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Research shows that today’s event participants want more than just serendipitous connections at events. (Illustration by Line Hachem)
The stories we link to below make up Convene’s Sept.-Oct. cover and CMP Series. Find the print experience in our digital edition.
We used to extoll the virtue of conferences and conventions as being places where serendipitous connections happen. But recent research shows that today’s event participants want more. Post-pandemic, they are choosing to travel to events mostly to interact with peers and experts in their field and secondarily for the education. They don’t want to leave networking to chance, nor do they want overly programmed networking solutions.
In the following stories from Convene’s September-October CMP Series, we share how event organizers are balancing between the two, creating innovative and flexible spaces and formats that foster meaningful connections.
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Earn one clock hour of certification by visiting the CMP Series web page to answer questions about the networking articles below.
The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is a registered trademark of the Events Industry Council.
Business is Human
Since it launched in 2012, the C2 Montréal conference —conceived by creative agency Sid Lee in partnership with Cirque du Soleil — has set a high bar for daringly different session formats, environments, and approaches to connecting diverse participants. How has that evolved? READ MORE
Higher Ed, Advanced Networking
From its session for first-time attendees to constituent roundtables and Connect and Collaborate sessions, the National Association of College and University Business Officers Annual Meeting focuses on helping its 2,000 attendees find — and connect with — their peers. READ MORE
Beyond the Old Boys’ Club: How Women Are Networking Their Way
Research shows traditional networking methods don’t work for women. A growing number of female-only events and spaces are trying to get it right. READ MORE
Why Are These Women-Only Networking Spaces So Popular?
We break down the secret sauce behind the Female Quotient’s sassy style of pop-up Equality Lounges. READ MORE
Leaning Into Connections
A session that served to reconnect attendees after the pandemic has become an essential element of the Exponent Philanthropy Annual Conference program. READ MORE
‘A Beautiful Nesting Ground’
How software company Avalara turned networking on its head and delivered business and bonding at its FUSE partner conference. READ MORE
Event Attendees ‘Don’t Want to Waste Their Time Anymore’
The creator of Braindate, a platform that links event participants with shared interests, on what attendees are looking for now. READ MORE