Program to Keep Things Lively!

Since interesting programming drives membership, your association has to put on excellent events!

The goal of engaging members in your organization is met and managed by your programs committee and event chairs. Planning is key, of course.  High profile, good quality speakers often have a full-plate of engagements. They need to be courted months in advance. Try not to have to pay for their services however prominent they may be.  Offer access to your own high-profile, quality membership rather than fees as compensation to speakers and panelists.   You may have to pay for travel expenses for a much in demand speaker. Plan on giving the speaker or panelists a gift. Venues, too, can be procured on a quid pro quo basis. Many firms that cater to your members will be glad to have so many potential clients attend a meeting in their shop. As with the speaker(s), you will need to secure a space well in advance of the date you have set to hold the program. We have had clients who chose to hold all  their meetings at the same location. This can be good since  members always know where to go. It offers consistency both in location and in the service you can expect from the venue. However, in most cases, it probably means you will need to pay for the use of the space. For instance, one of our clients has had the good fortune to have a "sponsoring" venue for a series of the events they've held.  They have not had to pay for the space or the catering to hold any of their programs.  Many venues, with a clear connection to your association, may be jealous of the opportunity to host an event for you.  If you are paying for catering or the space, you have a little more flexibility in terms of planning. You want to be sure that the space is available for your meeting, so keep in mind that a good location, like a good speaker, should be booked well in advance.  Let's review what's involved in planning for a Great Event. Even if this is a regularly scheduled program, or one of many you'll hold in the month, you must plan ahead: Secure a presenter or panel who will speak to your members' interests; Find a space that will accommodate the kind of crowd your speaker will draw; Look at your costs in pricing out the event; Advertise the event to your members, your colleagues and theirs; Planning well in advance makes putting on distinguished programs so much easier.