Northeast Acquirers Association

How a regional payments industry conference went from 650 attendees and 50 LinkedIn followers to a sold-out, 1,000+ person event with year-round marketing.

• Industry: Payments / Financial Services (Nonprofit)

• Company Size: Nonprofit trade association

• Engagement: Ongoing retainer (multi-year)

• Services: Website, social media, email newsletters, mobile event app, print collateral, video production, testimonial videos, sponsor highlights, event promotion, year-round marketing strategy

The Situation

The Northeast Acquirers Association (NEAA) is a nonprofit organization that hosts an annual conference for payment industry professionals. The event rotates across the northeast: Boston, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Niagara Falls. It brings together speakers, industry experts, exhibitors, and sponsors from across the payments space.

When Haven first connected with NEAA, the organization had about 50 followers on LinkedIn, no other social media presence, no year-round marketing strategy, and was averaging around 600 to 700 attendees per event. The conference itself was well-regarded within the industry, but the marketing did not reflect that. There was no consistent communication between events, no content strategy, and no system for promoting sponsors and exhibitors throughout the year.

Haven came in through a referral. We had been working with a payment processor, and the president of NEAA, Alan Forgione, recognized the work we were doing in the payments space and asked if we could help.

The initial ask was limited: cover the event on video and send some email newsletters to help promote it. That was the starting point.

What We Did

We showed up to the first event and were thrown into the deep end. There was no existing collateral, no content library, and no marketing infrastructure to build on. So we started from scratch.

We began writing newsletters to promote the conference and drive attendance from exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees. We covered the event on video. And then we kept going.

Over time, Haven built the entire marketing ecosystem for NEAA. Today, we manage their website, all social media, all email newsletters, and the mobile event app that every attendee uses during the conference (with the full agenda, exhibitor directory, sponsor information, and event details). We produce all print collateral for the event, which can be 50 or more individual pieces per year: wall signage, pop-up banners, directional materials, sponsor displays, and more.

View Current Site

On the content side, we produce testimonial videos, event recap videos, sponsor highlight videos, speaker session recordings, articles, and year-round social content. We write the copy, design the assets, and manage the distribution. We also handle the promotion of every exhibitor and sponsor, reaching out to attendees in advance, helping set up meetings, and making sure the people who invest in the event get visibility.

This is not seasonal work. NEAA now has a 12-month marketing calendar, and Haven runs it.

What Changed

The numbers speak for themselves.

The 2026 event at the Encore Casino and Hotel in Boston was completely sold out of exhibitor spots. They actually oversold and had to find additional space. Every sponsorship package was sold. And over 1,000 people attended the event, up from the 600 to 700 range when Haven first got involved.

Beyond the event itself, NEAA now has a real digital presence. The LinkedIn following has grown from 50 to an active, engaged community. Sponsors and exhibitors receive year-round visibility, not just a logo on a banner for three days. And the conference itself has become the premier event in the northeast payments space.

We are now expanding into promoting the sister events that NEAA is involved with throughout the rest of the year, extending the same marketing approach to additional conferences and gatherings across the country.

"Mobile app is fantastic, new website completed, email blasts and social media. A pleasure to work with." - Alan Forgione, President, Northeast Acquirers Association

The Takeaway

NEAA did not just need event coverage. They needed someone to build and run their entire marketing operation, from website to app to print to video to email to social, and keep it going all year. That is what Haven does. We do not hand you a plan and wish you luck. We stay in the room and make sure everything gets done.

When you are a nonprofit running a major industry event, you cannot afford for marketing to fall through the cracks. Having one team that owns every piece, and makes sure every piece connects, is the difference between a good event and a sold-out one.