From Focus on Impact to Return on Investment, and vice versa

Yes, say more and more experts. A strategy focused on impact increases the target audience of your conference. After all, an impactful conference is more than just an academic event and therefore appeals to a wider audience than just scientists. By also focusing on social impact, the message of your conference becomes more powerful, and you can more easily obtain funding from government and entrepreneurs. In other words, your story sounds more convincing, and you broaden the support base for partnerships and financial support.

This was proven not so long ago in Flanders. Before submitting a bid - for a conference that is still in the pipeline and therefore cannot be named at this time - Flanders Convention Bureau facilitated an extensive gaps & needs study. Stakeholders from academia, government, the business world, and even the public were involved.

The resulting dossier clearly demonstrated the added value that Flanders would reap by focusing on the impact of the conference. For example, urban services within the domain could receive extra support. The domain would also be prominently in the spotlight among the public. Moreover, this audience would gain a very clear picture of the importance of this domain for society. Precisely because the social importance was so convincingly demonstrated, the government came forward with financial support.

Every association can create relevant impact, including yours. In fact, it is extremely exciting to find out which social challenge best suits your field. It gives extra meaning to the work you do. After all, creating impact means having a positive effect on people's lives. Let's be honest, doesn't that give you an extra reason to go to work every morning with a smile on your face?