IStock/Copyright:jurgenfr
I had the recent opportunity to meet with several Association CEOs whom I truly respect and found a common theme throughout our discussion: engaging, recruiting, and retaining members.
There was concern expressed and a tangible uncertainty around the long-term viability of some of their organizations. This unease reinforces a thought I’ve had for the last year or so regarding the next economic down- turn. If the economy were to tank again, I believe some associations will cease to exist and others will simply become a shadow of their former selves. And, if you can see that on the horizon, isn’t it an incredible opportunity to totally hit the reset button. How do you do that in 2017?
I recommend associations begin by developing something innovative – a revolutionary offering for your membership. Launch a new program that is completely out of the box, but one that may be aligned with things that are already happening in other industries. Disrupt your organization with a new event and implement a new delivery mechanism for your communication offerings.
Also, you should kill something. Eliminate a program or event that has served its time. Kill it. Get rid of it. You won’t miss it. For example – Kill your magazine and start a Facebook Live video channel.
This must happen within the next year. Don’t wait any longer. Hit the reset button.