opportunities , lasting working relationships and enhanced professionalism .
We are proud of our network , and the sense of belonging we nurture provides our members with a go-to community of like-minded professional conference organisers and key industry partners .
The marketplace is changing rapidly , and it is our role at ABPCO – as it should be in any association – to ensure that our members stay resilient and ahead of the curve . We want to empower our members to be agile and be open to change so that we can help them to enhance their skills and grow .
Strategic goals and plans are useful tools , but they need to remain flexible to suit changing market forces . Ours is currently focused on the several key areas that we believe offer maximum value to our members .
Our value proposition ensures that we remain the UK ’ s leading representative for professional conference organisers . To achieve this , we have a specific and focused offering for our members built on the most important foundation for any association : knowledge and understanding of our membership . We know our community , just as our members know theirs . It is perhaps the most vital element to the success of any association .
Through this knowledge we are able to facilitate career-path development , including welcoming the next generation of PCOs . In fact , we have had a number of event-management students joining in the past few months , and we have been working hard with our academic community to develop a number of projects , including research that will be of benefit to the whole market .
Support network Following in the footsteps of our own members and listening to their success stories , we are also demonstrating best practice by encouraging and nurturing business opportunities for members including our industry partners and supplier network .
Member benefits are crucial to successful retention and growth for any association . For ABPCO , this is particularly focused on personal growth , learning and skills attainment through peer to peer and other solutions . Members join on an individual basis and therefore need to see individual gain in addition to how ABPCO can support their wider organisation ( if appropriate ) and the industry as a whole .
For us , in simplest terms we ensure members are able to grow and improve in the delivery of meetings management services to associations , they learn from their peers and can utilise that learning within their own organisations in an innovative and creative fashion . This , in turn , allows members to develop and promote themselves as solutionorientated professional strategists who understand how conferences and events support an organisation ’ s business resilience and sustainability goals . They drive engagement within associations , have a commercial outlook and are recognised for their professionalism .
Above : Heather Lishman , association director , ABPCO
In fact , it is the word ‘ professional ’ that makes the members of any truly professional association stand out . ABPCO is no different , which is why we offer not just ongoing support and member development , but also accredit our members in the first place . The process of accreditation and re-accreditation ensures the integrity of our membership and in the long run leads to a more professional association and therefore industry as a whole .
Finally , it is vital that ABPCO continues to grow its contribution to the events industry . Like other associations in the industry , we are in a position to deliver positive change , not just for our members but also for our partners , suppliers , future members and more . If we achieve this , if we work together as an industry and collaborate , we will achieve so much more . We do have a lot of niche associations in our industry but that is because we offer niche services with truly focused specialities . We can each nurture and support our members while working together on wider industry issues and lobbying . Covid-19 has seen this happen already ; long may it continue .
9 Association comment
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