Can you spot the telltale signs of a community?

Last week, I attended the Michigan Association of Broadcasters annual meetings -- which coincided with the organization's 75th birthday celebration -- on Mackinac Island.

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As I greeted?familiar colleagues and met new ones, I noted how this group displays all of the?hallmarks of a community:

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• A Shared Mission: These?are all broadcasters looking to help each other become better broadcasters and to advance the broadcasting industry.

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• Gathered in a Space: The meetings?took place at the iconic Grand Hotel, a venue that has been named one of the "Best Places to Stay in the World" by Conde Nast Traveler.

• Gatekeeping: Not everybody is allowed to attend this event. You must be a dues-paying member of the association or receive a special invitation.

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• Rituals: In addition to the annual meetings which followed a prescribed structure, there was also the annual awards ceremony, which honored the achievements of various members.

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• Symbols: Everybody received a souvenir thermos emblazoned with the MAB logo, and winners received trophies to acknowledge their achievements.

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Once you know the telltale signs of a community, it's not hard to find examples. These can serve as a powerful inspiration when you're ready to launch your own community.

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Thank you to everyone at the MAB for inviting me to the event. It's been an honor to serve on the board of the MAB Foundation for the last several years and to be a part of the community!

I know so many conference producers who are stressed out because attendees?today don't buy tickets until the last minute.

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So many?event producers believe their content is the key to driving ticket sales. They pour all their time and energy into their conference agenda, not realizing that today, people are increasingly traveling to events for connection.

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After all, now that the internet has made it easy for anyone to publish and distribute content across the globe, we don't need to take time off work, get on a plane, and book a hotel room just to sit in sessions. We can get that same information from YouTube videos and blog articles and podcasts.

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Today, people are going to conferences to connect with people. If they already know a lot of other people that are coming to your event, they are much more likely to want to go.?

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Makes sense, doesn't it? Events are more fun and more valuable when you see friends and colleagues there.

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Smart conference producers know that the secret to driving ticket sales is to build a space where potential attendees can meet each other BEFORE their event, so when tickets go on sale, they're eager to buy.

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This fall, I am?hosting an accelerator program to show event producers like you a step-by-step process for launching and growing a digital community that will drive ticket sales, create new sponsorship opportunities, and eliminate the stress of promoting your conference.

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This program will only be open to a small number of people, so if you would like to be a part of it, join the waitlist now:

https://www.communitymarketingrevolution.com/accelerator-waitlist