2022 is quickly approaching and that means it is time to start looking at what events will look like for the next year. Will they return to in-person? Will they continue to be virtual? The short answer is: Yes. Events will continue both virtually and in-person because members and associations alike have found pros for each format. This is a collection of RGI blogs put together to help navigate event planning in multiple formats – for multiple audiences. Click the headlines below to learn more about each topic.
1. Five Trends Shaping the Future of Association Meetings and Events
One of the key membership benefits of any association is the ability to participate in an Annual Meeting or Conference. Association meetings and events are not piecemeal. Each one contributes to your overall meetings and events program and plays a key role in member engagement and retention. There are some members that will only have one extended interaction with your association, and that happens at a meeting – make sure you are dedicating the right resources necessary to make that experience count. Continue reading.
2. The Three Keys to Purposeful & Strategic Association Events
Association professionals learned in March of 2020 that our crystal ball was broken. If you had asked back then what the future of meetings would be, we might have said virtual integration or hybrid; little did we know that future was closer than we realized. Future-proofing association meetings and events means understanding the trends that will continue to re-shape how we deliver content. Continue reading.
3. Conferences and Events: Lessons From the Last Year
In the past year, our fully virtual world has taught us a lot about conferences and events. There are takeaways for all parties involved in events as meeting planners, presenters and speakers, attendees, and all others have all been pushed to adapt to new formats and settings. Read below for some of the biggest lessons we’ve learned through this entire process and how these lessons relate to all those involved in conferences and events. Continue reading for lessons for event planners, event presenters and event attendees.
4. Creating Value for Attendees in Virtual Events
There is probably nobody that needs to be convinced of the benefits of virtual events more than the attendees themselves. Your members are likely used to attending conferences and events in-person and are accustomed to the way things have always been. Now, in a world where things are exactly the opposite as they’ve always been, it has become all the more important to prove value to your members when promoting and executing a virtual conference. Read below for some thoughts on how to best serve your attendees virtually. Continue reading.