Impacts of Advocacy On Your Meetings
In Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Advocacy is an impactful concept many have not grasped the depth and breadth of – especially since current events have pushed us in our work and personal lives to influence and champion causes. The textbook definition of advocacy is “the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal,” according to Merriam-Webster. But what does advocacy mean for the meetings and event industry? And how does it elevate your business?
While championing causes in general is valiant and valuable, meeting professionals can specifically promote advocacy through mentorship, industry involvement and community connections in meeting destinations.
Advocacy through Mentorship
Investing in the future leaders of any industry is vital in building advocates for industry-specific causes as well as your organization or association’s bottom line and culture. In the workplace, there is always room for team members to benefit from both sides of mentorship – pouring into others and growing from others’ perspectives.
Further, students interested in pursuing careers in the meetings space need professionals to lean on, and real-world experience is key in developing their skills ahead of graduation. Meetings and event pros should consider mentoring through the student membership portion of their industry associations.
So how does mentorship translate into advocacy? Whether your organization or professional association stands for improving accessible travel, neuro-inclusivity, or sustainability initiatives, you can educate and influence others on issues that matter in the meetings and event space.
Advocacy through Industry Involvement
Lobbying alongside professional meetings and event organizations, such as Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the National Association for Catering & Events (NACE) and the Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA), can make a significant impact.
For example, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) – an association coalition – sponsors a legislative action day in Washington, DC, where meetings and event leaders meet with Congress members to advocate for policies impacting the industry. Associations representing various industries can also advocate for public policy on issues affecting their niche, from insurance and finance to healthcare and hospitality.
You don’t need to be an elected official to advocate for causes impacting your sector. Get involved in an industry association and blaze a trail alongside them.
Advocacy through Local Community Connection
According to Tommy Goodwin, vice president of government affairs for the ECA, in a January 2023 Skift story on advocacy, “One of the biggest issues facing the events industry is how we bring people together while also being conscious of the environmental impact.” So why not incorporate social responsibility into your conferences and conventions?
Making a conscious effort to include community service, big or small, in your events elevates your organization and the destinations you do business with to host meetings. In Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama’s 32-mile white-sand beach destination, there are many opportunities for groups of various sizes to participate in coastal cleanups, advocating for the area’s Leave Only Footprints initiative and other responsible tourism efforts. Starting small by going digital with your communications (rather than printed save-the-dates) can go a long way and is a big cost-saver.
In essence, meeting and event advocacy goes far beyond supporting a cause. It takes investment in mentorship, industry involvement and community connection – all wins that elevate your personal and organizational impact and core values.
