At IMEX America earlier this month, SITE hosted more than 80 global chapter leaders to discuss the organization’s future direction and the crucial role chapters play. Membership grew to include more than 3,000 professionals this year—a new record for SITE.
One of the most pressing discussions during this year’s IMEX Chapter Leaders Meeting, created and led by Chapter Relations Specialist Dani Kloap, focused on how to engage chapters dispersed across wider geographic regions: a new reality more chapters will continue to face, as SITE continues growing its footprint.
As SITE looks to enhance its impact worldwide, engaging members regionally has become a top priority for many local leaders. Here’s what chapter leaders are doing now to connect members, no matter how many miles stand between them.
Leveraging Local Events
Chapters have found some success in coordinating meet-ups and other member-focused events in line with larger regional gatherings such as trade shows or wide industry conferences. Piggybacking on these events gives chapters an opportunity to boost attendance at chapter gatherings and fosters built-in networking opportunities.
A representative from SITE Australia & New Zealand, for instance, highlighted how strategically timing their chapter’s in-person meetings around marquee ANZ industry events has strengthened their community and introduced new beneficial connection opportunities for chapter members.
Strengthening Communication
Building a robust communication strategy is key to connecting with members across vast distances, leaders agreed.
Establishing consistent channels, such as newsletters, social media platforms, and dedicated online communities (more on this coming soon from SITE HQ, in 2025) keeps members informed and engaged about chapter happenings.
Planning for Succession Planning
Leaders in the room at IMEX America also readily identified the need to develop and stick to a clear succession plan, with leadership turning over every year or two.
Jen Brown from SITE Midwest elaborated on their chapter’s approach, where the incoming president acts as the VP of Strategy. This allows for strategic preparation, Brown said, and has resulted in smoother leadership transitions within the chapter—even across a large region like the Midwestern US.
Purposefully Collaborating Across Borders
During the IMEX meeting, it was noted how other SITE chapters are taking the lead in their regional collaborative efforts, extending beyond national borders to make all members feel welcome.
The newly revamped SITE Spain & Portugal chapter, for instance, has been able to form successful partnerships this year that have helped members share resources, benefit from combined events, and enjoy an overall richer exchange of ideas and information with one another.
An example of collaborating across borders will be highlighted during IBTM Barcelona. SITE Spain & Portugal have intentionally organized an event bringing together Spain, Portugal and the LATAM region.Â
Stay tuned for more updates from SITE’s next in-person chapter leader meeting, which will take place in March 2025 just before SITE Global Conference in Tulum, Mexico.
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