PPB July 2019

Association Challenges Distributors Can Help Solve The most common problems that associations are facing today include: 1. Strengthening the value of membership and making it relevant to members 2. Creating awareness for membership benefits and features 3. Recruiting and engaging younger members 4. Surviving outside forces, such as technology or societal shifts, that are disrupting industries and the associations that serve and support them 5. Understanding members and what they want Real-World Solutions Good Will Ambassador A large financial trade association that was exhibiting at several conferences and holding professional development seminars wanted a promotional piece that attendees could use in the classes and easily carry. The product also needed to be well-made, contemporary and budget-friendly for a quantity of more than 50,000. The group decided upon the Javalina Shimmer, a pen affordable enough for the organization to order twice the original amount. This allowed members to distribute the pens in the communities where they had public outreach programs. The campaign was successful in spreading the message of good will in the underprivileged areas where their members ran financial institutions and offered affordable housing, while marketing free educational programs to community children and adults. Source: Hub Pen Age Breakdown Of Association Members Under age 25 – 1% 25 to 34 – 3% 35 to 44 – 18% 45 to 54 – 30% 55 to 64 – 39% 65 or older – ~ 6% 1% 3% 18% 30% 39% 6% Source: American Society of Association Executives These stats are rounded estimates only and do not total 100 percent. Case studies from the industry Associations Advance The Workforce • Of the 57 million adults in America who take formal work-related courses or training each year, 9.7 million (or 17 percent) receive that training from a professional association. • Associations account for more than 315,000 meetings held in the U.S. each year, with 59.5 million participants in attendance. • Most associations (88 percent) sponsor an annual meeting or exhibition, with a median attendance of 803 registrants . • More than half (52 percent) of associations report holding other regularly scheduled meetings on specific topics throughout the year. Sources: IRS Data Book 2016; NAICS (North American Industry Classification System), U.S. Census Bureau Associations As Prospects Use these free online resources to find professional and trade associations, and professional societies by location, size and other qualifiers. • Directory of Associations: www.directoryofassociations.com • Marketing Mentor: www.marketing-mentor.com/pages/trade-list Assoc i a t i ons and Pr o f ess i ona l Soc i e t i es 38 | JULY 2019 | GROW