Remember the film ‘Field of Dreams’ with Kevin Costner?  I saw it 27 years ago but the film’s key message continues to resonate: ‘If you build it, they will come’. The same idea relates to securing corporate partnerships. 

Julian Moore, Director of Strategic Membership Solutions says, “The number one reason why most associations fail to secure high-value partnerships is because they haven’t created a compelling reason for someone to partner with them.   It’s as simple as that.”

So the message is clear.  If you create a great offer, and develop a proposal that will catch the attention of the prospective partner, the partners will come. With that in mind, here’s a few tips to help you write that all-important proposal.

1. Start writing

You could have a very promising meeting with a potential partner but for the relationship to progress, they’ll need to see something in writing. Often more than one person is making the decision to partner with you. Your written proposal can substantially sway the final decision.  Find an existing template online and use that as the starting point.  Whatever you do, get started and remember, done is better than perfect.

2. Think big

No-one got anywhere by thinking small.  If you minimise the value of what you have to offer, so will the client. Julian said, “One client with an amazing offer asked for just $5,000 to sponsor their major event.  It was worth much more than that but they didn’t want to scare the partner off with a big price tag. The partner rejected the offer because the offer seemed “too cheap” to be believable.”   Think big! It is easier to offer to lower the price later than try to increase the price when you realised you have undervalued your offer. 

And don’t forget – offering to place their logo on your website doesn’t cut it any more.  You need to offer them something that they can’t get anywhere else that will help them generate revenue.

3. Believe in what you offer  

If you don’t truly believe your offering has value, neither will the client.  Julian says, “Say you represent an association for veterinary nurses.  They don’t earn huge salaries but they can influence a significant number of buying decisions which makes them attractive to makers of animal-related products like dog chews, cat litter and worming tablets.”

(By the way, your lack of faith in your own offer shows up in subtle ways – by not following up on the proposal, by not being enthusiastic about the offering, and by not asking for what you deserve.)

Don’t underestimate what you offer and its value.

4. Think long term

Sponsoring one event is not always attractive to prospective partners as it only gives them one opportunity to engage with your market. If you were to bundle three or four events per year into a package and put a single, higher price tag on sponsoring the entire bundle, that suddenly becomes a much more attractive proposition. Even better, think in three-year blocks and not only will you secure a long-term partner (and save yourself finding a new one every year), you’ll also be able to offer them better value and more coverage.

It also pays to be flexible when creating the benefit package – if the client wants something included that you hadn’t considered, be open to incorporating it.  Partnerships are all about helping each other achieve a win-win outcome.  

5. Write well

First impressions count so take the time to make your proposal look attractive. It’s not hard.  Use quality images and lots of them. Make the text big so it’s easy to read. If you can’t write, hire a copywriter who can.

Bernadette Schwerdt, Director of the Australian School of Copywriting has a roster of writers who specialise in writing sponsorship proposals. “It’s all about the benefits.  Partners want to know, ‘what’s in it for them’ if they partner with you so everything must be written from that perspective.” 

Looks matter too, so hire a cost-effective graphic designer from fiverr or 99Designs to design it.  Sure, it’s an investment but the pay-off can be big and once you’ve done it well once, you can amend it easily to use for other prospective partners.

6. Give them something they can’t get

You have to realise that the one thing partners want is access to your valuable database, and that’s something they can’t get without you.   But remember, access does not mean they get a copy of your database. Instead you are providing them with the opportunity to, through you, engage with the valuable market you represent. And if you are prepared to offer exclusivity you greatly enhance the value of what you have to offer. For those not prepared to offer the often-asked for (and almost always denied) endorsement from your association, this is a great way to offer similar value.

7. Finish it and send it out

How many half-written proposals do you have in your (digital) bottom drawer that have never been completed or sent?

Julian says, “I often ask my clients how much success they’ve had with securing a corporate partner. They say ‘none’.  I ask, ‘how many proposals have you sent out?’ They say, ‘none’.  And if they have sent out proposals I ask, ‘how many did you follow up on?’ They say, ‘none.’  That’s probably why they don’t have any partners!”

Finding partners is a numbers game and you need a sales mentality. If you don’t put out the proposals and follow them up, you’ll never get results.

Julian says, “The single biggest factor for the failure to generate partners is the lack of follow up. Be prepared to make many calls. And be prepared to hear ‘no’ a lot.”

Finding corporate partners is not easy but it’s doubly difficult if you don’t have a compelling partnership proposal with an outstanding offer to start with.  As the good book says, “In the beginning there was the word, and the word was good,” so make sure yours are and put the time and effort into creating a document that will help close the deal.  And remember, “If you build it, they will come.”

Key take-outs:

1. Start writing –  every great partnership begins with a compelling written proposal so start writing and offer as many benefits as you can
2. Think big – ask for more than what you need so you have room to negotiate
3. Think long term –  offer clients a 12-month package or even better a two- or three- year package rather than offering one-off partnership option
4. Send it out – nothing can happen if your proposal sits in a drawer gathering dust.  Commit to completion and to following up
5. Write well – if you can’t write or don’t have the time, find a professional who can. It’ll be well worth the investment.

It’s not just the hipsters who are fleeing the city for the regions. Conference organisers are increasingly seeking out regional cities as destinations of choice for their next big event.

One of the hot spots on the radar of savvy conference organisers is Byron Bay. 

Byron Bay is well known for being the home of celebrities seeking solitude and new-agers seeking nirvana.  But with new five-star resorts being purpose-built for conferences, the region has become the go-to destination for professional conference organisers seeking something new for their clients.

From sun-drenched, beach-front restaurants to stunningly elevated Hinterland properties, Byron has a wide variety of venues to suit all functions and conference requirements.  Few locations in Australia, or the world, can match the beauty of Byron.

The ease of getting there makes it particularly attractive.

 “The Gold Coast has traditionally been the location for conferences but with Byron Bay just 45 minutes from the Gold Coast airport and 30 minutes from Ballina airport, PCOs should really consider Byron Bay as a conference destination,” says Jen Murphy, the Executive Officer from the Byron Business Events Bureau.

Jen is an expert at helping associations get the most bang for their conference buck.

 ““We are a one-stop-shop for PCOs or associations and our sole purpose is to help them manage their conference.  We can book accommodation for delegates, organise travel and airfares, find speakers, deal with logistics for trade exhibitions, and much more.  In essence, we provide PCOs with a range of conference experts at no extra cost,” says Jen.

They’ll even help you put together your conference tender document and give you tips on how to win the bid.  Their assistance doesn’t stop there. They also help associations generate new revenue by providing them with access to a 10% commission on their room blocks. 

“We know that associations may want to offer a range of different hotels to their delegates but trying to ‘room-block’ multiple hotels can be a headache. If their delegates would like to book the accommodation directly, we provide the association with a one-stop-booking portal and this enables delegates to choose from a range of hotels and the association still receives the ‘room-block’ commission,” said Jen.

Regional destinations are attractive but they are often overlooked because they can’t accommodate the big numbers that some conferences attract.

“We can offer the best of both worlds. Our 5-star resorts like Elements of Byron and The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa provide that intimate experience for small-to-medium sized conferences but we also have a world-class sports stadium that can seat up to 2,000 delegates. The stadium also offers a massive lawn area which is perfect for trade shows, exhibitions and other large-scale events,” says Jen.

If the purpose of your conference is to help delegates find a fresh new way to doing things, then what better place to do it from than Byron Bay.   It’s where ideas are born.

Key take outs:

1. Delegates often decide to attend a conference based on where it is held so choose a destination you know your delegates will love
2. Research local business bureaus to see what assistance they can offer you
3. Ask your business bureau if they can help you generate revenue through room blocking.

If you’re running a conference for your association and you don’t use a PCO to manage the event, here’s one little-known tip that could make your association significant extra revenue from your delegate’s accommodation booking.  

Here’s how to use ‘room blocks’ to generate revenue for your association:

Most hotels pay a commission (usually 10%) for every block of rooms Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) book for a conference. They pay this to the PCO in return for the PCO managing the room block.

If you are managing the room block for your conference then you are entitled to ask for the same commission for undertaking the same work as a PCO would do.

Here’s how it works:

Let’s say your delegates will need to book 600 room nights for a conference (200 rooms for 3 nights). You ring up the hotel, ask to ‘room-block’ 200 rooms and then ask for the 10% commission that they would normally pay the PCO or travel agent. You then coordinate with the hotel the process for managing that block of rooms.

How much could you make for your association?

This is when it gets interesting.

On a three-night stay for 200 people at $200 per night that would generate a $120,000 in room fees.  If you got 10% of that, you would make $12,000. So it is something worthwhile exploring further. 

The extra funds could be used to pay for a higher profile speaker, run an extra day for your executive team or for marketing and promotion.

What if the hotel says ‘no?’

If the hotel says ‘no’ or they insist that only PCOs can receive the commission, you should feel confident that you have the right to ask for it. Particularly if you are managing the room block yourself.

What if we are using a PCO to run our conference?

If your PCO is managing your room block then they will very likely be earning a commission for this. Good PCOs will be upfront about this commission. Many associations are happy to allow this as it reduces fees they need to pay to the PCO.

In other situations, the management of the room block may be particularly time consuming and associations are happy for the PCO to earn the commission to save them having to invest that time themselves.

However, if you are undertaking work around the management of the room block you can request a portion of that commission. Whether this will be possible will depend on your contract with the PCO.

Be aware that the hotel may say it’s only available to those with an IATA (travel agent licence number) but that’s not strictly true. You hold the cards so let them know that if they’re not prepared to pay you the commission, you’ll go to a venue that will.

What are the risks – and how do we reduce these?

If you choose to use this revenue generation tool it is important you are prepared to proactively manage the room block. This means you are responsible for filling the rooms you have reserved - or paying for them yourself.

To reduce this risk, when negotiating your contract with the accommodation provider you can negotiate specific dates where you can “release” some, or all, of the rooms as the date for the conference draws closer. Once agreed these dates are not flexible so be sure to advise the venue prior to the agreed date if you wish to release rooms.

This article has one provided a brief overview of this opportunity. Here is a link to a Guide to Room Block Management produced by experient. While US-centric, it provides a comprehensive overview of the concept with some excellent tips and ideas.

Key take outs:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for ‘room block’ commissions – hotels are used to PCOs asking for it. You can too.
2. Start planning early – the sooner you can lock in key dates with the venue, the more predisposed they’ll be to offering you a ‘room block’ commission
3. Be prepared to have to do some work to generate the commission. Many hotels require your manage your own room block to earn the commission.

With digital disruption on our doorstep, every business is under threat, but when budgets tighten the first expense to go is often an association membership. So how does an association stay relevant and become a ‘must have’ not a ‘might have’ if times get tight.

“The best way to stay relevant,” says Belinda Moore, Australasia’s foremost membership specialist, “is to get really clear about what value you offer to your members.  It’s about creating a point of difference that others aren’t offering.”

The Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) is a great example of an association that was under competitive pressure and invented a benefit that became valuable to their members. Arthur Burt, IPA’s Executive General Manager (Member Growth) was the man behind the idea.

 “As an accountancy association, we have the CPA and CA as our major competitors. They are much bigger than us, with deeper pockets so we had to think outside the box on how we could be of more value to our members, without incurring extra costs.” he said.

The IPA researched what their members needed and discovered that what they really wanted was a new source of revenue.  But how can you invent that out of thin air, without incurring extra expenses? Their research revealed another interesting fact.

“Our research showed that what the clients of accountants most fear was not just getting audited but the cost of being audited. So, we did some brain storming and posed the question: ‘What if IPA offered accountants an insurance service that would cover the cost of the accountancy fees if their clients were audited by the ATO?’”

The genius in the idea was that IPA recommended the accountant send a letter with the audit offer asking the client to sign it if they didn’t want to take up the insurance.

 “This opt-out approach is very clever,” says Belinda, “because firstly it draws attention to the issue and asks the client to really consider what they are rejecting.  The letter also makes the client feel that their advisor is looking out for them. And lastly, it gives the accountant a reason to get in touch with their client with a ‘feel good’ service rather than a bill from them or the tax office.”

Arthur Burt says, “The audit insurance not only generates revenue for the accountant but it also gives certainty to their client that if they do get audited, the fees will not cripple their business.”

If your association is under threat or it just seeks to offer more value to its members, take a leaf out of the IPA book and think about what your members really need and brainstorm creative ways to help them get it.

Key take outs:

1. Have a reality check – is your association as relevant as it once was? If not, maybe it’s time to review your new member benefits.
2. Do your research – find out what the needs of your members really are.
3. Run an innovation workshop for your team and members to devise new and creative ways you can add value.

Are you lonely? Don’t like working on your own? Hate making decisions? Then call a meeting!

Everyone laughs about funny meeting memes but the reality is most meetings are a distraction and a waste of time.  

Psychologist and master trainer Ian Plowman has been a professional facilitator for three decades and has devised some clever ways to make your next meeting a productive one.

Here’s a few ideas he shared with me as to how he makes meetings work more effectively.

1. Send the agenda in advance with key questions attached

Ian is quite clear on this.

“Don’t invite people to a meeting without letting them know in advance what the ‘social contract’ is – the purpose, the timing, and the rules of engagement of how the team will work together.”

I had a strategic planning session coming up with a client so I put Ian on the spot and asked him how he’d prepare for a meeting like that.

“If I were running a meeting on Strategic Planning, I’d ask each attendee to prepare a three-minute response to three key questions before they arrive at the meeting.”

“So what are those three key questions, Ian?” I asked.

“They’re very simple but very powerful. I’d ask the attendees to come prepared with an answer to these three questions: 

1. What is your experience with Strategic Planning?
2. What is your greatest satisfaction with Strategic Planning?
3. What is your biggest frustration with Strategic Planning?”

I asked Ian how this helps the meeting run more smoothly.

“These questions streamline the way the meeting runs. They:

• help all attendees learn more about the experience of those in the room and what role they and their colleagues can play at the meeting
• give people time to think about the topic at hand before they arrive so they’re instantly productive the moment they arrive
• clarify the key issues or challenges of what problems need to be resolved
• help people express their emotions early in the meetings and lays the foundation for authentic expression of ideas.”    

2. Appoint a moderator to facilitate the discussion

Every successful meeting is led by a skilled facilitator or monitor. This need not be the boss and in fact, it’s preferable if they’re not. The monitor’s role is to facilitate the discussion, keep everyone to time, and get agreement from the group on the rules and acceptable behaviour before the meeting begins.

Meetings can become shouting matches or become time blow-outs if there is no one appointed to be the moderator or monitor. 

Ian says, “A simple way to train everyone in the art of facilitation is to give everyone a turn at moderating the meeting. This also helps everyone understand what it’s like to run a meeting and shows them how challenging some behaviours can be,” says Ian.

If you don’t have a well-trained facilitator at your association, train a staff member in the art of facilitation or hire one and see how the professionals do it. 

“Once you have a professional facilitator run a meeting, you’ll see why other meetings have been less than productive. They really make the difference. It’s a skill that has to be learnt,” Ian says.

3. Manage the personalities in the room

There’s always a wide display of personalities on show at a meeting. The extrovert who won’t pipe down. The introvert who won’t pipe up. The naysayer who finds fault with every idea. Everyone has a role to play but the facilitator must have strategies for bringing out the best in each team member.

“Introverts will appreciate having time in advance to prepare their thoughts and dedicated time at the meeting, free of interruptions to present them. Junior members of the team may appreciate being able to contribute ideas anonymously, particularly if the ideas are critical of current strategies, or people in the meeting. Experienced executives will appreciate their expertise being recognised and drawn upon publicly,” says Ian.

If you or your team struggle to make your meetings productive, maybe you need to re-think the way you’re running them. These strategies could help you see meetings in a whole new light.

Key take outs:

1. Send the agenda in advance and be specific about how you want people to contribute at the meeting.
2. Appoint a trained facilitator to run the meeting (or hire one to train your team).
3. Get clear on how your team prefer to communicate so they feel comfortable sharing their ideas at the meeting.

What do Sony Pictures, eBay, the White House and Mark Zuckerberg have in common?

They’ve all been hacked. Badly. Chances are, there’s a lot more companies who’ve been hacked – we just haven’t heard about it. Why? Because companies are terrified of revealing that their systems are not secure. That of course, would lead to loss of trust and as everyone knows, trust is the currency upon which all relationships are built. 

According to Tom Crampton, head of Trusted Impact, a leading information security consultancy, it’s not a matter of if you’ll be hacked. It’s when.

“Cyber threats are on the increase and a recent survey showed this is the number one concern executives lose sleep over, mainly because cyber-attack is so hard to protect against,” explained Crampton.

This issue is of concern to association executives as their database is one of their most valuable assets – and something very attractive to hackers.

What can we do to protect against cyber-attack?

So how do you prevent being hacked? Well, the bad news is you can’t. The good news however is that you can prepare for it. Crampton says there are five things you can do to prepare for an imminent attack.

1. Expect it

Most companies who get hacked are shocked that it happened. They weren’t expecting it.  “Forewarned is forearmed,” Crampton says. “If you expect it, you will have systems in place to deal with it. You’ll be faster to act and you can possibly stop it before it goes viral.”  This means ensuring your virus protection and software is kept completely up-to-date.

2. Talk about it with your team 

Get the cyber-hacking conversation started with key members in your team - the board, the IT department, the management team. Everyone needs to be aware that it can happen to them.

Richard Stokes, Executive Officer at Australian Boarding Schools Association has a cautionary tale to tell.

“My colleague Tom and I were in a meeting. Tom leans over and shows me an email I had ‘supposedly’ sent him requesting authorisation to transfer a large amount of money. He asks if I sent it. I said, ‘no, I did not’. Clearly it was a cyber-hack but if Tom had not checked-in with me, he could easily have assumed I had sent that email. The email looked very authentic.”

If you have a small team it’s easy to cross-check but for larger teams, that is not possible.

Stokes suggest, “If there is any doubt about the legitimacy of the email and it’s to do with money, or an important issue, ask the sender to confirm their request by resending the email to you. This will short-circuit the issue quickly.”

3. Know what to look for

Hackers are brilliant at making their emails look legitimate. But there’s often tell-tale signs that give it away so if you know what to look for, you are more likely to spot it. Crampton has some tips on what to notice. “The image resolution of the logo may be poor. There could be an obvious typo. The titles of people may be slightly wrong.”

In isolation they may not give the game away but if you know what to look for and can see multiple issues with one email, you can alert your IT department.

4. Have an escalation policy in place

Have a plan in place so that if or when it happens, you can respond quickly, professionally and calmly. For example, does everyone know who to turn to if they think an email is fake?  What’s the correct procedure for reporting it and what information should be passed on? What should you do if you believe you have clicked on something inappropriate?  At what point are the cyber-security experts called in? 

If there’s a clear plan in place for what to do when you suspect something is wrong, you’ll be better able to stop it spreading.

5. Create a communications plan

Nothing creates panic like having the crew from A Current Affair show up on your doorstep.  Be prepared so that if and when it happens, you’ve got all your communications bases covered.  Actions to consider include:

• Have you pre-written the emails that will alert your clients that a hack has occurred?
• Do you have a committee formed in advance so they can convene quickly to deal with it? 
• Have you brainstormed the questions (and possible answers) that members (or pesky journalists) are likely to ask if you’ve been hacked? 
  

Having answers to tricky questions pre-written and rehearsed can help minimise the fallout and mitigate the loss of trust that may occur.

Cyber-attacks are a clear and present danger for every company, small and large, so take the time to create a plan in case it happens to you. It will be time and money well spent.

Key take outs

1. Expect it – it’s a case of when, not if.
2. Talk about it with your team and members – creating awareness mitigates the risk of being attacked.
3. Create a communications plan – if you are attacked, have a plan for how you’ll deal with it.
   

P&Cs face demise as structures alienate younger members. P&Cs need to adapt to the changing nature of membership associations. Those that do will emerge stronger and more powerful than every before. It's time to focus on developing a powerful sense of purpose and developing ad hoc volunteering opportunities that cater to all parents (even those who don't have the time to show up).

When I started at AMAQ in 2013 our new members were being sourced through events and various non-member campaigns.  It is quite difficult to answer specifically where they were coming from as no detailed records tracking new member sources were kept at the time. 

I had used the Member get Member concept in my previous roles and it had been very successful, so I brought it into my new role.

To promote the campaign I developed these postcards (image 1) to give out to all new members and have them at all events.  They we so cheap to produce!

The campaign was very simple.  We had banner advertising on our online news (image 2) and placed banner advertising on our non-member email campaigns.  The message was simple and the advertising matched this.  The visual is very easy to understand with a clear task and reward so the member knows exactly what they will receive when they refer another member.

We have had the postcards on display at every event, including conferences where we exhibited. All the staff at AMA Queensland know about the member get a member campaign so they all know that when they attend the event to have the postcards on display.

It did take a while for people to respond to the offer, at least 6 months from when I started. Fast forward, and over the last 12 months 31.5% of our new members are referred. 

It probably took about 3-6 months for existing members to start becoming aware of the campaign.  It was advertised in every issue of Dr Q magazine and every enews that went out.  We still place the adverts on any spare space we have. We place the postcard in our renewal packs so that meant that every member was notified of this campaign.  I have members who call me and say “I have spoken to this Dr and he wants to join… and if they sign up I was their referral”.  It is common for members to do this. They give me the contact details to contact the non-member. 

The other interesting aspect to this is we have new members who have been referred to us by non-members.  We then contact these non-members thanking them and ask them to re-join and they do. The number of non-member referees we receive continually surprises me.  These of course are handled differently.  Some don’t even realise their membership has lapsed.  We contact these people thanking them for the referral and we ask them to re-join.  We do offer them the same discount rate i.e. 25% etc. and they do re-join.  This is particularly rewarding for us.

Our senior members are certainly very active in referring members to us which is great.  The majority of referrals have come from this segment.  Some of our senior doctor members refer junior doctors that they have been mentoring.

26% of our referrals are from our junior members who are the millennials but over the last 12 months the referrals from this demographic have doubled.

You have to understand what drives your members.  Members do say that fees are too high so the 25% discount off their fees is very appealing to them.  We do tell them that they can save money off their fees if they refer a colleague.

When we receive a referral, we send a thank you letter to the member thanking them for their referral and advising them of their discount.  We also include a promotional product i.e. lens cloth cleaner.  It is important to say thank you each time someone is referred.  You have to nurture that relationship with the referrer and referee, as they are more likely to refer again.

Importantly, all AMAQ staff supported this campaign, as did our Board and Council.  When I have run this campaign in previous roles I have never had any problem with people not being behind it.  People really do see the value.  Peer-to-peer referrals are always the best and that is because the referral came from someone they trust and respect.

The other thing with this campaign is that we are now looking at rewarding both parties.  I did this in a previous role and it was quite successful.  I think you always have to review your campaigns and invigorate them to make them appealing to the members. I think this is our next exciting step.

The member get a member campaign is not the solution to the challenges we face in membership recruitment but it is part of the solution.  Not every member is going to refer another member but when more than 30% of our members do, then we are very happy.  A referral program should be part all our recruitment portfolios.

Leigh Holohan is the Membership Manager at the Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ), a role she has held for 3 ½ years. Find Leigh on LinkedIn.

This year was my second time attending Social Media Marketing World (SMMW17) in San Diego. Arguably the world’s best social media conference, it certainly didn’t disappoint. I learnt so much that I’ve already bought my conference ticket for 2018!  This year there were five key themes:

1.      Customer engagement and the customer experience

By 2020 the vast majority of purchases will be decided by customer experiences, and social media plays a huge role in this. Customers (i.e. your members) have an increasingly influential voice, and one that many are not afraid to use. A growing number of your members and potential members expect your association to have an active social media presence, so they can engage with you online rather than picking up the phone or sending an email. Now is a good time to review your social media presence – how can you make it better?

Don’t forget your staff. Make it easy for them to share your content on their personal social accounts, and encourage them to do so. We trust people more than we trust brands, so think about how you can get your members to trust your team.

2.      Authenticity

People do business with people they know, like and trust. How can you show your true voice and be more human across every engagement and comment you make? A few ways your association can be more authentic is to do what you promise, listen to your members and engage with them, be honest about your mistakes and own them, and be consistent with your messaging.

3.      Video

Video is growing faster than ever and live video provides a lot of opportunity to show your true authenticity. Video, and especially live video (via Facebook, Instagram, Periscope/Twitter and YouTube), allows people to get to have access to you, which means they get to know, like and trust you more.

People don’t expect live video to be fancy or scripted or beautifully presented. Do it when you have something to say and worry less about what you look like.

4.      Importance of storytelling

Storytelling is essential, as people relate more to stories than they do to facts and numbers. Sharing your stories helps increase your authenticity.

5.      Create content where you own it

Consistently great content will stand the test of time, but be sure you create it where you own it – such as on a blog, podcast or video. Don’t make the mistake of only creating content on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, as you have no control over who can see these – most Facebook posts only reach 2% of your audience. Your database is one of your most valuable assets – think about how you can use it more effectively to reach your members.

For more information on how you can use social media more effectively in your association, contact Mel Kettle on 0404 600 889, mel@melkettle.com or check her out on LinkedIn. 

The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) is a young organisation with highly engaged members undertaking a journey from fledgling start-up to professional peak body. As with many modern-day professions, the Nurse Practitioner is quite new.  Many people – consumers – don’t know what nurse practitioners are, so greater awareness of the profession is needed. The nurse practitioner role originated in the US in the mid-1960s and began to gain recognition in Australia in 1990. We spoke to their CEO, Amanda Davis, about governance, Board challenges, and where to from here... read more