Enhancing Research Reports and Sponsor Initiatives For Increased Member Engagement

Enhancing Research Reports and Sponsor Initiatives For Increased Member Engagement

In her cleverly titled article “What to Do When Your Most Valuable Benefits Are Boring,” Amanda Lea Kaiser discusses how member engagement with certain association benefits, such as research reports, sponsors, and exhibitors, can be low despite their importance. 

To address this, participants in the Member Engagement Labs proposed ways to make research reports more engaging, such as making them scannable, highlighting impactful findings, including videos or infographics, and shortening lengthy reports. Providing recommendations and milestones can also make the content more actionable.

Engagement can also be a challenge for sponsors and exhibitors whose contributions are financially significant. Associations can boost engagement by focusing less on sales and more on creating engaging experiences, such as sponsor/exhibitor receptions, pre-conference programming, and personalized meet-and-greet sessions. 

Another tactic is humanizing sponsors by involving them more directly in the event. Offering sponsored webinars and creating special sponsor-only days were also proposed as ways to enhance their presence and value to members.

These strategies aim to better align the value of these benefits with member engagement, ensuring that they are both appreciated and utilized effectively.