Helpful Hints: Sellers

We want our delegates to feel as prepared as possible for our events so that they can get the most benefits possible. The following Helpful Hints will assist you in navigating this year’s OMCA Marketplace. 

Airport Shuttles

Airport Shuttle details can be found at https://marketplace.omca.com/airport-shuttles/. The deadline to sign up for the shuttles is October 15th.

Shuttles will run from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Monday, and from 5:00 am to 2:00 pm on Thursday. If you require transportation to/from the airport outside of those times, you can book a private vehicle with Gray Line Toronto through the same sign-up form.

This Event Portal is your #1 tool throughout the event. Find the link to the MyOMCA event portal and details on how to update your profile and resources at https://marketplace.omca.com/my-appointments/ 

In the MyOMCA Portal, it is important to review your entire profile to ensure that it is thorough and accurate. The more details you include, the better buyers can prepare for their appointment with you. Buyers will have access to the following before, during, and after Marketplace: 

• Your company profile 
• Your profile resources (photos or PDF flyers) 
• Your contact information 

On October 22nd at 10:00 am EST, OMCA is hosting an online session for sellers with details of everything you need to know for your appointments and what to expect from the conference.  Register here to attend that session. 

We recommend bringing with you an ample supply of business cards and business casual attire. The conference is business casual while the evening events are suitable for more casual attire (jeans are acceptable). 

OMCA has a new appointment request tool. Join our webinar on October 1st at 12:00 pm EDT to learn how to use it effectively. Click Here to View the Recording

Keep an eye on the important dates when it comes to creating an effective appointment schedule. If you miss your chance to request appointments, it will have a drastic negative effect on the quantity of appointments in your final schedule. 

• October 6th to 17th: Appointment Selection is open 
• October 28th: Schedules are released, and you will have the opportunity to make additional manual requests to fill available appointment slots. 

Requesting appointments will mark you on the buyer’s portal in the “Who Requested Me” filter, which makes it easier for the buyer to know that you are interested in meeting with them. Mutual requests are always scheduled with first priority. Be sure to check back in the portal often to see if there are new buyers registered or new requests for you that could be reciprocated. 

Most buyers will be at their maximum capacity of appointments and need pre-scheduled breaks to ensure that they have time for personal breaks. Sellers, however, have breaks naturally scattered throughout their schedule. We recommend familiarizing yourself with any long blocks of appointments and preparing accordingly, such as carrying a water bottle with you as you’ll be doing a lot of talking.  

On October 28th, your appointment schedules can be found online through the MyOMCA Event Portal and the OMCA Marketplace Mobile App. You will not receive a printed copy of your schedule. If you print your schedule yourself, note that it will not reflect any changes made to your schedule before the event or onsite. The mobile app is the best source for an up-to-date appointment schedule.

Each of your appointments is a total of eight (8) minutes in length, including travel time. Appointments begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:45 p.m. on both days. All sellers will have their appointments on both days and an average appointment schedule for sellers is 24 over the 2 days. 

This means that during Marketplace, buyers will remain seated in their booths while sellers move from one appointment to the next.  

NOTE: There are TWO (2) rooms of buyer booths at Marketplace this year. Please notice the room name AND the booth number so that you can ensure you are in the right place when your appointment starts.

Please be considerate to other sellers by sticking to your 8-minute window with each buyer. 

• Start and finish the appointment on time 
  • Don’t keep the next appointment waiting
  • If the conversation needs more than 8 minutes, make a plan to continue it outside of the appointment 
• Don’t cancel last minute 
• Keep cell phones on silent 
• Don’t text or email during an appointment. If you need to use your phone for something related to the appointment, explain what you are doing. 
• Maintain professional and attentive body language 

The Marketplace Mobile App (available for download on October 28th) is the only version of your schedule that OMCA will provide onsite. If you wish, you may print your schedule from the MyOMCA portal in advance however it will not reflect changes made onsite through the mobile app’s manual scheduling. 

Every seller will have roughly an hour blocked out of their schedule each day for education sessions. These sessions have been carefully curated for sellers to learn about the state of the industry and how it affects their business. 

While meals, appointments, and education sessions take place on the second floor of the host hotel, there is a supplier lounge with the following activations on the main floor: 

• Connections Cafe:  
  Meet with travel agency representatives who are curious about your group offerings. This is a tradeshow-style setup with no appointment required. There are different connections to meet each morning and afternoon, so come back often. 

• Artisan Market:  
  Whether you are shopping for yourself, for holiday gifting, or for your next midnight snack…you’ll find lots to indulge in from the series of local vendors.  

We would advise arriving by the afternoon of Monday, November 3rd to pick up your badge before the evening networking event. Registration is open from 11:30 am until 6:00 pm and the evening event begins at 7:00 pm.

The final night networking event is our Party With a Purpose event on Wednesday, November 5th. This is a ticketed event supporting the OMCA Development Fund and is held after the Dine Around dinner from 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm. We recommend that you check out on November 6th to accommodate this late night. 

• Monday, November 3rd 
  • 11:30 am-6:00 pm – Registration Desk is Open 
  • 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Opening Night Reception at Markham Museum 

• Tuesday, November 4th 
  • Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m.
  • Marketplace appointments begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:45 p.m.
  • 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Evening Reception at McMichael Canadian Art Collection (shuttles provided) 

• Wednesday, November 5th 
  • Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. and we encourage all operators to attend as these meals are sponsored by supporting OMCA members. 
  • Marketplace appointments begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:45 p.m. It is a good idea to arrive at your booth a few minutes before your first appointment.   
  • Dine around (roughly 5:45 pm – 8:30 pm) 
  • Party With a Purpose – 8:30 pm – 11:00 pm, tickets $50 in support of the OMCA development fund (shuttles provided) 

We look forward to seeing you at the OMCA Marketplace!  
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask: info@omca.com