Guest post by Wild Apricot

For associations and nonprofits with membership programs, your members are at the heart of everything you do. And nothing brings your membership community together quite like events do. They are the perfect opportunity for your members to meet face-to-face, network with other industry professionals, and gain more expertise in their field. 

Whether they are networking nights or annual galas, events are essential for keeping members engaged and raising revenue to ensure your organization’s long-term success. However, different events will appeal to different members. That means you’ll need to determine what types of events will resonate with your members and then plan these experiences for the rest of the year. 

To get your member event planning started, let's explore the four most popular events and how to make them memorable. 

Most Popular Member Event Types

Member events come in all shapes and sizes, from an hour of virtual networking all the way to entire multi-day conferences. The events you schedule will depend on your specific goals, resources, and member preferences. 

Here’s what you need to know about each of the four most popular event types. 

1. Conferences

Conferences bring a large group of people together to explore a specific topic or theme. People attend conferences to learn from industry experts and engage in networking opportunities. 

Typically, conferences can be as little as one day or as long as an entire week.

When planning your conference, keep these tips in mind:

1. Choose the right event management software. Ensure that you select a virtual event solution that fits your needs, such as one that offers attendee registration, highlights sponsors, and tools for promoting your event. 

2. Plan your theme and subtopics. Based on your member’s interests, pick the theme for your conference and its events, such as the topics for panels and roundtable discussions. 

3. Look for event sponsors. Find potential sponsors for your conference who can offer support in exchange for benefits such as exposure to your audience.

4. Determine how you’ll engage attendees. Decide how you’ll keep participants captivated throughout the conference with interactive elements, such as live polls, break-out discussion rooms, and gamification elements.

5. Test-run virtual and hybrid conferences. As hiccups can always happen, conduct a test run of your event to pinpoint and eliminate any issues. 

Let’s take a look at the world’s largest library event, the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition. This conference unites thousands of librarians, authors, educators, students, and other literary professionals to learn about and discuss the future of the industry. Attendees can enjoy free educational programming, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with peers. 

Thanks to virtual event technology, hybrid and fully virtual conferences have risen in popularity. Many conferences, like the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, offer digital experiences where attendees can virtually attend the event no matter where they are in the world. 

By leveraging technology, organizations can use mobile apps to enhance the conference experience or choose to host a virtual conference. With the right tools, you can set up event registration, create an app for attendees, integrate with a live-streaming platform, and do so much more to streamline your conference. 

2. Networking Activities

Networking events are incredibly valuable for people who are at pivotal moments in their careers. For instance, many college students or recent graduates use networking events to find internships or their first job. Furthermore, people who are more established in their field can use these opportunities to grow their business connections or find new professional roles. 

Here are some ideas for creating engaging networking activities: 

• Set up mentorship groups. Match your experienced members with people who are starting their careers so they can develop their skill set. 

• Host happy hours. Let your members enjoy refreshments at a local brewery or restaurant as they get to know each other.

• Organize speed networking. This twist on speed dating has your members quickly meeting with each other to efficiently make many professional connections. 

• Schedule workshops or classes. Help your members continue their career development by organizing workshops or classes led by industry experts. 

• Create virtual events. Allow your members to connect with people across your network at virtual events such as conference breakout rooms or online trivia games. 

Consider your members’ schedules while planning your networking events. For instance, if your association or nonprofit is local, then you may want to host an event at a nearby restaurant to facilitate face-to-face meetings. Conversely, virtual events are a great option for organizations with members in different locations. 

3. Fundraising Events

Fundraising events are an opportunity for your members to gather together and raise funds to support your organization. These events give members the chance to operate as a team or have some friendly peer-to-peer fundraising competition with each other. 

To plan a memorable and successful fundraising event, associations and nonprofits should follow these essential steps:

• Find a charitable partner. If your organization decides to partner with a charitable partner, you may want to consider finding a local nonprofit, school, or other charitable cause that aligns with your mission. For example, a professional association for educators could partner with a local school. To help find your right partner, consider asking members for suggestions for those that may be open to  mutually beneficial partnerships.

• Determine your fundraising goal. Your fundraising goal should be aligned with the outcome you want to achieve. A journalism nonprofit, for instance, might need to collect $5,000 in fundraising for grants they award to outstanding journalism students every year. 

• Decide on the event type and location. Your members’ preferences and location will influence the type of fundraising event you’ll hold and where it will be. For example, an international organization could hold a virtual event that invites all members or plan multiple smaller in-person events in major cities. 

• Promote your upcoming fundraising event. Share your fundraiser on social media, email, and your website to drum up excitement and inspire involvement. Consider creating a kit with information about the fundraiser that your members can share with others. 

Be sure to thank your members for all their work after the fundraiser. Also, share the amount raised and where the funds will be allocated. This lets your community see their impact and feel proud about what they’ve accomplished.

4. Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering is a wonderful way for members to expand their networks and improve important skills such as leadership, communication, and teamwork. With volunteer opportunities, your members can give back to the community in a way that aligns with your organization’s mission.

Let’s say that you manage a professional association for working artists. You can engage your members in artistic volunteer experiences like creating a mural for a local elementary school or leading a painting class for senior citizens. This allows members to put their skills to good use while providing a valuable service to the community.

According to a VolunteerMatch survey report, 71% of volunteers prefer to commit their time regularly to an organization. With the right volunteer program, you can give your members the experience they’re looking for while helping them forge stronger bonds within the group. 

Just like other events we covered, virtual volunteer events have risen in popularity. Virtual volunteer opportunities allow participants to participate from the comfort of their homes while still making a major contribution to causes they care about. 

Popular in-person and virtual volunteer options include:

• Setting up and cleaning up at events 

• Redesigning your website or specific web pages

• Reaching out to donors via email or phone

• Transcribing or subtitling videos

Keep in mind that the more flexible your volunteer events are, the more members you’ll be able to get involved. 

Bonus Member Event Planning Tips

No matter the type of event you’ll host, it needs careful preparation to become a success that will keep members engaged for years to come. 

Follow these three practices when kicking off your event planning:

1. Send out pre-event member surveys to guide your planning. Send your members several survey questions to help shape the event you’ll host. For example, you can ask your community about the industry topics they’re interested in, what they’re hoping to experience at your events, and what you can improve upon from your previous events. Collecting this information lets you create events members will be eager to attend. 

2. Create a marketing plan. Every type of event needs a marketing plan so members can learn about the event, see how to register, and know what to expect, especially if you’re hosting a virtual or hybrid event. Your marketing plan should include how you’ll spread the word across your communication platforms such as social media pages, email newsletters, websites, and direct mail messages. 

3. Track engagement metrics and gather member feedback after the event. Once your event ends, collecting feedback is essential. With a post-event survey, you can learn what members enjoyed and where you can improve. Be sure to also review your event’s metrics like attendance rate vs. RSVPs and live poll engagement. 

By following these tips, you can offer members a well-run experience that will motivate them to stay involved in your organization and attend future events. 

Your members are looking to you to provide a variety of opportunities that will help them succeed personally and professionally. By implementing membership events, your members can network with fellow industry professionals, discuss the latest trends, and propel their development. 
For the most accurate data, be sure to lean into your membership software. This allows you to confidently review metrics and determine improvements moving forward for creating events that will exceed members’ expectations.

The preceding post was provided by a guest author unaffiliated with DonationMatch. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of DonationMatch.