Today is day three of the 2026 AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) Calgary Compass Conference. I am having an amazing time. Next week I am attending the Greater Purpose Conference in Vancouver… then at the end of this month I am speaking at and attending Canada’s Fundraising Conference in Toronto. Then of course there is the longest running Canadian conference for fundraisers and those specifically in the sponsorship sector, the Western Sponsorship Congress® – Alberta Forum that I am doing the opening keynote for and attending in November in Edmonton.
So, why do I get so excited about these events? And why do I attend so many? I actually sat down and thought about that question which had been poised to me a while back. Why do I do so many of these and what is the ROI for me (or others)? So here is what I concluded – really just two key reasons for going and getting value:
- As I said, I am just finishing up three days of being at the AFP Calgary Compass Conference. Over these days I took in several sessions that I took away new learnings from as well as re-confirmed things I already knew but appreciated that they were still valid. This came from sessions by Tony Myers, Kathryn Kolaczek, Eva Kwan, Jill Petrovic, Ross March and others. It is always important for me to stay current with new trends and as well as confirming age old elements are still valid. I can get this from a cross section of people with different perspectives all in one place. And if I want, I can go and talk to that individual and carry the conversation further. Podcasts, online content (like my TMC – shameless plug) and reading books (another shameless plug – Reality Check – Straight Talk about Sponsorship Marketing) are great learning tools… but getting it live in-person and asking that person questions over dinner that night or in the hotel elevator etc. delivers far more value. For the say $2500 cost to attend, if I get to hear 15 speakers (which is what I will have received here at AFP Calgary Compass) be they in a breakout or keynote or on a panel and then engage with those 15 people for 15 minutes each and take away further insights that is an investment of $166 per person I spent time with. Lol… and that is over an hour with each, between their session and one on one time. If you want to talk to me as a consultant for an hour that is $450 for the hour. This is a third of the price and they are all in one place! In short, where can you get so much content, access to industry thought leaders and trend setters in a single setting over a couple of days? Well worth the $2500 and the time out of a busy schedule.
- It is the people. And at these events, for me there are three types of people. First of all, the people I know and have not seen recently. Second is the people that are clients or prospects. And finally, the people I have never met. This week I connected with 4 people that I have not seen in over 3 years. We reconnected, they opened some new doors for me, they provided me with some new insights, and I did the same for them.
Then there are the folks that I see every year or every second year I attend such an event. These people are important in my life. They feed me with knowledge, and I am able to keep them updated on the sponsorship industry. This is a chance to meet them one on one “outside of work” – sometimes that means without their staff or without their bosses so they can talk more freely – sometimes it means more personal conversations or sometimes it is just the right time to ask them for feedback or input. These are my collogues and people I trust and who trust me and I have a relationship with. Seeing them once a year at an event deepens that relationship and it is more engaging than a phone call, text, DM or Zoom call.
Then there is the clients / prospects – people we are doing work with or people we are actively engaged to try and win their business. This allows me to get to know those people better and again “outside of the office” type meetings. We can talk about families and hobbies and such over dinner or cocktails. We can converse about a speaker and their approach and our support or non support of their presentation. I can understand them better and they me! This face-to-face time with these people in a safe and non “business” environment is invaluable. It also means that these folks and all the folks at the event can access me and my 35 years of insights and experience at no charge. So, I too can provide value back.
And finally, those that I have never met. This week I have met about nine people I have never met before nor had even heard of. This was amazing. I learned about new organizations I was not aware of, one actually worked for a client of ours but we don’t engage with this lady. I love meeting new people, learning new things and being able to share insights and content with them if so desired. Meeting new people widens my network and that is what long term success is all about.
The ROI for me is learning and networking and should, be for you too probably!! It is also an opportunity for me to give back and share my experience and insights and knowledge with others.
I keep going because the ROI is great. And if you want to be in a room with Canada’s sponsorship thought leaders over a two day period with a ton of break out sessions, panels, cool engagement sessions and keynotes along with reception time and dinner with those speakers in small groups at the “Dine Around” experience… register today for the Western Sponsorship Congress® – Alberta Forum.
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