With the 50th ASAE Demo Days milestone fast approaching, the program is widely recognized today as a proven success. What many across the association industry may not realize is how urgently — and unexpectedly — it began.
When the pandemic brought in-person events across the association sector to a screeching halt in March 2020, the impact was immediate and severe. Conferences were more than gatherings — they were essential revenue engines and primary touchpoints for member education, engagement, and partner connection. Practically overnight, that engine stalled.
Associations across the industry were asking the same urgent question:
How do we continue delivering value to members while stabilizing critical non-dues revenue?
ASAE faced that challenge head-on and began exploring how it could continue supporting members while creating new opportunities for industry partners to connect with the association community.
In early conversations, partner Profitable Association Inc. (PAI) stepped up, providing strategy and actionable insight. Collaborating closely with ASAE’s leadership, PAI helped design and launch what would become Demo Days — a virtual event connecting associations with technology providers at a moment when organizations urgently needed new solutions.
“When the pandemic forced us to rethink how we served both members and industry partners, PAI didn’t hesitate. They had a seat at the table from the very beginning. Demo Days grew out of that collaboration— and their willingness to step forward and say, ‘How can we help?’ was invaluable. What started as a new idea quickly became a strategic advantage for ASAE.” — Karl Ely, CAE, former SVP & Publisher, ASAE
The inaugural Virtual Event Demo Day launched in June 2020 on Zoom and immediately demonstrated the demand for a new model. The first program attracted over 900 registrants and 11 sponsors. A second event just two months later drew nearly 700 registrants and 9 sponsors, confirming that association leaders were eager for efficient ways to explore and evaluate new technology solutions.
At its core, the idea behind Demo Days was simple but powerful: create a focused environment where association professionals could efficiently explore technology solutions, compare options, and ask questions — while giving solution providers access to a highly relevant audience actively evaluating technology.
From the outset, ASAE made another deliberate decision that continues to define the program today: Demo Days attendance would always remain free for members.
In an industry where access to education and technology insight often comes at a cost, Demo Days has become a meaningful and enduring benefit for association professionals actively exploring solutions for their organizations.
Early success revealed something bigger: the Demo Day format could extend far beyond virtual event solutions. ASAE and PAI expanded the program into additional technology categories, beginning with Learning Management Systems (LMS).
To support this rapid growth, ASAE engaged PAI to lead sponsorship sales, manage fulfillment, and drive promotion and program enhancements—positioning PAI as a strategic partner in scaling this emerging revenue channel. The PAI team was seamlessly integrated as an extension of ASAE’s internal staff.
“Most associations don’t have a sales team that is sufficient to take them outside of their existing business model. Having the PAI team there to focus on this product and its success without other distractions is a good thing. Having PAI Sales as a teammate for this Demo Day product—and they’ve been there since the very beginning—makes sense.” — Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
The LMS Demo Day in September 2020 attracted 350 registrants and eight sponsors, further validating the model and setting the stage for ongoing programming across multiple technology categories.
In 2021, ASAE transitioned Demo Days from Zoom to the Matchbox platform, improving coordination and enhancing the experience for both sponsors and attendees.
What began as a response to crisis was evolving into something much more enduring: a year-round staple for technology discovery and industry connection.
The value of Demo Days quickly extended beyond ASAE. Vendor partners and suppliers quickly recognized the power of the format.
The program has also earned the attention of the advisors who help guide many of the association industry’s most significant technology investments.
Today, some of the most respected technology selection consultants in the association industry don’t just recommend Demo Days to their clients — they attend themselves. These advisors spend their days navigating complex RFPs, vendor comparisons, and strategic technology decisions on behalf of association leadership teams.
Since its launch, ASAE Demo Days has hosted a rapidly expanding slate of programs, featuring hundreds of technology presentations and drawing thousands of association leaders exploring solutions that shape the future of their organizations.
Along the way, it has become one of ASAE’s most successful and sustainable non-dues revenue programs, strengthening member value while creating meaningful opportunities for industry partners.
Behind the scenes, PAI has served as both architect and engine— designing, launching, optimizing, and scaling the program while operating as a seamless extension of ASAE’s team.
What began as a pandemic-era solution has grown into a lasting program for the association sector — one that continues to connect association leaders with the technologies that power their missions.
