THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ANATOMY (AAA) serves over 2,500 students, educators, and researchers in anatomical sciences across nearly 60 countries. Its flagship event, Anatomy Connected, is the premier annual conference for the field, drawing more than 1,000 attendees from a diverse range of disciplines and career stages. In 2022, AAA partnered with SB to launch its first-ever stand-alone meeting and tradeshow—marking a strategic shift from its prior participation in the larger Experimental Biology conference.
THE CHALLENGE
Following the dissolution of Experimental Biology in 2022, AAA was faced with some critical objectives:
- Establish a robust, independent annual meeting and tradeshow.
- Increase year-round, non-dues revenue to support the association’s long-term sustainability.
AAA hoped to create a comprehensive revenue strategy centered around the flagship event, while also including year-round opportunities to engage.
THE SOLUTION
SB developed and implemented an integrated sales strategy to maximize value for AAA and its sponsors. Rather than treating the annual meeting as a one-time opportunity, SB positioned Anatomy Connected as a gateway to ongoing engagement.
Key elements of the approach included:
- Cross-selling and upselling sponsorship and advertising opportunities across AAA’s channels—publications, digital communications, and other year-round offerings.
- Streamlining outreach, ensuring partners had a single point of contact for all advertising and sponsorship opportunities, improving the buying experience.
- Leveraging existing relationships, focusing on companies already engaged in Anatomy Connected to extend their reach and impact across the full calendar year.
This approach eliminated the need for multiple sales vendors and maximized the value of existing expo sales staff.
“SB’s integrated sales strategy has been a win for both our association and our partners. It gives sponsors and exhibitors a one-stop solution for building a comprehensive, year-round presence with AAA. They can engage with our members not just at Anatomy Connected, but also across our publications and communications throughout the year. And they can make that happen working with one contact rather than several.”
— Colby Shultz, Senior Director, Meetings and Education, American Association for Anatomy
THE RESULTS
AAA increased non-dues revenue and improved sponsor and exhibitor satisfaction with a simplified, streamlined sales process using SB, which eliminated the need for multiple external sales vendors.
THE CONCLUSION
By turning Anatomy Connected into a cornerstone of an integrated sales strategy, SB helped AAA grow its non-dues revenue and strengthen sponsor relationships. The result is a sustainable, year-round approach that benefits the association and its partners alike.
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