What’s behind this story? Get enough chapter leaders together and eventually you’ll hear them complaining about low attendance at chapter events. But this gripe doesn’t jibe with what the research shows. ASAE’s Decision to Attend study found that 43% of Gen Y and Millennials are attending more association events than ever. In fact, the propensity to attend events is high across all generations. So the complaining by chapter leaders has an actionable response. You see the culprit behind the attendance challenge: events aren’t providing what people seek. Members are driven by a desire for continual learning. This desire is understandable and necessary. As jobs and required skills change faster than ever, the need for lifelong learning grows.
However, people don’t attend events just for professional development. In many industries, countless organizations provide professional development both in person and online. It’s even a commodity in some professions—whoever offers the lowest price wins the sale. To get away from the price game, you need to add the right ingredients. We talk about the right ingredients, key strategies for acting and how-to’s. Share these with your chapter leaders. Or contact Mariner to set up a webinar or a training for your chapter leaders. Let’s add snap, crackle and pop to chapter events!
Do Chapter Events Provide What Your Members Want?