Sector and AuSAE News

  • 17 Sep 2015 3:57 PM | Kerrie Green

    A forest owners' spokesman says council rules for forestry are a mishmash which vary from district to district without good cause. Often they are also more stringent for forests than for farms on the same country.


    Forest Owners Association environmental committee chair Peter Weir says a proposed National Environmental Standard (NES) aims to straighten out the mess. It was drafted by a group that included environmental groups, forest owners and three local bodies, with input from technical experts.


    "It's all about creating certainty and improving overall standards of environmental stewardship," he says.


    "Forestry is the country's third biggest export earner and is environmentally more benign than livestock farming, but you wouldn't know it from some of the commentary – mostly from local body councillors and council staff – who want to keep the current mishmash of rules."


    Mr Weir says the NES will create one core set of rules nation-wide, with councils able to set consent conditions for harvest and earthworks in areas of high erosion risk.


    "There are more than 10,000 forest owners in New Zealand. To build access roads and to prune and harvest their trees they use contractors, most of whom work across several different regional and district councils, all with different rules," he says.


    "Having one core standard that is defensible and appropriately stringent means foresters and contractors will know what is expected of them. It will be easier to train operators in best-practice and if someone comes up with a better way of doing things, it can easily be applied across the whole country.


    "At the moment some councils have strict rules for good reason. Some have no rules, where there should be rules. Some have rules that are the outcome of petty parish politics, rather than best environmental practice. It's a total muddle."


    Mr Weir says under the NES foresters will have to prepare harvest plans in all districts, regardless of the erosion risk of the land, and an erosion and sediment control plan if undertaking earthworks. Waterways will be no-go areas when native and introduced fish species are spawning.


    "The risk of wilding spread will need to be taken into account when planting, and local councils for the first time will be able to ban the planting of clear-fell forests on very high erosion-risk land," he says.


    "These and other changes represent a significant tightening of rules across the country. Yet some councillors – pointing to logs on beaches or silt in streams – are saying they can do a better job of managing the environment than the proposed NES rules.


    "They fail to see irony that the logs and silt come from land that is already being managed under council rules. Even more ironical is the criticism of NES rules from representatives of councils that have no equivalent rules."


    Mr Weir says long-term studies have shown conclusively that planted forests generate much less silt run-off than farmland on similar terrain. The only time that forests don't perform so well is in replanted forests, three to five years after harvest.


    "In this window, there is the risk of soil and harvest residue being washed downhill and into streams. Foresters are getting much better at managing this risk. But there is only so much we can do to withstand weather bombs. In heavy rainfall, slips will occur on steep slopes, even in virgin native bush," he says.


    "The landslides that regularly block Haast Pass and the Buller, Manawatu and Waioeka gorges, occur despite the mature native forest cover."


    Mr Weir says many forests now being harvested from steep hill country were planted by Crown agencies or with public funding. He says many of these forests which were planted to prevent erosion on farmland are marginally economic and extremely difficult to harvest without leaving harvest residue in locations where it can be swept into streams during floods.


    "There is now a growing recognition that tree species destined for clearfell harvesting are not suited to some of our most erosion-prone country, an issue that is addressed in the NES. No-one wants to see logs and trash on the beaches, but unfortunately this is the legacy of decisions made with the best of intentions many decades ago."


    For more information, contact Peter Weir, Tel 027 454 7873


    This media release was directly sourced from the New Zealand Forest Owners Association here

  • 17 Sep 2015 3:49 PM | Kerrie Green

    BDO is urging charities and their advisers to make submissions on proposed amendments to the new not-for-profit accounting standards, or face the high costs of recording the value of donated goods in financial reports.


    Charities are in the process of moving to a new suite of accounting standards. As a result of this move, charities with expenditure in excess of $2 million per annum will be required to record donated goods at fair value on the date they are received.


    “This requirement will be challenging and costly for charities, such as opportunity shops, that receive high-volumes of low-value donated goods, but meeting the requirements will have no practical benefits for the charities involved,” says BDO Head of Not for Profit Bernard Lamusse.


    “Furthermore, to be fully compliant, these charities will also have to quantify stock on hand at year-end, adding considerable cost and inconvenience to the charity.”


    In response to the concerns of charities that will be impacted by this requirement, the New Zealand Accounting Standards Board (NZASB) has released an Exposure Draft for public comment, proposing amendments that, in certain circumstances, would allow charities not to recognise donated goods at the date of acquisition.


    The NZASB is seeking comments on the Exposure Draft by 30 October 2015.


    “BDO will be making a submission in support of the NZASB’s decision to reduce compliance costs for charities in relation to this requirement,” says Mr Lamusse.


    “It’s very important that the NZASB also hears from not-for-profit entities that would benefit from the removal of this requirement. We encourage such entities to make submissions and will readily provide guidance if required." 


    Information on the Exposure Draft is available here. 


    This media release was directly sourced from Sccop NZ here


  • 17 Sep 2015 3:43 PM | Kerrie Green

    In June 2014, the New Zealand Productivity Commission was asked to look at ways to improve how government agencies commission and purchase social services. The final report was released in mid-September 2015. It makes several recommendations about how to make social services more responsive, client-focused, accountable and innovative.


    To view this final report please click here


    This information was sourced directly from the New Zealand Productivity Commission here. 

  • 17 Sep 2015 1:08 PM | Kerrie Green

    Support from Tourism New Zealand and its Conference Assistance Programme persuaded AHISA (The Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia) to hold its first ever conference outside of Australia. 


    Offshore on the radar

    AHISA (The Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia) had no plans to take its biennial conference overseas. AHISA’s Business Manager Anne Veenstra says: “We didn’t really have it on our radar but we were approached by Tourism New Zealand, which sent out a survey asking whether we would be interested in hosting a conference in New Zealand. I had filled it in and was allocated a place on a familiarisation visit but opted not to take it until I had spoken to the Board and had confirmation that taking the event offshore was something they were interested in.


    “The next thing TNZ did was prepare more information. We were accepted under TNZ’s Conference Assistance Programme for bid support; without this opportunity we would not have been in a position to put a proposal to our Board. A feasibility proposal was prepared, a PCO in New Zealand did a budget for us and TNZ produced a very glossy brochure tailored specifically to us which included general costings based on the information I had given. We decided to consider both Auckland and Queenstown and we received welcome letters from the Mayors of both cities. TNZ printed hard copies of the brochure for the next Board meeting. It was quite spectacular. The Board was delighted with the presentation and said, in principle, yes, we will go to New Zealand.”


    Bringing benefits - and no downsides

    Veenstra notes: “The main benefit of taking the event outside Australia was to change it up a little bit, take the membership somewhere different. There is an excitement in going offshore and there didn’t seem to be any downsides to taking the event to New Zealand. The cost was fairly similar to Australia, and in fact the accommodation was probably a little bit cheaper. Most of our members are based on Australia’s eastern seaboard and our next meeting was due to be in Western Australia. In many cases it was easier to get to New Zealand than Western Australia and often cheaper, with less flying time.


    “Additionally, we have a New Zealand counterpart, ISNZ (Independent Schools of New Zealand). They have 30-35 members, half a dozen of which are also AHISA members. They have agreed they will not hold a conference in 2017 and we will hold a joint conference.  We are trying to build our relationships with our counterparts over there and this was a really good opportunity to work together cooperatively.”


    Spectacular sites

    “Because we fell under the Conference Assistance Programme we could do site inspections of both Auckland and Queenstown with no cost to the association,” Veenstra continues. “The programme was excellent. TNZ really listened to what I said when they devised the itinerary; there was no wasted effort and everything I went to see was very relevant. They offered great suggestions in terms of activities and venues.


    “When I was in Auckland I would have been very happy to hold the conference there - it had great facilities and the off-site options were excellent. Logistically Auckland is possibly an easier option, with more choice in terms of venues and accommodation, but Queenstown has just got that ‘wow factor’ and such spectacular scenery. There was no hesitation from the Board and we decided to host the conference in Queenstown in 2017. A lot of people have indicated they want to extend their time when they come to New Zealand, and we will run a partner programme, too. We plan to have a final gala dinner at the Skyline restaurant up Bob’s Peak, and we will look at incorporating things like Arrowtown, vineyards, the steamship Earnslaw, golf. Queenstown offers great options.”


    Phenomenal support

    “Tourism New Zealand has been phenomenal - you couldn't fault them from day one,” Veenstra says. “Having a TNZ Business Events Manager in Australia - Helen Bambry - is a major asset. She has maintained regular contact and just been superb. She escorted me on the site inspections and was so professional and knowledgeable about her product. At the conference handover at our event in Sydney she is also assisting - TNZ has funded a short cultural performance, while Queenstown Convention Bureau is providing a video on Queenstown to show to get people excited and fired up. We also hope to have a sponsorship exhibition component at the conference, and TNZ has offered to work with other government agencies to put us in touch with New Zealand businesses to see if they want to become involved.


    “I couldn't say anything bad about TNZ at all, and the Conference Assistance Programme is excellent,” Veenstra concludes. “If you were doing it on your own you would have to get approval from the Board to fund all the trips, then have to tap into the local channels yourself. To have TNZ do that for you reduces the amount of time you have to spend on organisation and for a not-for-profit like us it really helped that we didn't have to put our hand in our pocket to get it off the ground. Tourism New Zealand made it really easy. The support we have received has just been phenomenal.”

  • 17 Sep 2015 12:34 PM | Kerrie Green

    AuSAE congratulates member Matthew Monaghan on his recent appointment as National Chief Operations Officer at Optometry Australia. Monaghan first entered the not-for-profit sector in 2006 and in the lead up to this appointment held various management roles within the sector including responsibilities encompassing membership, events, sponsorship and people management. Recently Monaghan kindly shared his musings with AuSAE’s General Manager Australia Kimberley Miller. 


    You have clearly achieved a great many things throughout your career, how did you get your start?

    My first role within the not-for-profit sector was at the Aged and Community Care Victoria (ACCV). With a background in events management and marketing I joined to oversee the delivery of events for the organisation, shifting from a model of external PCO’s to building a capable and sustainable events team within the organisation. The organisation was evolving and I had the opportunity to identify some great mentors, be it lifelong members or board members. This really cemented the purpose of working within the not for profit sector, building relationships and not a transactional approach. I quickly found that to successfully manage an events unit, significant multiskilling was necessary and the position presented great exposure to finance, governance, marketing and stakeholder management. Over time I set up processes, procedures and policies that were implemented organisational wide and that achievement highlighted to me that I wanted to explore more generalised management roles within the not-for-profit sector.


    What is your biggest professional achievement to date? 

    My biggest professional growth period was certainly my time at the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA). Over a five year period, I had the pleasure of building the organisation from a small not-for-profit with staff handling extremely diverse duties, to a medium sized not-for-profit with four dedicated business units each reporting to a line manager. The reach of the state division also increased to encompass three regional offices. During my time at IPAA, their was significant change and the need for adaptability. I commenced as Manager of Events and Member Services, progressing and over time to Operations Director, before taking on the CEO role for a period of 7 months.

    The organisation grew rapidly from a team of 7 to 28 which saw my focus shift to change management and the establishment of good governance practices. My key takeaway from this journey is that without strategy, change is merely a substitute rather than progress that can lead the organisation forward.


    What was the hardest work project you have ever undertaken?

    While at the IPAA, the organisation experienced a significant decline in event attendance over a twelve month period due to changes facing the sector. It was with this challenge that presented an opportunity to undertake a project we called “Public Sector Week”. This was an opportunity to celebrate the work of the public sector with the focus on uniting and celebrating the work of the sector and importantly educating the public of the work of the sector. The IPAA set out to hold a record number of events in the space of one week, attract media attention and a large attendance all while running our core services in the background. I expected this to be a high risk, high stress project, however I did not foresee the resignation of IPAA’s CEO, and two team members due to various personal circumstances all within a short time frame before the launch. I am pleased to share that Public Sector Week was a success with 97 events, facilitated across 40 event sites in both Metropolitan and Regional Victoria held and an attendance in excess of 8,000. To read more about Public Sector Week please click here.


    What exciting projects are you commencing in your current role at Optometry Australia? 

    It is an exciting time for Optometry Australia having recently undertaken a name change and realigned strategic priorities through a new innovative strategic plan. I am leading the implementation of a National IT infrastructure project for the organisation as well as working across the business, a very exciting opportunity as this is a driver for our member engagement strategy. I have various projects both at operational and strategic levels working with both the state offices and National Executive and board.


    What would you say to someone starting out in the not-for-profit sector with a view to become a future leader? 

    Be an architect of your own outcomes and make sure you take every opportunity to diversity your skills. Communication and collaboration is key whilst being able to take a step back and celebrate your collective achievements as a team. I would also recommend taking on a mentor and attending regular sector networking events to meet people who can help you on your journey. Whilst we all work to service different sectors we all have the common objective of contributing to the outcomes of a specific sector and supporting and equipping professionals to truly enhance the capacity and capability of the sector. I have worked across the health, property, government sectors within member based organisations the ability to transfer skills across sectors and attending AuSAE activities has supported these transitions whilst building very beneficial networks. 


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    AuSAE thank member Matthew Monaghan for appearing in the September Edition of AuSAE Insider.  AuSAE recognises a current member every month, acknowledging their success and ongoing commitment to advancing the not-for-profit sector. If you would like to share your story with other executives, please contact Kim Miller, GM Australia AuSAE at kimberley@ausae.org.au. 

  • 16 Sep 2015 10:36 AM | Deleted user

    AuSAE has welcomed new members from the following organisations this month.  


    Is your organisation on this list? If your organisation is on this list as an AuSAE organisational member but you are unsure if you are part of the membership bundle, please contact the friendly AuSAE team at info@ausae.org.au. 


    Not on this list? To join AuSAE today please visit our membership information page here.


    AUSAE WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS FROM:


     Organisation      Membership level
     Family Business Australia    Association (Organisational - Large)
     Planning Institute Australia  Association (Organisational - Large)
     A5M Medical Education  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Accommodation Association Of Australia    Association (Organisational - Small)
     Australian Association of Social Workers Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Australian Diabetes Educators Association Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Australian Institute of Conveyancers SA Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Australian Medical Association (QLD) Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Cancer Society of New Zealand Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Caravan Industry Association Victoria Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (WA)  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Council of Education Associations of SA Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Family Day Care Australia Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Leading Age Services Australia  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Local Government NSW Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Optometry Australia  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Queensland Justices Association  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Queensland Law Society  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists  Association (Organisational - Small)
     St John Ambulance Australia  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Victorian Association of Forest Industries  Association (Organisational - Small)
     Association of Consulting Surveyors   Association Executive (Individual)
     Australian Glass & Glazing Association  Association Executive (Individual)
     Australian Podiatry Association - NSW & ACT  Association Executive (Individual)
     Community Transport Organisation  Association Executive (Individual)
     Craft Beer Industry Association  Association Executive (Individual)
     Family Support WA  Association Executive (Individual)
     Future Now Creative & Leisure Industries Training Council  Association Executive (Individual)
     Housing Industry Association  Association Executive (Individual)
     Irrigation New Zealand  Association Executive (Individual)
     Lort Smith Animal Hospital  Association Executive (Individual)
     Lottery Retailers Association  Association Executive (Individual)
     National Association of Specialist Obstetricians & Gynaecologists  Association Executive (Individual)
     NZ Council for Infrastructure Development  Association Executive (Individual)
     Packaging Council Of New Zealand  Association Executive (Individual)
     Palliative Care Australia   Association Executive (Individual)
     Queensland Nurses Union  Association Executive (Individual)
     Therapy Focus  Association Executive (Individual)
     Peranakan Association Australia NSW  Board or Committee Participant
     Southern Cross Educational Enterprises  Board or Committee Participant
     Insulated Panel Council Australasia  Young Association Professional
     Scouts Australia   Young Association Professional


    Note: to respect the privacy of our members, we only release membership type and organisation details publicly each month.

  • 15 Sep 2015 4:09 PM | Kerrie Green

    If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” 

    —Henry Ford


    Business owners must constantly have one eye on their balance sheet to ensure revenue is healthy and expenses are in check, particularly when they’re just starting out. 


    For many businesses, outlaying a membership to an industry association can feel like an extravagance, but it’s important to look closely at the value these memberships can deliver and return, well beyond the initial investment. 


    Most Australian industries have a representative association, but what are the benefits of belonging to one? 


    Shape your industry 

    Industry associations provide a mechanism for you to input into and shape the direction of your industry. They also represent their members in government, policy and other negotiations so having a voice in these discussions can be really valuable for your business.


    Knowledge is power 

    Industry associations often author reports or commission research into areas of its members’ interest. As a member of the association, you’ll often have free access to the latest industry information, trends, statistics or tools—this can only be a good thing for your business. 


    Opportunity knocks 

    As a central point of contact with a comprehensive database of businesses aligned to an industry, associations can effectively match supply to demand and act as a conduit to introduce its members to new projects, partnerships and other opportunities. 


    Power in numbers

    When an industry works collectively, they have the power to effect change—whether it’s to lift standards, create opportunities, mitigate risk, and more—an industry is more effective when it works together as a whole. 


    Networking, mentoring and professional development 

    Industry associations often provide opportunities for its members to attend networking functions, hear from guest speakers, participate in workshops and seminars or to mentor newcomers to the industry, or vice versa. This can be a cost-effective way to participate in these kinds of activities, tailored specifically to the industry within which your business operates. 


    Credibility

    Being a member of an industry association also brings with it a level of credibility and recognition. It demonstrates that your business was assessed by the secretariat and recognised as a worthy inclusion to the association—that’s why many businesses note their memberships on their websites or business cards. 

     

    These are just a few of the many benefits of joining an industry association and PaySmart works closely with a number of them. Keen to find out more? Contact your Business Development Manager today for their insights and an introduction to your industry association. 

  • 15 Sep 2015 3:47 PM | Kerrie Green

    These special AuSAE Workshops are suitable for anyone involved in managing and implementing PR strategies. This program is a fantastic way to gain knowledge and practical steps to create a Public Relations strategy for your Association. In addition to PR Managers, this program would be useful for Boards and Senior Management seeking to gain a better understanding of PR campaigns and the benefits for Associations. 


    Debbie Bradley (Account Director at Zadro) will guide delegates through they key concepts, skills and tools necessary to create and implement effective PR strategies. The program offers practical ideas that can be implemented immediately. 


    Understanding how to create and implement effective PR strategies is key to becoming an industry leader and establishing a combined voice that will represent your valued members. On the day you will be guided through a step-by-step interactive process to develop a PR strategy that gets results. 


    Find out more about the event details by clicking on your location below. For AuSAE Members to attend is $395 AUD and non-member, not for profit professionals is $595 AUD


    Sydney, Wednesday 14 October - Register Here

    Melbourne, Tuesday 27 October - Register Here



    Contact us on +61 7 3394 8381 or email events@ausae.org.au for more information.

     

  • 15 Sep 2015 3:16 PM | Kerrie Green

    This article was originally sourced from Associations Now here and was written by Joe Rominiecki. 


    Every member has his or her own reasons for engaging with your association, but how do you best serve diverse needs while maintaining focus on common goals?


    From my recap of membership ideas from the 2015 ASAE Annual Meeting two weeks ago, the quote that seemed to get the most attention among readers—and which has stuck in my mind the most, too—is that “members define what engagement means, not the association.”


    One reader, Jeffrey Cufaude, president and CEO of Idea Architects, rightly pointed out that this has always been true. 


    Another commenter, Glenn Tecker, chair and co-CEO of Tecker International, chimed in with a separate dose of realism:


    “The distinction between growing value to members and growing the organization remains a critical strategic conversation with immense implications for fulfillment of mission. While each member may define engagement for themselves based on the personal reward for which they are looking, a critical mass of common cause will continue to be the glue that holds the enterprise together.” 


    Tecker’s point reminded me of a dilemma for associations that I noted a couple years ago; I even made up a term for it, “value vertigo": 


    “You ask members what they value and find too many disparate needs to serve them all, but when you produce core benefits you believe are valuable, you find it difficult to maximize engagement with them.”


    This seems to be a common challenge for associations, but it’s a simple problem that perhaps any business faces: People have infinite unique combinations of wants and needs, but the most viable business opportunities lie where those wants and needs align among the most people. How do you manage that tension and find the common ground where members can be served?


    In their Learning Lab at the Annual Meeting, Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant, CAE, cultural and digital strategists at Culture That Works, and Joe Vallina, MBA, MSM, CAE, publisher at the Amercan Nurses Association, identifed the five common “buckets” of engagement across associations—purchases, customer satisfaction, content, volunteering, and community—though they stressed the mix of engagement methods that will maximize both reach and “stickiness” is unique to every association.


    From the accompanying handout to their session, “Engagement Is More Than a Buzzword”:


    “Engagement … is fundamentally internal to the individual member. It’s their engagement, not yours. The benefits of engagement accrue to the association, certainly, but in order to build engagement—to increase that stickiness—you must be focused on the members and their experience, their needs, their motivations, and their lives. This will require some customization. … It will sometimes involve intangibles. … And certainly the engagement has to overlap with the association business model … otherwise there’s not much point (think revenue-free web hits back in the dot-com bubble). But the more you can craft your engagement strategy around a clear picture of what matters—internally—to the members, the more successful you’ll be.”


    In the March/April issue of Associations Now, Anna Caraveli, Ph.D., managing partner of The Demand Networks and author of The Demand Perspective, shared a model for engagement that positions the association as a “partner” in engagement with members, citing an example from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association:


    “These members are engaged because their relationship with the association enables them to do something they want to do in the first place, better than they would be able to do on their own. As a result, AOPA becomes a partner rather than merely a provider of benefits. Its members choose to become engaged to achieve outcomes that matter to them.” 


    Think for a moment about the Apple iPhone (or any smartphone, but we’ll go with the most iconic for the moment): It was an impressive device when first launched, but it became revolutionary only when Apple opened up the App Store to third-party developers. It had a handy set of apps built in, but the App Store let users shape the iPhone to their liking and do completely new things, many of which Apple itself never imagined. Apple has sold millions upon millions of essentially identical devices, but every single one quickly becomes unique according to its owner’s preferences.


    That’s one more way to understand how an association can serve a critical mass of people with a wide array of interests. These ideas all put the association in the role of facilitator and convener, focusing perhaps less on the what and why of member engagement and more on the how, where, when, and with whom. If the association can’t define member engagement, it can be the platform for engagement that accelerates members toward their chosen goals.

  • 15 Sep 2015 3:05 PM | Kerrie Green

    This article was originally sourced from Velvet Chainsaw here and was written by Dave Lutz. 


    Activation (or leverage) is the most misunderstood, yet most critical, success driver for sponsorship ROI.


    Savvy marketing professionals totally get activation. But most of our profession doesn’t. This is why many of us continue to sell non-emotional promotional opportunities and incorrectly call them sponsorship.


    We need to capitalize on this golden opportunity. Consumer events are kicking are butts. Yet most professional conferences have a leg up on target market concentration and buying power.


    Sponsorship Activation Defined


    According to Kim Skildum-Reid, author of The Sponsorship Seekers Toolkit 4th Edition,


    Leverage – also known as activation… is what a sponsor does with a sponsorship after the deal is done and is the most critical factor in getting a good result from an investment.


    Skildum-Reid advises sponsors to focus on the event experience not the event. The event–your conference–is finite. The conference experience, however, begins at the time of consideration and continues weeks after your big close.


    Activation Built On Attendee Touchpoints


    Progressive conference organizers will learn from, and coach, their sponsors on how to leverage their support beyond a few days.


    Activation plans are owned and primarily funded by sponsors. And they can be greatly enhanced with proper use of the conference organizers assets. Successful activation elements will often incorporate two threads:


    • One carried out by the sponsor in support of your conference participants.
    • The second, collaboratively carried out through your owned assets.

    Trust and collaboration, with a focus on the paying attendee, is key to stacking the deck for results.


    Start by sharing your event timeline with sponsors, including pre- and post-event touchpoints. Brainstorm together to identify the best opportunities to interact with, and improve the participants’ experience. Pinpoint crescendo moments where sponsors can change and leverage those opportunities.


    Beyond Your Turf


    Sometimes we focus so intently on activation as it applies to our conference that we miss opportunities to ride the coattails of our sponsor’s marketing assets. And we miss the chance to engage the audiences our investors have built or the trust they’ve earned.


    Do your homework to understand these assets and consider the ones that can aid your conference experience or reach.


    1. Content Marketing


    Do they embrace content marketing? Will they consider talking about or mentioning their involvement in your conference?


    2. Prizes


    Do they have access to products that can be used as prizes, giveaways or sampling?


    3. Communications


    Does it make sense for them to develop communications that mentions your conference or show?


    4. Talent Access


    Do they have access to talent, celebrities or thought leaders that would be valued by your participants?


    How Much Should Sponsors Invest in Activation?


    Activation investments vary greatly, depending on the sophistication and integration of the sponsor’s other marketing initiatives.


    Skildum-Reid says best practice sponsors spend as little as 10%-25% of the rights’ fee, incrementally, to leverage sponsors. Less sophisticated or siloed sponsors will need to spend quite a bit more to activate.


    In today’s competitive business environment, creativity and empathy will be key drivers for successful activation.


The Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE)

Australian Office:
Address: Unit 6, 26 Navigator Place, Hendra QLD 4011 Australia
Free Call: +61 1300 764 576
Phone: +61 7 3268 7955
Email: info@ausae.org.au

New Zealand Office:
Address: 159 Otonga Rd, Rotorua 3015 New Zealand
Phone: +64 27 249 8677
Email: nzteam@ausae.org.au

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