News & Trends

What’s happening — or coming up next — in the meetings and events world and beyond.

Thorough About Thoroughfares

The annual meeting of the Governors Highway Safety Association tackles traffic issues — including safety among diverse communities.

BY Casey Gale December 6, 2023

Five Ways Influencer Marketing Is a Game-Changer for Events

Savvy event marketers know that influencer marketing is a cost-effective way to increase awareness and, ultimately, attendance at trade shows and conferences.

BY Sara Fellows December 4, 2023

Navigating the Unthinkable: Why Event Professionals Should Prioritize Risk Mitigation

Event professionals must have mitigation and response plans in place for all risks — whether they are human-caused, natural or weather-related, or technological failures. Security expert and Convening Leaders 2024 speaker John Gainer offers his advice on how to plan for whatever may come.

BY Michelle Russell December 4, 2023

What Event Professionals Like Most — and Least — About Their Jobs

Respondents didn’t hold back when asked to share how they feel about their jobs — the good, the bad, and the ugly — in several open-ended questions in Convene’s Salary Survey 2023. Here’s a taste of what they had to say.

BY Magdalina Atanassova Michelle Russell November 27, 2023

Who’s Asking Questions and Why?

Bill Reed, chief event strategy officer for the American Society of Hematology, offered insights from his research and experience on the issue of men dominating Q&A conference sessions, after listening to a Convene Podcast episode on that topic.

BY Bill Reed November 27, 2023

The Rise of LinkedIn

The popularity of social media’s most businesslike channel — LinkedIn — has exploded in recent years, including among event professionals.

BY Barbara Palmer November 27, 2023

10 Tips for Event Professionals Using LinkedIn

In the last two decades, LinkedIn has evolved far beyond a platform where professionals could post their resumes. Here are ideas for getting the most out of LinkedIn from three savvy event pros.

BY Barbara Palmer November 27, 2023

Making Your Events Inclusive for Neurodiverse Attendees

The CEO of an organization founded to amplify autistic voices shares how to make events more welcoming to neurodivergent people.

BY Casey Gale November 20, 2023

Conference Reimagines Downtown by Expanding Beyond Chicago’s ‘Loop’

The pandemic accelerated problems facing cities around the world. Here’s how one organization’s annual event — in its design and program — is helping to usher in “a whole new era of city building.” 

BY Barbara Palmer November 19, 2023

Identifying Key Conference Attendees for Growth

In his book Customer Centricity, Wharton’s Peter Fader writes that “in the world of customer centricity, there are good customers — and then there is pretty much everybody else.” He recommends focusing on and investing in retaining the former, while not ignoring the latter.

BY Dave Lutz, CMP November 19, 2023

‘Let’s Have These Conversations’ About Civil Rights

An annual summer event produced by the Big Ten Conference for student athletes brings the United States’ civil rights history to life. 

BY Barbara Palmer November 17, 2023

Hey Chatbot, What’s the Wi-Fi Password?

Say hello to the new generation of event chatbots powered by conversational AI.

BY Barbara Palmer November 13, 2023

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