How SMS Marketing Increased Attendee Engagement at the USIndoor Sports Association Annual Conference

Client Introduction

Founded in 1998, the United States Indoor Sports Association (USISA) is dedicated to serving the interests of its diverse membership primarily consisting of multi-sport facilities, startups and the providers that serve them. USISA is built of roughly 200 facilities, 20 providers, and over 2,000 total members across the United States, Canada and more.

USIndoor Sports Association hosted it’s 23rd annual conference in Las Vegas to over 300 executives, owners, managers, exhibitors, and attendees. The conference ran from May 17th – May 19th in Las Vegas Nevada. 

Problem/Client Challenges

In the past, the USIndoor Sports Association (USISA) faced challenges in effectively communicating with attendees at its annual conference. They used email, social media, and printed materials, but each method had drawbacks. Emails often went unread, social media posts were easily missed due to platform algorithms, and printed materials were difficult to distribute and frequently lost. These issues led to attendees missing important updates and information.

Recognizing these communication problems, USISA sought innovative solutions to improve engagement. By leveraging modern communication platforms, the association aimed to ensure attendees could easily access up-to-date information and stay connected throughout the conference. This shift enhanced the overall attendee experience and helped USISA better fulfill its mission of supporting the indoor sports industry.

Solution

• CCAI Solutions: SMS, Email

Keywords: USISA utilized multiple keywords to segment campaigns for it’s attendees in order to differentiate between executives, managers, vendors, and general attendees. These keywords were activated by attendees texting in their exclusive keyword to a phone number curated by CloudContactAI. Once the keywords are received, the attendee’s phone number is automatically added to a designated contact list and will receive the appropriate text message reminders, invitations, etc.

Automated Responses:

In order to alleviate the need to constantly check the inbox for inbound messages, USISA created automated responses for common inbound messages. From automated ‘thank you’ messages to attendees who opted-in to receiving updates via SMS to automated messages for common questions about the event. These automated messages gave USISA the freedom to focus on the event as it unfolded, instead of having to check their inbox and manually respond to every received message.

Bi-Directional Communication: CloudContactAI’s SMS Platform allowed USIndoor to communicate in real-time with attendees of the event, enhancing their communication channel without the need for a team just to answer phone calls and respond to emails.

Scheduled Texts:  USIndoor Sports Association utilized campaign scheduling, alleviating the need for USISA employees to have to manually send out thousands of texts or emails throughout the conference. The pre-scheduled text message campaigns were curated with custom templates and personalized for each recipient.

Results

• Enhanced Attendee Engagement: Effective segmentation and personalized communication improved overall attendee engagement.
• Increased Efficiency: Automated responses and pre-scheduled texts reduced the manual workload for USISA staff, allowing them to focus on the event.
• Improved Real-Time Communication: Bi-directional communication facilitated instant interaction with attendees, enhancing their conference experience.
• Higher Attendance and Participation: Timely reminders and updates ensured higher attendance and active participation in sessions and social events.
• Streamlined Communication Management: Automated and scheduled messaging streamlined communication processes, resulting in a more organized and smoothly run event.
• Positive Attendee Feedback: Personalized and timely communication contributed to positive feedback from attendees.
• Effective Campaign Segmentation: Use of keywords enabled precise targeting of different attendee groups, ensuring relevant information was sent to the right people.

Conclusion

The implementation of CloudContactAI’s SMS and Email solutions for the USISA Annual Conference yielded impressive results. By utilizing segmented campaigns, automated responses, bi-directional communication, and scheduled texts, USISA significantly enhanced attendee engagement and streamlined their communication processes. These efforts led to higher attendance, improved real-time interaction, and positive feedback from participants.

Overall, the strategic use of CloudContactAI’s platform not only alleviated the manual workload for USISA staff but also ensured a more organized and smoothly run event. This effective communication strategy played a crucial role in the conference’s success, setting a new standard for future events.

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