Creating new revenue streams through event multimedia management.

Event multimedia management is a relatively new concept that is generating nondues revenues and cutting costs for many associations. The underlying premise of EMM is that information is only as valuable as it is accessible. Imagine trying to find a local dry cleaner in a phone book that wasn't alphabetized. Sure, the large yellow book contains relevant information, but if that book is not organized in a coherent manner, it is worthless to the end user.

EMM is not only the archive of information developed from live events, such as presentations, workshops, and printed conference materials. It also adds the element of accessibility to the information, which creates a compelling value proposition with associated nondues revenue streams and cost-cutting opportunities.

Webcasting and CD-ROMs

On-demand webcasting has come into the light as a valuable archiving method for live-presentation content. Webcasting technologies enable us to organize, index, and categorize the information contained within audio or video files like never before. For years associations have used audiotapes or printed handout materials to archive live presentations. This is similar to the phone book example in that these products contain relevant information, but it is locked up in a highly inaccessible format. Using new webcasting technologies, a member is not relegated to listening to hours of audiotapes to find a 15-minute segment of interest. Now valuable information is just a click away, because it is digitally indexed and organized. Additionally, with an audiotape, the listener doesn't benefit from the speaker's handouts and slides, whereas with on-demand webcasting or CD-ROMs these materials are synchronized with the audio or video.

Archiving live events in a webcasting format has enabled many associations to gain an increase in the sales of content to members as well as to generate compelling interest from the sponsorship community. It is not an uncommon occurrence for an association to generate impressive nondues revenues from sponsorships that far exceed the cost of digitally archiving their event.

Event document archives

Another area of event multimedia management, event document archiving, is saving associations money and adding significant value for members. Once digitized, points of interest are easily accessed through keyword searches that can extend to potentially hundreds of disparate documents. The end product is a searchable compact disc that lives on as a valuable reference source.

This method of archiving does not necessarily replace on-site documentation, but it can in many instances significantly reduce the need for expensive hard-copy materials. Some associations are paring back their on-site documents to a conference essentials booklet and bundling it with a CD that contains literally all of the conference documentation. This gives the attendees a reasonable booklet to work with at the conference and a valuable digital reference source for many months to come. This combination of delivery methods can commonly result in a net savings of 60 percent to an association's printing and shipping budget even after including the cost of developing the CD.

Many associations are also creating a virtual trade show listing and charging exhibitors a fee for an upgraded listing. This strategy has proven to be an effective way of generating further nondues revenues for associations with a large exhibitor base.

Associations are largely in the business of information management. It follows that the more value an association can add to its proprietary content, the more opportunities it will have to generate nondues revenues as a result. When searching for a digital archiving partner, look for a company that has technical competence, extensive experience in the association marketplace, and a progressive view toward nondues revenue generation. With those components, you will be sure to succeed.

RELATED ARTICLE: Company Bio

Blue Sky Broadcast (www.blueskybroadcast.com) helps nonprofit organizations and other associations with unique multimedia solutions, including the capture of live meeting sessions while synchronizing each speaker's discussion with his or her presentation materials. Other solutions include e-books and digitization of conference handout materials.

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Contact:

Troy Malone

445 Marine View Ave., Suite 285

Del Mar, CA 92014

877-925-8375

www.blueskybroadcast.com

Troy Malone is vice president, Blue Sky Broadcast, Del Mar, California.