--- title: "Virtual Meetings for Members Who Can’t Attend" id: "16642" type: "post" slug: "virtual-meetings-for-members-who-cant-attend" published_at: "2013-03-29T21:29:08+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:04:13+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/29/virtual-meetings-for-members-who-cant-attend/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/29/virtual-meetings-for-members-who-cant-attend.md" excerpt: "An association sets up a virtual conference each year for the members who can’t make it. Also: Don’t treat networking like it’s a verb." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "conferences" - "Meetings" - "Networking" - "Virtual Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Virtual Meetings for Members Who Can’t Attend With today’s technology, all your members can attend your next conference, even if they never leave their offices. That, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Why Virtual meetings Work > How this association’s hybrid conference provided services to virtual participants [http://t.co/LkdghXkDHs (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/LkdghXkDHs) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Stova (@stovatech) [March 29, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/stovatech/status/317697663153876992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Would you attend a virtual conference** if your association offered one? Recognizing there was no way 22,000 members across the nation could travel to its conference, the American Payroll Association [developed a system in which its members could experience the conference (opens in a new tab)](http://www.bizbash.com/how_an_associations_virtual_conference_provides_service_to_members_who_cant_travel/new-york/story/25537#sthash.tiDv1tWU.7NZfIP1q.dpbs) : Virtual Congress. It’s a one-day online event where members can get access to a sample of educational programming and can visit a virtual exhibit hall—all for free. Would your association benefit from offering a virtual conference option for your members? *(ht [@etouches (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/etouches/status/317697663153876992) )* ### To network or not to network? > Why Networking Does Work by [@thomsinger (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/thomsinger?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/NWBBTgSk13 (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/NWBBTgSk13) > [#pcma (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/pcma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Dave Lutz (@VelChain) [March 29, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/VelChain/status/317650238200508417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Networking isn’t just a buzzword,** it’s part of the professional lifestyle. Nowadays, there are plenty of ways to network and keep in touch with people you meet at conferences or meetings. But don’t think of networking just as working a room, [conference professional and speaker Thom Singer advises (opens in a new tab)](http://thomsinger.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-networking-does-work.html?spref=tw) , because it’s much bigger than that. “Networking should not be seen as a verb—’Oh, I need to Go Network.’ Instead it is a lifestyle and a commitment to the people you encounter in your community,” he writes. *(ht [@VelChain (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/VelChain/status/317650238200508417) )* Have you been sharing some cool links today? Share them with us! We’d love to hear them. [Anita Ferrer](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Anita Ferrer is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Tags: [#conferences](https://associationsnow.com/tag/conferences/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Networking](https://associationsnow.com/tag/networking/) [#Virtual Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/virtual-meetings/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoAshley Cobb Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/ashley-cobb-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoJenny Teeson, CHSE Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/jenny-teeson-chse-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoJanel Johnson Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 11, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/11/janel-johnson-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoAshley Walton Shares Her Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 11, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/11/ashley-walton-shares-her-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F03%2F29%2Fvirtual-meetings-for-members-who-cant-attend%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !