One of the greatest benefits of association membership is the ability to reach out to similar types of businesses for advice on operational issues, strategies, or vendors. Online communities are a good avenue for members to share knowledge, but they may only benefit a small, narrowly defined group of members. If your association is not large enough to support a...
It does not matter how many programs your association offers, how many discounts are in your vendor referral program, or how well produced your magazine is if member interactions with association staff are less than ideal. Unfortunately, the challenge for all association leaders, and their member organizations as well, is the fact that it is hard to retain talented, ambitious,...
Association publication editors have a tough job. Their bosses and their members want an engaging, attractive magazine that highlights issues of concern as well as members on all pages. Unfortunately, this means the obligatory posed pictures of people receiving plaques, members presenting checks to community organizations, and rows of employees standing in front of a sign. Photographs that show activities...
Over 50% of association executives surveyed by Association Laboratory in March 2020 predicted that they would invest more in producing virtual conferences and educational events. Travel and other pandemic-related restrictions forced associations to switch to virtual meetings, conferences, and training classes overnight. The glitches and misses that were encountered in these efforts were accepted as part of the learning curve,...
“One of the most overlooked benefits of a trade association is the advocacy.” This quote from a Forbes article that is over six years old is still accurate. The benefits that usually receive the most attention are conferences, educational seminars, networking opportunities, and discounts on supplies and services. Although many member benefit lists may include advocacy, the association’s lobbying and...