SMC welcomes a new partnership with Associations Forum
General Manager Paul Davison and the team at Sydney Masonic Centre are pleased to announce a new partnership with Associations Forum, the peak body for associations, not-for-profit organisations, clubs, charities, foundations and special interest groups.
Associations Forum is a commercial member-based network of over 500 member organisations established to share knowledge and best practice in governance, operations, memberships and finance. As well as those in Australia, Associations Forum connects and assists organisations and charities in New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Africa and beyond.
“We have long admired Associations Forum for their leadership in providing 360 degree support, professional development and networking opportunities for their members,” says Paul. “We welcome this new partnership as a way to consolidate and further extend our own work with charities and associations, and especially to offer our unique venue and event services to their members.”
Corporate Partnerships Manager of Associations Forum Blair Barker says “the partnership provides an ideal platform to showcase SMC’s conference and meetings facilities and amenities to our members for all manner of events, from board meetings to full-scale international conferences. It creates a virtuous circle as SMC are adept at supporting not-for-profits and organisations to create the best events possible for their delegates.”
Asked what made SMC attractive as a partner, Blair responded that the top-to-toe refurbishment with the latest technology makes SMC ideal for running events of any scale. “Having such advanced and integrated technology – including the capacity for live streaming – means that associations can run events that reach all their members whether they are in town or farther afield. It is a great venue because it is very versatile and not intimidatingly big or sterile. It is also perfectly located in Sydney CBD, which is always seen as a great destination.”
Associations Forum has two of its own events slated for early 2020 at SMC. The first is the Networking Breakfast on 11 February, which gives association members a chance to come together and share their experiences and challenges across sectors. The other is the one-day Database Summit and Showcase that offers a chance to deep-dive into database management, systems integration and data mining that is vital for membership growth and retention. SMC will also be exhibiting at Association Forum’s 2020 National Conference.
When it comes to running events with SMC, Blair shares her top five tips for association event organisers:
- Keep your task list up-to-date
- Delegate tasks and trust your team
- Flag issues early and always have a back-up plan
- Allow buffer time before and between events
- Go with the flow and trust the SMC team
To assist association members with their planning, SMC Sales Director Scott Cooper reveals his 2020 Convention for Conventions.
Pre-Convention
- Check Numbers: SMC has capacity for up to 600 in a theatre setting with 10 break out rooms and dedicated catering/exhibition spaces
- Flexible minimum numbers, deposit and payment conditions
- Go Green: SMC’s sustainability policy is applauded by Office of Environment & Heritage
- Top Location: Convenient to train stations, buses, parking and a choice of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels
- Event Manager: Dedicated SMC event planning specialist from quote to event day
- Pre-Planning: Complimentary hosting of a committee planning meeting
- On Show: Complimentary exhibition room hire for events with 300 + conference packages per day
During Your Convention
- Confidence Assured: SMC’s dedicated Floor Manager is across every aspect of your event
- Complimentary Wi-Fi connection at Registration Desk / Secretariat
- Wi-Fi: Stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi in Lobby areas for delegates and cabled fibre optic internet connection with 1000mbps upload and download
- Digital directional event wayfinding signage that you can update on the fly
- SMC catering for all dietary requirements, with “always on menu” options for vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free and halal guests
Post-Convention
- Feedback form and event debrief
- Efficient invoicing process
- Genuine appreciation for your business
- Lock in your next event
- Tell a friend
SMC has limited spaces and dates available for last-minute festive plans. Popular Christmas party options include the Not So Silent Night package and the December to Remember package. For details, head to: smcfc.com.au/christmas-packages.html
For festive functions or events that will kick-start 2020, SMC has a host of creative options to help enhance and theme any event. Talk to SMC’s venue experts to tailor creative event and catering solutions for your next function.