Greetings IAEE DC Chapter Members and Industry Colleagues

We are planning some new and different events and fun activities based on YOUR feedback in post-event surveys and comments at our events.

This year, we are planning four top-notch in-person education programs:

• We had a highly engaging session in February with event leaders facilitating roundtable discussions on hot topics from Expo! Expo!
• On Wednesday, May 22, we will present Exhibitor Success Programs to improve your Exhibitor satisfaction scores and retention.
• On Wednesday, September 18, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 in Maryland, we will cover Security at events.
• Our Annual Meeting and the State of the Industry, including new analytics from CEIR Reports will be presented in November by IAEE HQ leadership at the Freeman office in Alexandria.

To show appreciation for our Members, we have arranged for a Member Appreciate event on Friday, March 15th with FREE tickets (up to 4 tickets) for the Super Pet Expo at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. All Show Services has generously donated the free tickets for Friday. All Members in good standing can register to get their free tickets on our website. 

We have several social events planned this year, including a YP event in June, Maryland golf and reception event in August, and our popular Karaoke event in October.

We will continue to offer short virtual learning events, including more Coffee Convos and Tech Transformation Series programs.

I hope that many members and industry colleagues come out on Friday, June 7, to volunteer at A Wider Circle. See below for more information on this wonderful organization and the volunteer opportunity to give back to our local community.

This Chapter is focused on providing forward-thinking, timely education and valuable connections for our members and all event professionals. I welcome your feedback, ideas, and thoughts anytime and hope to see you at one of our many in-person or virtual events this year!

Your IAEE DC Chapter Chair,

Mark Shadwick

Connect on LinkedIn

Our Chapter has many events planned this year, including these upcoming Q2 programs:

• April - 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Coffee Convo (virtual event)
• May – In-Person Education Event on Exhibitor Success Programs
• June 5, 2024 - Global Exhibition Day
• June - Young Professional Event

Visit our website to learn more and register.

brought to you by mdg, A Freeman Company

Thinking Small for Big Returns

There’s a growing appetite for more customized and curated attendee experiences that create a sense of community and connection. Most event organizers, however, aren’t doing enough to cater to individuals or smaller interest groups that make up larger events. Consider the following ideas to (cost-effectively) create contextual experiences that will drive deeper engagement and loyalty.

Industry News You Can Use

Noticing things as they are

An interesting perspective from Marco Giberti, an entrepreneur. investor, and advisor with a strong focus on events, event tech, and b2b media. Below is an excerpt from his blog on events and technology:

"During our Business of Events masterclass program, I repeatedly mentioned that events 'are a human experience.' This 'human experience' could and should be improved using tech tools, but in the end, it will be about that human connection that makes it unique and irreplaceable. My personal revelation … is that because events are a human experience, they can be very successful in many cases without sophisticated or expensive event technology."

"Am I giving up on event tech? Not at all, but I’m doubling down on the essence of events—the human experience and connection."

Read the entire blog post here.

An investigation into fake list vendors

Event Technologies undertook an effort to look into these list brokers to see if we could gain any insight into how they operate, what they are selling and whether or not they can be stopped. Our plan was to make contact with as many of these soliciting companies as possible to see what we could learn. We asked our prospects and existing clients to forward us any solicitation emails they received. The response was overwhelming. Over the course of six weeks, we received over 300 emails from organizers and exhibitors who had received these solicitations. Clearly, we had stumbled upon a widespread issue.”

Discover what Chris Tremblay President of Sales and Marketing at Event Technologies, wrote in TSNN that the company uncovered and how your exhibitors are being targeted.

Come out on Friday, June 7 to support an absolutely fantastic organization in our neighborhood, A Wider Circle. We will again volunteer at their Silver Spring location to sort donations and prepare them for their store for their Essential Support program where they provide 10–15 families each day with beds, dressers, dining sets, couches, clothes, and much more — all free of charge.

Building community, neighbor to neighbor

A Wider Circle is working to create a region where children and adults are able to live safe, stable, and comfortable lives and have the opportunity to succeed.

Everyone is welcome at A Wider Circle; there are no eligibility or referral requirements. Our “no wrong door” approach ensures that everyone who comes to us is met with compassion and served in a dignified and respectful environment. We meet each person we serve where they are — identifying challenges, providing comprehensive support, and pursuing solutions together.

Read more about their incredible work to help those in our local community. We hope to see you on June 7^th!

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