SHALL WE KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS?
If publishing is not a large part of an association’s activities, and accreditation courses are not applicable, the 800-pound gorilla sitting in the room is the success of the annual meeting. Everyone I spoke to in the world of nonprofit associations said that a successful annual meeting is critically important for the financial health of the organization.
The annual meeting, whether it’s the main source of income for the association or just another part of the overall revenue picture, must be successful for the well-being of the organization. ASAE’s Graham points out the importance of the annual meeting: “When associations host their annual meeting, it provides members a great opportunity for face-to-face learning, networking with their colleagues and industry partners, and increasing the awareness about the organization and its impact on society.” She adds, “Associations are able to provide value for their members, and employees are able to learn about issues impacting members and determining how the association can better meet those needs.”
To attract more members to the annual meeting, associations must organize programs, sessions, and speakers that are not only relevant to the current business of the association, but also provide a view to coming trends and skills training.
At industry trade shows, I am frequently asked to speak about negotiating skills for information professionals. In virtually every conference where I present, association members fill the room. Presenting relevant programs for the membership, both at the annual meeting and local events, is a key element to help bring in more money and retain and grow membership.
Much like the medical association, a key incentive for any LIS association is the ability to give accrediting, educational, and regulatory courses that are important for the professional growth of the members.
LONG-TERM GOALS FOR GROWTH AND SURVIVAL
Associations in general have to engage users differently from past endeavors, understand the demographics and geographic location of their membership, and use all of that information to enhance relevance and viability for those people. To be successful, a smart association needs to constantly look at its mission statement and value proposition and refine both of them on a consistent basis.
Association funding must be devoted to professional development, such as more relevant webinars to help advance a member’s career. The funding allocation is not just for educating the membership, but also supporting the whole staff.
Here are some other activities: video tutoring; creative educational courses for professional development; mentoring the younger members; coaching for senior members; obtaining funding from key vendors.
To make this work, members of the organization have to be engaged both at association meetings and back at the office. If members of an association want to attend the annual meeting of their professional organization, they will undoubtedly need to get approval from their employer.
Association members see annual meetings as valuable, but they need to educate their employers about the benefits. Upon returning to the office from an association meeting, members need to file a trip report documenting what they learned and the implications of that education for their employers.
CHANGING TIMES
Associations are facing a difficult future. Times are changing and all of us have to adapt to those changing times. I was heartened to read a March 2, 2015, blog post written by MLA president Linda Walton (“The Time for Change Is Now.” (fullspeedahead.mlanet.org/?p=17)
Her opening paragraph sets the tone of the post:
Associations can be slow to change. In some ways, it’s the nature of the beast: when you have many stakeholders with diverse needs and interests, it can be hard to decide what to focus on and even harder to make decisions about major changes. But with a rapidly changing profession, an increasingly competitive environment for associations, and professionals who rightly expect high value from the money they spend and time they invest as volunteers, MLA can’t afford to take things slowly right now. Walton called upon MLA’s membership to comment on its goals. The transparency she is calling for in helping to craft decisions for the future direction of MLA is most admirable. She lists four strategic goals that can transform MLA:
- What MLA does: Rationalize MLA programs and services and streamline and clarify organizational structure
- New professionals: Align MLA programs, services, and governance with new professional members’ needs and expectations
- Education: Strengthen MLA’s educational curriculum and offerings
- Technology: Rationalize and transform MLA information and communication systems.
It seems to me that Walton and her new executive director really understand how to chart future direction. By emulating the actions of organizations such as MLA and taking advice from people such as Kahan, I think associations have more than a fighting chance to succeed.
With my 35-year commitment to supporting associations, I am most keenly aware that all of them have significant challenges, regardless of the industry in which they reside. But when I hear about the new programs at MLA and the success at NFAIS, I am optimistic. When I see the continuing success of the ARPM, I know that people with ideas for improvement are present in every industry and that we should always be open to the possibilities of change.
An information industry association executive summed it up for me with this observation: “For the associations to survive, they need to talk to their users, understand their problems. Not a time for guesswork. It’s all about pragmatic marketing.” Ranking right up there as well is commitment to transparency, which engenders trust, which encourages loyalty, and which is instrumental to continuing viability of our professional associations.
