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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

A Lesson from the Disney Playbook

By: Sheri Jacobs, CAE
Visit Sheri's blog at www.avenuemgroup.com
 
One of my favorite races, The Walt Disney World Marathon, offered a clever new way to give runners a race experience unlike any other. They partnered with the magazine, Runner's World to offer customized training plans, connections to experts and VIP treatment during the race weekend. Runners also received a private packet pick-up, exclusive pre-race walkout to the race start corrals, books and publications and an invitation for VIP access to a post-race celebration. Only a limited number of spaces are available and I've heard that the offer quickly sells out each year even though runners must pay an additional $300.


Can this approach work in the association world? Absolutely.

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) took a new approach to pricing a highly valued and often sold-out course that prepares individuals for the hospice and palliative medicine board certification exam. Similar to the approach taken by Disney or the airline industry, AAHPM staff created a pricing structure that offered practitioners the opportunity to attend the intensive board review course at a budget-friendly price (coach class) or with additional benefits (first class).

As part of the process, AAHPM staff identified a list of benefits that would provide additional value to attendees and provide a boost in revenue for the organization. In addition to offering member and nonmember prices to attend, AAHPM offered a limited number of "premium seats" for an additional $250. Participants who paid the extra fee received:

  • Reserved seating in the "preferred section" (the first five rows of the middle section of the room);
  • A special "express" registration line and entrance into the lecture hall;
  • A wine and cheese reception with course faculty; and
  • A special gift from AAHPM, including two popular AAHPM books (Primer of Palliative Care and the accompanying workbook), an AAHPM pen, mints and a Starbucks gift card.
The result? According to Steve Smith, CAE, AAHPM's executive director, AAHPM sold 120 of 126 premium seats prior to the course, generating an additional $25,000 in net revenue. On site, staff sold the last four seats and raffled two remaining seats to other attendees.

Excerpted from the new ASAE-Wiley Series book The Art of Membership: How to Attract, Retain, and Cement Member Loyalty, by Sheri Jacobs, CAE. Used with permission of Jossey-Bass Publishers, © 2014. (Available at ASAE Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes and Noble)


We want to hear from you!

Has your organization tried this approach at one of its events? Leave a comment and let us know what you did and how it worked!