Member networking and professional receptions
Creating opt-in contact exchange at a member event
Members want to stay in touch after the event, and your committee wants to enable it without handing out everyone's details.
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The short answer
Opt-in contact exchange lets each member decide what to share, with whom and for how long. Collect nothing by default, show exactly what will be shared and give members a simple way to withdraw.
Choose a method that fits the event, such as a member-controlled directory, a mutual-consent exchange at the event or an opt-in follow-up list. Check data handling with your own data protection contact.
The principle: members choose
- Sharing is off until the member turns it on.
- The member sees the exact fields and the audience before agreeing.
- Sharing with other members is separate from sharing with sponsors or the secretariat.
- The member can change their mind, and the secretariat knows how to act on it.
Four ways to do it
| Method | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Member-controlled directory | Members tick fields to appear in a post-event directory | Needs a clear audience, expiry date and a way to remove an entry |
| Mutual-consent exchange | Two members both choose to share with each other, for example by a code | Needs simple instructions and a fallback for those who do not use the tool |
| Opt-in follow-up list for a topic | Members join a list for a single topic or working group | Must stay within the topic they joined |
| Paper or card exchange by choice | Members bring their own cards and hand them out as they wish | No data is held by the organiser; still offer a no-pressure option |
Wording that works
Keep the request short and plain: 'May we share your name, organisation and email with other members who attended? You can change your mind at any time.' Separate lines for each audience avoid a single all-or-nothing choice.
State the end date for any list and who will hold it. Check wording with your data protection contact before it goes on the form.
What not to do
- Pre-ticked boxes or a single consent line covering everything.
- Passing a delegate list to sponsors by default.
- Scanning badges without a visible opt-in.
- Keeping the list after the stated date.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional professional body's opt-in directory
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
The Persatuan Fiktif Pegawai Pematuhan has 160 attendees. Registration asks for optional sharing of name, organisation and email in a member directory that runs for 60 days after the event.
Ninety-one members opt in. The secretariat sends the directory only to those who opted in, and shows each member how to remove their entry. Sponsors receive no individual names.
Use this yourself
Opt-in contact exchange planning sheet
Fill in before the registration form is final.
- Method chosen and why:
- Fields offered (for example name, organisation, email, topic):
- Audience for each field (members, sponsors, secretariat):
- Consent wording as shown to the member:
- How a member withdraws, and who acts on it:
- Who holds the list, for how long and where it is stored (confirm with your data protection contact):
- What the follow-up message will contain and who sends it:
- How members who do not opt in are still welcomed:
- Review date after the event:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Small event and the secretariat knows the members.
- A simple paper or card exchange is enough.
- No sponsor needs access to any list.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- A directory or platform holds the data.
- Consent wording, platform setup and secretariat process need to be coordinated.
- Several audiences, including sponsors, ask for access.
Need the exchange process set up and tested?
A conference project lead can plan the method, coordinate the consent wording and platform questions with your data protection contact and platform supplier, and plan the follow-up using an invitation sequence. What members are asked to share and who holds the data stay with you.
Questions organisers ask
Is it enough to say in the privacy notice that details may be shared?
That is a question for your data protection contact. Many organisers ask for a separate, specific choice at registration as good practice.
Can we send the follow-up directory to everyone?
Send it only to members who opted in, and only with the fields they chose.
What if a member regrets sharing?
Have a simple withdrawal route and a named person to act on it. State how long you will take.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.