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When selling membership, the fee you charge is not the most important factor. Instead it is the value the membership fee represents and how effectively that value is communicated.Many associations struggle to articulate the true value of membership because it is generally intangible and therefore somewhat challenging to explain. So people default to speaking about the tangible aspects of the membership. Unfortunately, these are generally just features of membership (E.g. websites, magazines, events) which aren’t very compelling without being put into the context of a value proposition. &nbsp;A prospective member is not making a donation to the organisation. They are making an investment. To get them to join you need to start the conversation by articulating how the member will realise a successful return on their investment. Some broad examples of how you might begin include:For a&nbsp;business owner&nbsp;seeking to join an industry or professional association&nbsp;– When you join our association you are making an investment into the success of your business. By joining us you will increase your opportunities to generate new business, reduce your expenses, raise your profile, and gain a competitive advantage over those who aren’t members.For an&nbsp;individual&nbsp;joining a professional association&nbsp;– When you join our association you are making an investment into the success of your career. We will provide you with the tools, skills and networks to help fast track your way up the career and salary ladder. As a member you can access opportunities to raise your profile, reduce your outgoings and advance your career that simply aren’t readily available to non-members.The most compelling value statements are highly targeted towards the specific member segment you are communicating with. For example, a student entering into a new career may be focused on ensuring they get the information and support to get the best possible start in their career. However, someone nearing retirement may be more interested in legacy building and succession planning. &nbsp;

Are You Effectively Conveying the Value of Your Membership?

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Securing new, high-value partnerships is NOT about selling your organisation.&nbsp;When you send your proposal, the purpose of your proposal is&nbsp;not&nbsp;to tell the potential sponsor everything about your organisation. The proposal is a teaser whose role is to excite the reader into wanting to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;When you follow up your proposal on the phone, the purpose of the call is&nbsp;not&nbsp;to tell the potential sponsor everything about your organisation. The purpose of that call is to secure a face to face meeting to discuss things further.And when you do get that meeting, the purpose of the meeting is&nbsp;not&nbsp;to tell the potential sponsor everything about your organisation. The purpose of the meeting is to ask questions to learn more about what the sponsor is trying to achieve, what marketing channels work most comfortably for them, and what their idea of a “successful” partnership looks like. It is your opportunity to build a genuine relationship with the individuals in the other organisation and seriously evaluate whether they are the right partner for your organisation.With the information you have gathered, you can tailor your sponsorship package to effectively achieve the outcomes your potential sponsor is seeking in a manner both organisations are comfortable with.&nbsp;Now&nbsp;is your opportunity to make a compelling, high value, offer with measurable, tangible outcomes for all parties.&nbsp;

Securing New, High-Value Partners is Not About Selling Your Organisation …

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There is a distinct difference in the “tone” of communications between associations who are successfully engaging their members and those who are performing poorly.Those doing poorly have a very transactional communications style. It is geared only to convey information in a bland and unengaging manner.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example: Welcome to the association. Your membership number is #. Your password is #.Those engaging well have a very warm, friendly and engaging communication style.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example: Welcome to the association. We are looking forward to meeting you face to face and helping you to make the most of your membership. Speaking of which, there is an event coming up in your area next week. Would you like to come along so I can introduce you around to some of the other members?&nbsp;When writing communications to members I picture a specific member in my head (who I like) and then pretend I am writing the communication specifically to them.&nbsp;I also keep in mind is the outcome I am trying to achieve. Eg: If the purpose is to get the new member activating a portion of their membership, then my entire communication is geared to achieve that action.&nbsp;

Are Your Communications “Friendly”?

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How does the prospect of a significant economic downturn affect the day to day operations of your association?Business Models&nbsp;– During a downturn your organisation becomes particularly vulnerable to losses and can easily miss opportunities for gains due to tight financial and staff resources. If you’ve got an ancient business model that is barely surviving the not-so-new millennium, then don’t count on it making it through a downturn. Now is the time to review your business model to ensure you are optimally set up to succeed in the current and future operating environment. I recommend reading Peggy Hoffman’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smsonline.net.au/resources/Documents/MissionDrivenVolunteer.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.smsonline.net.au/resources/Documents/MissionDrivenVolunteer.pdf">Mission Driven Volunteer</a>&nbsp;article for more insights on this. It’s a couple of years old but still very relevant.Sponsorship &amp; Partnerships&nbsp;– We are seeing big changes in how corporates are seeking to partner with associations. They are investing more money than ever but into fewer partnerships. They want tangible results and creative implementation. They are seeking engagement with the “right” people (rather than a lot of people). They will run screaming from the next person who puts “we will put your logo on our website” as a major potential partnership benefit (seriously … please don’t do this). When you submit a proposal for a partnership you are entering a VERY competitive space. Associations are investing heavily into business partnership programs that are highly professional. You need to ensure your program can compete. (If you’d a copy of a successful proposal to give you an idea of what is out there email me on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@smsonline.net.au" data-mce-href="mailto:info@smsonline.net.au">info@smsonline.net.au</a>).Membership&nbsp;– Research has shown that membership is counter-cyclical. People tend to gravitate towards associations during downturns … provided that association is providing tangible value. Now is the time to look at the value you are providing to members. Are you really making a positive difference in their lives? Would they notice if you were gone? If the answer to those questions is “no” then you’ve got serious work to do. Your goal is to ensure you are truly entangled into the lives of your members throughout their career. If you have organisational members, you need to ensure you have multiple points of contact within each organisation – and a relationship with each contact. For membership ideas check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smsonline.net.au/resources/Documents/EBOOK%20-%20Membership%20Managers'%20Handbook%20(2016%20Edition).pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.smsonline.net.au/resources/Documents/EBOOK%20-%20Membership%20Managers'%20Handbook%20(2016%20Edition).pdf" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Membership Managers’ Handbook</a>

How Does the Prospect of a Significant Economic Downturn Affect Your Association?

With the right approach, great things can be achieved by associations working with few staff and limited financial resources. Following are tips for those wanting to achieve a significant turnaround in their organisational performance.<ol><li>Prioritise – and stick to it!&nbsp;– You don’t have the resources to be all things to all people. If you try to achieve everything at once you will fail. Plan your turnaround process carefully. Note all the tasks that need to be completed in order of priority. Then start at the top. You will be pressured by people who want their particular interest area prioritised. Don’t feel guilty about saying “no”. Turnarounds are a step-by-step process, and you risk failure by diverting attention and resources away from the tasks that need to be immediately accomplished in order to reach the end goal.&nbsp;</li><li>Don’t just budget – cash flow!&nbsp;– If cash is tight having a budget isn’t good enough. You need to live by your cash flow. This spreadsheet maps out all your anticipated income and expenses. When budgeting be conservative on income and generous on expenses. This gives you a buffer when you hit one of the inevitable speedbumps that will crop up from time to time. Don’t fall into the trap of allowing the inclusion of unrealistic income targets to make the cash flow work.</li><li>Ensure you have the right team in place&nbsp;– Having one wrong person on your team can completely derail a turnaround. Ensure you have the right Board, management, and staff in place to effectively plan and execute the turnaround. If there are people on the team who aren’t part of the solution, get rid of them as quickly as possible. For a turnaround to be effective everyone on the team must be working together – and working hard.</li><li>Streamline your administration and processing functions&nbsp;– Unnecessary administration diverts valuable time resources and creates the need for costly additional administrative support. If entering into a turnaround phase, first streamline your administrative processes to minimise data entry and automate everyday tasks (such as event registrations and membership processing). Remove barriers to joining and renewing (such as unwieldy application processes). This will provide a solid foundation for future growth. There are a number of low cost, cloud based integrated database and website systems such as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wildapricot.com/" data-mce-href="http://www.wildapricot.com/">www.wildapricot.com</a>&nbsp;that are quick and easy to implement.</li><li>Focus on delivering compelling tangible member benefits&nbsp;– Associations that succeed aren’t those with the most benefits. They are the ones that deliver the most value to their members. Identify the most compelling value you can deliver to your existing and prospective members and focus on delivering that. Don’t be distracted by investing resources into minor benefits. Be prepared to let go of the benefits that may have served you well in the past but are no longer compelling to members. If you don’t know what your members currently value, then ask yourself the question … “If our association disappeared overnight what would our members miss?”&nbsp;</li><li>Run awesome events&nbsp;– The symbiotic relationship between successful events and strong membership growth are well recognised. &nbsp;Make your events the “must attend” for your profession or industry. This means focusing on the details – engaging speakers with great content, compelling programs, innovative formats, fresh venues, great food, and air-conditioning that won’t freeze or boil your delegates.</li><li>Seek fewer sponsors at a higher value&nbsp;– Sponsorship seeking takes a lot of effort. Seek a handful of industry exclusive annual partners who are a natural fit for your organisation. Find out how they will measure the success of the arrangement. Structure the partnership to achieve those outcomes. Schedule to catch up with them every couple of months.&nbsp; Create a situation where you, your members and the partner all win.</li><li>Communicate!&nbsp;– Great internal and external communication are critical to an effective turnaround process. This isn’t just sending out the occasional update to staff or members. Communication is a two-way street. Get your key stakeholders involved in the process. Get them passionate about the purpose you are trying to achieve, get them actively involved in implementing the plan, and (very importantly) take the time to celebrate each successful step along the way.&nbsp; A turnaround is a team effort that is made more successful when all team members are enthusiastically pulling in the same direction.</li></ol>

Blog

Are You Effectively Conveying the Value of Your Membership?

Are You Effectively Conveying the Value of Your Membership?

Securing New, High-Value Partners is Not About Selling Yo...

Are Your Communications “Friendly”?

How Does the Prospect of a Significant Economic Downturn ...

8 Tips for Turning Around A Small Association with Few Ca...