| One of my great passions is mentoring | | | | those needs while fulfilling personal business goals. |
| professional chapters (19 to be exact) as a | | | | N-urture: Many associations do an excellent job of |
| national volunteer with the American Marketing | | | | compiling how long each of their members have |
| Association. I enjoy helping leading marketers | | | | belonged. Think of it like the sales cycle. From the |
| throughout the Midwest and Atlantic regions | | | | time, an account executive begins calling on a |
| enhance their leadership skills in growing such | | | | company for new business it can take months, |
| organizations and thereby growing their personal | | | | even years to create the first sale. The mating |
| brands. This economy creates a challenge for | | | | dance may begin with a cold call or one where |
| doing that. However, I've found that using a | | | | the business developer had a referral into the lead. |
| three-step process which can be summarized by | | | | Maybe the potential client had no need for the |
| the acronym WIN can help overcome that | | | | particular service at the time or perhaps their |
| challenge. | | | | existing vendor was doing a great job servicing |
| W-hy? Begin by asking yourself the question, why | | | | the account for many years. After a time, |
| would anyone want to invest their time and | | | | maybe the characters changed and the vendor |
| money in our professional organization? What | | | | fell out of favor. If the rep seeking to be the new |
| value do they derive from it? My experience tells | | | | vendor stayed vigilant in politely following up |
| me that one thing professionals want from an | | | | regularly with the lead, perhaps one day he is |
| industry group is the ability to network. Not | | | | rewarded. Association membership can often use |
| providing that asset is one sure way to make | | | | a similar model. A new member may get involved |
| their affiliation with such a group a short one. | | | | in the organization the first year, perhaps |
| Other obvious benefits needed are education, the | | | | volunteer to join a committee. Or maybe they |
| creation of business development opportunities | | | | just go to four or five of the monthly meetings. |
| and for some, it's simply the chance to give of | | | | The next year, their involvement might become |
| their time and give back. By bringing a large | | | | more intentional. The third year, they may be |
| number of influencers in the industry into your | | | | asked to chair a committee and join the board of |
| association, you also make it more valuable to | | | | directors. After a time, they can become "sold |
| potential sponsors, which can increase the bottom | | | | completely." When that happens you will have that |
| line, which can be pumped back into programs | | | | person as a member for life or for a long time. In |
| that serve members even better. | | | | many associations, they feel that if you keep a |
| I-nitiate: There is a saying that once you get | | | | member for five years, there is a very good |
| someone to join an organization (as an employee | | | | chance that person will stay 10, 15, even 20 |
| or simply a group member) the recruitment | | | | years. They become so fond of the organization, |
| process doesn't end--it's just beginning. In the case | | | | they may not be in the same career or |
| of an association group, chances are a member | | | | profession, yet couldn't imagine leaving all the |
| may not renew a year later when it's time to | | | | lifelong friends they've made. |
| re-up if they haven't been initiated into the | | | | The evolution of attracting, engaging, nurturing |
| organization and put to work as a volunteer. The | | | | and retaining members in a trade association can |
| bond created through shared experiences with | | | | seem like an endless task and can be complicated |
| other members is very powerful and can | | | | by our tough financial times. But in the end, it is a |
| overcome other weaknesses (mediocre | | | | process that can be rewarding for such |
| programming, lack of business building | | | | organizations and life- and career-changing for |
| opportunities). Educated professionals recognize | | | | members who need to be connected to their |
| that getting return on investment is an interactive | | | | industry, to topics affecting their future and to |
| process where they get to know the wants and | | | | colleagues who can make a difference in their |
| needs of their fellow members and can help fill | | | | lives in many ways. |