Turning Member Expertise Into Member Value

A member request for more education gave the Fort Worth Chamber in Texas an opportunity to test a new programming model. The result was Marketing Summer Camp, a first-year event that sold out at 150 attendees and generated $16,764 in revenue.

The chamber spent about $2,000 on direct event expenses, primarily food and supplies.

The idea grew from broad feedback that members wanted more educational opportunities beyond networking events.

“There were a few small business owners that asked for marketing and social content, but really it was just a generalized sentiment of wanting more education,” said Angela Hall, vice president of marketing at the Fort Worth Chamber.

The chamber chose marketing because it aligned with the expertise of Hall’s team and created opportunities to draw on member knowledge.

Practical Content for Businesses

Marketing Summer Camp was designed for marketing professionals at all levels, as well as business owners and leaders who handle marketing alongside other responsibilities.

The six-hour event included a team-building activity, four instructional sessions, a keynote, lunch and closing remarks. Topics included crisis communications, Canva, photography, websites and artificial intelligence.

Post-event survey responses showed that attendees planned to apply several ideas. Some said they would revisit their websites to improve user experience. Others planned to begin developing crisis communications plans.

The strongest feedback came from highly practical content.

“By far, our Canva pro tips got the highest amount of comments and feedback about how useful it was, how they learned time-saving tips and wanted more sessions on this,” Hall said.

Engage with Experts from Within the Membership

Fort Worth identified potential speakers by exporting a list of members in categories such as marketing and public relations agencies, graphic designers, photographers and promotional products companies.

Staff then identified members they knew personally who would be strong subject matter experts and presenters. Invitations were made one-to-one rather than through an application process.

The value continued after the event. One speaker who presented on websites told Hall the session led to three additional speaking opportunities from people who attended. A participating PR agency also gained added exposure when an attendee featured the firm in a LinkedIn post, extending the reach of its presentation.

Test Pricing and Sponsorships in Year One

Member registration was $110, with a $90 early-bird rate. Non-member registration was $140.

Sponsorship was limited in the first year. The chamber had a booth sponsor that also donated event signs, a coffee station sponsor and a sponsor for the afternoon s’mores activity. Additional opportunities, including presenting and lunch sponsorships, were available but did not sell.

Hall expects the event’s first-year performance to strengthen future sponsorship conversations.

The chamber plans to bring Marketing Summer Camp back and is also considering adapting the format for other educational opportunities, including a small business bootcamp.

What Other Chambers Can Borrow

For chambers considering a similar program, Fort Worth’s experience points to a few practical lessons:

• Start with a topic where member demand and internal familiarity overlap.
• Recruit credible experts from within the membership and require session outlines in advance.
• Communicate speaker logistics early, including technology, room setup and arrival times.
• Use the first year to test pricing, sponsorship and format before expanding.
• Follow up with presenters to learn whether participation created leads, relationships or other opportunities.

Fort Worth’s first-year results gave the chamber clearer evidence of what members want, which topics resonate and how member expertise can become part of the value proposition.