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By Erica Keogan, Conference Producer for The Meetings Show 2018
Erica Keogan is the Conference Producer for The Meetings Show 2018. With over 20 years’ experience in the international meetings and exhibitions industry, Erica is responsible for curating a three-day programme of informative and insightful content for the show’s audience of event planners.
The Meetings Show, the UK's biggest dedicated event for meeting planners across all sectors, returns to Olympia London on 27 and 28 June 2018, with an exciting programme of exclusive content for associations.
Association planners, AMCs and PCOs will also be able to access dedicated educational sessions and networking opportunities as The Meetings Show welcomes back the Association Meetings Conference.
The conference will kick-off on Tuesday 26 June as part of The Meetings Show's Pre-Show Conference, and will continue with dedicated sessions spaced throughout the rest of the two-day show.
Association conference sessions will sit within the show's main education programme, giving association planners the chance to hear advice and insight that is truly relevant to them.
Tuesday 26 June
Planned sessions on the opening afternoon include 'Planning for 2030: where will we be?', where experts will discuss innovation in events, technology solutions and how association strategies can be defined in the future.
The pre-show conference will also offer attendees the chance to hear from a wide range of associations about how they are evolving their events, in a session entitled ‘What does a successful event look like?’ A series of case studies will be presented from some of the most successful association events, providing a unique insight into how events can be made to stand out.
Wednesday 27 June
On the opening day of The Meetings Show, there will be plenty of insightful education sessions for association planners to fit in around their meetings with exhibitors and industry peers.
Start the day by finding out how influencers can be your best conduit to membership and spreading new ideas, how to identify the influencers in your organisation and how to increase engagement with your members in ‘The Influencer Economy’.
Later that same day, learn how to form strong partnerships and work together to ensure a successful event in ‘The Power of Partnerships’. A panel debate hosted by the UIA’s Nancy Carfrae will discuss what associations can bring to a successful partnership, particularly for those associations which are unfamiliar with ‘the meetings industry’, and how working with buyers, suppliers, clients, providers and partners can help them in their work.
Thursday 28 June
The final day of the show includes a real-life case study of the world's most innovative conference, hosted by the European Society of Organ Transplantation and supported by Shocklogic. The event attracted more than 5,000 attendees and 2,000 abstract submissions, and provides a snapshot of what organisers and associations must do in the future to survive in the competitive world of events.
There will also be general sessions running throughout the show which are open to association, agency and corporate event planners, covering everything from marketing strategy and experiential events to sustainability and security, as well as celebrating the Year of the Woman.
Network and build connections
Alongside this packed programme of educational sessions will be networking opportunities and the chance to meet more than 700 individual exhibitors, including venues, hotels, conference centres, destinations and technology suppliers.
David Chapple, Event Director of The Meetings Show said: "We are thrilled to welcome back the Association Meetings Conference to The Meetings Show in its new format, enabling association planners, AMCs and PCOs to access content targeted to them. By attending the show, this key section of the industry will also be able to benefit from the wider offering to make their time with us as valuable as possible."
Associations buyers can also register to be hosted buyers at the show. By joining the hosted buyers programme, buyers are given access to a premium attendance option to ensure they get the most out of the show.
Hosted buyer registration for The Meetings Show is open now, along with standard visitor registration. For more information and to register, visit www.themeetingsshow.com/associations2018.