What effect has the COVID-19 pandemic had on association events? In this December's Pulse Poll, we asked association members to reflect on their experience with in-person events pre-pandemic and the value they bring to an association's membership.
According to our data, the average number of events in a given respondent's network is 7. That's a lot of events to consider and choose from, and – as you'll see further on in the survey – they're an important aspect of connectivity and value to association membership.
Respondents told us they would normally attend no less than three events in 2020 if they had the opportunity. This is a large number, clearly indicating in-person events are a critical aspect of association membership.
The lowest recorded score for this question came in at a 4 on a 7-point scale. With an average score of 5.6 and a high of 7, it's safe to infer that in-person events are a primary consideration for many association members.
With an average score of 1.6 and "high" score of 3, respondents exhibited a great deal of sadness that in person events were eliminated from the 2020 schedule.
If there's anything to learn from this survey, it's that members place high value on in-person events as part of their association membership. It's a critical aspect of their membership and something they look forward to each year. In a year marked by isolation, we all yearn for connection. A clear takeaway for associations is to develop an alternative for their in-person events. Exploring digital events and developing new ways for member to connect and create meaningful relationships will be a key success factor for associations in 2021, even with vaccinations and a return to "normal" on the horizon.
