Whether you missed the original livestream or want to watch it again, you’re in luck! Vocalmeet, the CPA (Canadian Psychological Association), and the CSAE (Canadian Society of Association Executives) partnered to bring you a fantastic discussion on growth strategies for associations in 2022 and beyond—a discussion you can catch online now!

Meanwhile, in this webinar recap, we’ll explore the 5 powerful growth strategies that were shared during the livestream conversation. Join us as we discover the strategies other association leaders use to maximize their ability to generate non-dues revenue for their organizations!

1. The Benefits of On-Demand CE Courses

Does your association hold live sessions? Do you livestream continuing education courses and workshops? Well, you’re in luck; you can record these streams and transform them into continuing education (CE) courses. Your association gets more courses to package and sell, and your members get access to new, premium content–everyone benefits!

That’s not all; you can also use previously recorded courses to create something fresh and new. By re-editing and updating your older courses, you can offer your members improved, modernized content. Consider packaging it with new courses for extra value!

2. Cost-Effective Marketing Tools and Promotion

When it comes to earning more revenue, your members and the public need to know about the benefits and programs your association offers. Thankfully, there are plenty of economical assets at your disposal. In our discussion, Anthony Campbell, Growth Manager at Vocalmeet shared a few cost-effective marketing and promotion tools that will help your association do more with less;

• Jasper AI (Artificial Intelligence Marketing): Jasper is an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered writing assistant that can automatically generate persuasive blog posts, marketing emails, landing pages, and more! If you find it difficult to generate this kind of content, you may find Jasper a great help. You can find Jasper AI here.
• Canva for Nonprofits: Canva is a website that offers pre-made graphic designs that you can take and tailor yourself. If you find yourself needing lots of custom graphics, check it out! You can find Canva for Nonprofits here.
• Hootsuite: Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows you to schedule posts ahead of time, as well as keep track of your content streams, mentions, and more. If your association uses several social media channels, Hootsuite is the program for you. You can find Hootsuite here.
• Vidyard: Vidyard allows you to record your computer screen and webinar at the same time, making window-in-window a breeze. Use it to personalize your presentation content and more! You can find Vidyard here.
• Calendly: Calendly is a program used to book appointments online. You select the dates and times you’re available, and your members can book time with you in just a few clicks; what a time-saver! You can find Calendly here.

3. The Importance of the Strategic Plan

Having a clear strategic plan is important for any organization. Your strategic plan should outline the association’s priorities and how you plan to achieve them. This is essential in order for the organization to thrive and grow in a competitive environment. Will your staff be able to facilitate and manage your new priorities? Will your current budget allow you to build and support new programs? The key to successfully implementing your strategic plan is to avoid it from turning into your operational plan. Your strategic plan is designed to help you achieve your goals and mission. Your operational plan helps you carry out the tasks needed to achieve your strategic plan’s goals and mission.

4. Combined Dues and Non-Dues Revenue Initiatives

No one said dues and non-dues revenue streams had to be mutually exclusive! Try offering members free continuing education packages for early renewal. If you want to get even fancier, try creating membership packages based on what the member selects; you can run the gamut from low-cost, low benefits memberships all the way up to VIP premium memberships that include all the bells and whistles! The number of membership types and the perks they include is up to you.

5. Technology Consolidation

By consolidating your association’s technology, you can actually improve its ease-of-use and its value. Remember to KISS: Keep It Simple, Silly! Simplification will reduce both complexity and costs while improving the efficacy of your tools.

That’s not the only thing your association can condense, of course; consider having all of your technological needs filled by a single vendor! You’ll build a better partnership, and you won’t have to keep track of who covers what. One account, one vendor, one contact! Additionally, your vendor will become more invested in (and fond of!) your association–they may even be willing to go the extra mile for you as your business relationship develops. Better still, by sourcing all your technology from one vendor, you’ll have fewer compatibility issues when it comes to expanding your tools (they know what you have and what connects to it, after all). Streamline your processes; go for a vendor that offers all in one!

Has your interest been piqued? By offering on-demand CE courses, marketing with economic tools and promotions, directing in a plan-focussed manner, creating varied membership packages, and unifying technology and vendors, your association will be able to boost its growth and increase its non-dues revenue!

The post Webinar Recap: 5 Powerful Growth Strategies to Boost Non-Dues Revenue for Your Association in 2022 and Beyond appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Every one of your recorded sessions represents an opportunity for your association to provide timely and educational information to your members, while also creating new streams of non-dues revenue! By extending the usefulness of your recorded Zoom sessions, your association’s return on investment increases.

This post will discuss what associations can do with their recorded Zoom sessions to add value to their memberships and increase non-dues revenue.

Create On-Demand Continuing Education Courses from Your Recorded Zoom Sessions

Your library of recorded Zoom sessions is composed of the perfect building blocks to generate new streams of non-dues revenue for your association. By offering the recorded sessions as on-demand courses, your association can extend the value of each one while also increasing member engagement. Members who were unable to attend your sessions will now be able to access the recorded version on-demand and even earn CE credits at the same time!

Additionally, providing convenient and easy-to-use online options for your members to access your recorded content and complete their CE requirements underscores and increases the value of membership with your association. From your members’ perspectives, having access to quality CE programs helps them stay up-to-date and allows them to remain competitive within their field.

Simply Uploading Recorded Sessions to Your Website or a Video-Sharing Platform Won’t Cut It.

Although uploading recorded sessions to your website may strike you as easier, offering quality online continuing education requires much more than just linking members to your recordings. You will need to track attendance, produce completion certificates, facilitate payment, and answer any questions your members may possess. Tracking these requirements manually will create substantial administrative work for your staff, leading to your team spending less time on your members.

An Online Learning Platform Makes It Easy for Associations to Offer Online Continuing Education

In order to generate non-dues revenue from your recorded Zoom sessions, you will need to use an e-commerce enabled online learning platform. 

These platforms make it easy for your association to offer on-demand continuing education courses while reducing administrative work for your staff and making payment simple and easy. 

Before selecting an online learning platform, ensure that the platform tracks user progress, restricts users from jumping to the end of the video, produces completion certificates automatically, facilitates payments, and navigates easily. The purpose of using an online learning platform is to make it easy for your members to access and pay for your courses online while simultaneously increasing non-dues revenue for your association. 

Marketing Your Online Continuing Education Courses is Key

Marketing your online courses is an essential element to the success of your online continuing education courses. Your association must create marketing campaigns that promote your online continuing education courses and remind members that completing their continuing education requirements with you online is easy. 

While creating marketing campaigns is something that your association staff will have to commit to and handle, the return-on-investment is well worth the time. 

Align Your Upcoming Zoom Sessions to Your Continuing Education Strategy

When planning your next webinar, virtual conference session, or continuing education course, always have your continuing education strategy in mind. If you arrange your plan correctly, taking everything into account, the educational sessions you create will be able to generate revenue for months (and even years!) after the original session ends. Think ahead, and be sure to structure all of your Zoom sessions so that they can easily be repurposed as on-demand continuing education courses.

Conclusion

With a little elbow grease and a bit of forethought, your library of Zoom recordings can become a valuable asset that could generate significant revenue for your association in the future. Offering your Zoom recordings as online continuing education courses is a worthwhile endeavor for all, creating better value for your members and higher non-dues revenue for your association.

The post What Can Associations Do with Their Recorded Zoom Sessions? appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Can associations use the same strategy to market online events as they would in-person events? Well, not necessarily.

Welcome back to our conversation on proven strategies that associations have used to run successful online events with Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste, Vice President of Professional Services at Vocalmeet. In Part 1, we focused on the key factors that associations must explore before choosing an online platform. In Part 2, we discussed the different hybrid formats and how associations can offer hybrid events cost-effectively. And last but certainly not least, in Part 3, we address how associations can generate revenue with online events.

Q: Many associations fear that members do not see the value in paying for online events, and so they decide to offer these online events for a significant discount or even free. Consequently, some associations haven’t been able to generate the same level of non-dues revenue from online events, as they would with in-person events. Based on your work with association clients, would you agree that online events should essentially be offered for free?

A: That is 100% a myth that must be demystified. Helping members and other attendees see the value in online content requires a shift in mindset. And that shift in mindset must start with the association. What do I mean by that?

1. To start off, the traditional in-person format means that the financial benefits of these in-person events are singular and often marginal, as in-person events cannot be recreated once completed.
2. With online events, associations can get a longer-lived value from the investment of time and money. This means that with pre-recorded sessions or sessions that are recorded during the live events, associations can continue to generate revenue by selling these sessions on-demand long after the event has ended.
3. The shift in mindset comes from understanding that there is value in convenience, reduced expenses of attending online events, and flexibility for members to access on-demand sessions at any time afterwards.

In fact, through our work with association clients, we see first-hand how much members do see the value in convenience and not having additional expenses around travel, accommodation, and taking time off work. For example, associations we work with typically attract about 10% of their total membership base to in-person conferences. Of course, you can argue that members who attend in-person events regularly value the in-person networking opportunities. But what about the remaining 90% of members?

Well, I mentioned earlier in Part 2 that although some members are eager to network, others may simply wish to attend education sessions. Removing the traditional barriers to attending events, and offering sessions on-demand afterwards, have certainly helped our clients significantly increase the percentage of the membership that are engaged in their events and programs in general.

Q: That’s a great point, and engaging more members throughout the year with online events will surely help with membership retention as well! You mentioned that associations need to help attendees see the value in online content. Can you share some strategies on how to accomplish this?

A: It all comes down to marketing, and I can’t stress this enough: marketing online events requires a different strategy than marketing in-person events. It’s not enough to simply rebrand all in-person events as “virtual” without any additional information. Be mindful that some attendees may not be comfortable with technology and especially with attending online events. That said, it’s critical that associations outline the benefits of online events:

• Address the technical concerns by letting attendees know that it’s easy to sign up for online events and that there’s technical support if they need it.
• Highlight the savings they obtain from not having to travel and still getting the value of the education sessions (not to mention access to the on-demand recordings for as long as the content remains relevant!).
• Remind attendees how the online sessions can help them improve their skill sets for their professional work; this is even more important if the sessions are voluntary and not for continuing education credits.
• One of my colleagues wrote an article for the American Society of Association Executives on Why Associations May Be Disappointed in Their Online Course Sales – it’s worth reading! The article covers how associations can mitigate the challenges around having to compete with so much content available online today.

That wraps up our conversation! Thank you for joining us, and we hope you gained some valuable insights on running successful online events. We understand that every association has different goals and mandates. If you’d like a second opinion for your upcoming events, send us a request and we’d be happy to share additional insights into what our association clients have done.

The post Proven Strategies for Associations to Run Successful Online Events: Part 3 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Can associations offer hybrid events without breaking the bank? The answer is YES!

Welcome back to our conversation with Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste, Vice President of Professional Services at Vocalmeet, on proven strategies that associations have used to run successful online events. In Part 1, we focused on the key factors that associations must explore before choosing an online platform. And in Part 2, we discuss the different hybrid formats and how associations can offer hybrid events cost-effectively.

Q: From our conversations with associations across the US and Canada, we know that hybrid events are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Before we dive deeper, can you expand on the definition of “hybrid”?

A: Hybrid events can mean a variety of different things for different associations. There isn’t necessarily one exact definition of what a hybrid event entails; however, some of the more common approaches that we’ve seen associations use include:

1. Live-stream in-person events. This means there are in-person attendees, as well as online/remote attendees. This approach gives remote attendees the chance to experience the event as it is happening live. Some attendees within a local area may even choose to watch the live-stream together to create a more immersive experience. Most associations choose to record their live-streamed content as well to be made available on-demand afterward.
2. Conduct all presentations or education sessions online – whether live or pre-recorded – and organize in-person networking sessions. Some members may simply wish to attend education sessions, while others are eager to network. This type of hybrid approach not only provides flexibility for attendees but also allows associations to better allocate resources (i.e. the education sessions and networking events do not have to be scheduled on the same day).
3. Offer a combination of live-streamed sessions and on-demand pre-recorded content. Associations may choose to live-stream keynote speakers and have educational presentations pre-recorded. This means that some speakers are recorded prior to the day of the event, and the pre-recorded sessions can be viewed on-demand on the day of the event and after the event has ended. Other speakers are live-streamed on the day of the event. This approach provides flexibility for both presenters and attendees, as well as reduces the risks of running into technical difficulties on the day of.

Going back to Part 1 of our conversation, the goals of each event will guide how your association defines hybrid. Consequently, your definition of hybrid will determine whether you use a live-streaming solution or a learning management platform for on-demand content, whether you charge for an all-access event pass or a per session access, whether you work with a vendor that can provide live-streaming support and on-going support for on-demand content, and so on.

Q: Many associations are concerned about budget moving forward, and live-streaming an in-person event can often feel like planning for two separate events (an in-person event and an online event). Can you explain how associations can live-stream an in-person event cost-effectively?

A: Great question! I should mention that at Vocalmeet, we work primarily with associations, and this means that we understand how important budget and resources are for associations.

Live-streaming solutions have progressed considerably over the past few years. To give some context, traditional live-streaming typically required hiring a full AV team to set up large recording equipment, conduct the actual recording and manage the broadcast. Now, live-streaming can be done easily through your mobile devices and it can be set up within minutes!

Most of the associations we work with land on a solution somewhere in the middle – where they have 1 or 2 videographers onsite to live-stream, and these videographers simply connect to a live-streaming platform. This means that live-streaming in-person events can be done way more cost-effectively than you may think. Some of our clients even have presenters located at different locations and each presenter simply clicks on a link to join the live-stream recording. It really is quite simple and budget-friendly if you use the right live-streaming platform!

If you’d like to see how our association clients accomplish this, send us a request and we’d also be happy to help you determine whether a hybrid solution is right for your association.

While planning for a hybrid event may seem like planning for two separate events, there are different strategies that associations can use to not only ensure that members’ needs are being met, but also stay within budget. In Part 3, we will share the best ways for associations to increase online attendance and generate additional non-dues revenue long after the event has ended.

Continue to Part 3

The post Proven Strategies for Associations to Run Successful Online Events: Part 2 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Live stream, on-demand video, webinar, learning management system, virtual conference, hybrid conference…and the list goes on.

It is no secret that more in-person events shifted online in 2020 than anyone could have ever predicted. Based on common principles of economics, the significant increase in demand consequently led to a significant increase in supply. With all the different online platforms available on the market, how can you ensure that your association makes the right decision?

Well, look no further. We recently interviewed our Vice President of Professional Services, Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste, to learn some proven strategies that associations have used to run successful online events. At Vocalmeet, Laurelle leads the implementation team that helps associations shift their courses, events and conferences from in-person to online.

Below is a snippet of Part 1 of 3, where we focus on the key factors that associations must explore before choosing an online platform.

Q: From your experience helping associations shift their events online, what would you say are the top 3 things for associations to consider when choosing the online platform to use for a specific event?

A: First things first, we advise our clients to avoid trying to mimic every aspect of their in-person events virtually. This includes, for example, following the exact schedule and timing of in-person events, assuming that all attendees want to be seen via video, or attempting to make attendees feel as if they are walking through a real exhibit hall. It’s important to understand that online events are different from in-person. When we work with clients, we need to first understand how we can help them emphasize the key benefits of their online events.

To do so, we ask our clients to explore 3 key factors that will determine the type of online platform that would best fit their goals and needs:

1. Target Audience – Who is the main audience for your event? How comfortable are they with technology? Are they typically flexible with their schedule and able to attend an event at a specified time, or do they prefer accessing content at their own convenience?
2. Level of Interactivity Required – What is the level of engagement expected from attendees? Are attendees looking to have a discussion or is it simply a presentation where they are able to ask questions? Is the content more informational and attendance is voluntary, or is it a mandatory requirement for the profession (e.g. ethics training, workplace safety training or continuing education)?
3. Resources Available – How many staff members do you have dedicated to plan and execute the online event? How much time do you have before your event? What is their comfort level with technology? Will you need additional tech support on the day of?

The answer to these questions will determine whether you offer more interactive on-demand content vs. live webinars, whether you find a platform that is browser-based and easier to use for attendees, whether the platform can track progress and attendance for continuing education purposes, whether you work with a vendor that can provide a “white-glove” service, and so on.

Q: Speaking of resources, we understand that budget is a primary concern for many associations. Could you explain how the different online solutions and the different scenarios you mentioned affect cost?

A: Yes, as a rule of thumb, the 2 key factors that impact costs when it comes to online solutions are the number of hours of content that will be offered and the number of users on the platform. Additionally, live events tend to be more costly than pre-recorded on-demand programs. This is because live events require more bandwidth and resources on the day of, including a full tech support team to manage the event and troubleshoot any issues.

That’s just a general guideline. Additionally, be very mindful of scalability and the number of users a platform can support. Some solutions are optimized for a limited number of users, and may start running into issues when you exceed that number of users. My advice would be to have these in-depth conversations with potential vendors as each vendor has different features and packages, as well as different pricing models that would impact scalability.

So, the key takeaway here? Focus on your members and the primary goals of your courses, events and conferences. Avoid trying to mimic every aspect of your in-person events virtually; your members and other attendees will only be frustrated as they compare their online experience to past in-person experiences.

Online events provide different benefits for attendees, and different online platforms serve different needs. By exploring the 3 factors outlined above – target audience, level of interactivity required and resources available – your association can choose an online platform that best fits the goal of your event. This will not only allow for a positive attendee experience, but also help your association be more cost-effective.

In Part 2 of our conversation, we will discuss the different hybrid formats and how associations can offer hybrid events without breaking the bank. And in Part 3, we will share best ways for associations to increase online attendance and sales, as well as proven selling points for sponsors.

Continue to Part 2

The post Proven Strategies for Associations to Run Successful Online Events: Part 1 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

As more associations move their events online, and members become more comfortable with attending online sessions, the next step is for associations to focus on streamlining their online content. With only a handful of online sessions, associations could perhaps get away with posting one-off events on their website, while managing registrations and payments manually. However, with more events being offered online, associations should consider having an integrated learning management platform where members can register and access both on-demand recorded sessions and live online or in-person events.

The benefits of streamlining learning content are endless for associations. In fact, having an integrated learning management platform allows associations to better engage members and increase non-dues revenue, further setting associations up for success in the long-run as demand for online events continues to increase.

1. Ensuring a seamless user experience with one platform for on-demand and live events

Choosing the right online platform that is easy to navigate is as crucial as choosing the right venue for in-person events. Streamlining content with an integrated learning management platform means having a “one-stop-shop” for all learning sessions for members. Learning sessions can be delivered via on-demand recorded content, live webinar or webcast, and in-person events.

Additionally, having one platform to host on-demand and live events eliminates any confusion for members as they do not have to navigate through various event sites and platforms. Members can self-register, purchase, and view any of the sessions offered regardless of the delivery method. By making it easy for members to keep track of all their learning records under one system, they are more likely to keep coming back for more.

2. Monetizing content over the long-term

It is no surprise that the financial benefits of in-person events are singular and often marginal, as in-person events cannot be recreated once completed. However, with online content, associations can get a longer-lived value from the investment of time and money. For example, associations can continue to promote on-demand recorded sessions for as long as the content remains relevant, and members can access these sessions at any time. That said, be cautious of not falling into the trap of undervaluing online content, as members do see the value in convenience and not having additional expenses around travel, accommodation, and taking time off work.

Think of setting up an integrated learning management system as an investment, rather than as an expense. With the right list of programs and a solid marketing strategy in place, associations can continue to increase revenue as members are provided with incentives to keep coming back to purchase and view online sessions.

3. Gaining insight through automated reporting for associations

At the end of in-person events, associations typically evaluate the performance of the event and feedback from members. The approach for online sessions should not be any different. In fact, with one platform for both on-demand and live events, associations have access to automated reporting that shows all user activities completed on the system. This includes enrollment reports, transaction reports, attendance reports for live online sessions, and user progress reports for on-demand content. As all these reports are generated under one platform, associations can conduct an easy comparison and further gain insight into which delivery method (i.e. on-demand versus live) members prefer for the different types of learning sessions.

In conclusion, as associations start to establish a long-term online learning strategy for members, the importance of having streamlined content must not be overlooked. With an integrated learning management platform that hosts both on-demand and live events, associations and their members can easily keep track of all their learning sessions under one platform regardless of the delivery method. Such a robust platform allows associations to not only improve the online user experience, but also increase non-dues revenue as members value the ease of accessing learning sessions.

The post Why Associations Should Use One Platform for On-Demand and Live Events appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

It is no surprise that in-person events and conferences require a lot of time due to the meticulous planning and execution needed for a successful event. In addition, extensive advertising and promotions are a must in order for associations to maximize their return on investment. Hosting virtual events is no different, with one additional caveat. For associations whose attendees may not be as familiar with attending virtual events, keeping the user experience in mind is even more critical.

With virtual events, the typical presentation-in-a-room style disappears and the attendee is interacting with the speaker and other attendees in different ways. Although virtual events give attendees the opportunity to attend from anywhere, they come with their own challenges and obstacles if presenters and event organizers are not prepared. Acknowledging and preparing well for an online event will allow associations to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

By following these ten tips, associations will be able to overcome common online obstacles and host virtual events that are engaging and valuable for members.

1. Ensure you have a full plan in place just as you would for in-person events

Virtual events can require even more planning and coordination prior to the event, as face-to-face communication is limited or even non-existent on the day of the event. This includes setting expectations for your presenters (i.e. when it’s time for them to speak and for how long, if there are other presenters within the same session, etc.), as well as for your team. Each team member must be aware of their responsibilities for the virtual event, such as who is doing the introduction, managing online attendance, moderating questions, and handling technical support to name a few.

2. Conduct platform training for presenters and team members, including technology checks for audio, webcam and screen share functionalities

To ensure a seamless virtual experience for attendees, presenters and team members must be comfortable with how the platform works. Train your presenters well in-advance of the event so team members can focus on helping attendees on the day of the event. Conduct several technology tests prior to and have a plan in place for when technical glitches do occur, such as setting up a support line or an FAQ section with potential common issues.

3. Have clear and structured PowerPoint slides (if you are using PowerPoint slides)

With virtual events, attendees may be required to focus on their screens for a potentially long period of time. It is important to ensure presenter’s slides are clear and easy to follow. One key suggestion is to use limited texts and instead use suitable graphics. Other things to consider are using large enough fonts and high contrast colors. All these factors will help attendees be more attentive to the presenters while having effective visuals that reinforce the speech.

4. On the day of the virtual event, start by setting clear objectives and expectations for attendees

In a virtual setting, the initial instructions will set the standard for the entire event. Be mindful that many of your attendees may have never attended virtual events previously, and are unaware of online protocols. For example, provide clear directions on when attendees should unmute audio, use public chat and private chat, ask questions, etc. The recommendation is for attendees to unmute audio only when they need to speak, use the public chat for question & answer and private chat to speak directly to moderators or other attendees. Also, be clear on when presenters will address questions, when breaks are happening, etc. Of course, you can modify these instructions throughout the event as you see fit, but it is important to establish accurate expectations from the very beginning.

5. Foster an active virtual environment

Fostering an active virtual environment begins with the presenter. Presenters should enter the virtual room a minimum of 15 minutes in advance, always have their webcam on, welcome each attendee as they join as much as possible, and start by giving attendees a little background on themselves. This will help reduce the feeling of anonymity during virtual events. Encourage presenters to take the time to get to know their participants better in the beginning. In larger sessions, this can be done by doing a quick poll. This will help presenters deliver content that is more tailored to their virtual audience. Presenters can also take advantage of other features like shared notes and whiteboard collaboration to foster engagement.

6. Offer a combination of live and on-demand virtual sessions to better accommodate the schedule of attendees

With virtual events, it is important to recognize that your attendees may not be able to attend a virtual event for 2-3 days at a time. Participation in virtual events may be pushed down the priority list as attendees juggle other competing tasks at home or at work. Consider pre-recording certain sessions to be offered on-demand on the scheduled day, as well as offering a few live virtual sessions. This will not only give your attendees some flexibility and improve their virtual experience, while also giving you more control over the quality of the virtual sessions.

7. Provide opportunities to network virtually

With in-person events, attendees find a lot of value in being able to engage and network with speakers, sponsors, and other attendees. With virtual events, networking opportunities are also important. This can be done by setting up smaller breakout rooms to allow attendees to better engage with one another, or by having sponsored breaks and allowing sponsors to interact with the group. Read our article for more information on how to engage sponsors online.

Additionally, ensure that you have open lines of communication throughout the virtual event via social media or discussion forums on your conference site. All these channels will help attendees feel a sense of community regardless of where they are joining in from.

8. Choose a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate platform

Just like how choosing the right venue is key for in-person events, choosing a virtual platform that is user-friendly that meets your needs is also crucial. The end-to-end virtual experience includes the registration and e-commerce processes, as well as event log-in. The most seamless experience occurs when attendees do not need to download software in order to join your online event. They must also be able to access the virtual event via any device (i.e. computer, phone, tablet, etc.). When it comes to event completion, consider if attendees receive certificates for continuing education sessions and if they need to complete an evaluation form. These processes must also be straightforward.

Additionally, on top of having an intuitive platform, it is important to provide an appropriate level of technical support and resources throughout the end-to-end virtual experience as some attendees may not be tech-savvy.

9. Add feedback and evaluate mechanisms

The best way to improve is to build feedback into your event. With virtual events, feedback can be taken during the sessions via polls, or at the end of the event with a full evaluation survey. In-session feedback is valuable as responses can be gathered with advance reporting in real-time to show how attendees are feeling throughout the event and gauge their engagement level, which can all be used immediately to improve subsequent sessions.

Furthermore, if you have a dedicated digital marketing team, leverage any real-time feedback gathered to create more personalized and directed messages to individual attendees throughout the event in order to increase their engagement and participation levels.

10. Have a post-event marketing strategy in place

Continue to engage attendees and other target audiences after the virtual event is over. Let attendees know where and how they can access recorded sessions. The best way to do this is to host the recorded sessions on your conference site that attendees are already familiar with. Additionally, promote the recorded sessions to other members of your association and non-members who could not attend the live virtual event.

Ongoing marketing and promotions will ensure that future virtual events are well-attended. Promote what was great about the event by sharing images on your website and social media channels, as your association would after an in-person event. Use email marketing to reach your members who did not participate in the live virtual event, and let them know how they can access top relevant content from the event. Having a post-event marketing strategy in place allows associations to get a longer-lived value from the investment of time and money.

The post 10 Tips for Hosting Engaging Virtual Events for Associations appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

In-person events such as seminars, conferences and conventions, have long been the staple of associations’ non-dues revenue streams. In fact, as much as 41% consider it their most valuable source of ancillary earnings, according to Association Adviser. Organized properly, they can certainly help diversify revenue, create necessary brand recognition and member loyalty. However, in-person events can also require massive time and resource investments, meticulous planning and execution, as well as relentless advertising in order to be successful and profitable. A clever way to increase the return on investment is to boost revenue from in-person events by selling merchandise, offering sponsorship packages, and so on. Nevertheless, the financial benefits of these add-ons are singular and often marginal, as in-person events cannot be recreated once completed. If ticket sales are less than expected, the association may even end up in a deficit situation.

There is, however, a more effective and simple way to tackle the issue: offering blended events, where in-person sessions are complemented with online offerings. This is exactly what the organization we discuss below did; they were able to increase conference revenue from $250,000 in 2017 to $300,000 in 2018. How did they get an additional $50,000? Keep reading to find out!

NOTE: It is important to point out that there are times when in-person events may not at all be possible. Having full on-demand events or blended on-demand events (live online and on-demand) can have similar results.

The WHY of Online Events

Offering online events that can be viewed on-demand allows for a level of versatility and increases in revenue that cannot be achieved with onsite-only events. It gives members unabridged access to content, and provides more opportunities to monetize in-person events. Once digitized, event sessions have many uses. For example, conference sessions can be sold as individual online presentations, grouped into thematic sections or sold as a package. Whatever you decide to do with the content, the key is to figure out what works best for your association.

A CASE IN POINT: How an association added 20% to their revenue by recording a single conference session and offering it online

Let’s consider the following scenario. Imagine an organization, let’s call it Association of Professionals or AP for short. AP is an association with a voluntary membership of roughly 10,000 members, offering professional services and events, along with an annual conference. The conference is used as a revenue stream, as well as an effort to engage members through networking and the sharing of ideas and industry insights. Like many associations, to entice members and increase attendance, AP offers professional development (PD) or continuing education (CE) credits as part of their conference. This type of incentive is especially pertinent to industries with mandatory continuing education or training requirements.

Every year the AP board sits down to discuss the upcoming event and review the previous ones for reference and improvement. This time around the procedure was no different, two of the past conferences—2017 and 2018—were compared and analyzed. There was just one caveat: one of the 2018 conference sessions had been recorded and available on-demand, so the revenues were no longer similar to revenues in the past. In fact, there was a significant difference in revenue between the two events.

Consider this: only 1,000 people or 10% of AP’s membership participated in both conferences. It was a two-day event with 20 sessions per day. The total revenue earned in the 2017 conference came up to $250,000 from all tickets sold, and the total for the 2018 conference rose to $300,000 with the additional revenue from the one recorded session.

The HOW of Online Events

AP was able to generate additional revenue in a one-year period after the conference. They achieved this by recording one session from the 2018 conference, and making it available on-demand for $50 using an online learning platform accessible through their website. In this case, only 1,000 of AP’s 10,000 members bought the video. Imagine what could be achieved with more than one session recorded and a good marketing strategy!

Now that you’re sold on offering a combination of in-person and online sessions for your conference, let’s discuss the different things that an association can do to take their in-person events online and broaden their member reach to increase conference revenue.

Some speakers are comfortable being recorded live, while others are not. Regardless, always consider pre-recording their presentations. Speakers can record their own presentations using the camera on a mobile device or a webinar platform. Ensure that the association conference team checks the recordings for best quality.

• Develop a conference site for online conference registrations: keep it simple, and offer all-access passes that allow attendees to access all on-demand sessions.
• On the day of the conference, launch the on-demand pre-recorded sessions on your conference site.
• For live webinars or live-streamed sessions on the day of the conference, plan well with the speakers and have an online moderator. Remember to record these sessions and add to your on-demand conference platform.
• Limit the number of live-streamed events on the day of the conference, especially if you have limited staff.
• You may consider offering online access for an extended period of time to encourage exposure to your entire membership (for more on this, see our article on offering benefits to sponsors online).
• Offer cost-efficient pricing online for broad attendance and consider matching with discount codes for membership renewal. For example, if a member purchases on-demand conference access, then they get a certain percentage off of their membership.
• If you have a community platform, include this channel as a form of communication for the day of the conference and post-conference questions.

CONCLUSION: The sky’s the limit for revenue increase from on-demand events and conferences

Remember that only 10% of AP’s members took part in the conference. This means a huge chunk of 9,000 people or 90% of AP’s audience and its potential revenue remained untapped. Some of those members might have not been interested in traveling and paying for food and accommodation, others might have not wanted to take valuable time off work. Regardless of the reason, the costs of such inaction could be far too high, especially for associations with small non-dues revenue streams.

Moreover, let’s not forget about the non-members. Having a quality mandatory lecture or highly sought-after speaker at your conference could surely drive up traffic from outside of the member perimeter. In turn, this would create additional revenue as non-member fees are often higher. Having an online conference site also serves as a means to promote your events to both members and non-members.

Since scalability is truly limitless, such an investment can yield solid returns rain or shine. In fact, it’s a gift that keeps on giving as your conference, speakers and sponsors are constantly being promoted through the online sessions. With potential returns like what we described with AP, the benefits of offering event and conference content online are boundless, and the sky’s truly the limit.

In today’s dynamic environment, doing what was done yesterday is no longer a formula for success. The sooner associations adapt new technologies, the better off they are to respond to any external challenges and thrive in this new environment.

The post The Why and The How of Online Events and Conferences appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

As more events are being cancelled, many associations are opting to ramp up their online continuing education sessions and conferences in order to soften the negative financial impact. Some are pre-recording their sessions and making them available on-demand, while others are choosing to live-stream on the scheduled date.

So, how does the shift towards virtual events impact sponsors and exhibitors?

Many associations rely on sponsorships to fund their in-person events and conferences. In return, sponsors and exhibitors are looking for marketing exposure and opportunities for attendees to better connect with their brand. As a result, being able to show sponsors and exhibitors the value of sponsoring virtual events is key.

Here are some of the online initiatives that you can do to continue to offer sponsors and exhibitors the benefit of exposure to members and attendees.

1. With paid on-demand events and courses, consider offering discount codes for members with the sponsor/exhibitor name.
2. Place sponsor/exhibitor logos and links to their website on the event webpage or on the online learning platform for a period of time.
3. Encourage sponsors and exhibitors to sponsor individual sessions or courses.
4. Sponsors and exhibitors can create short promotional videos to be placed on the event webpage or on the online learning platform
5. Sponsor/exhibitor videos and links can even be embedded directly into on-demand videos.
6. Consider promoting the “sponsor/exhibitor” of the week through the event webpage, social media, email campaigns, etc.
7. Ask speakers to mention the sponsors and/or exhibitors before or after their online presentation.
8. For live online events, sponsors and/or exhibitors can join for opening or closing remarks.
9. Promote sponsors and exhibitors, while enticing attendees, with sponsored raffles for gift cards and other virtual giveaways.
10. If your association has a community platform for members to communicate and network online, consider utilizing the platform to provide more exposure for sponsors and exhibitors.

There are many initiatives that are easy to implement for sponsors and exhibitors to reap the benefit of exposure online. As critical as it is for associations to engage their members virtually, it is equally important for associations to ensure sponsors and exhibitors are incentivized to continue to provide funding for virtual events.

The event delivery method may be different, but the goal remains the same. In today’s digital world, associations need to think outside the box and find new and creative ways to continue to engage members, attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

The post 10 Ways for Associations to Offer Benefits for Sponsors and Exhibitors Online appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Offering continuing education courses can be a strong addition to any association’s membership offerings. Gaining access to courses and certifications gives professionals another reason to join your association and even more reasons to renew their membership. These can all lead to increases in non-dues revenue. In addition, offering continuing education courses can have many more benefits. Truth be told, by making continuing education more accessible to members and nonmembers, associations can have a significant impact on their sector by turning the association into a knowledge center and industrial hub.

Become a Thought Leader

When an association takes the time and makes the investment needed to implement quality training programs, it makes great strides toward developing a learning culture. The focus on continuous learning helps position the association at the center of a knowledge hub. Members and nonmembers alike will look to the association for suggestions on how to advance and move forward professionally. Furthermore, in times of crisis, the association will become the go-to trusted resource for factual information.

Aside from the obvious increase in revenues and web traffic, thought leader associations also see increases in sponsorship and advertising opportunities for events and online programs, as sponsors and advertisers see great value in an active and engaged membership.

Start a Cycle

By creating a culture of learning and a resulting knowledge hub, over time, professional and personal betterment becomes a way of being. For example, students could access your vast resources for school projects. Then, as they graduate and begin their careers, you are helping these students develop into professionals and leaders within their industry. This leads to members and staff who are more involved in the association and more willing to pursue education and training in the future.

A well-trained and educated group of professionals helps to create a culture of inquiry and improvement within the association, with members who continue to positively challenge each other. In addition, well-attended courses, training programs, workshops, and conferences offer a superior learning experience and opportunities for mentorship.

Support Growth and Innovation

Another benefit of a learning culture is that it creates a group of like-minded professionals looking forward together. Our world continues to evolve and with evolution comes industry, technology, and professional changes. While ongoing continuing education can lead to increased productivity and non-dues revenue, it can also better prepare individuals for a changing world. It can positively impact perceptions about new developments and change, as well as increase the capability of your members to deal with ongoing changes.

The post Never Stop Learning: Continuing Education Inside and Out appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.