Beyond the Buzz: Real-World Tactics to Get Your Audience to Show Up

In a time when attention is fragmented and inboxes are overflowing, getting people to register is hard — and getting them to care is even harder. So how do we cut through the noise and design event marketing that truly gets people's attention?

In this practical and insight-rich session, ICCA’s Shawn Cheng brings an international perspective back to his roots as a seasoned event strategist. Blending lessons from global and regional events with practical tactics any planner can use, this session will explore what’s actually working in event marketing today — and how to apply it to your own programs.

We’ll unpack:

• How to build attendee personas that drive better messaging
• Smarter segmentation and channel strategies (without needing a full digital team)
• The right (and wrong) ways to use AI to scale your marketing
• New thinking on engagement before, during, and after the event

Walk away with tools, templates, and tested ideas to help your next event stand out — not just for showing up in inboxes, but for showing up in person.

Shawn (Yih-Hsing), Cheng CMP CEDRegional Director, North America ICCA

Driven by decades of experience and a passion for crafting transformative experiences across business sectors, making Shawn one of the most sought-after strategists in the business events industry.

Over the years, he had the privilege of strategizing, planning, and executing transformative events—from intimate executive gatherings to citywide international conferences. As the Regional Director for North America at ICCA, Shawn is committed to driving growth and fostering collaboration within the business meetings and events industry both regionally and globally.

Named "Planner of the Year" by Smart Meetings and part of the "40 Under 40" by Connext x BizBash, Shawn was honoured with recognition as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Event Technology professionals by Eventex in 2023, a testament to his reputation as a thought leader in the business event landscape.

In 2024, Shawn was named the "Digital Experience Strategist of the Year" at the PCMA Visionary Award and was later named “Meeting Industry Influencer” by Northstart Meetings Group.

Shawn is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), a Certified Digital Event Strategist (DES), and a Certified Event Designer (CED).

Doors open: 4:00pm

Welcome by MPI: 4:35pm

Speaker: 4:45 - 5:30pm

Questions: 5:30pm

Event Over by 7:00pm

Tours of the DoubleTree by Hilton Edmonton Downtown will follow the event.

*Tickets are non-refundable and a portion of the proceeds will support the MPI Foundation

Also check out other Meetups in Edmonton, Arts events in Edmonton, Nonprofit events in Edmonton.