Do you know that approximately three quarters of the Gross World Product is produced using human knowledge and creativity? “Knowledge is power” and successful membership organizations flex their knowledge muscles to boost their success and that of their members. Knowledge products are meaningful, highly focused information resources that impact outcomes. They disseminate information that helps…
When it comes to getting your message heard, humility is no virtue. I’ve noticed that many membership organizations put a lot of hard work into their advocacy efforts but often their efforts are barely noticed by their stakeholders. If you’re hiding your light under a bushel you’re sabotaging the impact of your efforts. Instead take…
Benchmarking has become a hot topic for associations. The 2008-2009 downturn prompted many associations to assess their performance and the value they deliver to members. Benchmarking is being used to set a base level for associations to track their own performance growth and as a tool to compare themselves to other associations. A benchmark is…
Running a successful association is a lot like building or renovating a house – it requires different talents to do the best job. You have talents in certain areas, but you can’t take care of everything and affordably build a sustainable, beautiful home. Even Mike Holmes uses sub-contractors. Your association may do a better job,…
One of the top three complaints I hear from association executives is a lack of resources. But is it true? Often what is needed is refocusing or restructuring. It is easy to get stuck in the weeds and lose sight of the big picture. Day to day tasks take priority and you and your team…
Professional organizations engage in stakeholder relations to achieve their strategic objectives. Stakeholders include members, corporate supporters, donors, government and the general public. Stakeholder relations involve sales and fundraising efforts, awareness, advocacy efforts and issues management. Successful relationship management is a key component of an organization’s member value proposition and requires an approach that builds trust…