A New Perspective on Conveying the Value of Your Association CEO Roundtable January 20, 2012 Wendy Scott, CAE Facilitator Wendy Scott & Associates, Inc.
A New Perspective on Conveying
the Value of Your Association
CEO Roundtable
January 20, 2012
Wendy Scott, CAEFacilitator
Wendy Scott & Associates, Inc.
Goals for this morning’s Roundtable:
Share your vast experience and knowledge…
Think like entrepreneurs…
Ask this question: “What change can I initiate immediately to better convey my association’s value, move
my association forward and sustain it?”
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What is “Value”?
• Worth in usefulness or importance to the possessor
• A fair return or equivalent in goods
• Something intrinsically desirable
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ASAE’s Decision to Join Research Project
1. Perception of Value – Role of Engagement
2. Retention – Long Term Members
3. Ad-Hoc Volunteers
4. Boards of Directors
5. The Retention Challenge
6. Referral Influence
7. Generational Influences
8. Segmentation
“If former members are thought of as being dead, the uninvolved are close to comatose.”
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Who defines value in your association?
“It’s not about what we’re selling; it’s about what they’re buying!” Sharing Exercise: How do you identify or define value
in your association?
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How to Differentiate Your Association’s Value
Identify core competencies Study your customers (members) Turn core competencies into values (and
prioritize) Study the competition Examine trends in your profession/industry
Define your vision Build the “value chain”
internally Articulate your value Test your value Convey your value
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Crafting the Association’s Value Proposition
Internal Analysis• How do you create value?• What are your core competencies?• What are your capabilities?• Why should current or prospective members accept your value promise?
External Analysis• How do members measure the value you provide?• How does your value compare to competitors?• Does your proposed value meet member needs?• How can you increase the value you’re offering over time?
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The Value Proposition Process for Associations
Establish a unique position.
Be relevant to target market segment (gain interest, address a real problem, fulfill an emotional need or want, and/or deliver a looked-for experience).
Be credible / believable.Have clarity (to all relevant people and targeted customers).
Communicate advantages (versus alternatives and competitors) which are meaningful, not irrelevant differences.
Differentiate from alternatives (again, in meaningful way)Not be “me too” positioning or generic.
Communicate benefits, rather than features or functions.
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Wendy Scott & Associates, Inc.
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Challenge:
If you had just 10 words to describe why individuals/companies should be
a member of your association instead of another,
what would you communicate?
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Best Case Neutral Case Worst Case
You provide a one-of-a-kind “product/service”
that your market needs and wants. You have a strong
value proposition that differentiates you from
your competitors; you communicate it
consistently in everything
you do.Your member
prospects respond because you’re
completely meeting their needs.
Your “product/service” is somewhat different from, and better than,
those of your competitors, and you
communicate that difference, though
probably not as consistently as you
should.Your prospects
partially buy into the value you provide, but
you don’t win all of them that you could.
Your prospects see little difference
between you and your competitors, so you’re competing solely on
price.You have to fight long
and hard for every member. It’s very
difficult to meet your membership revenue
goals.
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Value Scenarios
• Association has not identified a value proposition
• Association does not clearly express its value proposition
• Association is not testing or measuring its value proposition
Pitfalls to Conveying Value in Associations
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1. Buy-in from stakeholders 2. Align Operations 3. Communicate your value
Include value propositions through every opportunity or touch point:Newsletter articles, conference calls, association events, emails, customer service calls, product shipments, member welcome kits, website…???
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Conveying your Value!
4. Measure and Assess
Role of Trust in Conveying Value
"Fix the trust thing. Everything else, the vision, values, shared
sense of purpose, and purposeful change will all
follow, simply because people want them to.”
Association Leader
Wendy Scott & Associates, Inc.
Email [email protected] Tel. 919.412.2121