Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Association Memberships?
Do you find yourself paying for memberships only to look back at year’s end wondering what kind of return you got on that investment?
Association memberships can be very valuable so long as your organization is taking advantage of all they have to offer. They can help with branding, build your network and provide a resource for industry information. Here are a few ways to help you maximize your memberships.
First, show up. It is easy to pass off association meetings for more pressing business, but putting a face to your company name is invaluable. Having your logo appear on a flyer or slide deck is not maximizing your association membership. Association events provide you the opportunity to network and meet others within your industry. They can also help you find new clients or partners. Make it a priority to know when events are happening at the associations you support, and assign individuals from your organization to attend. Ideally, you will want the same person to attend every event hosted by a given association so that people come to recognize their face and associate it with your brand. This facilitates communications and is good for business.
Second, get engaged. Associations often need volunteers to serve on committees or help with special events. Participating allows you to develop stronger relationships with other organizations in a similar line of business, resulting in recommendations and opportunities to partner. Volunteering also makes you more visible to the association’s members, further promoting your brand, and helps you score points with the association itself, which can result in more opportunities to engage with the community.
Third, utilize training and association publications. Associations often offer free training sessions on subjects related to their industry. They also often have publications specifically targeted at the audience you wish to reach. Offering to host a free educational session or write content for an association’s publication allows you to showcase your company and its products, while providing a service to the organization.
When you show up, engage, and utilize the opportunities available to you as an association member, you will no longer be left scratching your head wondering what you’re getting out of the experience. Your network will grow, your brand will become more widely recognized, and business opportunities will open up where you never even knew they could. And the best part is – you can accomplish all this while supporting an organization that does good work in your industry. It’s one of those rare instances in business where everybody wins.