By: Ashly Stewart, Content Marketing Manager

We know that we still have over a month before the new year, but we couldn’t help but break out our crystal ball and sneak a peek into the top association trends of 2022.

While the future is still being written, here are a few trends that are already starting to influence the way association leaders approach growing their membership, building community safely, and generating revenue in creative ways. 

The top 4 association trends of 2022

1. Non-dues revenue brings its fair share of challenges — and results 

2021 proved to be a challenging year for generating revenue. With events being canceled or some associations going virtual and seeing lower attendance, non-dues revenue looked like a promising path for organizational growth.  

In a recent report, however, only 25% of respondents saw improvement in non-dues revenue generation in 2021, and almost half feel their inability to generate non-dues revenue from their communication channels is a serious or significant challenge. 

Many experts attribute this lack of confidence in securing non-dues revenue to the significant cultural shift that has to occur in organizations in order to get a good stream of non-dues revenue flowing. It takes good data, a knowledge of your member channels, and knowing how to best use your resources to make it work.  

But it is working for some. After taking a hard look at where their members and partners enjoy spending their time and are most apt to show support, associations have turned to digital sponsorships, job boards, and on-demand content. In offering these new ways to connect, find new opportunities, and learn more about the things they care about, associations can add more value to their members and grow their organizations in creative ways.  

In 2022, associations will continue to experiment with non-dues revenue based on their experiences last year, and others will continue to expand their non-dues revenue streams. 

2. In-person events are back, and safety protocols are a must 

Back in July 2021, 76% of meeting planners had already determined that their next event would be in-person. Granted, the Delta variant and varied mask mandates and vaccine policies have shifted a few things, but data like this proves that the desire for in-person events is strong. And for Personify and associations we serve, we believe that if there’s a will, there’s a safe way. 

Here are some trusted resources and ideas to consider as you implement the best safety policies for your in-person events:   

Trusted COVID-19 resources for U.S. events  

• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  
• COVID ActNow – A map of COVID risk assessment per state based on vaccination stats  
• Department of Health sites for each state  

Trusted COVID-19 resources for international events  

• The World Health Organization (WHO)  
• The CDC map of Risk Assessment Level for COVID-19 

Maybe the most important thing to keep in mind for safe and successful events in 2022 and beyond is to take your research and your best ideas to your members. If you’re weighing the type of event you’d like to host, the size of the event, the event activities, etc. survey your members to gauge their levels of comfort and interest. 

3. Associations continue to build communities online 

Even though online communities have been steadily rising in popularity over the past years, they have been viewed by many in the association world as a “nice-to-have” digital space, mainly for younger members, and managed by staff…whenever they get a “spare minute.”  

But as we were forced to socially distance and our favorite events were canceled or delayed last year, online communities became a lifeline for associations and members to connect in meaningful ways. So what do association online communities look like in 2022?  

• Online communities become a hub for learning and tutorials. Whether an association wants to offer casual tutorials or more formal webinars and workshops, online communities will be THE place to promote learning opportunities, easy sign-ups, and discussion groups that allow members to learn from each other in new ways. 

• Online communities become a place for member appreciation. From monthly member spotlights to member appreciation forums, communities will become a positive place for members to give and receive some praise.  

• Online communities become an extension of in-person and hybrid events. Associations can increase event attendance by creating early access to events in the month (or months) leading up to an event. You can also use your online community to enable members to stay connected with others members after the event is over to increase member engagement.  

4. Crisis management evolves into an agility approach  

While many of us found it difficult to survive parts of 2022, many associations saw the need to start resiliency planning — a good response to a global pandemic that no one was prepared for. As we move past 2021, associations will be refining their crisis management plans as they have time to reflect on what worked and what could be improved on when it comes to their approach to change.  

We’ve seen associations take on a more entrepreneurial mindset when it comes to their staffing, processes, technology, and approach to growing their membership and revenue. Much of these more innovative approaches come down to creating cultures of agility that better allow associations to respond quickly and thoughtfully to change – whether that comes from the wider economy, member feedback, board requests, and more.  

See what else the crystal ball has to say about association trends in 2022

This post is just a peek into the biggest trends we’ll see changing the way associations and nonprofits serve their members, build community, plan events, and grow their organizations.  

Register for the webinar on Thursday, December 2, at 12:30 ET to hear from Wes Trochlil, President of Effective Database Management, and Erin Sullivan, Director of Marketing at Personify, as they reveal the top association trends for 2022 and talk about what they mean for your organization.  

The post Get a Sneak Peek of the Top Association Trends of 2022 appeared first on Personify.

2020 was crippling for many associations, organizations, and independent show organizers. The roughly 15 billion (pre-pandemic) US trade show industry is now a third of what it was, currently at 5.6 billion dollars. CEIR reported that a virtual event typically only generated approximately 30% of the gross revenues than the most recent affiliated physical event. These reduced event revenues, along with other business forces impacting revenue, is simply unsustainable. Our recent study further highlighted how critical events are for organizations and associations since many reported that historically 40-80% of their revenue comes from events! As the country opens and the final round of the Paycheck Protection Program funds are depleted, organizations will be forced to generate cash flow from their activities without the support of further government assistance.

So Why is Everyone Avoiding the Revenue Discussion?

The US and many parts of the world are still in a pandemic – some places even on lock-down. Organizers are struggling to strike a balance between recognizing current conditions and, at the same time, pushing forward as a revenue-generating event (or business). On top of that, many of these professionals must consider the additional risk factors in organizing and planning events for the first time in their career. Organizers may have children, family members or themselves may not be eligible to get a vaccine. Some may also not want to vaccinate for personal reasons. These increased personal risks and choices may come at personal odds to professionally open an event at full capacity, let alone driving revenue through these increases of in-person activities.

I recently traveled to the SISO CEO Summit myself and had to balance my personal well-being with the need to move forward for the events industry. As I shared in my blog about the experience, I not only felt safe as a vaccinated individual, I realized this was the direction we (as an industry) were moving quickly. Even at this smaller event, from the flight crew who genuinely thanked us for flying to the drivers who brought me to and from the hotel to all the event and hotel staff, the economic impact could be felt.

While associations often advocate, educate and solve global problems, the organization must remain solvent. For that matter, every organization, including nonprofits, must remain solvent to continue to provide jobs and accomplish their missions – and many of them do this through events.

And It’s Beyond Just the Events Industry

The fear to recognize that events (and their organization) must make money to survive is only one side of the equation. We have to celebrate that our events generate revenue for not only industry jobs, but for those who support the industry as well. From every rideshare driver to a restaurant near a convention center, those businesses and staff also require a return to in-person and hybrid events. Each event can often bring millions of dollars to a city in just a few short days.

So, it is time to start talking about how the industry can collectively generate higher revenues through 2021 and beyond!

But Wait…Can In-Person Events Be Safe While Still Making Money?

Of course! As I shared in Trade Show Executive Magazine, before organizers try to boil the ocean by creating vaccination event bubbles (which are impossible given the size of the events ecosystem), we need to realize that the CDC has provided us clear guidance on how to interact with the public safely. From our local grocery store to a trade show, it will be up to the individual to decide how to manage (participate) and mitigate any risks associated with the activity. We will be mixing with the general public as we move to the “new normal.” Events will be a part of that equation and we must start to recognize that.

I also understand there is still unknown and discomfort in this new reality. For many, we just somewhat figured out how to “virtual,” and now we have to “hybrid” with little to no experience with that either. While I shared in my webinar, hybrid will be different than originally envisioned, many will still participate virtually while more and more will attend in-person. Those additional revenues will help make up for likely smaller revenues generated from the in-person events. While many in-person sponsorships and exhibitions may be smaller in 2021, the margin on these activities will further support a revenue return – all while conducting events safely.

Will the Demand Be There if We Meet In-Person?

Understanding and surveying your audience frequently is key to understanding how your event(s) will perform in this new climate. Nationally, Freeman continues to track the sentiment of event audiences. In their most recent update, 85 percent of attendees and 86 percent of exhibitors expect to return to in-person events by the winter of 2021. And while this survey was conducted shortly before the change in CDC guidance, fall return data came in at 74%. The numbers will likely increase during their following survey given the recent changes in guidance, growth in vaccinations and more states opening up venues and restrictions.

Personify A2Z Events clients have anecdotally shared their in-person events generate overall higher NPS (Net Promoter Scores) from both attendees and exhibitors. Those attending events are highly engaged with all levels of the event, from education to conducting business with exhibitors and sponsors. It only makes sense this channel was forced online for over a year. As retail and many other industries have shown, the pent-up demand point to a stronger than expected recovery in most sectors.

So Where Do Should I Start?

It’s no easy task to fundamentally shift back to what we were doing with such frequency and expectancy just a little over a year ago. We must recognize much has changed with how we consume, travel and venture outside. We must change everything from our messaging and marketing to how we sell to exhibitors and sponsors as we return.

It is why we created the first-ever, Events Revenue Summit!

Watch on Demand Now.

The post The Events Elephant in the Room – Events Revenue appeared first on Personify.

Modern event sponsorship strategies are a dime a dozen. Each one is based off a learning from a different time and place. The strategy might be based on a previous experience or a past position. It may be a combination of strategies that take the most efficient and effective parts, combining them together for the best solution.

When developing your event sponsorship strategy, it’s important to keep in mind that you do not want to leave revenue on the table. This goes without saying but there are two ways to maximize your net revenue: increase your sponsorship revenue and reduce event expenses.

There are many ways to achieve this goal. However, a few strategies hold true over time and are consistent from one organization to another to increase your sponsorship revenue now and in the future.

1. Understanding and Value

One of the most effective ways to drive sponsorship revenue is to increase the value that you’re providing to exhibitors. To do so, it’s crucial to understand why they are exhibiting at your event in the first place. All too often, we assume the goals are to showcase their products and gain further leads. While is almost certainly the case, there may be an additional value they are seeking from your event, and it can be used to create a customized sponsorship package for that organization. Creating a solution tailored to a client’s need helps you deepen a relationship with your exhibitor by demonstrating that you listen, you care and you want to help them grow their business at your event. When they grow, you grow.

Show organizers can sometimes feel the need to be the most creative person in the world. Coming up with original sponsorships is not easy nor is it always necessary to expend such brain power. A conversation with your exhibitor can often be the catalyst that is needed to spark the sponsorship idea. Save yourself the brain energy and have an open dialogue with your exhibitors.

2. Transparent Cost Cutting

While custom sponsorships have the benefits we discuss above, they can be costly for the show organizer. Consider if the goal of your sponsorship program is to be profitable or increase revenue? They are not one and the same.

An association may answer this question differently than a for-profit organization. The profit margin for your event may need to be 20% while for others, it needs it to be 50% or higher. Determine that margin and the leeway you have with it before coming up with the custom options. Once you have a standard percentage, it’s easy to put together a package knowing the costs and coming up with the price. This cuts down on back and forth time internally, which affects the time that you can spend on working with other exhibitors or managing the overall event. Develop a streamlined processes that is based off set standards to make your team more efficient and reduce complexity.

That being said, transparency does not mean that you must show all of your cards to an exhibitor. Commit to increasing transparency on your internal team and be clear how much can and should be shared with the client.

3. Time savings

While increasing revenue and efficiency is important, you and your team’s time is a crucial resource that must be managed wisely. Create a sponsorship strategy that encourages autonomy and a self-serve approach to your event sponsorships, which means that you do not have to actively sell them. Your team will still need to provide communication about the offering and value of the sponsorship but you post these directly to your online sponsorship directory and let the magic of self-serve sales happen.

Utilize your event technology to develop a suite of sponsorship options and use an ecommerce online contract to alleviate the amount of back and forth required. We all know fulfillment will eat into time but why waste your time on items that can be easily marketed through digital campaigns and sold self-serve from your event tech? That was a rhetorical question, of course.

Conclusion

Focus on the what your exhibitors truly want from your event to develop a compelling and valuable sponsorship program. Focusing on your exhibitors’ needs will be the most effective time you spend on your event. It will not only increase your sponsorship revenue but help you identify opportunities to bring on new exhibitors as well.

This double-edged sponsorship strategy will help your event grow from multiple angles including exhibitors, sponsorships, attendees and possibly new verticals. And remember that—when they grow, your event grows.

The post Leaving Money on the Table: How To Improve Your Sponsorship Strategy appeared first on Personify.