ANNA Captures & Transforms Event Content to Create Vibrant Year-Round Learning Communities
For nearly two decades, Celess Tyrell has developed and refined online learning opportunities for ANNA members, always with a keen eye for tech-enabled innovation. In her role Program Manager at Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc., her achievements span much wider, as she guides online learning for five other healthcare associations. In 2005, ANNA selected BroadcastMed (formally known as Digitell) as their partner to advance online learning. Brian Zambotti would regularly collaborate with Celess on best ways to deliver more value to members through event content capture and live streaming. The ANNA online library includes hundreds of courses gleaned from content captured at their physical events.
About ANNA American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) improves members’ lives through education, advocacy, networking, and science. ANNA is committed to advancing the nephrology nursing specialty and has a membership of over 8,000 registered nurses and other health care professionals at all levels of practice. With “Learning, Leading, and Connecting” as their compass, they’re helping their industry to advance in meaningful ways.
From CDs to Digital: Accelerate 365 Engagement
Initially, Digitell recorded conference sessions to create CDs participants could purchase, which would happen largely at their physical events. The shift to all-digital made it much easier for professionals to move through courses and CNE contact hours. It also set the stage for expanding the learning value runway to foster richer year-round engagement.
“From 2008 to 2010, we doubled our revenue. Since then, it’s been steady growth. When I look back, we’re now making about eight times what we were making a decade ago.”
- Celess Tyrell, Director of Learning & Innovation, ANNA
From Covering Costs to 600% Non-Dues Revenue Growth
At first, the goal for ANNA was to cover costs for recording session content. After reaching this goal in two years, Celess focused on revenue growth opportunities. “We started being more intentional with how we were marketing this content. This helped us drive more people to our online library to purchase conference sessions.”
Free Access to Event Content Recordings for Registered Attendees
ANNA made the wise decision to give conference attendees free access to session recordings for the conference. This value-add earned rave reviews. With so much happening onsite, it gave attendees the opportunity to watch sessions they couldn’t attend, plus revisit sessions they enjoyed. This same content was marketed to non-attendees for purchase, which contributed more revenue. It also gave non-attendees a glimpse at what they were missing, prompting some to attend in person next year.
CNE-of-the-Month Offer Increases Online Engagement
If you build it, will they come? Not necessarily – another brilliant marketing strategy Celess deployed was launching the CNE-of-the-Month. Each month, ANNA members are provided free access to a featured CNE learning module. When members access the free CNE module, some purchase additional content packages, too.
Bundling Strategy by Specialty Refreshes Legacy Content
“There are eight or nine nephrology specialties and we decided to start bundling content by specialty. We call them Specialty Practice Packages. Each includes five or six sessions from several past events and these packages are updated every two years as CNE contact hours expire. We also offer these packages to our members at a 50% discount.”
Event Content is a Treasured Member Benefit
With more organizations scrutinizing membership fees, access to learning content is also helping to improve member retention.
“One question we ask on membership surveys is, ‘What are your favorite member benefits?’ Free CNE is right up there at the top.”
What ANNA Appreciates Most in Partnership with BroadcastMed
Depth & Breadth of Experience
With virtual expanding quickly as new vendors enter this space, BroadcastMed’s team has been perfecting virtual & hybrid experiences for more than a decade. They know what works and what doesn’t.
Trusted Advisor & Sounding Board for New Ideas
As Celess brainstorms with her team, she often runs new ideas by the team. “They know our programs and they want us to succeed. They’re advising us and often expanding on ideas they’ve seen at other events.”
Extra-Mile Team + Extra-Mile Support
“There’s a team of people that are reliable. No matter the issue, I know who can get me the answers. They’re also willing to take some risks with us, as we experiment together.”
