Conferences and special events are the cornerstones for many associations and non-profit organizations. At Miller Wenhold Association Management, we excel at conceptualizing, planning, and executing world-class meetings, conferences, conventions, and special events for our partners. Whether it is a 10-person retreat or a 1,000+ member annual convention, trade show, and exhibit hall, our team has the experience, expertise, and know-how to “Wow!” your attendees, deliver the learning experiences and networking and that they will value … and keep coming back year after year.

Meeting Management: We currently manage a wide-range of association meetings including full annual meeting conferences and exhibits, legislative fly-ins, professional workshops, seminars, and webinars, as well as small meetings such as board and committee level meetings.This includes managing site selection, hotel negotiations, registration, housing, food and beverage, transportation, education program development, social activities, off-site activities, and exhibit hall management. With Miller Wenhold Association Management you can rest assured that your meetings and conference will be managed effectively, efficiently, and economically in a way that adds value while safeguarding (and bolstering!) your bottom line.

For all major meetings and conferences, Miller Wenhold Association Management will provide all of the following services including:

Site selection
Housing selection and management
Transportation options
Food and beverage management
Event security
On-site and off-site social events
Airline and auto rental discounts
Session coordination
Audio-visual management
Advance online registration
Program development
Speaker scheduling and logistics
Educational track development
Registration fee collection and recording
Attendee lists and session evaluations
CEU and education records clearinghouse

In addition, our meetings and conferences team will leverage their significant expertise on behalf of your association in the following ways:

Site selection & Contract Management

Our team works with industry leaders including the Professional Convention Management Association, Meeting Planners International, IMEX Group, and many convention and visitors bureaus to support site selection and contract negotiations, which often begin years in advance of meetings and conferences.

After site selection, we will work with you to create a realistic budget that meets the needs of each event but does not break the bank. To that end, our team will then aggressively manage contracts with hotels and other event facilities to ensure your association gets the best possible deal and avoids surprises. We pay close attention to minimum, cancellation fees, and attrition penalties... and work tirelessly to keep those liabilities to a minimum. We are also aggressive about ensuring our clients do not get “nickel and dimed” by their hotel and event facilities. Charges for meeting rooms, room flipping, bartenders and food station attendants, and extra supplies add up quickly. Our philosophy is that each dollar we save your association can be reinvested into the association to serve your mission and members.

Marketing

Miller Wenhold Association Management aggressively markets your events to make sure you have the broadest possible attendance. Working together with the board of directors to ensure your events are conceptualized and delivered in a manner consistent with your vision, this includes:

Development of meeting theme and creation of a distinctive meeting logo
Design and production of registration brochures, exhibitor prospectuses, and on-site signage
Development of direct mail, email, and advertisements promoting the event
Social media promotion (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al.)
Aggressive outreach and attendance generation
Develop and implement a corporate partner recognition program that attracts them to support events using new creative ways to keep your corporate partners both engaged and invested in your association long-term.

Registration

Through our event-management partner, Miller Wenhold Association offers full-service registration management solutions for our clients. This include:

Internet-based registration for attendees and exhibitors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Development of registration forms for online registration, pre-registration, and on-site registration
A unique URL to provide a transparent link from your associations website to the registration website
Attendee database management, with data fed back to your association management system
Confirmations and countdown updates to registered attendees
Customized badges with the conference logo, QR codes for badge scanning, etc.
Customized tickets for all special events and off-site activities
Registration packed preparation
Pre-conference and post-conference registration lists
Weekly registration and revenue reports
Tailored attendee reports including attendees by state, job title, etc.

Onsite Conference & Event Management

Throughout the meeting and conference planning process, our team develops a “playbook” with all the contracts, meeting specifications, and all other important details. It serves as the blueprint we execute against when event time arrives to ensure logistics are managed smoothly and there are no mistakes.

In delivering against our “playbook,” we will provide all the following onsite services for your association:

Full on-site staffing and management
On-site registration
Coordination and oversight of all food and beverage events, menus, timing, etc.
Coordination of sponsor benefits (signage and other handouts) consistent with sponsorship level
Quality control of all meeting signage (directions, speaker presentation, etc.)
Exhibit hall management including decoration, set-up and tear-down support, and third-party corporate partners management (A/V, signage, security if necessary, etc.)
VIP and special guest logistics coordination and management
Management of tours, golf tournaments, and other special events for members, families, and other honored guests, including transportation, off-site meals, and entertainment

Post-Conference Activities

Even after each event concludes, Miller Wenhold Association Management support continues. Our post-conference support includes:

Compilation of conference evaluations
Review and reconciliation of all bills and invoices
Compilation and reporting of key meeting statistics
Allocation of revenue for posting within the general ledger
Preparation financial statement vs. budget

Industry Partnerships: Support from industry partners allows your association to maximize its mission and provide additional member benefits and impact for members. As your internal team, our team will aggressively seek out sponsorships for events, conferences, and other in-person and virtual learning programs. Our team has a long-track record of developing sponsor recognition programs and recruiting organizations seeking to be recognized by associations and their members for the value they provide to the industry and profession.

Beyond the traditional event sponsorship context, Miller Wenhold Association Management will also work with the board of directors to explore new vehicles for industry support of your associations mission. This could include co-branded thought leadership, sponsorship of other programs and assets, social media advertising, and more.

Online/Virtual Events: Our team has experience in creating, promoting, and executing virtual events. We have the technological knowledge needed to run a successful virtual event large or small with security always a priority. To provide a top tier experience for all attendees, we manage registrations, distribute event link, work with any presenter(s) or speakers, create or manage power points, provide necessary audio/visual equipment, and conduct all follow up necessary to trap any data.

EVENT MANAGEMENT