2024 Association Chapter Event Ticket Pricing Actions to Take Now

Updated: Jan. 9, 2024  |  Categories: Meetings/Events, Revenues  

As we head into 2024, your association chapter, like many, is probably thinking about all the events you want to hold next year. You’re focused on timing, topics, locations, food, etc. But as you think about engaging members with fantastic, unique association chapter events, how much attention are you paying to the price you need to charge?

You can create the “perfect” association chapter event, but if it’s priced too high, people won’t attend, whether it’s an in-person event or something remote like a webinar. And if it’s priced too low, you could have the same issue, when some think that since the cost is so low, the event won’t be of much value.

That doesn’t have to be the case. As you head into 2024, here are five association chapter event pricing trends to keep in mind, to help you set just the right price and attract the number of people you were looking for.

5 association chapter pricing considerations

1. Understand your market. Who do you want to attend? What else is going on in the area that might keep people from attending? Look at what other organizations near you are doing to attract the same kinds of people. What are they charging for their events? Does it seem like they’ve adjusted their pricing up or down? Expand your research outside of association chapter events. Check out networking groups and professional development organizations. Where else are your members going and what are those organizations charging for these events? Perhaps those groups charge a little more, but they also offer “early bird” specials, allowing attendees to save money by registering by a certain time before the event. Keep in mind that though “early bird” pricing is a great technique for getting people to attend your event, the term is also considered by many to be old fashioned; some organizations are rebranding their “early bird” pricing as pricing for “first movers.”   
2. Consider tiered pricing. Your association chapter may have several different member types: students, new members, new career members, retirees, sponsors, etc. Should each group pay the same to attend your association chapter events? Or could you engage each of those groups better by charging different prices for each? Maybe you charge your new association chapter members and your retirees a little less than what you charge your established members. And you have your sponsors pay a different amount. It might sound like a lot of work to manage this, but there are association management systems like StarChapter that can automatically adjust pricing so that the person registering only sees the ticket pricing that’s right for them. Tiered pricing also lets your event volunteers easily see how many in each group will be attending. Knowing who will be there helps you adjust your event to better engage those who will be in attendance. It also gives you time to adjust your marketing in advance, to better attract people from missing groups.
3. Think about relevant economic factors. Are prices of things like fuel, food and labor higher in your area than they were a few years ago? How is inflation affecting your part of the country? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the tension between China and Taiwan along with other geopolitical issues are pushing up costs of many everyday items. If your members have to spend a lot more on things they buy every day, can they afford to pay what you’re asking for a ticket? Will people show up if you increase your prices over what you charged for similar events in 2022 and 2023?
4. Explore the impact of remote work. How many of your members are still working remotely at least a few days each week? If they are, they may be starving for interaction. Spending so much time by themselves, they may be willing to pay a little more to attend an in-person event because it will give them a chance to be around other people. If it turns out they’ve returned to mostly working in person work, higher prices may not bring in the number of people you were hoping for.
5. Make your in-person events bigger than they’ve been! If you want to see people in person and get them to pay what you’re asking, you’ll need to give them something that can’t be easily translated into a webinar. Events that are more exclusive, like VIP events for people who register and pay early, hands on demonstrations, hikes, skill building opportunities, wine tastings, escape rooms etc. Think about what you can offer to make them want to be there and be willing to pay a little more for the opportunity.

It’s a lot to think about, and there’s a fine line between charging the right amount and charging too much or not enough. Plus, how much is too much, and what if what you end up charging for your association chapter event isn’t enough to make a profit?

It’s likely your costs will increase in 2024, and you may need to charge more as a result. But if you explain your reasoning to those you want to see at your association chapter events, and you keep your members’ needs in mind, they’ll appreciate your honesty, and do what they can to be there.

Return to list