Convention Canceled or Attendance Boosted? – Your Choice

The headlines are clear. Conventions and conferences are losing attendance and even being canceled because of the bad economy. Other headlines tell of the astonishing growth of “social networking.” Did you know that second set of headlines holds the key to stopping the first?

Think about it. Why have Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, and even Twitter become so popular, so quickly?

Because, in an economy gone berserk, human connections are the new currency.

Your upcoming convention holds a lot of that new currency – and it can boost your attendance figures, and save your convention.

First, Let’s Get Real

Samantha Whitehorne, the managing editor of Associations Now magazine, warns this month:

“Right now, some of your members may be looking at their budgets and putting your association’s dues on their things-to-possibly-cut list.”

They’re also looking at possibly skipping your yearly convention. As you know, that would be a mistake.

But, and here’s the big BUT – not if you offer them something they can’t get anywhere else.

Second, Think About It

If you’ve spent any time at all joining, creating profiles and following folks on one of those online social networks, you know how arduous and time-consuming it can be. In fact, you might not have joined for that very reason.

But, the point of networking is not the sites or the software. It’s about the people you can meet.

Think about it. Your convention offer hundreds (even thousands) of potential human connections – but almost no way to assure your attendees will make the ones that are most important to them.

Third, Say Hello to Eventvue

That’s where Eventvue comes to the rescue with a seamless, powerful convention add-on that catapults your event into the social networking driver’s seat.

We’ve already written about Eventvue – “7 Reasons Why You Should Cancel Conventions that Don’t Use Eventvue.” – That article is mostly from the point of view of of your attendees. Read it. You’ll want it for the next convention you attend.

But, what about the point of view of the convention organizers, sponsors and those holding the purse strings? For you, Eventvue does four important things:

1. More Early Registrations

The earlier your attendees commit to your convention the better for you. Eventvue means they can start connecting with other early registrants right away. That means you’re offering an edge, not just a discount, for early registration. In fact, this kind of advantage may some day mean you’ll be able to charge MORE for the privilege of signing up early!

2. Comprehension & Retention

Repetition improves learning. Let me repeat that. Repetition improves learning. Some of your attendees will discuss the meeting in the Eventvue email (their real email addresses remain private). Others will simply follow the meeting online; while still others (who are using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or blogs) will compare notes and write about your events. The bottom line is that all your attendees will leave with a better understanding of the meeting’s goals and issues.

3. Boost Knowledge of the New Tools

For those attendees who are not yet doing social networking, or are just getting started, what better way to give them an easy introduction to its benefits?

4. More Sponsors and Exhibitors

Have you had a bit of a challenge lately getting sponsors and filling your exhibitor booths? Eventvue can even increase the participation of sponsors and exhibitors. After all, we’re all in this together – organizers, attendees, sponsors and exhibitors.

The New Currency Converter

With so many convention organizers and sponsors blinking in the face of the economy’s dark danger, it’s gratifying to know there is a way into the sunlight.

Yes, the next headlines will be about a new way to convert the currency of human connections into the real currency of convention attendance figures.

And that’s a headline worth reading.