Impact Reporting’s Post

Connection and collaboration are common themes as we prepare for two industry events in May. Read the blog to find out where to find us. https://bit.ly/3Qh6ef3

ASW is always one of my favorite events of the year. For over 10 years it has been a great opportunity to (re)connect with friends, colleagues, and industry partners. As you grow in an industry how you approach these conferences changes. Early on it's about building connections, walking the trade show floor (Meet Market) and attending panels, break out sessions, and keynotes. You are really trying to learn the industry and the players in it. Now, I gain more industry insights and build new connections through set meetings with long time friends and attending planned dinners and parties. Staying out late is no longer a goal. I've become very intentional with my time and who I meet with. I've been able to speak on Panels and have met so many interesting and accomplished individuals by doing so. There is still value in walking the floor and attending sessions which is why I always recommend purchasing the pass which allows you to do it. Support the organizations like Clarion Events which put on these great shows. If you are attending ASW and would like to meet. Shoot me a note. If it makes sense lets calendar it and see what we can do together in 2025.

It’s getting closer! Some important info for attendees and speakers… If you have registered you will receive access to the virtual event platform no later than August 1. This will give you time to familiarise yourself with the platform, set up your account, add sessions to your calendar, check out the exhibit hall, and start connecting with other participants via the networking function. If you were invited to register and are yet to do so please contact me as soon as possible. If you attended the 2021 Summit and did not receive your invitation to the 2024 Summit please contact me as soon as possible. If you are part of an organisation attending and/or presenting and you require additional invitations for your team please advise as soon as possible. If you require formal invitations for executives these can be arranged. Speakers will receive calendar invitations and zoom links for their sessions next week.

Only 2 days to go until our next New Member Welcome session. These sessions are designed to help new members understand our values and our goals as an Association as well as to brief them practically on all the wonderful opportunities we have to engage and work with each other. The broad agenda will be: 💡 Overview of the Association: our mission, values and direction. 💡 Key events and opportunities for you to engage with and meet people and content.  We will outline the events lined up for this year. 💡 Introduce yourselves. We’re going to invite you to register for the event so we know what sort of numbers of attendees we’ll have on the day.  Depending on numbers, we will organise break out groups accordingly so you get to have good conversations with each other. 💡 Sharing your hopes for why you’ve joined and what value you’d like to see out of your membership. We can’t wait to welcome you all! https://lnkd.in/e77f2fQZ

#PublicPolicyConference - These days, I see so many public policy enthusiasts attending conferences with great enthusiasm. Their aim? Networking, making connections, and perhaps unlocking the secrets of shaping their future! But let’s be honest—how often does it end with collecting only two things: the lunch and the conference notepad (along with that trusty branded bag)? 😂 At this point, it feels like --- #conference par #conference, conference par conference, conference par conference attend kr rha ---- lekin networking nhi ho pa rhi hai, contact nhi mil pa rhe hai dosto 😜 - Par lunch 🍱 - Aur photo click krne m maza aa rh hai 🤳 Note - Attending a conference is useless unless you can write an email or message showcasing your skills and explaining how you can help them in their work and save time.

Industry insight: How can companies maximize their participation in annual conferences and conventions? Fast Company has a few ideas.

Convene's Annual Industry Forecast is packed with relevant data and insights. Almost 800 event professionals, primarily from North America, responded to the questionnaire. Here are a few highlights from the report that should encourage you about the future of meetings and events! 40% of events increased in attendance compared to their last pre-pandemic event. 69% anticipate increased event attendance over the next two years. Only 4% anticipate a decrease in attendance. 64% expect their overall events budget to increase by an average of 21% over the next two years. 45% say they are more active on social media for their events than for pre-pandemic events. Read Convene's Forecast (sign-up required): https://lnkd.in/eH2jChVc PCMA

HOT TOPIC!!! Let’s get together for a deep dive into RGFs! What’s not to love 🥰 Book your space now!!

As we gear up to gather with industry leaders at TheHospitalityNetwork’s EMEA Stakeholder Conference this week, I couldn't help think about how to make the best out of the events that we attend every year. Some of the best practices I follow for events include: Clear goals - Whether it's exploring new tech trends, meeting potential collaborators, or getting insights on challenges in the hospitality industry. Researching and having a game plan based on the event agenda helps! Conversations - The best insights often come from casual chats! Seek out fellow attendees between sessions or during breaks. A simple “What’s been the highlight of the conference for you so far?” can spark an interesting exchange. Notes - With so much insights and innovations on the floor, it can get overwhelming. I use my phone to jot down ideas and follow-up actions. It’ll help ensure you don’t miss any critical insights and have actionable points post-event. How do you ensure a productive event experience? Do share your thoughts on the comments. PS: If you're attending, let's connect—looking forward to meeting forward-thinking professionals from across EMEA! Here is a highlight reel from last year!

Member engagement throughout the year - Looks familiar? 😉 Associations traditionally connect their members only a few days a year, through physical events such as conferences. In this traditional “Connection 1.0” engagement model, an association facilitates knowledge sharing and connection only for those who are physically present at the event. If you are not in attendance, you cannot fully benefit from your membership, missing out on access to the knowledge and connections with other members. For the rest of the year, many associations facilitate little to no ongoing interaction between members, mainly communicating top-down from the association to the members, often via email. This lack of continuous interaction leads to a dilution of member engagement. 💫 Facilitatiing connection and knowledge sharing is a major value proposition of professional associations. How are you connecting and engaging your members year-round? 👉 The way associations connect their members is evolving. Read more: https://buff.ly/4eOoyGd