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NCTE partnered with Forj to reimagine their signature event as a dynamic, immersive virtual convention that delivered value to attendees and accomplished the organization’s goals of learning, collaborating, and connecting. The consensus from the community was clear—NCTE’s members were energized by the opportunity to share their collective voice and impact.
Finding ways to reach new people has been a happy advantage of many associations shifting to a digital-first approach. Reacting to a rapidly changing environment, many association leaders have increased their reliance on virtual events and other opportunities for online engagement.
As people seek new and better ways to link with like-minded peers and learn from industry experts, many see professional associations and their member communities as the best way to forge those connections.
One of the many events that’s constantly evolving is the traditional holiday party. More and more organizations are forgoing the office potlucks and evenings out, opting instead for creative and flexible ways to connect colleagues and members during the festive season.
Sponsorship has long been a big driver of associations' non-dues revenue, and the need for solid sponsor partnerships is only getting stronger. Recent studies have indicated virtual events are increasingly more reliant on sponsorship as their primary source of revenue.
In the past, association professionals have depended on less-than-reliable figures for event measurement, and all too often, the data collected sat untouched and untapped.
As an association professional, you know that events are critical to creating member value. Although too often, you might be blinded by your own event goals and lose sight of a critical component of event success: the attendee experience.
When you develop a virtual conference or event, you always have high hopes that your keynote speakers and panelists will excite your audience members and leave them with wonderful insights and ideas. You also want your speakers to attract a high number of attendees to their sessions, keep them engaged throughout the presentation and get rave reviews in satisfaction surveys. But, what percentage of your speakers are actually living up to those high expectations? If you’re like most event planners, you have had more than a few underperforming speakers, as well as a few no-shows. This guide will help you make your next event speaker a star.
Recent surveys of meeting and event planners consistently show that about 80 percent will hold their next in-person event in the second half of this year, with a recent uptick in event planning in the U.S. due mostly to progress in COVID-19 immunizations. While this is great news for associations that rely on event marketing for revenue generation and member engagement, it comes with many risks as well as opportunities.
In 2021 and beyond, virtual events will grow in importance as part of our digital marketing mix, and we'll need to create more value for our associations, our members and our sponsors.
