7 ways to bring more people to your association chapter meetings and events
Updated: Sep. 12, 2022 | Categories: Low Engagement
Things continue to open back up, but when you couple the increase in the number of in-person association chapter events with the downturn in the economy, you may be finding it harder than ever to get people to come to your events and meetings. Make a few changes with your chapter event process and your meetings can be the ones more attend.
Read below for some association chapter meeting planning engagement ideas you may not have thought of. Most don’t require much extra work, just time and maybe a volunteer or two.
Incorporate Invitations Everywhere
Your members have a lot going on. It could be they honestly don’t remember when your events are. Take advantage of all the ways you’re already communicating with them to sneak in some additional reminders.
- Add a line with the date of your next meeting or event to the signature block of your association chapter email, with a link to the event registration page.
- If you have voicemail or an online hold message, include upcoming event information in the message.
Remind, Remind, Remind
One association chapter meeting announcement is never enough. Your members need multiple reminders, which means you need a plan for doing that. You’ll want to send follow up emails, segmented into emails for those who’ve registered and those who haven’t. Ask a few members to make as many phone calls as possible, as extending personal invitations has been shown to positively impact association chapter event attendance.
Promote It Online
Post reminders on your website, blog and newsletter, etc. If the event is open to guests, share the information in the social media channels you use regularly, like LinkedIn. And since word of mouth is a great way to engage members and guests, ask members to share the link; include the language you want them to use when talking about it.
Get Creative
To get people to attend, your event needs to sound like it’s the place to be. If you’ve held the same type of events over and over, it’s time to change things up. What’s your association chapter membership demographic and what does that group find interesting? Do they prefer speakers or hands on experiences? Brainstorm with members and take what you learn back to your event committee to look for ways to make what you’ve always done more fun, more engaging and more interesting.
Find New Speakers
Can you bring in a speaker your members have been clamoring for? Is there someone in your industry they’ve mentioned repeatedly? Someone in an adjacent industry that’s exciting and dynamic or someone to discuss a timely topic, like stress management or business finances? It could be time to spend more money than you typically do, to get more members and guests to attend. Don’t forget to invite nearby chapter organizations if they have members who could benefit from hearing this speaker.
Consider Your Location
Are members telling you they don’t like where you hold meetings? Maybe the food isn’t so good or it’s too far of a drive. Or the Wi-Fi is bad. People are more likely to attend events that are convenient but that also offer the amenities they’re looking for. Based on feedback, try a new location for one event, to see how members respond.
Ask for Feedback
Always survey attendees after an event, to see what went well, and what they’d like to see you change. Perhaps the time of day wasn’t great because of traffic, or maybe the technology you used made it difficult for people to hear. Ask for topic suggestions and for help planning future events.
Meeting attendance is never one and done
Don’t assume that telling members once about and event will get them to register right away and get them to remember to show up. It’s up to you to provide the reminders that make your event hard to forget. For all the right reasons.
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