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The Thought Process

Embrace what's possible

Rallying innovation at WEC St. Louis and embracing AI for sales.

By Lori Pugh CMP, CMM

Every year, MPI's World Education Congress (WEC) feels like a pulse check on our industry, our community and ourselves. And in 2025, that pulse is loud and clear: it’s time to rally.

At WEC St. Louis, the message is layered but powerful: rally for your events, rally for your business, rally for your community—and, most importantly, rally for yourself. As Jessie States, vice president of MPI Consulting, describes it, WEC is where our community will find what it needs—"inspiration to ignite next-level thinking, connections that evolve business and the people who awaken what’s possible."

This year’s format reflects what the modern event professional truly craves:

  • Micro-sessions that provide digestible learning bursts right when we need them most—post-lunch.
  • Deep dive afternoons designed for immersive, introvert-friendly participation and practical application.
  • Learning Journeys that take us outside the conference walls into the city for hands-on, real-world inspiration.
  • And Bonfires, a bold expansion of MPI’s wildly popular Campfires, with larger spaces and a rally-like atmosphere.

But beyond the formats, WEC St. Louis is leaning into courageous content. This year, we won’t shy away from today’s social, economic and political complexities. Expect thoughtful sessions on allyship, DEIB 2025+, ethics, artificial intelligence, psychological and physical safety, legal implications and more—all delivered in environments that lift all voices.

In alignment with WEC’s forward-thinking programming, MPI is proud to introduce the AI for Sales Professionals Certificate Course—a new, on-demand learning experience built specifically for event professionals in sales roles.

This course meets professionals where they are with short, practical modules and live office hours for discussion, questions and case studies.

Here’s a look at what the course includes.

Core tools foundation. Learn how to apply AI tools to your sales process—tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Beautiful.AI—for tasks from prospecting to follow-up.

Human touch in sales technology. Master the balance between automation and authenticity to ensure sales conversations remain human, relevant and relationship driven.

Prompt mastery. Write effective sales prompts that generate customized, high-quality messages while preserving your voice and intent.

Lead generation & research. Use AI to gather client data, qualify leads, analyze market trends and build deeper profiles that inform your strategy.

Sales communication & proposals. Create engaging emails, targeted follow-ups and dynamic proposals and pitch decks that convey your unique value proposition.

Sales analytics. Track performance, manage pipelines, forecast outcomes and make smarter decisions based on real-time insights.

Advanced sales strategies. Close complex deals, plan strategically and stay ahead of emerging AI trends—all while building stronger, data-informed client relationships.

Designed for real-world application, this course helps sales professionals use AI as a collaborator, not a replacement, to accelerate impact and improve outcomes.

FINAL THOUGHT

As we rally in St. Louis to explore what’s next for our industry, MPI is also rallying behind you with tools, training and experiences designed to help you lead through change. The future isn’t just coming—it’s being built by professionals like you who are willing to think differently, act boldly and embrace what’s possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lori Pugh CMP, CMM

Lori Pugh is vice president of the MPI Academy.

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