Q: Our annual conference and expo is in November. We are hearing from members who are saying that their companies will not be allowed to exhibit at any trade shows for the rest of this year. Are associations allowing more flexible cancellation terms? Allowing credits for the following year? Allowing refunds or refunds minus a percentage?

A: Due to the current situation we’re in, we need to balance the need to be flexible for the long term relationship with the exhibitors, and still support the revenue for the organization. We have approached this in a number of ways:

• Grant a full refund;
• Grant a partial refund and retain the balance as revenue for the cancelled event;
• Grant a partial refund and assign the balance as credit for the following year event;
• Grant a partial refund, and change the category of the balance of the revenue as a donation to allow for tax credit;
• No refund, but assign the balance as credit for the following year event
• No refund, but change the category of the revenue as a donation to allow for tax credit
• No refund

There are influences to your decision as to which path you take, such as:

• How close to the planned event is the cancellation
• How long has the exhibitor been supporting the association
• Are we providing replacement benefits to deliver alternative exposure (website presence, email lists, hosted webinar, virtual events, focus groups);
• Willingness of the exhibitor to support the association by converting the fees to a contribution.

There is no one answer but there are choices. We need to remember this is a crisis that we are all in together, and that we have a relationship with our sponsor and exhibitor partners, so be open about your challenge with them and allow them to help you in this situation to ensure the survival of your organization.

Phelps R. Hope, CMP, SVP, Kellen. Phelps and his Atlanta-based team are responsible for global meetings & exhibitions, including NYSAE’s Meet NY.