Conferences, often hailed as the lifeblood of associations, are not just gatherings of like-minded individuals; they are epicenters of knowledge exchange, networking opportunities, and community building. Within the confines of these events, profound insights are shared, discussions ignited, and ideas sparked. Yet, there’s a hidden treasure lurking beneath the surface – the recordings of these sessions.
These digital vaults contain the collective wisdom and experiences of thought leaders and experts in your industry. These recordings are not merely a snapshot in time; they are invaluable assets that can be harnessed to create sustainable non-dues revenue year-round.
Associations, both large and small, invest considerable time, resources, and effort into orchestrating these conferences. Yet, once the event curtains fall, a curious phenomenon often occurs – post-event lethargy. The fervor of the event fades, and the recording files get stored away, gathering digital dust on some server. The sheer magnitude of this untapped potential is staggering, especially when you consider the colossal investment that goes into producing these recordings.
For many associations, there’s also a technical hurdle to overcome. The idea of selling these recordings, offering them as part of a subscription service, or even curating them for individual purchase can seem daunting. Questions about platforms, access, and pricing models abound. But the reality is, by not unlocking this treasure trove of content, associations are leaving money on the table and missing out on a golden opportunity to offer their members even greater benefits.
In this blog post, we will not only explore why associations need to maximize the value of their conference recordings but also unveil five ingenious strategies to do so, ensuring these recordings become a year-round source of revenue and enrichment for your members.
- Upsell On-Demand Access to Attendees
One often-underutilized approach is to offer attendees the opportunity to purchase on-demand access to conference recordings as an upsell. Set the price at a nominal amount, say $29 to $49, making it a no-brainer for attendees. Experience shows that a significant percentage, typically 60-70%, will seize this opportunity. This not only covers your initial recording costs but also injects immediate revenue into your association’s coffers. The beauty of this approach is that the content is pre-packaged and ready to be sold, requiring minimal additional effort. - Create On-Demand Access Passes
Unlock the value of your conference content by offering on-demand access passes. This is especially effective when your event boasts a wealth of valuable content, including sessions that can be accredited with Continuing Education credits. By providing exclusive access to recorded sessions, workshops, and keynote presentations, associations can cater to members who couldn’t attend the event or wish to revisit the content. These passes can be incorporated into membership packages or sold separately, ensuring a consistent revenue stream year-round. The ability to earn education credits can significantly enhance the appeal of these passes, justifying their purchase price. - Pay-Per-View for Selected Sessions
Preserving the exclusivity and value of your in-person conference while generating additional revenue is a delicate balancing act. One innovative strategy to achieve this equilibrium is by offering pay-per-view access to select sessions.
Through platforms like Webcastcloud’s video monetization tools, associations can employ a nuanced approach. They can lock certain recordings to event attendees, ensuring that those who physically attend the conference enjoy exclusive access to these sessions. Meanwhile, a carefully curated selection of recordings is made available for pay-per-view.
This approach allows associations to offer attendees and non-attendees alike the opportunity to purchase and watch specific sessions of interest. It effectively extends the lifespan and monetization potential of your conference content beyond the event dates.
One of the key advantages of pay-per-view is its flexibility in pricing. Associations can implement tiered pricing structures to accommodate various member types. This means loyal members can enjoy exclusive discounts, adding significant value to their membership. This tiered pricing strategy not only enhances the perceived value of your association but also encourages member engagement and retention.
By offering pay-per-view access to selected sessions, associations create a win-win situation. Attendees continue to enjoy the exclusivity of in-person events, while those who couldn’t attend can access valuable content at their convenience. It’s a strategy that not only drives revenue but also strengthens the association’s relationship with its members by providing them with choices and exceptional value.
Moreover, these pay-per-view sessions can be seamlessly integrated into your content catalog, indexed, and categorized for easy discovery by members year-round. This ensures that valuable content doesn’t get lost in the post-conference shuffle, providing ongoing value to your members and bolstering your association’s non-dues revenue streams. - Subscription Events On-Demand
Subscriptions are a goldmine for associations seeking consistent year-round revenue. These don’t necessarily have to provide access to the entire event; instead, consider offering a curated selection of event recordings released throughout the year. This approach allows associations to control the content, ensuring it aligns with their strategic goals and the interests of their members. Promote this as an ‘Event Highlights’ subscription for members only, keeping them engaged throughout the year.
With Webcastcloud, associations can easily create and sell subscription products directly from their hosted content library. Alternatively, integration with Association Management Software or CRM can handle real-time access to subscription products, seamlessly managed through Webcastcloud’s platform. - Sell Corporate Subscription’s
Launching a corporate subscription service is a strategic move that simultaneously benefits both companies and associations. By offering conference recordings on-demand through a subscription model, associations cater to the needs of corporate members who may have budget constraints when sending their staff to events.
Corporate subscriptions provide associations with a steady income stream, reducing dependency on sporadic event registrations. This consistent cash flow empowers associations to plan and execute initiatives effectively, elevating the member experience.
For corporations, the service offers a cost-effective way to provide valuable professional development opportunities to their teams. This is particularly advantageous for organizations with large teams or multiple departments, as they can access conference content at a fraction of the cost. To maintain the significance of in-person conferences, associations can structure the subscription service to require a minimum of two representatives to attend the physical event, preserving the essence of face-to-face networking and experiential learning. As an added benefit, the subscription can grant access to supplementary content, workshops, and resources beyond what’s available at the main event. - Pre-Record Session Highlights
At conferences, speakers often deliver talks that span 40-60 minutes, making it challenging for viewers to commit to watching them on-demand. Additionally, the costs associated with filming every session across multiple rooms can quickly escalate. To address these challenges while enhancing your event planning and content strategy, consider a brilliant solution – pre-recorded session highlights.
Before the event, approach your speakers and request that they film a condensed 20-minute version of their talk. This not only helps you assess the quality and relevance of their content but also aids in planning your event schedule to optimize valuable session slots for your best speakers and topics.
This approach is a cost-effective game-changer. By harnessing the same tools that became ubiquitous during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as Zoom, speakers can easily create high-quality, concise versions of their presentations. This process aligns perfectly with the new era of hybrid and virtual events, ensuring that you extract maximum value from your event planning.
Moreover, pre-recording session highlights provides you with a ready-to-distribute package immediately after the event concludes. This timely availability can boost sales efforts, catering to attendees who experienced FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) during your compelling event marketing. Now, they can purchase specific sessions on-demand, enhancing their post-event experience and enriching your association’s non-dues revenue stream. By adopting this approach, you’ll not only save on recording costs but also make your event content more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. - Develop Continuing Education Courses
Transform conference recordings into comprehensive e-learning courses that members can take at their own pace. Organize and categorize the recorded content into modules , add quizzes, assign continuing education credits and certificates of completion to enhance the learning experience and value for the content. These courses can cover a wide range of topics relevant to your association’s niche, appealing to both existing members and a broader online audience. Charging a fee for these courses not only generates revenue but also helps your association establish itself as an authority in the field.
The potential within conference recordings is vast, and associations must tap into this treasure trove to drive year-round revenue. By creatively repackaging content as upsells, on-demand passes, pay-per-view sessions, subscription events, and corporate subscriptions, associations can generate consistent income while providing valuable resources to their members and partners. It’s time for associations to unlock the full potential of their conference recordings, and Webcastcloud is here to help you turn this untapped resource into a valuable revenue stream.
Ready to Maximize Your Conference Recordings?
Unlock the full potential of your conference recordings with Webcastcloud. Our comprehensive video monetization platform simplifies content distribution, enhances user experience, and boosts your association’s revenue. Learn more about how Webcastcloud can help you succeed in the digital era. Explore Webcastcloud and elevate your content strategy today!
