When conference formats switched overnight from in-person to all virtual, I began the process of educating myself on the areas of virtual events and sponsorships through webinars, peer interaction through MPI/PCMA’s online communities, product demos, etc. and committed to Event Leadership Institute’s Pandemic Meeting and Event Design program, a 2-month Certificate course which provided a valuable roadmap in the planning and execution of a safe return to in-person and hybrid events.
As the largest trade association in the great State of Missouri, we value the relationships we have with our sponsors/exhibitors. We expanded our Sponsorship line-up to include virtual and logoed safety options (floor decals, masks, sanitizers, etc.).
For our very first 2021 Hybrid Winter Business Conference, we brought in Conference Technologies, Inc. to handle all AV and production needs, and In-House Physicians to handle the health and safety aspect of our event. In addition, we invested in Owl cameras for our small to medium hybrid breakout sessions.
By having an in-person aspect to our conferences, we were able to provide revenue to businesses that relied solely on in-person events. As a REALTOR association, we aim to have a positive impact on the destinations and communities we meet in.
"Resilience is knowing that you are the only one that has the power and the responsibility to pick yourself up." - Mary Holloway, 19th-century American physician, and philanthropist
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where we celebrate the positivity and optimism shown by planners across the industry when navigating the turbulent waters that COVID-19 has brought the meetings and events industry. Keep an eye out as we release more stories like this over the next few months.