I was in Frankfurt last week attending Imex 2018, one of the largest B2B trade shows for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE). The show had more than 3,500 suppliers/exhibitors and 2,500 buyers/decision-makers from 150 countries and included 250 education sessions. I was invited as a hosted buyer because of my affiliation with Adfiap, an international association that organizes conferences in various countries.
My motivation for participating at IMEX is the business networking that I get that is useful in my job as an association executive. I met with representatives of national and regional tourist offices and convention bureaus, major hotel companies, conference and exhibition venues, cruise lines, airlines, spa resorts, technology providers, event management specialists and many more, for collaboration and sponsorship opportunities.
Another reason to attend is the lineup of diverse educational sessions exclusively for association professionals like myself. There is the “Association Day,” which is part of “Edu Monday” that provides innovative ideas and solutions to the challenges facing associations across the world and which are led by expert global speakers.
I took part in the leadership education stream organized by the American Society of Association Executives, which presented practical ideas and best practices on social media and other digital tools, volunteer management, member engagement and strategic governance. Let me share with you the few takeaways I got from attending these sessions.
On utilizing social media and other digital tools, Lakisha Ann Woods, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the National Association of Homebuilders in the
US, recommends:
- Selecting the right platform where your members are;
- Hiring the right talent to do the job;
- Standing out in a crowd;
- Crafting the perfect image and engaging with users; and
- Connecting with influencers who will be your social-media ambassadors.
In developing a successful member-engagement strategy, Sue Kellie, deputy CEO of the British Dietetic Association, broadly presented BDA’s three-pronged approach: supporting members’ aims, leading the profession and building for the future.
For a strong volunteer management and training program, Marsha Turner, CEO of the International Association of Lighting Designers, emphasized the importance of starting the early involvement and empowerment of the association staff in training and clarifying the volunteers’ roles and responsibilities, as well as in praising them with recognition and
appreciation.
In establishing a strategic governance and board management process, Matthew D’Uva, executive director at the International Association for the Study of Pain, stressed four key areas in board governance: strategic direction through a well-documented and communicated strategic plan; a budgeting process that is aligned with strategy; a clear decision-making structure and succession planning; and proper documentation, with clear policies and procedures.
I encourage my peers in the association community in the country to continuously update their skills in association governance and management by participating in educational events that are available here and abroad.
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The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (Adfiap) and the CEO and founder of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE). PCAAE is holding a mini-conference on Branding, Public Relations and Communications on July 4, 2018, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, the PICC, Springtime Design, International PR Association and Writers Edge.
E-mail inquiries: @adfiap.org.