March 2017 Using Technology 19
What we don ' t measure we don ' t know, so capture as much data as you can and use engagement for member retention
swayed by fads and make decisions that result in heartache. We have to come up afterwards to clean up the mess.” Another common mistake, the Shocklogic team identifies, is associations assuming that technology means more expensive.“ Sometimes clients assume that in order to modernise they have to pay more, but they will save money in the long run,” says Martinez, who notes also a tendency for some to get stuck in their ways.
“ A perfect example is pre-printing their badges. Most organisers assume that preprinting is cheaper than Print-On-Demand( POD) as the delegate arrives.” So, which areas of potential revenue streams do associations overlook most often?“ Paperless can be a revenue stream, as the green agenda can be a way to generate new sponsorship revenue and to create new ways to both save money and provide extra value to members,” says Martinez.“ Mobile apps can be fantastic sponsorship opportunities.“ Capture data at sessions: access tracking has great value for commercial organisations. Most industry organisations that collaborate with associations are desperate to know how ROI is achieved. As the old adage goes:‘ What we don ' t measure we don ' t know’.“ Real time lead-retrieval can also be overlooked. Exhibitors invest a lot of money to attend events and they are all looking for better ways to capitalise on their investment,” he adds. And the best innovation Martinez has seen by an association he has worked with?“ Organ Transplantation organises the most advanced scientific event we have ever worked with. The congress is totally paperless; everything can be done from the congress app. All sessions are recorded and webcasted and a‘ TV studio’ format is followed throughout the whole congress, broadcasting interviews that can be viewed in mobile devices. Every delegate receives a‘ rented’ iPad which is included in the registration fee.”
And what three main trends does Martinez expect to see in the association market?“ 1) Member retention through engagement will become the number one priority over member acquisition.“ 2) Millennials ' expectations will drive how content is delivered and how data is accessed.“ 3) Digitalisation will define how education and learning are implemented.”