90p Admin

Can you please look at this and provide any ideas regarding our possible Affiliate renewal rates for 2016. To simplify the delivery and management, I took out most of the benefits that vendors/affiliates had not been using. I've been getting inquiries from various vendor/affiliates and would like to finalize the renewal amounts this week. As near as I can tell our total revenues last year from vendor / publishers was about $103,000 (this includes the ""soft"" amount that xKzero traded us for Alnoor) - @JeffSchwenk please check me on this. I'd like to simplify the fee schedule - Affiliates pay $4,000 per year and Publishers $7,500. Presentations and everything else is additional. I project we'd be able to stay approximately revenue neutral at $100,000 per year under the new plan (see pdf) provided we also sold some additional sponsorships during MOTM -- ie Boat, Dinner, etc. We have a significant opportunity to exceed the projection however it requires brainstorming on how these affiliates could get more presentation time without running into the same time constraints and concern over sales pitches that we always have. Based on past experience almost all affiliates want to (a) come to the conference and (b) speak. It would be wonderful if we had something like an affiliate day where they each got 20 minutes to give an update (or something similar). Even then we could run out of timeslots. This is worth brainstorming on because unless we are able to find a way to open up speaking slots somehow then I fear we have an upper limit to the affiliates we can attract. Making the speaking slots more expensive is one way to close the gap however then we price many of the slots so that only the large affiliates can afford to present.

Another option is to consider a three day event.

A good idea. I think best for next meeting since we have most of the dates already coordinated for 2/2016. Decoupling the affiliate fee from sponsorship (speaking, etc) should give us more flexibility going forward since our affiliate fees won't be so directly tied to just one meeting.

Could we make the full sessions 45 minutes and the half sessions 30 minutes (or 20)? That would allow squeezing in at least a couple more slots.

Copy of our program booklet from last year

They were all 30 minute sessions for 'affiliates'. Could we keep it the same with the difference being general vs. concurrent?

I agree. More of a 2017 fix as Jim has pretty much nailed the facilities down plus the minds of the future has been chiseled in

I'm good with the changes suggested. I trust those in charge of the scheduling can make/dictate the slots appropriately.

Attached is the actual revenue for 2015. Close enough for government work.. I think we could revenue enhance by offering opportunities to sponsor each break, every meal (includes lunch), registration table, etc. Big question is the supply session times. Once determined, then we can manipulate the demand.

I worked on session slots last week but I will redo with varying lengths, etc. this week. Are you going to approach the affiliates @WayneSchulz ? How soon if yes?

I have an inquiry from Tony Brown about joining and I think there are a couple others who may be interested. Mainly I'm looking to be sure that if we move to a flat $4,000 membership for affiliates that we aren't cutting ourselves off from revenue. Looking quickly think $4,000 probably works as an annual fee -- though we will have to offer some additional non-speaking type sponsorships (cruise, dinner, etc). I'm not sure how to approach a new affiliate who asks what they get for their $4,000 since most of them seem fixated on some type of speaking. I think the slots we had last year worked well and I think the # slots you have proposed for this year look good. I'm more looking for non-speaking sponsorship opportunities so the when new affiliates ask what the $4,000 includes we have some benefits to offer that don't require us to go through a lot of schedule juggling. It would be helpful if we used the opening night event so that all affiliates got a 5-minute chance to introduce and give an update about themselves/their product. At least that's one area where we could say that people have an opportunity to give a quick pitch. I feel like many of the affiliates are not keen on sitting through sessions and mostly want that opportunity to be in front of the group -- even if it were a 5 minute quick pitch that might be enough.

It's also possible (won't know unless we try) that some would be happy being a lesser sponsor and just attach their name to a break or happy hour, etc. Giving all of the affiliates a speaking role doesn't seem feasible so the more we can think of to offer them that doesn't involve a speech - the better in my view.

Are you assuming we aren't getting any publisher traction?

@JeffSchwenk I am projecting nothing from Sage. I think Acumatica will probably be back (they asked) though wanted a reduction from their prior year $5,000. I think there will be something in this category but wanted to be cautious in projecting how much.