Four Ways to Maximize the Member Event Experience
Organizing and hosting events as a chamber professional can be quite a balancing act. With ever-changing guidelines that vary by state, county and even city, it can be challenging to recruit attendees to events. And the experience at that one event could determine if a member shows up in the future. Molly Crouser, the events and partnership manager at the Lancaster Chamber (Pa.), spoke during the January 2022 roundtable call of ACCE’s Events Division to share her tips on recruiting and retaining attendees in 2022.
Determine delivery based on the desired outcome.
More than ever, Crouser said the chamber team thinks about the desired outcome they want the attendees to walk away with. Maybe that’s robust networking opportunities, information about a community issue or new skills for professional development. That can lead the discussion on the best way to set up the event. “If it is professional development and we want them to walk away with a new or confident skill set, that can be done virtually,” said Crouser. “If it’s networking, then we need to think about how we’re doing this in person.”
Have a clear, well-developed (yet flexible) communications plan.
In Lancaster, Crouser said people are waiting until the last week or so to sign up for events. This impacts how and when the team markets and communicates to its members. There is also on a focus on personalization in communications, like making sure a previous attendee of an event is targeted again. The focus for the team is to make sure their members are invited to events that are specifically for them.
Set an intentional agenda.
More than ever, event attendees want to know what to expect when they walk in or log on to an event. Are masks required at a networking event? Will the program start within five minutes of logging in? Try to anticipate and answer an attendee’s potential question before they have a chance to ask it. Transparency is important.
Think about the details.
Members attending events with the Lancaster Chamber get a reminder email before the event with the location, parking information and the agenda in very clear terms. They also receive a follow-up email after the event. It might include resources from the program, speaker contact information, additional chamber resources or an invitation to the next event with a discount code. Crouser said the smallest little details that really make that experience a level up from other events will bring people back.
Additional ACCE Resources:
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