The Importance of Networking

The 2021-2022 MPI Middle Pennsylvania Executive Board

– Associations –

The Importance of Networking

The hospitality industry always has been a tight-knit community. Providing service is at its core, and the relationships that it has developed among industry partners, peers and clients have long been its lifeblood.

Now, more than ever, staying connected and informed is of critical importance. Industry associations provide engagement with others through educational sessions, participation in showcase events, resources for keeping up with the latest happenings, changes and trends, and – just as importantly –opportunities to network and make professional connections, as well as forge longstanding business relationships and even friendships.

According to Ethan Gray, CAE, director of association management services for Talley Management Group and immediate past-president for the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives (MASAE), associations enhance quality, both among individual professionals and also within industries as a whole.

“Associations provide members the opportunity to learn, to network and to influence the future of their own profession. Value is derived in many forms – through the consumption of content, the interactivity of networking, collaboration during volunteer leadership," asserts Gray. "Associations are the great conveners, bringing professionals together for common missions – to better their professional lives and the sectors of society served by their industries.”

Throughout the pandemic, MASAE has worked hard to maintain touchpoints, professional connections and to deliver education in a fragmented environment, Gray explains. “We have provided content to directly address pandemic-related challenges and also to help organizations and individuals think about the changes that will endure post-pandemic.”

Getting back to networking as it was before COVID-19 may take some time. Challenges still exist and new methods of connecting may need to be employed.

While some organizations may move quickly to revisit “traditional” events because it will feel great to return to how things used to be, Gray cautions that some “new norms” will persist – at least for the short-term future. “There will be some re-entry turbulence, as both associations and constituencies reimagine networking – how to facilitate in-per-

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son events that still consider residual pandemic-related [health and economic] concerns, how to maintain virtual components to maximize accessibility, etc.”

The networking construct must be innovated to ensure that members can continue to make or re-establish connections and facilitate idea-sharing, says Gray. “We are group-oriented creatures who need regular interactions for intellectual and social reasons. Associations need to clearly articulate why networking matters and why we are the best vehicles for building and maintaining relationships –demonstrating how to do it right, and sharing ‘re-entry’ case studies.”

According to Kimberly Pierich, CMP, professional development manager for the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and director of communication for the Middle Pennsylvania Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI MP), “We have worked to bring our members together as much as possible for emotional support during a time of uncertainty for our industry. With many members being laid off during the pandemic, we created an online Job Hub for members to post openings or search for opportunities to regain employment. MPI Middle PA also jumped on offering virtual happy hours to our members. This provided an opportunity for members to network, laugh, ask questions, seek advice, and find support for the challenges we all were facing.”

Associations provide members with assistance and support in their role, so they have somewhere to turn when a question arises, she explains. With a member focus, associations can offer tools, resources, mentorship, networking, and peace of mind when facing challenges at work.

When it comes to networking, Pierich says, “Many of our members want to meet face-to-face, while some are still not comfortable. We’ll need to find ways to accommodate both. We’ll be offering a virtual networking experience through the use of virtual planner/supplier breakout rooms in conjunction with our July education event. For those seeking to get out and bump elbows, we’ll be providing an inperson networking opportunity in August for our members. Networking is vital to the growth of our association, as well as the satisfaction of our members.”

“At MPI Middle PA, it is our goal to promote the successful events being organized by our members to encourage others to continue moving forward,” she adds. “We also want to provide our members with ample opportunities to engage, network, and build relationships with other members.”

According to Lisa McGlashen, CEM, CMP, HMCC, the director of exhibits, meetings and exhibits for the American Association for Cancer Research and also president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA PHL), along with Erica A. Keagy, administrator for PCMA PHL, their association offers members and industry contacts opportunities for education, camaraderie and networking.

PCMA PHL has hosted educational sessions on job searches and resume building for those looking for work, as well as tactics for staying relevant within their organization for those who have remained in their pre-pandemic

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roles. Throughout the pandemic, PCMA PHL did not charge mandatory registration fees; instead, asking registrants to pay what they could afford toward registration.

Today, networking has taken on even greater importance because people have not been able to see one another in over a year, and so much of the industry PCMA serves is built on relationships. “Networking using Zoom is just not the same as being in-person,” they explain. “Networking is coming back with more in-person events with creative twists, such as the Tailgate Trade Show. We offered our first inperson event outdoors to alleviate some of the COVID-19 concerns.”

Moving forward, PCMA PHL plans to offer more opportunities for building and renewing relationships. As more guidelines and education become available with regard to planning and hosting meetings and events, the association will continue to reach out to members and meeting attendees. Don Welsh, president/CEO and foundation executive director for Destinations International, notes that associations play a key role in making sure their members are equipped with the knowledge needed to help move their particular industry forward. “Destinations International’s mission is to give our members the tools they need to be successful. We work with our partners around the world to make sure our members have the latest research, advocacy tools and education that they can use to move their communities forward.”

During the pandemic, Destinations International worked with their partners to compile critical real-time data and hosted 64 webinars specifically focused on helping members to navigate the challenges faced as a result of the impact of COVID-19.

The value and importance of networking cannot be overstated, and the prospect of a return to in-person gatherings is energizing and invigorating. “We have always said ‘nothing replaces face-to-face meetings,’ and I think this has never been a truer statement than today,” asserts Welsh. “We just hosted our first hybrid event with our CEO Summit in Tampa, FL, and you could feel the energy from our members seeing each other for the first time since the start of the pandemic. I think virtual events offer many benefits – and we think hybrid is here to stay for a while – but you can’t replace the value of networking in-person.”

Moving forward, he says, associations should work closely with their local CVB contact to make sure all safety guidelines in the destination are being met when setting up any networking events.

Destinations International will continue to work with their partners to provide members with the information they need to be successful as the industry continues to move toward recovery. “Collaboration has never been more important,” says Welsh.

A demonstration of collaboration between PCMA and Destinations International is Destination Showcase, which promotes the valuable role that CVBs play in the planning of meetings and is scheduled for October 6, 2021 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. “Event organizers and CVBs are partners in success when planning meetings and events, and Destination Showcase will be an invaluable opportunity for our members and PCMA’s members to come together in person after over a year of Zoom calls to celebrate our industry and the importance of meetings and events to communities.”

"The DMO community plays a vital role in community building, innovation, and growing business opportunities for better jobs for their communities,” adds Sherrif Karamat, CAE, president and CEO for PCMA. “They are also the hub in their community that connects government, industry, universities and business incubators to associations and corporations. [Destination Showcase] brings the entire ecosystem together, including association and corporate event organizers, to build relationships and facilitate commerce that leads to the successful staging of business events. This will not only expedite recovery, but enhance future growth.”

Throughout the pandemic, Karamat explains, PCMA’s primary concern has been to help its members, and to do so meant helping to ensure their safety – focusing on their health and allowing frontline employees, especially healthcare workers, to do their jobs effectively. Also of concern has been fostering community support, which resulted in PCMA hosting more than 200 community conversations around the world on various topics to find solutions for situations that were challenging both its members and customers.

protecting them – for a new tomorrow with information and knowledge with research such as the Compass Report and up-to- the-minute updates on rules and policy that may impact the ‘business’ of business events.” Last, but not least, PCMA sought to ensure that its members had the necessary skills to weather the storm and thrive in a business events industry that may look different from what all had grown accustom.

PCMA has earned the reputation of being a thought leader in the business events space – something Karamat says the association does not take lightly. “PCMA has long promoted the need for hybrid and omni channel events, and our DES certification was critical in helping event organizers engage their audience at a time they could not meet face-to-face. Going forward, this knowledge will be even more important as event organizers meet their audience in their preferred channels.”

PCMA launched the Seven Change Actions (7CA) program, too, which focused on mindset shift, leadership, and new approaches for success in a period of uncertain change.

So, what might networking look like amid all of these changes?

“Starting with the lighter side – I think there will be some awkward moments as we come together face-to-face for the first time… should we hug? Should we shake hands? Should we elbow bump? And the list goes on,” muses Karamat. “Networking is more than commerce and learning; it feeds our soul as humans for deeper connections.

So, in the short term, there will be hesitation based on safety and the fact that we have been physically apart for almost 18 months, but what we do better than any other industry is connecting people with purpose to ideas and opportunities that create economic and personal growth.”

Ultimately, Karamat says, networking will remain alive and well and will be enhanced as everyone adapts digitization to help make it even more meaningful.

The pandemic while profoundly difficult on everyone, also provided the opportunity to experiment by trying new approaches. Now is the time to put those learnings into multi-channel experiences that will drive greater busi-

ness opportunities and relationship building, urges Karamat.

“During the pandemic we also had many other social movements that, as associations implement, will foster better business opportunities and relationships, and by this I am speaking about inclusion and equity for all. There is nothing better for business and relationship building than creating environments where everyone feels like they belong, and are respected and included,” Karamat continues. “At PCMA, through our Ascent leadership initiative, we promote equity, inclusion and diversity across the business events industry and beyond. PCMA seeks to empower those challenged by gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or disabilities to find success. As associations move from ‘talk’ to ‘action,’ this will pay major dividends in business and relationship outcomes.”relationship outcomes.” MPI PHL Awards Gala on Pando at the Inception Company, Ambler, PA

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