Erin Reeve | |
August 30, 2017
Earlier this month, we shared a post on how destination-ready locations can increase conference attendance. In follow up to that article, we're covering another strategy you should consider when planning your next conference – making it affordable and accessible to a broader audience.
Many associations today are doing this by offering meeting scholarships. These scholarships allow associations to host events in premium locations, while still accommodating those on a tighter budget.
For those that are unfamiliar with the term, "meeting scholarships" are used to waive an attendee's' registration fee. Scholarships can also be dispersed across a larger group of attendees by offering only partial discounts. For example, scholarships could cover certain sessions or networking events instead of the full event registration fee.
Who Are They For?
Meeting scholarships are offered to prospective attendees across multiple attendee types (attendees, speakers, exhibitors, etc.).
- Speakers & Contributors: While scholarships are given to regular attendees, they can also be given to attendees that are contributing to the event. As an example, scholarships are often offered to speakers who are presenting at the conference.
- Community Leaders: Much like traditional academic scholarships, event scholarships are sometimes offered to successful leaders and/or those who make large contributions to their field (whether that contribution is a donation, volunteer work, academic research, etc.).
- Students & Early Career Professionals: Meeting scholarships can provide funding for students and new professionals who may not otherwise be able to attend. For this early career demographic, meetings are an extremely valuable means of professional development and networking. When you consider the value millennials place on experiences, it's easy to understand how providing this opportunity can really drive engagement with your association’s younger members.
Regardless of your scholarship strategy, it’s easy to see how scholarships can drive engagement with your members! And, of course, if you can provide scholarships to a conference with a destination-ready location, that’s a win-win!
Head to the Learning Resources page of Euclid's website to learn how ClearVantage Association Management Software can help you manage your events and event marketing initiatives.
Resources
- http://associationsnow.com/2017/08/what-conference-scholarships-can-do-for-your-meeting/