Category: Articles

Drive Your ROI with Professional Meeting Planning

Posted on by Julianne Fitzpatrick

The team of AMS Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs) is the SEAL Team 6 of event planners — trained, prepared, and always ready for the next mission.

In today’s complex world, discerning clients rely on AMS to deliver innovative, expertly planned, and flawlessly executed events. Our team brings knowledge, experience, creativity, resourcefulness, and nerves of steel. A challenge hates to see us coming.

Expert Strategy + Tactical Precision

From onsite tactical responsiveness such as managing power outages and customs delays, to the 30,000 ft view of negotiating rising food and beverage costs, forecasting and implementing attendee experience trends and strategically incorporating AI, the role of a professional meeting planner is both tactician and magician. They combine precision and imagination to deliver exceptional results.

The AMS Difference

With decades of collective experience, our professionals know that no matter how well you plan, surprises happen. The AMS difference is in our response — agile, strategic, and always centered on your success.

Professional meeting planning ensures your event delivers measurable ROI.

Consider the cost of not partnering with AMS — a team that inherently understands:

  • Cost control
  • Efficiency
  • Risk management
  • User experience
  • Lead generation
  • Brand awareness
  • Data analysis

Our special sauce? We make it look easy.

“AMS excelled in providing efficient and effective planning and management services. They identified and solved issues before they became serious problems, maintained positive relationships with all parties, and addressed every question and concern from a diverse set of attendees and speakers.

We are very pleased with the professional level of service provided. As an extra bonus, they are a pleasure to work with.”
— Karen O’Donoghue, former Director, Internet Trust and Technology, Internet Society

Let Us Plan Your Best Event Yet

Whether you’re planning a hybrid association meeting, strategic planning retreat, multi-day trade show, or large international conference, our Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) are ready to deliver your best event yet.

We’re already booking into 2026 so contact us today at events@amsl.com.

Building Community is the Best Investment in Your Association

Posted on by Julianne Fitzpatrick

An interconnected community is the foundation of a successful association.

One of the key roles for association leaders and staff is to create opportunities for connection. The more we invest in community and developing those relationships, the more meaningful our communication, engagement and results become. In simple terms, you give what you get. Whether your association meets in-person, online or a combination of the two, we’ve created a list of proven strategies to improve engagement between association stakeholders:

Understand Your Audience

In any group of professionals there will inevitably be a mix of introverts and extroverts. Where in the past traditional ‘meet and greet’ receptions may have been the order of the day, association managers and event managers like the team at AMS, know to carefully consider the engagement style of attendees when planning events to create the most positive impact. Surveying attendees when they register provides insight in attendee preferences which can be incorporated into your meeting and event planning. For example, creating novel newcomer events before the official program kicks-off enables new folks to meet and connect so they don’t feel lost in the shuffle. Low-pressure interactive games enable participants to share a fun experience that can be a springboard to innovation, creativity and professional collaboration.   

Invest in Your Participants   

Association leaders are among the hardest working people at any association event, often juggling multiple roles and responsibilities with limited bandwidth. Nevertheless, when leaders invest time to engage with newcomers and regular attendees, the ROI can’t be overstated. Participants feel valued and motivated so the organization experiences less turnover. Engaged participants translate into increased membership retention and renewals because participants feel appreciated and invest themselves in the long-term success of the organization. Win-Win! 

Do Well by Doing Good

Recently a client connected with Labdoo, a global collective social network that collects unused computers for schools in need. The effort was enthusiastically embraced by attendees who brought their unused computers to the organization’s Q2 meeting where the items were collected by the staff. The partnership was overwhelmingly viewed as positive by donors.  

As this and other examples show, providing simple but meaningful opportunities to give back to charitable organizations creates sustained goodwill among association colleagues, reinforces the brand identity of the organization and its core values while supporting under served communities and making a difference.

Cherish the Volunteer

Volunteers are the life blood of any association. They work long hours behind the scenes, they keep the organization on track and moving forward. Volunteers rarely seek recognition but it’s important to highlight their efforts to acknowledge their dedication and to inspire others. Whether through a formal award program, a recommendation letter, a newsletter profile, a gift card – even a hand written note – it’s important to shine a light on those who truly make a difference in the success of your organization. Volunteers are more likely to continue volunteering and to recruit others when they feel appreciated.

Collaboration Cohorts Spark Innovation and Belonging

Collaboration Cohorts or peer-to-peer learning circles, are small, informal groups that meet regularly. These cohorts allow participants to collaborate, share resources, exchange ideas, and support each other in a low-pressure, high-value setting. Unlike traditional panels or presentations, these member-led groups focus on conversation and connection. Whether centered around job roles, career stages, or industry topics, they create opportunities for participants to both give and receive knowledge—building trust, confidence, and community along the way.

Start small with a few pilot groups and expand based on interest. The results speak for themselves: when members feel heard, supported, and connected, they stick around—and they show up.

In summary, people may initially join an association for a business or personal reason, but they often stay for the people they’ve met and the relationships they’ve built along the way. Community. Collaboration. Connection – The 3 Cs that we value at AMS!

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