APA Gathers in Washington August 16, 2023 by Lisa Block You belong here….was the theme of the American Psychological Association’s “more than just an annual convention” recently at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Our team had the opportunity to participate and observe both the in-person and virtual event as the post-Covid rebound continues. That theme manifested most successfully in: Intentional content and messaging delivered … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design
Skyrocketing Costs Squeeze Event Budgets February 27, 2023 by Lisa Block Event organizers are feeling the pinch as industry suppliers, venues and transportation companies rebound from the pandemic. Travel costs are rising due to strong demand (led by the leisure sector). Following are considerations gathered from industry media, meetings market surveys and anecdotal reports from Velvet Chainsaw Consulting clients. Event venues are raising rates for basic … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model
My Professional Home December 9, 2021 by Lisa Block The last two years have been a wild, scary and sometimes exhilarating ride for many in our industry. Having attended several in-person shows and events this fall, I am bullish on a healthy return for events and the people who run and support them. I am also excited to kick-start 2022 by attending PCMA’s Convening … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , adult learning, Convening Leaders 2021, Education, networking, PCMA
Game On! Returning to Face-to-Face October 1, 2021 by Lisa Block With many organizations actively planning for an upcoming in-person conference or tradeshow, now is the time to make firm decisions for your attendee-experience, staffing and safety plans. We recently held a webinar featuring leaders from two large associations that have held face-to-face events in recent weeks. Here are five of the top take-aways that can … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Hybrid & Virtual
The High Cost of Hybrid March 15, 2021 by Lisa Block Our clients and leading industry associations (for example, PCMA’s latest glimpse or our industry’s future, the business recovery dashboard) are turning their attention to future hybrid and face-to-face (f2f) events. While everyone keeps saying that hybrid is here to stay, most association event pros have limited bandwidth and budget to plan and execute robust in-person … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Hybrid & Virtual Tagged With: , budgets, digital events, hybrid events, production values, resources, staffing, virtual conferences, virtual networking
What Risk Factors Are Top of Mind for Association Event Organizers? February 25, 2021 by Lisa Block We recently convened a roundtable of senior-level conference organizers to discuss risk tolerance and the forces that are shaping their 2021/22 event strategies and decisions. Three primary risk categories are emerging as organizations weigh their options for major conferences in 2021: Mitigating financial risk Member considerations and communications Health, safety and duty of care Mitigating … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Hybrid & Virtual Tagged With: , budgeting, contract negotiations, digital meetings, financial risk, hybrid meetings, virtual meetings
PCMA’s First Omnichannel Convening Leaders: The Great, the Good and the Not So… January 21, 2021 by Lisa Block I was excited to attend PCMA’s Omnichannel Convening Leaders event last week. Having attended more than 20 of PCMA’s Annual Meetings over the years (both in person and virtually), I expected high energy, experimental delivery and great content. I wasn’t expecting to connect with my friends or to feel the same high I get from … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design, Hybrid & Virtual Tagged With: , association insights, Convening Leaders, hybrid, omnichannel, PCMA, PCMA's Convening Leaders, virtual
Get Conference Inspiration from Trusted Peer Connections December 23, 2020 by Lisa Block So many in our industry have been pushed to their limits in 2020. Whether that has manifested in job loss, interrupted work/life patterns, isolation, grieving the loss of a loved one, unimaginable work pressure or needing to be “always-on” on Zoom or Teams, it has been a year of disruption unlike any we might have … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Hybrid & Virtual
I Am Sorry, but We Are Not All “Fine” October 26, 2020 by Lisa Block I was inspired by a post by Lisa Cowley, CEO of Beacon, who penned a moving article entitled “It Is Okay Not to Be Okay.” I recommend you read her moving story and then come back. Some days, I can relate! Application for Associations It’s getting harder and harder to see the light at … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Hybrid & Virtual Tagged With: , hybrid meetings, pandemic and meetings, skilling up, staff layoffs, staff stress, virtual meetings
Does the Perfect Virtual Event Platform Exist? October 1, 2020 by Lisa Block The answer, based on my unscientific survey of a dozen association leaders, is a resounding no. Planners are wading through recommendations from colleagues, trusted vendors and online forums to find the best platform for their needs. And it’s a murky and often frustrating experience. While there are many excellent solutions out there, none are “perfect” … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Technology, Experience Design, Hybrid & Virtual
