Budgets are tighter.
Expectations are higher.
And community leaders are being asked tougher questions than ever.

If you’re planning to attend CMX Summit 2026, the key isn’t excitement.

It’s alignment.

Here’s how to position Summit as a strategic investment, not just a conference ticket.

Start With the Reality (Use the Data)

If your leadership team is focused on ROI, you’re not alone.

According to our latest CMX Community Industry Report:

• Only 26% of teams saw budget increases last year
  
  
• 18% faced budget cuts
  
  
• Nearly 1 in 5 communities have no full-time staff
  
  
• Teams that connect community activity to their CRM are 2x more likely to rate their impact as “extremely successful”
  
  
• 81% of community professionals are already using AI for content, reporting, and moderation

The pressure isn’t just to build community.

It’s to prove it works.

CMX Summit 2026 is designed specifically around that challenge:

• Measurable ROI
  
  
• Practical AI implementation
  
  
• Data-backed engagement strategies
  
  
• Reporting frameworks leadership understands

This is not a hype-driven event. It’s execution-focused.

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Frame It as a Business Investment (Not “Professional Development”)

Instead of saying:

“I want to go to learn and network.”

Try:

“I want to strengthen how we measure and scale community impact.”

Summit sessions focus on:

• AI agents that extend engagement while keeping humans in the loop
  
  
• Structured experimentation frameworks
  
  
• Reporting strategies that connect activity to revenue and retention
  
  
• Metrics beyond vanity engagement
  
  

Tie your attendance directly to your team’s current priorities:

• Revenue influence
  
  
• Retention
  
  
• Activation
  
  
• Expansion
  
  
• Efficiency
  
  

When you connect it to business outcomes, approval becomes easier.

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Emphasize What Makes This Year Different

CMX Summit 2026 is intentionally immersive.

And this year, sessions are off-the-record.

That means:

• Talks will not be recorded.
  
  
• Conversations can go deeper, more candid, and more tactical.
  
  

If you’re not in the room, you won’t get the full experience.

In-person attendance matters more this year because the value is in the live, honest exchange of ideas.

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Present a Clear Post-Summit Action Plan

Managers approve events when there’s a clear follow-through.

CMX provides an Action Guide for attendees, including:

• Slide decks from sessions
  
  
• Practical worksheets
  
  
• Implementation frameworks
  
  
• Guided prompts to turn ideas into execution
  
  

You’re not just attending and hoping something sticks.

You’ll walk away with tools.

Here’s how to position your plan:

• Share a written recap with key takeaways
  
  
• Present 3 actionable recommendations to the team
  
  
• Identify one measurable experiment to launch within 30 days
  
  
• Use the provided worksheets to refine reporting or AI strategy
  
  
• Align one session framework directly to current KPIs
  
  

This turns Summit into a 30-day execution sprint, not only a two-day event.

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Highlight the Risk of Standing Still

Community is evolving quickly.

AI is reshaping discovery and engagement.
Leadership expectations are rising.
Measurement standards are changing.

The leaders who adapt first, especially around CRM integration and AI strategy, will define the next era of community.

Attending Summit isn’t just about growth.

It’s about staying competitive.

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Copy & Paste Email Template

Subject: Request to Attend CMX Summit 2026

Hi [Manager Name],

I’d like to attend CMX Summit 2026 this year. The Summit has been reshaped around ROI, data, engagement, and AI, providing practical, actionable strategies that I can take back to our team and implement immediately.

Given that budgets aren’t increasing (only 26% of teams saw budget increases last year) and teams are leaner (nearly 1 in 5 communities have no full-time staff), it’s more important than ever to tie community activity to measurable business outcomes. Teams connecting community work to their CRM are 2x more likely to rate their impact as extremely successful, and 81% of community professionals are already using AI, making strategic adoption critical.

This year’s sessions are off-the-record, ensuring access to candid, tactical insights, and CMX provides an Action Guide with slides, worksheets, and frameworks to turn learning into execution.

If approved, my plan would be to:

• Share a written recap with key insights
  
  
• Present 3 actionable recommendations to the team
  
  
• Pilot at least one measurable initiative within 30 days
  
  
• Use the provided worksheets and frameworks to refine reporting and AI strategy
  
  

Attending will directly support our goals around [insert team priority] and strengthen our ability to prove the value of community to leadership.

Happy to answer any questions or discuss further.

Thanks,
[Your Name]

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Final Thought

The strongest case isn’t:

“I want to attend.”

It’s:

“This will help us measure better, operate smarter, and prove community impact with confidence.”

That’s what CMX Summit 2026 is built for.