There is a saying that every cloud has a silver lining – something positive that comes from a negative situation. One person who has found a positive after a mostly challenging, negative 2020 is Kirstin Ferguson, who authored the Forbes magazine article, “Ten Reasons Why Virtual Meetings Are the Best Thing to Happen in 2020.” She describes how the overnight […]
Conferences, trade shows, seminars, and in-person training programs represent a significant portion of any association’s annual revenue. Of the 1,020 association executives responding to a mid-March Association Laboratory Inc. survey, 56% reported cancellation or postponement of a face-to-face meeting. Other findings from respondents who canceled an event include: 65% lacked insurance that covered all incurred costs 30% carried no event […]
The harrowing stories of association conferences cancelled at the last minute or ending early are common. Staff members who were planning to arrive early to attend to details of the conference found themselves scrambling to manage communications with registrants, oversee refunds, and cancel hotel, catering, and entertainment contracts. As association leaders look at resumption of operations and planning future events […]
One indicator of a strong industry or professional association is the level of engagement – at the leadership, committee, and member levels. Conferences, training sessions, committee meetings, and social events are the most common way to bring members together. These get-togethers shape the future of the association in terms of identifying issues, constructing strategies for growth, and developing leaders. Work-from-home […]
The three segments of the economy hardest hit by the effects of COVID-19 shutdowns and business operation restrictions include the hotel, restaurant, and travel industries. Even after business restrictions are removed and businesses are allowed to resume operation at some level, consumers may not dine out, stay at a hotel, or fly for many months, according to The Harris Poll. […]