The Direct Marketing Association of Washington (DMAW) held Association Trend Marketing Day on October 19, 2011, at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.  Members benefited from a day of education and networking with leading speakers, top association executives and suppliers.  For the panel session Growth of Event Attendance, Bob Pignato, vice president of marketing, membership and industry affairs, AWMA, and Jane Berzan, vice president of strategic initiatives and supplier relations, AWMA, and president, JMB Solutions Inc., plus two other panelists, had an audience of other marketing, meeting planning, and executive director association professionals. 

The session entitled, Growth of Event Attendance, included Bob and Jane who joined Alexis de la Rosa, account manager, Fixation Marketing, to lend their expertise to attendees. The panel was moderated by Jane Dahlroth, meetings, conventions & exhibits manager, American College of Medical Genetics.

Many of the questions attendees were interested in were:

•    How can I grow our organization in a declining marketplace?
•    Is it time to redefine membership to expand our audience?
•    Which numbers are really important? Membership count? Participation? Revenue? Engagement?
•    How can social media effectively grow membership?
•    What’s working in direct response and how can response rates be improved?

Bob shared information on AWMA’s conference & expo and how AWMA worked in the last few years to change, reinvent, and revitalize the EXPO.  Jane shared her many years of running trade shows and her expertise in helping to expand, increase attendance and overall marketing strategies.  A vibrant round of Q&A from the attendees rounded out the session.