In-house conference and event (Association) professionals can now highlight their skills and expertise with a tailored industry accreditation.

The Certified Association Conference Organiser (CACO) and Certified Association Event Organiser (CAEO) accreditations have been established by the Australasian (NZ) Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) in recognition of the crucial role played by in-house organisers.

Brett Jeffery, New Zealand General Manager of AuSAE, says a recent working group on conference management highlighted a lack of formal recognition for in-house managers in comparison with Professional Conference Organisers.

“In-house professionals are the unsung heroes of events and conferences. The best ones are so good at their jobs that things run seamlessly and they make it look easy, but we know that’s not the case!”

Mr Jeffery says the new accreditations will be valuable for raising the profile of in-house professionals.

“Around 70% of conferences and events are organised in-house - that’s a lot of work. These accreditations will highlight the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience these people contribute to successful conferences and events.”

In order to attain the accreditations, applicants need to uphold a code of conduct which includes high standards of personal ethical behaviour and integrity, as well as complying with health and safety and environmental standards.

Applicants also need to demonstrate evidence of their management of conferences or events, including relevant documentation of plans, budgets, run sheets, supplier management etc.

People who gain the endorsements will be expected to attend at least two AuSAE group meetings each year. Mr Jeffery says the meetings will provide excellent opportunities to learn and network.

“We see these certifications as a significant competitive advantage for the in-house professionals who attain them. They showcase experience, expertise and consistent high levels of performance.”

For more information on CAEO and CACO certification, go to https://ausae.org.au/Certification1

Brett Jeffery | General Manager NZ | AuSAE

d  04 889 2292    m  027 249 8677    e  brett@ausae.org.au    w  ausae.org.au

This week has been a very exciting one at AuSAE, hosting our first ever All Stars Panel Event yesterday (Wednesday 10 June). We were delighted to welcome our U.S. Membership All Stars to the AuSAE screen – Mary Byers, Sarah Sladek and Sheri Jacobs! It was a fantastic morning speaking with these ladies, hearing their perspective, insights and reflections on membership and association management generally. I would like to summarise my key take aways and what I will look to implement moving forward in our own organisation:

Trends Around the World:

Collectively our panel of thought leaders agreed with what they were seeing from associations around the world at this current time.

• Growth in membership, non-member interest and event attendance online
• Collaboration is the new currency – this is something we have seen for many years but has accelerated in the wake of the crisis
• Associations have been given permission to experiment and innovate like we haven’t before
• From the panel, direct research and a quick temperature check from attendees online yesterday, we can observe that the majority of associations have taken a hit financially but are managing. Financial concern lies across the next three years 2020, 2021 and 2022. We can see that the impact of this crisis is still yet to be truly felt.

Membership Models:

The panel discussed what membership models might look like in a post COVID-19 world, if they would change significantly or if it really is about going back to basics.

• At the core, associations need to go back to basics – what is your major value proposition and are you delivering on that. What is the job to be done? This would be the time to conduct a full portfolio assessment, and the opportunity to drop services or offerings that don’t contribute to your core value proposition. Ensure you are defining your markets both core and adjacent and define what makes you different.
• The panel delved into a number of changes and adaptations to membership models in our new world such as; Buy one give one, Tiered membership models – choose your own adventure, the concept of annual membership needing to be assessed and revamped – looking at shorter volunteer engagement and shorter membership packages with more flexibility, subscription membership models and the offer of trial memberships.
• Associations generally will see changes and shifts in the way they operate. They have already started but will continue to become flatter, with leadership that represents our entire community. A greater emphasis will be placed on thought leadership particularly with younger consumers. Members want to see the leaders of associations leading in all areas including societal issues. They want to hear an authentic voice whether or not they agree with your view point on the issue.

From Models to Engagement:

How do we maintain the level of engagement we are seeing from our members currently and moving forward into the future.

• An important point that was raised by all panellists and something we all need to consider- what does engagement mean for your association? Is it a member reading your e-newsletter, attendance at an event, only attending your annual conference every year, responding to emails or all of the above. It’s important to define what successful member engagement looks like in your association.
• People will always be more engaged with you if the options are flexible, it’s easy to do so and the cost is considered.
• Engagement extends past the tangible benefits and into the emotional ties and sense of belonging that individuals have towards an organisation.

Quick Decisions with Imperfect Information:

This crisis has highlighted the ability of associations and boards to make quick decisions with imperfect information. Do we think shorter decision making processes will stay past this crisis?

• If we want this to stay we need to build, articulate and document our innovation process and ensure this is a process employees and management practice.
• To move your association forward you should always be experimenting with something – a way to operationalise this is with 90 Day Sprints. Pick a project and put a team against this project, give your team 90 days and see how far they get. Try and do this four times a year, this will ensure you are constantly moving forward.
• Plan for mistakes and mishaps – when you are innovating and making quick decisions you need to empower yourself and your employees to plan for mistakes, there will always be hits and misses.

Parting Advice – The Greatest Opportunity for Associations Now:

This question was answered by all three panellists, each giving a unique take on what we can do moving forward as associations of the future:

• Sheri: Pandemics are the mother of invention and innovation. You have a blank slate – try and test your market.
• Sarah: Amazon use a day one mentality – treat every day like it’s the first day of your association. It’s a great way to stay relevant and on your toes, you begin each day providing a solution to a problem or need for your members.
• Mary:
• • The new normal is what happened to us, the next normal is what we create – seize the opportunity.
  • North Star: Have one north star that guides you through this, one guiding principle that you have in each element of your business that helps your decision making and thought process.
  • What does this make possible?

A big thank you to our panellists and AuSAE friends – Mary Byers, Sarah Sladek and Sheri Jacobs. The recording for this webinar event is available, if you missed out on attending and would like to access the recording please email info@ausae.org.au.

The past few months have been frightening, heartbreaking, disruptive. It’s ironic this is the year 2020 – the same numbers used to describe perfect vision.

Someone told me recently he thought our society’s definition of ‘perfect’ was off, and we were all being called to adjust our focus and reconsider what's most important.

We’ve all experienced moments like this before -- moments when we’re pushed into the unknown and chaotic. Early in my career, I was hired into a leadership role at a company which, unbeknownst to me at the time of my hire, was experiencing an internal crisis. Shortly thereafter the dot com bubble burst, 9/11 took place, and the Great Recession hit.

These continual punches in their various forms of crisis and change influenced my career trajectory. I’ve since actively researched how to navigate crisis and successfully manage change, authoring books on the topics and guiding organizations through decline, disengagement, disruption, and conflict.

Based on what I’ve experienced and learned over the course of the past two decades, there are three practices leaders need to rely on in a crisis – practices which offer leaders and organizations a clear way forward, no matter what the situation.

Create community.

It’s scientifically proven; our brains are wired to resist change. Collaboration is the antidote and it’s most successful when it incorporates cognitive diversity -- actively engaging the participation of people representing different career stages, backgrounds, and experiences. Be it in the form of mentors, think tanks, advisory boards, or teams, collaboration eases our fears and spurs innovation. Collaboration helps manage change and create something valuable out of chaos.

• Immediate next steps: Bring a group of stakeholders together – people who are passionate about the organization and positively influence your community of members or employees. Collectively, determine the best course of action to best serve and engage the community. Collectively, implement the plan.

Narrow your focus.

Being hyper-focused on serving a niche, fulfilling a mission, inspiring a vision, and delivering exceptional performance is the only way to compete in a disrupted market. Pull in the best experts, build the best curriculum, develop the best tools, deliver the best experiences – all the while practicing collaboration and community-building by staying in conversation with your team and audience and being more responsive to their needs.

In the end, your members, clients, and employees are engaged, and your organization will be driven by something considerably more impactful than profits or traditions.

• Immediate next steps: Clearly identify your competitive advantage and commit to doing fewer things exceptionally well. With your team of stakeholders, identify what your community needs to succeed and what the organization does – or needs to do -- to effectively forge an emotional tie to your community of employees, members, and volunteers.

Communicate continuously.

During crisis, leaders feel vulnerable and many opt to keep quiet. And yet, in moments like this we look to our leaders for support and guidance. For my book, Talent Generation, I researched organizations with extremely high profitability and high employee engagement. In every instance, the leader was visible and communicative – not just in times of disruption, but all the time. Many of these organizations also empowered their communities to be part of the story-telling effort. As a result, widespread changes and grassroots momentum occurred, all which positively contributed to the organization’s culture, visibility, and branding.

• Immediate next steps: Authentically communicate with your community. Go to the people. Be visible. Engage your stakeholders, inviting them to communicate with your audience as well. Eventually their efforts will expand to a larger group of people, and your audience will begin to actively engage.

Now is the time to adjust your focus. Engage your community. Get clarity on purpose and communicate vision with the help of your community. Lead from a place of collaboration and your organization won't just survive this disruption -- it will emerge even stronger and more relevant than before.

This article was written by Sarah Sladek, for more information on Sarah Sladek click here. 

Many workers feel isolated or neglected when working remote, in part because it’s easy for leaders to overlook accomplishments when the team isn’t together. Here are some ways to make sure that doesn’t happen at your association.

Employee recognition often occurs in public—during all-hands meetings, in office celebrations, even via email messages from organizational leaders. But when the team isn’t together in the workplace, employees need to be recognized in different ways. Here’s why:

“Out of sight, out of mind” is a huge risk right now. In more typical times, when most employees are at the office, it’s easy for leaders to overlook the important work contributed by a small number of remote employees. This oversight is even more of a danger when everyone is working remote, notes Melissa Meunier of Engage 2 Excel. “The most important thing to remember is that what we’ve been used to, when we worked in our offices, the manufacturing plants, etc., is the opportunity to see one another,” Meunier writes. “Everyone was visible; their work was visible. Now people are sequestered away in their homes, and we don’t have the same visibility or connection opportunities.” And that can lead to gaps in appreciation.

Remote employees need affirmation and empathy. Employer empathy is a huge factor in employee satisfaction, and it’s increasingly important for organizations to show their staff that they care, says Kevin Yip of the employee reward platform Blueboard, in comments to Built In. “We hear our companies shifting focus to, ‘How do we engage, motivate, and retain our people now?’” he says. “We always talk about this idea of organizational empathy. Right now, it’s incredibly important to meet your people where they are.”

Recognition can help build team camaraderie. When everyone is working apart, team events—for example, happy hours—that highlight good work and achievements help ensure that staffers know they’re all in this together, writes Andrew Martins of Business.com. “For instance, you may not be able to have a catered lunch together, but you can hold a daily lunch meeting over the internet,” he says. “Perhaps you could host an employee appreciation event like trivia night, play a Jackbox game together over the internet, or open a special room in Slack to share the best memes your staff can find on social media. You could also consider scheduling an online meeting to chat over drinks at the end of each week.”

Employees already feel underappreciated. It’s one thing to recognize your own team—but another entirely when the whole C-suite shows appreciation, notes Kellie Wong on Business 2 Community. “Recognition from leadership boosts employee morale and encourages positive behavior by setting an example,” she writes. Wong cites research from the firm Achievers that finds that 30 percent of employees think that leaders don’t value recognition, and 58 percent think the worker/employee relationship would improve if there were more recognition. “Recognition from leadership is especially crucial in times of difficulty,” Wong adds. “Words of positivity, support, and appreciation for team efforts help employees focus on moving forward.”

This article was sourced directly from Associations Now here and is written by Ernie Smith. 

There’s no way to make an association crisis-proof, but good governance is key to resilience. One expert shares how to help boards maintain their focus.

Successful boards look for alignments with the needs of members and customers. But what are those needs during a time when economies and social norms have transformed? Successful boards consider environmental scans to establish broad strategic goals. But what if the environmental scan you conducted before your most recent five-year strategic plan no longer resembles the world you’re in?

In short, is it time to give your strategic plan another look?

The answer may be yes, but it’s important to tread carefully when it comes to such conversations, says governance consultant and former association CEO Robert Nelson, CAE. The urge to respond to a crisis can be so strong that many might overstep their boundaries—and forget that the strategic plan is designed to provide stability in moments like these.

“During a crisis there can be a tendency for boards or individual board members to want to jump in and fix things or make decisions that are in management’s realm,” Nelson wrote recently. And such leaps can make an association’s work needlessly complex.

In an interview last week, Nelson shared a few thoughts to consider before convening your board for an emergency strategy session.

Are you really talking about strategy, or panicking over tactics? A strategic plan that enumerates specific efforts for things like meeting formats and membership growth wasn’t truly a strategic plan to start with. “I believe we’ll find that there are organizations that really didn’t have strategies, they actually had tactical plans, and I think they will find that their quote-unquote plan will need to change significantly,” Nelson says. “That’s why it’s so important to have a strategy truly be a strategy, because then you can change the tactics from a staff level. You’ll see two sets of associations, those that had bad strategic plans having to make significant alterations, and those that have great strategies, and maybe having to tweak one out of four initiatives.”

Use the moment to reestablish your governance processes. Rogue board members making pronouncements about the one thing the association needs to do right now may be a sign that the board and CEO roles are not in alignment. A crisis is no excuse to disrupt proper relationships. “When we ask, ‘Do we really have a system that can withstand a crisis?’ That just means we’ve got a sound strategy,” he says. “But more than that, it means that we have a board that understands this is the board’s role, and this is the CEO’s role, and we have a board that’s constantly looking forward. A lot of people say, what does my board have to do differently? I think your board just needs to govern well.”

Cultivate one-on-one communication ahead of any big group meeting. The most successful associations, Nelson says, establish close conversations between the CEO and board that are casual but effective. “The CEO should be able to easily call up board members and say, ‘Look, I recognize that it’s my responsibility to make this decision on Topic A, and I’m not shirking my responsibility, but I’d love to get your insight to see what you think,’ and the board member will really give that,” he says. “But the board member realizes that in the end the CEO is going to make the decision on Topic A, B or C, because it’s their job. That’s the kind of communication we need and want.”

Don’t get waylaid by term-length conversations. Nelson says this can be a good time for association boards to take a look at their bylaws to make sure that they’re not outdated or overly restrictive. But if you’re going to make tweaks to term lengths for board members, make sure you’re doing it for the sake of what’s best for an association—not for the interests of a board chair who might be disappointed because COVID-19 means they can’t take the stage at an in-person meeting this year. “Being a chair is supposed to be about what’s best for the organization, not what’s best for Mike or Joe,” Nelson says. “I’ve heard conversations about these shifts, and most of the time it’s because the chair won’t be able to do the fun things they’d normally do because they’re tied to this crisis. But is that really sticking with your organization’s values?”

This article was sourced directly from Associations Now here and is written by Mark Athitakis. 

Melbourne, VIC Australia (4 June 2020) — Advanced Solutions International (ASI), a leading global provider of software and services for associations and non-profits, announced today it held the first iNNOVATIONS LIVE Asia-Pacific virtual conference for partners and clients on 27-28

May 2020. This regional event follows the incredibly successful 25-26 March global iNNOVATIONS conference that shifted from an in-person conference in Florida, USA to online amid the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at www.advsol.com/PRinnov.

Hosted by Paul Ramsbottom, Managing Director of ASI Asia-Pacific, and Colin Bryant, ASI Asia- Pacific Country Manager, the two-day conference offered nine educational presentations on the latest advances in the iMIS Cloud Engagement Management System with live Q & A. It also included an inspiring opening session, award presentations, and a virtual networking happy hour

at the end of the first day. Attendees were able to take advantage of the ASI Connect mobile app to access the agenda, conference materials, forums, and engage with other participants.

“Each year, ASI holds the iNNOVATIONS conference in the United States, which has meant very few clients from our region have attended the event before,” said Mr. Ramsbottom. “With iNNOVATIONS LIVE Asia-Pacific, the iMIS community in our region got to experience the magic of the event for the first time. Attendees came from across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and they were thrilled to be able to ask their questions of international experts and get answers in real time,” he added. “This live access to knowledge and resources — and the chance to really feel a part of the event — was huge and we’re already being asked about next year!”

ASI’s in-person iNNOVATIONS conference was originally planned with three educational tracks but was reduced to one for the virtual event; all planned presentations, however, were recorded and made available via the on-demand video library. Hosted by ASI partner Webcastcloud, an Australian webcast streaming and hosting service, this library allows attendees unlimited access to all 36 conference sessions, ASI was pleased to welcome members of NiUG Asia Pacific, the local independent user group dedicated to ensuring organisations that use iMIS to maximise their investment in both the technology and staff they employ to administer and utilise it.

2020 Client and Partner Awards

ASI’s mission is to “Help People Achieve Great Things Through Innovative Solutions,” and each year the company recognises winners of its Great Things Awards. The 2020 Asia-Pacific honors went to the Australian Medical Association – Federal Secretariat and the AMA’s Chief Information Officer Phil Barton accepted the award. The AMA promotes and protects the professional interests of doctors and the healthcare needs of patients and communities, representing nearly 31,000 members and more than 15,000 students at the federal, state and territory level.

ASI also announced the following awards to Asia-Pacific based partners:

Authorised iMIS Consultant (AiC) of the Year:

 Asia-Pacific: KISS Consulting LLC

Chairman's Circle:

 Causeis

 Integr8tiv

 KISS Consulting LLC

iNNOVATIONS LIVE Sponsors

iNNOVATIONS LIVE Asia-Pacific was sponsored by C Systems Global, Computer System Innovations, Inc. (CSI), Gather Voices, Global Payments Integrated, Higher Logic, iFINITY plc, MemberPrime, OpenWater, Personify A2Z Events, Top Class LMS by WBT Systems, Web Scribble and Webcastcloud Pty Ltd.

About ASI

Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is a leading global provider of cloud-based software to associations and non-profits. We're the company behind iMIS Cloud, the Engagement Management System (EMS)™ that empowers you to engage your members anytime, anywhere, from any device. Since 1991 we've helped thousands of clients grow revenue, reduce expenses, and improve performance by providing best practices, pragmatic client advice, and proven solutions. Learn more at www.advsol.com.

Wondering what to do about member incentives during a global pandemic? You’re not alone. Here are some tips and real-world examples to help you navigate this tricky question in difficult times.

COVID-19 has turned a lot of common association challenges into bigger ones that are particularly hard to address, like how to talk about membership incentives during a crisis that has caused significant economic hardship.

A recent thread on ASAE’s Collaborate raised that question to see what others are doing now and what their plans are for the future. Chris Gloede, chief consultant at Ricochet Advisory Services, and John Ponzio, vice president of professional membership and engagement at the American Heart Association, provided some insights on the discussion. I followed up with them to get more details.

LOW-COST INCENTIVES

Incentives are challenging, according to Gloede, former chief marketing officer at the American Bar Association, because they are an expense that can quickly snowball, and discounts run the risk of devaluing membership. Instead, ABA leveraged strategies commonly used by magazines to increase subscriptions: It offered free trial memberships that provided the option to cancel when those members received their dues invoice after the trial period ended.

An article in Associations Now reported on the success of the International Public Safety Association’s limited $5 membership, which gave would-be members a look at IPSA’s benefits and professional community without a major commitment by either the association or the prospective member.

At AHA, Ponzio said they offered new members a limited-time trial membership, which gives members an opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals through AHA’s councils. He said they also provide chances to win gift cards for use in AHA’s online store and special offers for lifelong learning tools.

CUTOFF DATES

“Without a deadline, an email or a piece of direct mail will quickly be forgotten,” Gloede said. ABA promotional materials featured deadlines prominently. Ponzio said AHA also offers members incentives to renew or join within a certain timeframe. Becoming a member of an association is an investment, Gloede said, and deadlines make the decision to join easier.

SPECIAL RATES

AHA, a global organization, focuses on providing opportunities like special rates for members in developing countries and AHA fellows-in-training, Ponzio said. It also offers group memberships for community hospitals and rural healthcare centers. Ponzio said AHA’s main priority is having their professional members know they are there for them, so they also offer extended payment plans, in particular for students or members who are just starting out in their careers.

Gloede said the ABA membership rate was determined by a variety of factors, including the number of years a lawyer had been in practice, the size of the practice, and member category (for example, whether the lawyer offered pro bono services). Determining each lawyer’s capacity and situation gauges a prospective member’s ability to pay, he said. The process can be complex, but for large membership programs, the dollars often justify the complexity.

FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ACCOMMODATIONS

Some associations waive dues when a member temporarily is experiencing financial hardship. ABA moved away from requiring members to submit cumbersome paper applications for such a waiver—which needed review and approval by leadership—to a more streamlined, honor-based digital request process. The number of people who used the financial hardship program was relatively small, Gloede said, and therefore the financial risk was minimal. He noted that for the most part people are honest, and the few instances of abuse could be managed case by case.

During these difficult times, “plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Gloede said, adding that it’s important to recognize that your association has financial needs, too. He recommended measuring the new dues options you offer to assess what’s working and what’s not. And, he said, “be ready to change course and aggressively try new approaches.”

This article was sourced directly from Associations Now here and was written by Lisa Boylan. 

When it comes to virtual events, many associations are running into questions about how to raise revenue from them, according to a Tagoras report. Part of the challenge may be strategy—nearly 60 percent of associations surveyed said they didn’t have one for virtual events.

More than 90 percent of associations say they’re offering virtual events essentially because of COVID-19. How does that change the business approach for what is traditionally a major revenue driver?

It’s one of many questions highlighted in a new report from Tagoras, a consulting firm focused on adult learning. The latest edition of The Virtual Conferences Report, which gains new relevance amid the COVID-19 crisis, touches on three key topics related to virtual events—operations, business, and performance—at a time of unprecedented growth for the event variant.

Case in point: Two thirds of survey respondents say their organizations have never offered a virtual event, but plan to within the next year.

“Clearly current circumstances are driving a major near-term surge in the format,” authors Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele write.

But given the sudden shift in interest toward virtual events, it’s clear that some business considerations might have been lost along the way. Some business-minded highlights from the report:

Many virtual events struggle with strategy. The report notes that just a fifth (20.7 percent) have a documented strategy for virtual events, while 59.8 percent say they don’t have one, and 19.5 percent aren’t sure either way. The authors diagnose this as something of a missed opportunity. “There are thousands of decisions when it comes to offering a virtual conference—how long should it be, should it be part of your annual conference or its own beast, what should you charge, how do you find sponsors, and so on,” the authors write. “You need a strategy for your virtual conferences so you and others in your organization can translate that strategy into the right answers to the myriad questions.”

Virtual events need to be financially sustainable, but tend to be less expensive than in-person events. Nearly 60 percent of respondents (59.7 percent) stated that it was important for a virtual event to be profitable, while 25.4 percent said such an event needs to at least be self-sustaining. And perhaps for that reason, nearly two thirds of respondents (65.2 percent) charged for such events, compared with 15.2 percent that didn’t. Despite the tendency to charge, virtual events tend to be less expensive than in-person events, with 30.4 percent charging significantly less and 39.1 charging somewhat less.

The calculus of pricing has changed with the pandemic. Despite the general push to make virtual events less expensive, respondents to the survey told Tagoras that some events are not cutting costs compared with in-person events due to the nature of the pandemic, though some are offering different options that make educational resources available to all members, while charging extra for those who can afford a more in-depth approach. “We have heard from many, many of our people who have said their entire training budget has been cut through the end of 2020,” explained Shannon Lockwood, the events and programs manager at the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing. “So we now know that if someone is coming to our event, it’s likely—not just possible but likely—that they’re paying out of their own pocket.”

Sponsorships are more prominent than exhibitor fees in virtual settings—if they’re collected. More than 40 percent of associations haven’t yet monetized sponsorships or exhibitors at prior events, but given the changing environment, demand could rise in the coming years as associations look for new ways to make events profitable. (According to supplemental data from Tagoras, 36.1 percent of respondents expect to integrate a virtual tradeshow component into an upcoming event.) But if they are drawing revenue from vendors, the way to do it most commonly seems to be through sponsorships (31.3 percent), or in tandem with exhibitor fees (20.3 percent). Just 4.7 percent rely on exhibitor fees alone.

This article was sourced directly from Associations Now here and written by Ernie Smith. 

For many associations, building new ways to generate revenue and diversify beyond membership comes down to identifying, and taking advantage of, new opportunities. Here are a few ideas.

By Eric Goodstadt

Diversification is the first rule of financial management. And the association space is no different. The fact is, membership dues can only get you so far if your goal is to invest more money into the programs and services you offer.

Not convinced that nondues revenue is essential to your association’s growth? Consider this: The 2019 edition of Marketing General Incorporated’s Membership Marketing Benchmark Report found that roughly 46 percent of association members were older than 55, while just 26 percent were under 40. The report also found that the associations struggling to grow (28 percent of those surveyed) were most likely to have more baby boomers as members, while those seeing declines (26 percent) said they faced challenges attracting younger members. Clearly it’s risky to lean on membership alone, given that nearly half of all association members, on average, are nearing or at retirement age.

Diversifying your offerings will also bolster your reserves in case something goes wrong. With all of that in mind, here are a few strategies to help point you in the right direction:

Focus on a robust content strategy. The great thing about content programs is that they can be monetized in numerous ways. For example, one of Manifest’s long-term clients has found much success with its portfolio of magazines and websites that touch upon different aspects of its field. The depth and reach of these publications offer advertisers and industry partners revenue-generating opportunities. Likewise, associations have a tremendous amount of information, research, and expertise that can provide the bedrock for a revenue-generating content platform. Needless to say, if you’ve already created such a platform, be sure to keep it up to date—leveraging new mediums and technology will not only keep you relevant but will also create more revenue-generating advertising inventory.

Look into building a job board. Many trade and professional groups represent industries that are quite niche, and employers are willing to pay for access to their members. Yet most associations aren’t leaning into job boards as much as they could. According to a Community Brands benchmark report on small-staff associations, just over a third of associations surveyed offer a job board to their members as a source of nondues revenue. And revenue isn’t the only factor: Job boards can also be an opportunity to maximize visibility for careers in your industry and reach out to new groups of potential members. In 2018, for example, the packaging group PMMI launched a job board, CareerLink, to reach students who might be interested in the field. The program, which charges for premium listings, isn’t just a digital success—it also created an opportunity for PMMI to build job fair events at its tradeshows. The revenue goes to the group’s PMMI Foundation, which helps encourage workforce development.

Offer premium services that encourage members to spend more. Not everyone will be willing to pay beyond the price of admission—but by giving your members the opportunity to do so, you can potentially unlock nondues revenue paths that didn’t exist previously. Examples of this type of approach abound in the for-profit space. For example, you can go to IKEA and buy a couch, and pay extra to have it delivered and assembled. While using LinkedIn is generally free, the social network offers a premium version that allows users to see who has visited their profiles, enabling them to proactively reach out to recruiters. And while lots of people pay to read The New York Times, some will pay extra for special access to recipes and crossword puzzles. You probably have ideas for services just like these to build on top of your membership offering.

UNCOVER NEW OPPORTUNITIES

For associations, finding the right strategy isn’t necessarily the hard part. Often, it’s about finding the right opportunity—and it might not be something you can see on your own. A good partner can help wring out these opportunities over time, ensuring that they don’t become one-time windfalls but easy-to-replicate business models.

There will always be members who want more, and advertisers who are willing to pay more for new experiences. When those nondues revenue opportunities present themselves, will you be ready?

Eric Goodstadt, president of Manifest, has more than two decades of experience in the agency world, serving clients in diverse sectors—including associations, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies.

A snapshot of leading associations reveals that successful member engagement in a crisis environment requires a more personal touch that speaks to both the head and the heart.

A new report, Engaging Members From a Distance, examines how 15 leading associations are engaging with their members despite the considerable challenges caused by the pandemic. The report, from the communications agency Finn Partners, analyzes the associations’ websites and social media outreach to determine what’s working to provide takeaways for other associations.

Here are a few insights from the analysis that might help you better connect and engage with your own members during this unprecedented time.

COVID-19 IS FRONT AND CENTRE

No surprise here. The report notes that 13 of the associations had robust content focused on COVID-19 prominently featured on their websites and had quickly launched coronavirus resource centers in response to the crisis. Finn Partners predicts that associations will conduct more research on the how the pandemic is affecting members personally and will shift from more fact-based reporting on COVID-19 to assessing the best way forward to support and advocate for members.

Given the severity of the crisis, the need for information about the pandemic will likely not subside, the report notes, so associations will need to look for ways to provide more relevant and resonant content to connect with members.

MAKE IT PERSONAL

The report praises the more personal approach that groups like the American Nurses Association are taking with flash polls to capture member feelings as they face the challenges of COVID-19. The ANA recently surveyed 32,000 nurses and found that 87 percent of them were afraid to go back to work. ANA’S COVID-19 Resource Center invites nurses to share their stories from the front lines of the pandemic. This gives members a chance to express themselves during a global crisis in their own words, which creates a meaningful—and timely—sense of community.

SOCIAL MEDIA STORYTELLING

Associations are using social media to connect with members directly. In particular, their Instagram platforms are brimming with community-building conversations, according to the report. It points to AARP’s Instagram page, where members recount how they are responding to different aspects of COVID-19. The personal stories range from a teacher talking about challenges she faces with virtual instruction to a worker at a Los Angeles market who explains how his job has changed drastically because of the pandemic.

SHRM’s Instagram page has a popular post about six skills to develop for future success, and on International Human Resources Day, a post recognized the contributions of HR professionals around the world and asked them to share what inspired them to join the profession. This kind of personalized approach to communicating with members, the report notes, is effective and will likely grow.

VIRTUALLY TOGETHER

Virtual events are the new go-to as associations rewrite their established frameworks and adapt rapidly to a new landscape for convening their members. Nearly half of the associations reviewed in the report are holding virtual events. It cites the American Psychological Association as a good example of combining the networking value of a live event with online learning in its webinar this week, “Job Searching During the Pandemic and Beyond.” The workshop touts the need to be prepared in an uncertain job market as COVID-19 markedly alters nearly every industry.

ONLINE LEARNING 

Virtual learning events are the coin of the realm as more members need to learn remotely. All 15 associations included in the report are currently offering online programs. Finn Partners applauds the American Bankers Association’s training center and community-building platforms for ease of navigation and use. And it gives high marks to the American Chemical Society’s program on making digital presentations better.

Overall, providing relevant information while connecting more intuitively—and more personally—is a key to member engagement success, now and always.

“Communications that balance fact-based delivery with the power of good, succinct storytelling tend to break through the clutter and get consumed, remembered, and shared,” the report says. “This is not new news; the more things change, the more they remain the same.”