Most member events are built with good intentions.

You offer CE credits.
You plan panels.
You hand out tote bags.

But ask your members what they remember?
…It’s often not much.

It’s not because they didn’t care.
It’s because the experience didn’t stick.

Most events are planned for logistics, not designed for meaning.
And your members deserve better.

Let’s Talk About the Bag for a Second.

I remember when the bag meant something.

It was made well. It lasted.
You’d spot someone at next year’s event still carrying it — and it was a quiet signal:

“I’ve been here before. I’m part of this.”

It wasn’t about the canvas.
It was about the connection.

Now?

I’ve been to events that hand you hot sauce, a hat, sunglasses, flip flops, a bottle opener, a lightsaber — and maybe even a bird and a timeshare (okay, not really, but it’s getting close).

And all of that… before you even pick up your badge.

Sure, the hot sauce was cool.
But is that what convinces your boss this was a smart investment?
Is that what makes you feel connected to a mission, a community, a cause?

At Bronwen Consulting, We Think Member Events Should Feel Different.

Great member events should be:

• Personal

• Relevant

• Designed to create value that lasts beyond the closing keynote

We help organizers:

• Design experiences around real problems — not just schedules

• Create emotional context through thoughtful content grouping

• Put collaboration on display with live, integrated demos

• Capture stories in real time — not just scramble for testimonials at year-end

Because when members feel seen, the whole event shifts.

They show up differently.
They stay longer.
They come back.

So Yes — Give Them the Badge. Give Them the Bag.

Just make sure what’s in it (and around it) actually means something.

Because a tote bag can carry a lot of things.
It should carry belonging, too.