Open Forum

Abstract Management: Why you (clients) should use it, creative program applications, and why we need to invest in the platform

Thank you Brittany for starting the conversation for CONNECT 2026 .

Being a bit bias here with my topics:

• Deep dives into personalizing the donor and alumni experience during event registration
  • Real-world case studies from universities
  • Other methods besides the optional item/donation widget universities may be asking for donations
• Metrics and ROI reporting best practices for stewardship and campaign tracking
• And always networking with other universities

Hi Brittany - thanks for the opportunity to discuss CONNECT 2026! 

I'd love to see short (up to 2 hours) workshops where we build things hands-on: 

• animated widgets/elements for our sites 
• tips on using AI for specific event elements (speaker matching, automation, etc.)

I very much enjoy the variety of sessions but feel like actually doing the things in the session with experts walking the room to provide advice would be invaluable. 

Thanks! 

I would love to see some of the following:

• A non-profit track for those of us that want to get the most of out of Cvent that includes non-profit fundraising in the platform (not sales...it's different), donor management and personalization, budget management and stewardship, encouraging advocacy and education 
• I'd also love a deep dive into Cvent IQ and how to get the most out of it (beyond the 101, and not a sales pitch for another product)
• Working sessions with like-professionals to share ideas and glean insights (like small table discussions with guided questions to foster idea-sharing)
• Managing change and getting buy-in across an organization
• Marketing the event in an era where increased security and privacy is paramount

I'd also like to see sessions that focus on the more advanced user of Cvent vs. the beginners. So maybe tracks that do a 301 or 401 vs. a 101 and 201 level. A lot of us in attendance have been using Cvent for years, and the beginner stuff is unnecessary.

Hi,

I second the comment about more non-profit focus. As non-profits our needs and even how we execute events is different than for-profits, and I think that gets lost a bit in Cvent's business model. 

Erin

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

Also agree on a "super user" training or even Meet Up!

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

Such a great idea for the meetup @Rebecca Yousif - what would you think of something like a learning lab or problem-solving workshop led by peers for super users, potentially? 

Also agree on a "super user" training or even Meet Up!

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

Hi Brittany - 

I think we could even have folks submit examples of issues/complex requests that they had to solve for in the past and we could either solve together in a workshop or provide the scenario to everyone ahead of time.  We could then use the meetup or lab to review how different people solved for the same issue.

Lots of fun and different ways we could approach it!

Thanks, 

Rebecca

Such a great idea for the meetup @Rebecca Yousif - what would you think of something like a learning lab or problem-solving workshop led by peers for super users, potentially? 

Also agree on a "super user" training or even Meet Up!

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

Hi Brittany - 

I think we could even have folks submit examples of issues/complex requests that they had to solve for in the past and we could either solve together in a workshop or provide the scenario to everyone ahead of time.  We could then use the meetup or lab to review how different people solved for the same issue.

Lots of fun and different ways we could approach it!

Thanks, 

Rebecca

Such a great idea for the meetup @Rebecca Yousif - what would you think of something like a learning lab or problem-solving workshop led by peers for super users, potentially? 

Also agree on a "super user" training or even Meet Up!

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.

I also like the idea of more advanced level trainings for those of us that are "super users" and have been using the platform for many years.