Communication challenges facing todays associations

Communication Challenges Facing Today’s Association

1995

1998

2000

2008

.COM Arrived

2013

Balance Restored

Image Building

Migration of Ad Spending

to Digital

The New Normal

New Competition is Born

2013

2010

WHAT DO YOUR PEERS THINK?

WHAT ARE MY PEERS DOING?

ASSOCIATIONS CONTINUALLY ASKED

US:

WHAT COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES

SHOULD I FOLLOW?

HOW DO I TELL MY BOARD THAT IT’S TIME

TO CHANGE?

OBJECTIVE DATA ABOUT THE STATE OF THEIR COMMUNICATIONS TODAY.

BENCHMARKING DATA RELATED TO STAFF SIZE, MEMBERSHIP SIZE AND OPERATING BUDGET.

THINGS ASSOCIATIONS CAN DO TODAY FOR BETTER IMPACT TOMORROW.

2013 ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS BENCHMARKING SURVEY

TOP 3 CHALLENGES

IF ENGAGEMENT IS ADDRESSED, EVERYTHING ELSE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF

THE TYPICAL ASSOCIATION REPORTED HAVING 2.3 FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO ITS

PUBLISHING/ CONTENT CREATION TEAM

ASK THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

• MORE COMMUNICATION GOING TO MEMBERS

?• DON’T KNOW READER/ADVERTISER NEEDS

• DOING THIS USING THE SAME/FEWER STAFF

CHALLENGES FACING TODAY’S ASSOCIATIONS

• #1 - COMBATTING INFORMATION OVERLOAD

CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER

MEET THE NEEDS OF READERS, ADVERTISERS, AND

ASSOCIATION

GAP ANALYSIS

INTEGRATION

MEASUREMENT

COMMIT TO CONTINUAL

IMPROVEMENT

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Do you KNOW how your members feel about the

communications you provide, or do you just THINK you know?

ASSOCIATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

EXPECTATIONS OF READERS AND ADVERTISERS

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

content, frequency, usability, media mix

GAP ANALYSIS: HELPS CLARIFY GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND DESIRED OUTCOME FOR COMMUNICATIONS , AND THEN MEASURE AND WEIGH THOSE AGAINST READERS’ AND ADVERTISERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS.

ASSOCIATION GOALS &

OBJECTIVES

Non-dues revenue

Mem

ber

enga

gem

ent

Member recruitment

#1 Source of Info

EXPECTATIONS OF READERS & ADVERTISERS

Great , Relevant

content

Delivered

how/when/where

I want it

Helps me

do my job /

Advance my

career

HERE’S WHAT WORKS:HEAD OF A PROMINENT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION WANTED HELP

WANTED TO BE THE #1 SOURCE OF

INFORMATION FOR ITS INDUSTRY

NOT AFRAID TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS. FOUND OUT THAT THEY

WERE NOT MEETING READERS EXPECTATIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS

CONDUCTED A GAP ANALYSIS

ON THE SURFACE, MEMBERS HAD A HIGH DEGREE OF

SATISFACTION

71.4% READ MORE THAN ½ OF THE COMMUNICATIONS SENT TO THEM

EXEC DIR STAFF MEMBERS

ASSOCIATION’S GOAL:

TO BE THE #1 SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR

ITS INDUSTRY

WHAT THEY LEARNED

IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED

AROUND CONTENT AND TIMELINESS OF

INFORMATION.

SURVEY SAYS!

WHAT THEY DID:

REALLOCATED RESOURCES AND

REVISED STRATEGY TO

ADDRESS GAPS

NOW IT’S TIME TO INTEGRATE

NOW IT’S TIME TO INTEGRATE

Constructor MagazinePrint and Digital

Constructor Marketplace

Constructor Website

Constructor eNews

Constructor Mobile App Constructor

Social Media

Gap Analysis

NOW IT’S TIME TO INTEGRATE

ARE YOU KEEPING SCORE?

OBJECTIVE 1 - CREATE CONTENT THAT BETTER MEETS EXPECTATIONS OF MEMBERS, READERS AND ADVERTISERS

OBJECTIVE 2 - INCREASE MEMBER ENGAGEMENT (web stats, social media engagement, click through rates)

OBJECTIVE 3 - POSITIVELY IMPACT RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND NON-DUES REVENUE

BENCHMARKING GAP ANALYSIS

MEASUREMENTQUARTERLY/

ANNUAL

COMMUNICATION IS GOING UP

HOW ARE ASSOCIATIONS CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER?

EFFECTIVENESS IS GOING DOWN

THEY AREN’T. THEY ARE

ADDING TO IT

CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER

MEET THE NEEDS OF READERS, ADVERTISERS, AND

ASSOCIATION

GAP ANALYSIS

INTEGRATION

MEASUREMENT

COMMIT TO CONTINUAL

IMPROVEMENT

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

2014 COMMUNICATIONS BENCHMARKING SURVEY

PARTNERS

RESOURCES USED IN TODAY’S PRESENTATION

Slide Deck: www.naylor.com/resources

2013 Association Communications Benchmarking Report: www.naylor.com/benchmarking

Association Adviser: www.associationadviser.com

Charles Popper, VP Association Relations(407)258-8862 [email protected]