Conference Recap: 2026 Membership & Revenue Development Conference

More than 170 chamber professionals recently attended ACCE’s Membership & Revenue Development Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss strategies and trends in membership, sponsorship and non-dues revenue. The conference was sponsored by gold sponsor, RDG, A Convergent Company and silver sponsors, EF Go Ahead Tours and GrowthZone.

The event also hosted a special awards luncheon, honoring the 2025 Sales Contest winners. Top performers in total number of new membership sales, dollar amount of new membership sales and dollar amount of sponsorship sales were recognized.

Thank you to the Greater Des Moines Partnership for hosting us.  

Here are some the conference's highlights and takeaways. 

Mastering the Sales Meeting 

One Louisville’s (Ky.) Jordan Clemons, senior director of investor services, led a practical session on how to run more effective sales meetings, starting with a simple truth: “You rise to the occasion, but you fall to your level of preparation.” Clemons outlined a three-part framework to help professionals prepare, present and close with confidence. 

• Prepare with intent. You don’t earn the close in the meeting; you earn it before the meeting. Come in knowing the prospect’s goals, challenges and potential opportunities. Pro tip: Request key information before agreeing to meet to ensure a more productive conversation. 

• Present with authenticity. Shift from pitching to discovering. Focus on aligning their need → your capability → their outcome. Guide the conversation with thoughtful questions. Pro tip: Ask questions people want to answer, like “What prompted you to take this meeting?” or “What does success look like in 12 months?” 
• Close with clarity. When a meeting is aligned, the close should feel natural-not forced. Pro tip: Leave every meeting with clear next steps, including a defined decision-maker, agreed-upon timeline and scheduled follow-up. 

Revenue Ideas to Impact 

Sustainable non-dues revenue isn’t built on volume; it’s built on intention. Juliet Abdel, CCE, IOM, president and CEO of Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance (Iowa), and Beth Truelove, IOM, GCCE, president of the White County Chamber of Commerce (Ga.), highlighted how a more focused, strategic approach can actually drive better results. 

• Be strategic, not reactive. Avoid “calendar creep” and one-off ideas by evaluating every program against clear criteria like revenue potential, mission alignment, brand impact and staff capacity. 
• Focus on fewer, bigger wins. Instead of spreading resources across many small events, prioritize a handful of well-executed, signature experiences that can grow and scale. 
• Rethink sponsorship models. Fewer higher-value sponsors can often deliver the same (or better) results with less administrative burden than managing many small sponsors. 
• Know your true costs. Accurately factor in staff time and effort to ensure initiatives are financially sustainable, not just well-intentioned. 

The big idea: Sustainable revenue growth doesn’t come from doing more; it comes from being intentional about what’s worth doing. 

Using Investor Insights to Drive Sponsorship Sales 

Michelle Glenn, membership development director from the Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce (Mo.), and DeQuanda Smith, director of sales at the Greater Memphis Chamber (Tenn.), delivered a dynamic session on how to turn member insights and data into stronger sponsorship sales. At the core was a simple shift: Stop selling packages and start solving problems. Using a Member Needs Analysis, Glenn emphasized building trust through intentional listening, encouraging attendees to ditch the sales pitch, ask thoughtful questions and uncover real business challenges before recommending solutions. Don’t bring materials, bring curiosity. 

Smith reinforced this approach by highlighting the power of data in sales conversations. When used effectively, data positions you as a strategic advisor, builds credibility and shifts discussions from pitching to problem-solving. Use data to demonstrate broader impact and reduce perceived risk for decision-makers. Together, their message was clear: when you combine meaningful insights with data-backed storytelling, sponsorship sales become less about selling and more about delivering value. 

New Non-Dues Revenue Ideas 

Diversifying revenue streams doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel. The “30 Non-Dues Revenue Ideas in 30 Minutes” session highlighted practical and creative concepts chambers are already using to generate income and boost engagement. A few standouts: 

• Advocacy email sponsorships. Sell banner or featured sponsorship space in a newsletter you already send with high open rates (such as legislative updates or regular member reports) to create a simple, high-value non-dues revenue stream. 
• Pie-in-the-face fundraising bracket. A March Madness–style competition where participants donate to vote their favorites through each round, culminating in a live, crowd-pleasing finale at the annual dinner. 
• Offer sponsorships for your physical spaces. Generate long-term revenue by branding physical spaces within your office, including selling sponsorship of the backdrop used for press conferences so a sponsor is prominently featured in every media event and announcement. 
• Auction experiences from other chambers. Elevate your annual banquet auction by offering unique travel and experience packages donated by partner chambers, such as wine country getaways or destination trips, creating one-of-a-kind items that attract attention and drive higher bidding.
   

Attendee Takeaways 

Beyond the sessions, attendees left Des Moines with practical ideas and renewed energy for their work. Here’s what a few participants had to say: 

• “My biggest takeaway was the shift from selling membership to clearly communicating impact. When businesses understand the real, measurable value of being involved, engagement and retention follow. I’m bringing back a more intentional approach to aligning how we communicate and engage so our members can clearly see and feel their ROI.” -Michaela Michalski (Fox Cities Chamber) 
• “I really enjoyed being with other membership professionals who experience similar things and have similar thought processes. It filled my bucket to just be there with my peers. The session about ambassadors was full of great nuggets! It’s given me the kickstart I needed to utilize them for retention visits/calls. I’m organizing a spring “member blitz” to connect with current members.” -Amy Culver (Bay Area Chamber of Commerce) 

Details for the 2027 Membership & Revenue Development Conference will be announced in September. Stay connected with the Membership Development Division (MDD) to be among the first to hear updates by enrolling in MDD.