--- title: "Annual Meetings: Conference Disaster Warning Signals" id: "26499" type: "post" slug: "annual-meetings-conference-disaster-warning-signals" published_at: "2014-12-12T20:24:17+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T13:14:10+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/12/12/annual-meetings-conference-disaster-warning-signals/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/12/12/annual-meetings-conference-disaster-warning-signals.md" excerpt: "Don't get caught off-guard by a sudden drop in attendance or sponsorships at your annual meeting. Also: A leading association exec breaks down strategies for managing your time." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "attendance" - "C-suite" - "conference planning" - "event engagement" - "Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Annual Meetings: Conference Disaster Warning Signals There’s a point where you can tell the foundation of your event is breaking down—say, when repeat attendance drops below 50 percent, or sponsorship renewal drops below 75 percent. But it’s always better to know what’s coming before it’s too late to fix the problem. That’s why Donna Kastner’s latest post on the Velvet Chainsaw Consulting blog is worth a read. “Just as geographic fault lines are the product of years of disruptions below the surface, there are observable precursors to measure shatterpoints,” she writes. “Detection of these early warning signs requires observation and understanding of conference attendee participation and behavior patterns.” [Kastner breaks down six different behavioral warning signs (opens in a new tab)](http://velvetchainsaw.com/2014/12/12/six-early-behavioral-warning-signs-to-monitor-your-conference-sustainability/) , and they’re all things that can be caught before an event (like a drop in early-bird signups, or an increase in temporary email addresses) or during an event (like a drop in attendance at individual sessions, or a quieter expo floor). If you know the warning signs, you can correct course before the drop-offs hit. ### Take it to the Limit http://vimeo.com/112855484 **If there’s one thing** that truckers need to know how to do, it’s manage their time. Which is why Bill Graves, the president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, is just the guy to talk to about time management. In the latest episode of [CEO Update (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ceoupdate.com/) ‘s Association Newsmakers interview series, Graves, a former Kansas governor who grew up in a trucking family, tells David Rehr, a professor at George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, his secrets for effective time management. “I understand that I’ve signed up for a really hard, demanding job,” Graves says, “and therefore you have to just simply force yourself to stay on top of all the issues that confront you, when they confront you.” Be sure to watch the whole clip above to hear Graves’ thoughts on delegation and other time-management necessities. ### Other Links of Note **Your online community needs marketing, too:** *Socious*‘ Katie Bapple notes the value of [getting your community’s brand out there (opens in a new tab)](http://info.socious.com/bid/73275/Why-Marketing-Your-Online-Community-is-Critical-to-Its-Success) . **Bite-size leadership advice:** [Inc.com‘s John Brandon did us all a favor (opens in a new tab)](http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/20-leadership-experts-share-their-best-leadership-tip.html) and gathered up 20 brief tips about leadership from 20 veteran leaders who know what they’re talking about. **Keep digging and you’ll find the gems:** *SocialFish* shares an awesome infographic [on Google searching techniques (opens in a new tab)](http://www.socialfish.org/2014/12/cool-infographic-friday-google/) . (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#attendance](https://associationsnow.com/tag/attendance/) [#C-suite](https://associationsnow.com/tag/c-suite/) [#conference planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/conference-planning/) [#event engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-engagement/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/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 - [VideoSmarter Board Management for Associations: An OnBoard ShowcaseJuly 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/24/smarter-board-management-for-associations-an-onboard-showcase/) - [ArticleWhat Associations Need to Know About Exhibitor ManagementJuly 1, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/07/01/what-associations-need-to-know-about-exhibitor-management/) - [TemplateMembers onlyNo Show Policy for Paper PresentationJuly 20, 2018](https://associationsnow.com/2018/07/20/no-show-policy-for-paper-presentation/) - [ArticleHow ISTE Used NFTs As An Event Engagement ToolJanuary 20, 2022](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/20/how-iste-used-nfts-as-an-event-engagement-tool/) ## 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%2F2014%2F12%2F12%2Fannual-meetings-conference-disaster-warning-signals%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !