This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
Name: Julie Marshall
Company Name: Strategic Association Management
Job Title: Meetings and Events Director
Years of Experience: 18
How do you think you are positioned, after months of persevering with the pandemic, to take advantage of our new and disrupted meetings/events landscape?
The importance of in-person meetings and the powerful opportunities they provide to encourage connection and meaning in our professional and personal lives is clearer to me than ever before. I have a new sense of purpose and excitement compelling me to question how we viewed and planned meetings in the past and how to evaluate and rethink our events to increase meaning and relevance.
As our community moves forward with planning in person meetings, what new technologies or processes are you implementing that you may have not looked at before?
We recognize the value that virtual conference components have for some of our attendees and are considering how best to utilize some elements as part of our in-person events. Recording selected content to share virtually, expanding our membership reach and offering virtual ways to connect for those who prefer it are just a few examples. We are also considering online and year-round sponsorship opportunities as a way to broaden and augment partnership connections.
As we see virtual meetings transition back to face to face, hybrid meetings are beginning to be the vehicle to return to normalcy. What are your thoughts on hybrid meetings versus traditional fully in person meetings?
Hybrid and in-person meetings shouldn’t be thought of identical experiences delivered in a different way--they accomplish different objectives for specific audiences and can be a great way to expand an organization’s relevance and reach. For large states, like Texas, you may have members who would benefit from your conference but don’t have the time or resources to travel. Hybrid can also be a game changer for differently abled members who find participating in a traditional conference challenging.
In your opinion, what do you think the biggest value for your attendees is in regards to returning to live events?
Connection and engagement just feel better live and in real time for most people, and we’ve missed that in the last two years. The biggest value is being together, talking through challenges and victories, commiserating, and celebrating our wins. And for many of us, hugs. Personal relationships enhance our professional lives in ways that make us happier, more fulfilled, and better at what we do.
As the pandemic fades away and we return to face-to-face events what do you hope changes, either for planners or hoteliers, in the traditional RFP and proposal process as a result of all of the learnings from the last 20+ months?
I hope we don’t forget how working together during the pandemic, as planners and hoteliers, made all of us better at what we do. We were forced to have some really difficult conversations that resulted in a deeper understanding of the inter-connectedness of our success. Transparency and candor around what we each needed and could offer were key components of the process and if we continue these authentic conversations, it will benefit our organizations and, most importantly, our members and customers.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
