EIC CMP Exam Questions

Correct answer: Technology

There are several key departments involved in events. The role of the technology department is to ensure that technology decisions are compatible with organizational policies and existing systems. This department also focuses on how internal systems will cope with an increased load, particularly if there are lots of attendees who will be logging in to register and access the meeting agenda. The technology department also handles social media tools and audience response systems.

The procurement department is responsible for contracting for goods and services. The ethics and compliance department focuses on maintaining transparency, minimizing legal liability, and ensuring corporate responsibility. The travel department focuses on legal and financial risk mitigation as well as compliance and process.

Correct answer: Use professional jargon and terms

Survey designers must remember some general guidelines when composing surveys. One of these is to avoid using professional jargon, abbreviations, and acronyms, as this may confuse some respondents and reduce the reliability of their answers.

Asking specific questions helps to ensure that responses are focused and relevant to the topic. Avoiding requests for respondents' names ensures anonymity, encouraging more honest and unreserved feedback. Numbering questions facilitates organized data collection and easier analysis of responses.

Correct answer: Participants are disappointed in the presentations

The risk management plan for an event should be evaluated to ensure that it includes possibilities for a wide range of potential risks. These include accidents or illnesses involving speakers, attendees, or entertainers, natural disasters, civil unrest, the inability of attendees, speakers, or entertainers to travel to the meeting; and other risks specific to the organization. Whether or not participants enjoyed the presentations is information collected by evaluations but is not necessarily considered to be a risk.

Natural disasters are critical risks to consider as they can abruptly halt event proceedings and endanger attendees. Civil unrest poses significant safety and logistical challenges that can disrupt the event and require immediate responsive actions. The illness of a speaker is a direct risk to the event's schedule and content delivery, necessitating contingency plans such as backup speakers or alternative programming.

Correct answer: Lead retrieval

Lead retrieval is a process that enables the exchange of information between attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and event organizers. It serves as a means to capture and manage contact information, known as leads, which can be utilized to nurture existing relationships and foster future sales or networking opportunities. By utilizing lead retrieval systems, event participants can efficiently collect and organize valuable contact details, enabling them to follow up and establish meaningful connections beyond the event itself. This process enhances the potential for business growth and facilitates valuable networking interactions within the event ecosystem.

Rear retrieval does not exist as a recognized process in event management. Event retrieval suggests a broader scope of information gathering that does not specifically focus on lead management. Organizational retrieval is not a term typically used in the context of exchanging information at events.

Correct answer: Budget

Developing a theme for an event should be done early in the planning process, as it will influence many of the planning decisions that will need to be made. The theme usually affects marketing pieces, decorations, food choices, speakers, and activities. The theme typically does not affect the budget, as the budget should be set before the theme is chosen.

Decorations are chosen to visually represent the theme, directly linking them to the theme's concept. Food selections are often themed to complement the event's overall style and ambiance. Speakers are sometimes selected for their ability to speak on topics related to the theme, making them integral to the thematic execution of the event.

Correct answer: Vendor fees

Certain meetings and events, such as festivals, heavily rely on vendor fees as a significant revenue source. Vendor fees operate in a manner similar to exhibit sales, where the rate for each vendor is determined by the allocated space provided to them. Consequently, the larger the space assigned to a vendor, the higher the fee charged. Additionally, at certain events, vendors may also be required to pay a percentage of their sales as a contribution to the host organization. This approach ensures that both the initial vendor fee and a portion of the sales align with the event's revenue goals and support the overall financial success of the gathering.

Organizational fees typically refer to charges related to membership or participation in an organization itself, not specifically those tied to vendor space allocation at events. Event fees generally encompass registration or entrance fees charged to attendees rather than fees associated with vendor space. Allocated space fees are not a standard term used to describe specific vendor charges based on space usage as it lacks the broader context of including potential sales contributions that are part of vendor fees.

Correct answer: Informational signs

Informational signs are designed to provide background data and/or instructions to attendees. These signs serve various purposes, such as displaying exhibit hours or conveying instructions that sessions may not be recorded.

Instructional posters typically focus on specific educational content rather than general event information. Attendee directives imply a more commanding or directive nature, which does not necessarily include general information. Background data displays suggest a focus on detailed data or statistics, which is different from straightforward navigational or instructional content provided by information signs.

Correct answer: The speaker's social connections

The speaker's social connections are relatively insignificant when deciding who to hire to present or perform at an event. You should pay close attention to the candidate's presentation, of course, but also the audience's reaction and the speaker's interaction with the audience.

The candidate's presentation directly impacts the effectiveness and professionalism of their speech. The speaker's interaction with the audience is crucial for engaging and retaining the audience's attention. The audience's reaction provides immediate feedback on the speaker's effectiveness and relevance, indicating their impact.

Correct answer: Initiation

Event management consists of five phases: initiation, planning, implementation, event, and closure. During the initiation phase, research is conducted and the basic event purpose is established. The scope is outlined, and goals and objectives are defined. During this phase, the commitment of resources is established and risk management strategies are instituted.

During the planning phase, the focus is on determining event specifications, not conducting research. The implementation phase involves contracting and coordinating goods and services, not researching. The closure phase is concerned with shutting down event production and collecting feedback, not conducting research.

Correct answer: A legal standard that asks whether the event professional did what any other event professional would have done under the same circumstances.

If a major loss, injury, death, or accident occurs at an event, one of the first questions asked would be whether the event professional did his or her best in planning the meeting. The reasonable prudent person standard is a legal standard that asks whether the event professional did what any other event professional would have done under the same circumstances.

The failure to use care in any situation describes negligence, not the reasonable prudent person standard, which focuses on comparing actions to those of a similarly situated professional. Ignoring risk involves risk avoidance strategies, which do not align with the proactive and comparison-based assessment of the reasonable prudent person standard. An investigation to ensure a standard of care has been met relates more to due diligence processes rather than the everyday operational decision-making that the reasonable prudent person standard seeks to measure. Each distractor mischaracterizes the proactive and comparative nature of evaluating professional conduct under this legal standard.

Correct answer: Rooming list

The event professional is expected to provide one list to the hotel with all attendees included called a rooming list. This approach is typical, especially for corporate meetings where all travel and housing are routed through one planner.

Rooming roster, though similar sounding to rooming list, is not a recognized term in the event planning industry for a list of hotel accommodations for attendees. Boarding list is a term typically used in the transportation sector, especially airlines, and does not pertain to hotel accommodations. An accommodation checklist implies a list used for verifying features or amenities in lodging, not a list of guest names provided to hotels.

Correct answer: 8 feet by 3 feet

Signs on display at an event should always include a recognizable logo and information relevant to the function. Standard meter boards can be used when signs must include a lot of content such as a day's agenda. These boards are typically 8 feet by 3 feet, or 2.5 meters by 1 meter.

2 feet by 4 feet is too small to serve as a standard meter board, which needs to display a significant amount of information. 5 feet by 8 feet is an unusual size and larger than the standard dimensions typically used for meter boards. 9 feet by 4 feet is also larger than standard and not commonly used for event signage.

Correct answer: Before the event begins

Workplace conflict is inevitable, especially in the fast-paced environments of events. Conflict resolution skills and systems can help you steer disagreements to productive dialogue and an agreeable resolution. Conflict should always be resolved before the event begins to ensure the on-site process goes smoothly and to lessen the chance that an interpersonal conflict disrupts a meeting or event.

Resolving conflicts after the event misses the opportunity to prevent disruptions during the event itself. Addressing conflicts throughout the course of the event risks ongoing distractions and may affect the event's smooth execution. Waiting until after the opening ceremonies delays conflict resolution, potentially allowing tensions to impact the event's initial stages negatively.

Correct answer: 10 feet by 10 feet

Linear exhibition booths, also called "in-line" booths, are generally arranged in a straight line and have neighboring exhibitors on the immediate right and left, leaving only one side exposed to the aisle. Linear booths are most commonly 10 feet wide by 10 feet deep and have a maximum back wall height of 8 feet.

A 20-foot by 20-foot space typically represents a larger island or peninsula booth rather than a standard linear booth. A 25-foot by 10-foot booth exceeds the typical depth for linear booths, which commonly stick to a 10-foot depth. A 10-foot by 30-foot booth is unusually long for standard linear configurations, which normally maximize accessibility and efficiency within a confined space.

Correct answer: One per month

The number of emails to send for an event varies widely. However, a minimum of one per month and a maximum of one per week is recommended. This ensures that potential registrants are reminded of the event at regular intervals but the communication does not become annoying.

Sending one email per day is excessive and can overwhelm recipients. One email per week might be suitable for some campaigns but exceeds the minimum recommendation. One email per hour is overwhelmingly frequent and likely to be perceived as spam.

Correct answer: Integrated marketing communication

Today, marketing channels are becoming more integrated and, therefore, one of the most important marketing concepts is integrated marketing communication. Marketing efforts should not only be integrated but should feel inseparable from the culture of the organization. Knowing the marketplace and being able to tie attendee buying behaviors to the event experience are integral components of integrated marketing.

While social media marketing is a component, integrated marketing communication encompasses a broader strategy that includes multiple channels and tactics. The other options are either too narrow in focus or incorrect terms.

Correct answer: SMART-TER

Objectives should be "smart-ter", an extension of the traditional SMART model. This expanded and enhanced acronym takes into consideration multiple stakeholders' perspectives, such as marketing and public relations, human resources, financial management, and other business centers.

SMART-ADD suggests the addition of components but does not specify what these might be, making it less descriptive for an extended SMART goal framework that includes various business perspectives. SMART-EXP, while potentially indicating an expansion, does not clarify the types of additional considerations or stakeholders involved. SMART-MORE is vague and does not distinctly connect to a structured extension of the traditional SMART criteria that would explicitly include varied business functions and stakeholder views, as SMART-TER does.

Correct answer: Pressroom

A crucial duty of meeting professionals is to meticulously plan a well-equipped and conveniently located pressroom, ensuring it offers amenities and easy access to the event's activities. Creating an effective and comfortable pressroom on-site plays a vital role in facilitating the work of journalists, reporters, and media personnel. By providing the necessary resources and a conducive environment, meeting professionals can enhance the media coverage of the event and facilitate seamless communication between the meeting's organizers and the press.

Media booth implies a smaller and potentially less-equipped space, not fully set up for comprehensive media activities. Newsroom refers to a permanent, dedicated space within a media organization rather than a temporary event setup. Media lounge suggests a casual space for relaxation and networking rather than a functional area designed for media work.

Correct answer: A sustainable event

While most people think of practices like recycling, serving local or organic food, and reducing printing as sustainable, sustainable events should go beyond the individual practices implemented. The International Organization for Standardization defines a sustainable event as "an event with a balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility, and social progress."

A financially responsible event primarily focuses on economic management and cost-efficiency, not necessarily incorporating environmental or social aspects. A social event generally refers to gatherings aimed at leisure or networking without a specific focus on sustainability principles. A strategic event emphasizes planned and purpose-driven activities, which could include various goals but does not inherently balance economic, environmental, and social factors as a sustainable event does.

Correct answer: Research

Prioritizing thorough investigations into prospective sponsors' businesses can significantly enhance the likelihood of successful sponsorship outcomes. By understanding the goods and services offered by potential sponsors, you can customize your proposal to highlight how their offerings can benefit your stakeholders. Additionally, assessing the alignment of their brand with your organization, event, and theme becomes crucial. Key focus areas for alignment could include sustainability, innovation, community building, and supporting initiatives for minorities. Tailoring your proposal based on the findings of this research may attract sponsors who share your values and goals, fostering fruitful partnerships.

Your stakeholders refer to individuals or groups that have an interest or concern in your event, such as employees, management, or external partners, and while they are important, they are not a resource for gathering detailed information on potential sponsors. Previous sponsors can provide insights based on past collaborations but focusing solely on them might limit the scope of new sponsorship opportunities. Referrals from others can lead to potential sponsors, yet they do not substitute for the comprehensive research needed to understand new sponsors' specific interests and strategic goals.