You are two weeks out from an association event: your program is set, all vendors have been contracted, the venue details have been organized and now it is time to reconfirm, reconfirm, reconfirm! Arguably, the most important deliverable at an association meeting or conference is the educational content. So, [...]
One of the key elements to running any successful association trade show is shipping. That’s why association trade shows need a transportation broker and logistics manager. Having now planned a national (or Canada-wide) trade show tour that included exhibitors participating in anywhere from one to four cities on the [...]
Security at association events has moved to the forefront of association event planning in recent years. Regardless of the size or scope of the event, it is the association’s responsibility to ensure that delegates are safe and secure in the various spaces that the event is taking place. This [...]
There are three keys to success in planning the perfect association conference, meeting, tradeshow, or gala event: preparation, negotiation, and flexibility. As a meeting planner, the more you know about exactly what you need in a space, the easier the search for the right place will be for you. [...]
An essential part of any successful association event is giving away promotional products to promote the association, promote a sponsor, and to say thank-you to your event delegates and speakers for participating in your event. But have you ever wondered the best way to do that? Besides incorporating ways [...]
Just as you might hold an annual backyard BBQ or a yearly food drive, an association will host its annual conference. This tends to be an association management team’s busiest time of the year. Not only does the event manager have to plan and prepare all that is involved [...]
As association leaders, we are used to being on the planning side of things for association conferences and events. When attending other association events, we can often be guilty of looking at things through a planner’s eye rather than actively participating as a delegate. The following is meant to [...]
Large format artwork is essential to any successful association event. Large format refers to anything the attendee does not carry around in their hands, like banners, posters, signs, floor decals, digital screens, or more. Large format graphics can truly set the tone and feel of your event, but there [...]
Keeping to a schedule is critical to ensuring a successful event. Creating a Run of Show (ROS)—a timeline/schedule of events—prior to the event is a great way to plan out the timing and order of all the moving parts. To begin, meet with all stakeholders and find out what [...]
People are becoming more aware about the perspectives of marginalized and minority groups in our society, and more efforts are being made to ensure that these perspectives are incorporated into the public sphere. Ultimately the goal in doing so is to make our society more inclusive of people of [...]
