encompassing all types of digital content but does not specifically facilitate various forms of interaction in the context of events. Lead retrieval focuses on capturing and managing attendee information for follow-up and networking purposes but does not provide a platform for ongoing communication. Gamification involves incorporating game elements to enhance engagement but does not inherently facilitate multiple forms of communication. Social media specifically enables event-to-attendee, attendee-to-event, and attendee-to-attendee interactions, making it unique in its comprehensive communication capabilities.

Correct answer: Organizational budget

Marketing plans are written documents outlining the situational analysis, audience, and distribution channels that will support the goals and objectives of the event. A marketing budget might be relevant to a marketing plan, but the entire organizational budget is not. The marketing plan should include the goals and objectives of an event, a situational analysis, definitions of target market segments, and a summary of research, if possible.

Goals and objectives are essential for guiding the strategic direction and measuring the success of marketing efforts, making them a core component of any marketing plan. Situational analysis provides the necessary context by evaluating the environment in which the event operates, crucial for adapting strategies effectively. Target market research is vital to understanding the needs, preferences, and behaviors of the event’s audience, informing the development of tailored marketing strategies.

Correct answer: A type of meeting that is driven by the participant rather than the speaker or facilitator

A participant-driven meeting format is a type of meeting that is driven by the participant rather than the speaker or facilitator.

A type of meeting that relies heavily on audience participation and strong facilitation describes an informal meeting format, which requires active involvement from the audience and effective facilitation. A type of meeting where there is a clear delineation between the speaker and the audience describes formal meetings, which maintain a distinct separation between the speaker and the audience. A type of formal meeting where specialists present subject matter describes a symposium.

Correct answer: Capability assessment

A capability assessment is part of risk assessment and risk analysis and focuses on identifying the positive, risk-reducing aspects of an event. Capabilities are the inherent strengths or features of an event setup and operations that can help mitigate risks.

Threat assessment involves identifying negative risk-creating aspects of an event. Emergency response planning involves conferring with authorities about handling various emergency situations, which is separate from assessing inherent capabilities. Polling attendees to find out how they may help in an emergency is not part of a capability assessment but rather relates to gauging attendee preparedness.

Correct answer: Accepting risk

Accepting risk involves recognizing certain risks as being worth accepting, either due to their highly improbable nature, causing detailed planning to be inefficient, or because even if they were to occur, the potential harm or impact would be minimal. In such cases, it is deemed reasonable to acknowledge and embrace these risks without dedicating excessive time and resources toward their prevention or mitigation.

Transferring risk involves shifting the potential impact to another party, typically through insurance or contracts, not simply accepting it. Avoiding risk means changing plans to avert the risk entirely, rather than accepting its potential occurrence. Ignoring risk suggests a lack of recognition or response to the risk, which differs from the conscious decision to accept it.

Correct answer: Depth of window glass

When looking at a venue, the event professional should understand how the room configuration would allow or hinder event technology support. There are many elements to consider and document regarding the venue's production design. The depth of the window glass is usually not documented, as it has minimal impact on production design.

Soffit height is important as it affects the placement and orientation of lighting and audio equipment. Doorway width is crucial for ensuring that large technical equipment can be transported into and out of the venue spaces. Critical access points are necessary to document for efficient logistics planning and setup of technology infrastructure.

Correct answer: Managing event funding and resources

Managing event funding and resources encompasses overseeing revenue sources, including grant management and registration processes. This role is crucial for maintaining the financial health of an event by ensuring that all funding avenues are properly administered and participant registration is efficiently handled.

Managing the budget primarily focuses on setting financial parameters and oversight rather than specific handling of grants and registration processes. Managing attendee profiles involves collecting and utilizing demographic and preference data for planning purposes but does not directly deal with funding or registration. Managing deadlines is crucial for project management within events, ensuring timely completion of tasks, but it does not cover the financial management aspects such as grants and registration, which are essential components of managing event funding and resources. These distinctions emphasize the specific role of managing event funding and resources in overseeing comprehensive financial aspects, including grant management and the registration process.

Correct answer: Net worth

Net worth is also known as assets minus liabilities. Accrual accounting counts income and expenses as they are earned or incurred rather than when funds are exchanged.

Accrual accounting does not track each attendee individually as its focus is on financial transactions, not individual participant records. It also does not record information specifically about staff members as its primary function is to manage financial entries, not human resources. Additionally, accrual accounting does not concern itself with geographical areas since it is a method of financial recording based on transactions rather than location specifics.

Correct answer: Monitoring/controlling

In the monitoring and controlling phase, the project manager and project team are entrusted with the task of overseeing and managing resources throughout the project's lifespan. Monitoring involves systematically collecting data to assess the progress of assigned tasks. Controlling, on the other hand, entails making informed decisions and implementing necessary measures to ensure the project remains on track with regard to meeting deadlines and budgetary limits.

Closing is geared toward finalizing project activities rather than ongoing monitoring. Executing is centered on carrying out the project plan rather than evaluating progress. Initiating involves setting the project's framework and goals, which precedes the detailed tracking found in the monitoring/controlling phase.

Correct answer: The ability for the general public to review and comment on submissions

Academic conferences typically have a call for papers through which academics and researchers are invited to submit abstracts for consideration. Most of these conferences accept and review abstracts using an online system. These systems should allow for the submission of author names and contact information, the ability to enter specific program information, particularly specially formatted documents, and a feedback mechanism for reviewers to communicate with those who submit abstracts. These online systems should not allow for the ability of the general public to review and comment on submissions.

Submission of author names and contact information is essential for identifying contributors and facilitating communication. The capability to input specific program information, especially in specialized formats, is crucial for handling complex academic data. A feedback mechanism allows reviewers to offer vital guidance, improving submission quality and relevance. These elements support the effective management of academic submissions, unlike the inappropriate feature of public commentary on scholarly works, which could compromise the integrity of the review process.

Correct answer: Implement a multi-channel marketing strategy that utilizes a combination of online, print, and in-person methods.

The reason for implementing a multi-channel marketing strategy that utilizes a combination of online, print, and in-person methods is to maximize the reach and effectiveness of the marketing campaign. Different individuals have varying preferences and behaviors when it comes to accessing information and making purchasing decisions. By utilizing multiple distribution channels, the event planner can ensure that they reach a broader audience and will cater to the diverse preferences of potential attendees.

Focusing exclusively on traditional advertising methods ignores the diverse media consumption habits of today's audience. Using a single distribution channel like direct mail limits the potential reach and fails to engage with the audience through their preferred mediums. Relying solely on social media advertising overlooks the benefits of integrating various marketing channels to enhance reach and engagement.

Correct answer: Food and beverage

The food and beverage program included in an event is a significant area of responsibility for the event planner. In many cases, food and beverage is the primary area of spending and may be the largest event budget item.

Music typically incurs lower costs compared to catering for large audiences. Decorations are essential for setting up the atmosphere but generally do not surpass food and beverage expenses. Speakers' fees, depending on their prominence, can be substantial, yet they usually do not outweigh the collective costs associated with providing meals and drinks for all attendees.

Correct answer: Strategic planning

Strategic planning encompasses a communication process that captures an organization's aspirations and provides guidance for its activities. Originally formalized as a discipline in the 1960s, strategic planning has undergone significant evolution since then. It directly relates to organizations, meeting functions, and the overall design of individual meetings. By incorporating strategic planning principles, organizations can effectively align their goals, resources, and decision-making processes to drive successful outcomes and optimize the impact of their meetings.

Tactical management focuses on the immediate, practical aspects of executing strategies and typically involves shorter-term actions within the broader strategic framework, not the overarching communication process of setting long-term aspirations. Operational coordination is concerned with the day-to-day operations and logistics of an organization or event, ensuring that all components function smoothly but it does not encompass the strategic level of planning and goal-setting. Event coordination deals specifically with the logistical aspects of event planning, such as scheduling, staffing, and resource allocation, rather than the strategic intent or organizational aspirations that guide these activities.

Correct answer: Non-residential conference centers

Non-residential conference centers are full-service facilities that do not have sleeping rooms. They often have a close association with nearby hotels and may be connected or located in proximity to accommodate attendees' lodging needs. 

Hotel ballrooms incorrectly imply that the venue is part of a hotel which typically provides overnight accommodations. Residential conference centers suggest a type of venue that does include sleeping arrangements, contrary to the scenario described. Exhibition halls generally refer to large spaces primarily used for trade shows and exhibits but they are spaces that may lack the comprehensive service offerings typical of conference centers.