For associations, events are far more than routine gatherings—they’re critical to driving engagement and building strong communities. From creating networking opportunities to recruiting new members, events play a vital role in any association’s success.
Data underscores this impact. 67% of associations actively use events to attract new members, and organizations with the highest retention rates—80% or more—are significantly more likely to host regular events.
The takeaway is clear: hosting impactful events is a proven strategy for success. Leveraging the right association event management software ensures every detail of these activities contributes to your organization’s growth, efficiency, and member satisfaction. To help you select the right software, we'll explore the fundamentals of these platforms and even share recommendations. Here's what we'll cover:
Your software plays a fundamental role in streamlining your event from start to finish. Don't invest in a solution until you know it's the right choice for your trade or professional association! Let's get started.
Event management software is any digital tool that helps plan, organize, and execute events. This software can either be an all-in-one platform or handle one specific aspect of the event management cycle, such as:
Some systems integrate with CRMs, AMSs, and other association tools, allowing you to sync data across platforms without manual entry. These integrations and features save time, reduce errors, and ensure seamless coordination across all aspects of event planning. By centralizing processes, event management software empowers associations to deliver professional, engaging, and impactful events that meet their goals.
Event management solutions tailored to associations provide specialized features you might not get with generic platforms, such as integration into your online community, member data syncing, and variable pricing based on membership tiers.
Here’s how event management software positively impacts different groups involved with your events:
Software ensures every stage of your event runs seamlessly, from simplifying pre-event tasks like registration to enhancing engagement during the event and gathering valuable insights afterward. By catering to the unique needs of all stakeholders, the right platform will transform your events into powerful tools for connection and growth.
Every organization has different needs, making the right association event management software vary. Depending on your exact needs, narrow down your options by looking for these key elements.
Registration impacts one of the first impressions attendees have of your event, so make sure they have an enjoyable experience. Get association event software that allows you to create registration forms with custom fields so you can capture unique guest information like t-shirt sizes or dietary restrictions.
You should also be able to create tiered pricing. For in-person events, make sure you can set capacity limits on ticket sales, cultivating demand for your event and ensuring your event isn't too packed. Integration with your member management tools streamlines registration by automatically applying membership details and pricing tiers, eliminating the need for manual data entry or verification.
74% of event attendees prefer events that offer both virtual and in-person participation options, empowering them to choose whichever one suits their preferences. To meet these expectations, choose association event software that supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid event formats. Whether you're hosting webinars, workshops, or conferences, flexibility is essential for your platform.
Sponsors and vendors play a crucial role in your association's events by providing financial support and enhancing the overall attendee experience. For businesses, a key benefit to sponsoring an association is gaining visibility among a receptive audience, so make sure your association event software supports that goal.
Look for platforms with features like dedicated sponsor pages, contract and payment tracking, custom sponsor tiers, booth assignment tools, and analytics to measure ROI for sponsors and vendors.
For people to attend your event, they need to know about it first! Look for association event software with integrated marketing tools. For instance, Tradewing offers automated event reminders. You can also feature event listings in your online community, boosting visibility.
Networking is at the heart of most association events. In fact, it's the leading reason members join associations.
Look for tools that foster connections, such as integrated online communities where people can chat during and after your event. Virtual lounges and breakout rooms are also incredible networking opportunities for online and hybrid events.
Choose software that offers robust features at an affordable price. The right platform should enhance your events' impact without eating up all of the revenue they generate.
If your association doesn’t currently use software, opting for an all-in-one solution is typically more efficient than piecing together multiple platforms. However, if you already have tools that cover certain functions, investing in a specialized solution to fill the gaps may be a more cost-effective approach.
Tradewing is designed to streamline every aspect of planning, marketing, and executing association events. It's tailored to meet associations' needs, meaning you'll have out-of-the-box tools for managing registrations, engaging attendees, and fostering ongoing connections through your online community.
Whether you're hosting virtual, hybrid, or in-person events, Tradewing’s platform simplifies logistics and delivers impactful experiences for members, staff, and sponsors.
Plus, integrations with leading CRMs and AMSs will ensure your event data syncs across systems for seamless record-keeping and membership tracking.
The Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (IAMIC) is a trade association composed of farm mutual insurance companies, reinsurance companies, associates, and suppliers in the insurance industry. Its goal is to encourage higher standards of professional conduct in the insurance industry.
The association relies heavily on networking, but faced a handful of challenges before discovering Tradewing, such as:
Heading into the pandemic, IAMIC realized they needed to offer a different way to network and host events fast. To combat these challenges, they turned to Tradewing. Our team guided them through the setup and integration process, helping connect our platform with their current tools. We helped shift their conference to the virtual space, replicating the in-person experience.
With Tradewing, IAMIC was able to tap into new opportunities for vendor involvement and sponsor promotion, ensuring these groups received effective recognition. They were able to offer attendees a smooth experience for meetings and events, empowering members of all technical skills to engage and connect through an online community.
Bottom line: Tradewing offers powerful association event software that helps trade and professional associations connect with members online. You can watch IAMIC's journey in video form below:
Discover other customer success stories from Tradewing, and envision how our software can streamline event management and bring your community together.
If you're still on the hunt for the right platform, there are many solutions that specialize in different aspects of association event management. Let's explore a variety of options, so you can get a sense of what's out there.
Eventbrite is a comprehensive event management and ticketing platform that enables users to create, promote, and manage events. It offers tools for registration, ticket sales, and attendee management, making it suitable for both small gatherings and large-scale conferences. Its communication tools make it easy to connect with attendees leading up to your association's event.
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Evite enables you to send event invitations via email or SMS. Choose from hundreds of templates or upload your own designs. You'll be able to track RSVPs and leverage built-in communication tools to streamline event planning and marketing. While primarily used by individuals, it can also be used to invite members to your association's events. One of the platform's newest features is SignUp Sheets, which allows you to coordinate volunteers, streamlining another aspect of event management.
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Formsite is a versatile online form builder that allows users to create custom forms, surveys, and registrations without needing coding skills. It offers a wide range of templates, drag-and-drop form-building tools, and data collection features. Either share a link to your form or embed it into a page on your website for easy sharing.
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Smartwaiver is a digital waiver solution that simplifies the process of collecting signed waivers for events and activities. It allows organizers to create customizable waivers that can be signed online or in person, streamlining participant onboarding and reducing paperwork. With secure storage, integrations, and easy access to signed waivers, it's particularly useful for associations managing events with liability considerations, such as sports tournaments and conferences with hands-on demonstrations or equipment use.
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Think about your association’s goals, whether they include building a thriving membership, fostering strong connections, and achieving sustainable growth. Events are central to accomplishing all of these and many more association objectives.
Choosing the right software to power your events isn't just helpful, it's necessary. Tradewing is your ideal solution for hosting memorable events that boost revenue, engage members, and encourage networking between gatherings. Tap into our reliable association event management software, online community platform, email marketing tools, and more!
As you gear up for your next event, learn more about association management with these free resources: