If you’re involved in the day-to-day running of an organisation that thrives on membership engagement, association management represents a critical part of your responsibilities. That said, certain aspects, such as spending time building the necessary relationships with sponsors, members and other important stakeholders, often get overlooked.
This can limit your influence, opportunities for collaboration and your reach. So, if yours is a nonprofit group, trade association or membership-based entity, it’s vital that you place sufficient focus on the way your association is managed.
What is association management at its core?
Many of you will, of course, already understand the key elements of association management, but for those who are a little vague on the specifics, let’s look at the fundamentals. As you might expect, it’s the process of organising and administering the operations of your organisation, as well as other groups that rely on collective participation to achieve their goals.
It involves an assortment of activities, which can include:
- Membership & community management- as the lifeblood of any association, members need to be recruited, retained and engaged to keep them on board. This involves managing member data, facilitating communication and ensuring satisfaction. The main aim is to provide value - crucial in building loyalty and fostering community.
- Event planning & management- another big part of managing an association is planning and holding conferences, workshops and seminars. These platforms are key for networking and learning, as well as providing professional development opportunities for members.
- Marketing & communication- all of your stakeholders need to be kept informed of news like event announcements, and industry developments. As such, you’ll need to manage the process of sending out newsletters, social media content and more. It’s vital in keeping everyone engaged.
- Advocacy & PR- Closely tied to general marketing and communication is advocacy and public relations. This might include lobbying, awareness campaigns and other efforts to build stakeholder relationships.
- Financial management- naturally, the financial health of your organisation is of paramount importance, meaning that association management also includes keeping control of membership dues, donations, sponsorships and other revenue streams.
- Governance & leadership - it’s necessary to support your board of directors and leadership teams in strategic goal-setting, policy development and decisions that determine your overall direction.
- Sales & Sponsorship - focusing on revenue generation, securing financial support, and fostering partnerships that allow the organisation to exist.
The benefits of effective association management
When looking at the impact that expertly applied association management can have through streamlined management systems, it’s clear that there’s value to this approach. But what of the specifics? What are the broader advantages of prioritising effective management of this kind? Here are some key benefits.
A boost in revenues
Well-managed associations are able to position themselves to achieve higher revenues. That’s because they establish the conditions that facilitate additional income. Well-organised sponsorship opportunities, optimised membership structures and increased engagement all help to boost your financial footing.
For example, epiCon’s strategic redesign of a major event for an association led to a remarkable 46.7% revenue growth, showing how a carefully structured approach can drive financial success.
The truth is that it’s key for associations to generate new revenues to survive and membership revenues are on the decline due to the new paradigm created by Generations X and Z. As such, associations need to find new revenue streams through the development of educational products, organising events and offering more sponsorship opportunities.
Improved member & community engagement
When looking for an association management company, remember that one of the central aims is to boost member participation and satisfaction. When your communication and events are both delivered in a way that’s tailored to the interests of your members, a more engaging experience is the result.
Regular interaction with members through customised content via your various channels, combined with member benefits and opportunities for growth, helps to foster a sense of community and belonging. This serves to boost your retention and satisfaction levels and leads to an increased chance of event participation and membership renewals.
The OSSEDER Congress is a good example of how epiCon's innovative digital strategies can successfully build a global community. This highlights how creativity and technology can work together to enhance engagement in a meaningful way.