EXPANDING THE AUDIENCE

Chapter Wisdom
EMBS Value
Chapter Funding
Leadership
Great Speakers
Expanding Audience
Marketing Your Chapter
Increasing Membership
Metrics for the Chapter
L31 is important
Welcome New Chapters

 

A new EMBS chapter will typically start with an audience of 10 attendees or less.  Within a few months this number will grow to 20 to 30 visitors.  Within a year, the audience will be averaging 40 to 50 people or be operating at even a higher level.... but only if efforts are placed into increasing the audience.  This page provides some ideas on how to grow your audience. 

 

 

 

 

 

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN NATURE

 

It takes about three announcements to bring someone to an event.  Even the most dedicated attendee will need some help to remember.

 

We suggest to send the announcement:

 

- 2 weeks in advance

- 1 week before the event

- the morning of the event

 

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JAZZ UP YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Give the speaker  a fantastic spotlight in the announcement. 

 

Choose a jazzy title for the talk as often this is the only piece that will be read. 

 

Your audience may include individuals who are not engineers such as physicians, business men, attorneys, investors, or journalists.  Therefore a language designed  for general audience will attract a broader audience.   

The number of visitors is directly related to the Chapter's ability to advertise the event and spread the word. 

 

Because of the limited finances of an IEEE chapter, it is not possible to use traditional advertising channels that a company would normally use to promote a product. 

 

However, there are some natural options to advertise the events:

 

  • Start with the electronic distribution list of the EMBS members in your Section.  This is often provided when the chapter is just formed.  However, it is good to get an updated list each year.  If you need an updated list, contact us. 

 

  • Contact your Section Chair and ask to get the list of IEEE members - all societies included - whose address is within 10 miles of your events.  Often EMBS talks cover technology areas that touch other society topics. 

 

  • Brainstorm with your officers and come out with a list of everyone you know who would enjoy the talks.  These names can be of individuals who are not IEEE members, not EMBS members, and even non technicals (business, legal, finance, etc).  This approach is a great tool for the development of IEEE and EMBS membership.

 

  • Place your event on all electronic calendars that you can find.  Check local universities, local electronic newspapers, other technical or medical organizations.

 

  • Get your events posted in your IEEE Section newsletter or website.  If the IEEE Region where you are advertises chapter events, be sure to get your events posted there.

 

  • Contact biomed professors or clinicians who are teaching and ask them to route the event to their students.  

 

  • Each time you have an event, record the name and email addresses of the attendees.  For the ones who are attending for the first time, add their names to your distribution list.

 

  • Give incentives to audience members to bring friends, spouses, adult children, and colleagues.