Ask the Events Pros

Colleen Schipsi, IOM, Program Manager, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
“One lesson learned from this past year is it’s okay to not have programs and speakers planned so far out in advance. Responsive programming, especially when holding virtual programs, allows us to keep our members “in the know” with relevant and timely topics that affect their business. I see us continuing to adopt this idea moving forward.”

Paige Anderson, Director of Events, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
“Whether it’s trying a new event platform or a new flavor of Jeni’s ice cream, be fearless and do not be afraid to try new things.”

Rosa Cavazos, Vice President of Resource Development and Events, Greater Topeka Partnership
“I would say be flexible. When we are listing tables, I don’t plan to put in the number of seats at a table but instead say a full table or half table because I don’t know if we can have a table of 10 as a full table anymore. A full table may need to be a table of 6 now depending on social distancing rules. Also, we have a a plan A (in person) and a plan B (hybrid) so we are always looking at how to have an event hybrid to make guests comfortable.”

Andrew Gorman, Director of Special Events, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
“Virtual, yes. Hybrid, no. We all want to return to 'normal,’ even though it may appear to our chamber teams that we are screaming and shouting NO to hybrid in general (at times). I do not believe hybrid will have a lasting presence because it is not as equitable as a traditional in-person event. I will say, however, that virtual events and webinars should remain.  We all have those luncheons that are ‘tradition’ and do not necessarily bring any net revenue. Leverage the circumstances that have changed our industry and begin to identify what should be a virtual event and what should be in-person. Your chamber and your members have learned new skills and it is in our best interest to use that to our advantage. ”

Paige Anderson, Director of Events, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
“I think the Nashville Chamber will continue to offer digital resources for events. As important as virtual events have been for us during the pandemic, I don’t think virtual or hybrid events can replace the energy or connections made at in-person events.”

Sydney Doctor, Director of Events, Greater Louisville Inc.
“Yes. Through hybrid events, we will be able to continue to reach a larger audience by reaching people who would have otherwise had a conflict for our in-person events.”

Colleen Schipsi, IOM, Program Manager, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
“Virtual and hybrid programs have been a great success for us, and I see us continuing these offerings long term. One of our core values is to learn, innovate and share, and these virtual and hybrid platforms have given us another way to reach those members who might not be able to attend in-person events. We are able to go deeper within an organization by offering virtual programming.”

Ainsley Johnston, Event Manager, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
“I think hybrid elements and utilizing technology to make events more interactive will continue on the upswing. I also think we’ll see a return of the well attended reception. People are missing people!”

Rosa Cavazos, Vice President of Resource Development and Events, Greater Topeka Partnership
“More intimate and smaller sized events with a large ROI.  Out of the box approaches and ideas to make spaces and people feel comfortable in larger venues because of the pandemic.”

Andrew Gorman, Director of Special Events, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
“My best guess: Virtual reality attendees and hologram keynotes and speakers will be more prominent. This will shrink the fly-in convention market.”

Colleen Schipsi, IOM, Program Manager, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
"A project management application will be your new best friend. It will keep you feeling organized and ready to tackle all aspects of delivering remarkable experiences for your attendees." 

Andrew Gorman, Director of Special Events, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
“Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Unpredictable things will happen to the best planner. The difference between good and great is how you manage the unpredictable.  Having 2-3 contingency plans in your head will help you rise above. ”

Sydney Doctor, Director of Events, Greater Louisville Inc. 
“It's ok to get things wrong. Some of the things that have taught me the most are when I got it wrong! ”

Ainsley Johnston, Event Manager, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
“Events are a team sport. You can’t do it all on your own and you can’t continue to innovate without a collaborative team willing to share ideas. ”

Cally D’Angelo, IOM, Senior Director of Membership Services and Small Business Initiatives, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
"Providing support to our small businesses has been very fulfilling."

Sydney Doctor, Director of Events, Greater Louisville Inc. 
“I never imagined I would be good at working from home and I really struggled with it the first month or so of shut down. I feel very resilient in not only proving myself wrong but also thriving in this environment and learning so many new and innovative ways to do my job differently. ”

Ainsley Johnston, Event Manager, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
“Event day individual registrations are no longer a panicked phone call, they’re just a link in a confirmation email.”

Sydney Doctor, Director of Events, Greater Louisville Inc. 
My favorite GLI event to plan and execute is our annual leadership visit, GLIDE. I love traveling in general but getting to dig into another city’s best practices and really take a deep dive into their unique traits and learning from their leaders is fun and exciting. The investor group that travels with us is pretty fun and lively, so it makes the hard work of planning the trip rewarding -- especially seeing them experience really exclusive activities and enjoy themselves.

Cally D’Angelo, IOM, Senior Director of Membership Services and Small Business Initiatives, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
"My favorite event is our Small Business Awards. Entrepreneurs are the engines of our economy and now, more than ever, it is critical that we celebrate those who are up to the challenge. #SupportSmall"

Paige Anderson, Director of Events, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
“Our annual intercity visit, Leadership Study Mission, is my favorite event. For almost 30 years, we’ve taken a group of 130 business leaders to a peer-sized city to learn best practices. With such a long history of Leadership Study Missions, it’s exciting to see those ideas come to fruition from the visits over the years.”

Ainsley Johnston, Event Manager, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
“As a theatre kid at heart, I love our big bi-annual meetings because I get to envision a set, think about lighting cues, sound design and scripting. They’re the most collaborative of our events and it’s hard not to feel proud when 1,000 people are seated in front of you.”

Colleen Schipsi, IOM, Program Manager, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
"I love planning and executing our annual meeting that is held annually in September, which kicks off our program year. The program gathers over 600 chamber members for networking, celebrating business leaders through our Business Leadership and Community Impact Awards, and features a keynote speaker that leaves our audience excited and energized about our inspiring business community."

Andrew Gorman, Director of Special Events, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
Our annual fly-in called SAtoDC, because it encompasses everything that we do: dinners, receptions, keynotes, meetings and advocacy.  Bringing the business and civic leaders of San Antonio to our nation’s capital to let their voice be heard. That’s what it’s all about.