Introduction

Belonging to an Association is about so much more than a list of benefits. Yet conversations with members or potential members can often stall at the transactional level by focusing on ‘the list of benefits’ or ‘the cost’ of membership. This can get in the way of a real conversation from happening that could be beneficial to both parties. And it can stand in the way of real membership engagement.

Associations can avoid this moment by truly positioning themselves and their value as genuine communities. This involves drawing existing members into a deeper relationship, understanding and bringing out into the open their stories and then mobilising those stories to create understanding and start fresh conversations about what really matters. These conversations reengage existing members afresh and draw new members to the Association, using a pull rather than a push approach.

John will lead the masterclass with deep knowledge about the challenges in engaging his community as Membership Director of the Design Business Association. He’ll share the approach he took to tackle this, to engage with his members differently, to grow his association’s income from both members and sponsors. Then you’ll work together to start to uncover your approach to creating conversations that matter. The strategy he developed was shortlisted for Best Growth Strategy at the AAE Association Awards.

This workshop is interactive. The speaker will present ideas and enable you to work on those ideas in relation to your association.

The workshop is divided into three sections: Assess, Inspire and Apply.

Who should attend?

Directors and Senior Managers of Marketing, Communications and Membership and Executive Heads of membership organisations.

Programme

10:00 Registration & Refreshments
10:30 Welcome, Introductions & Goals for the day
11:00 Assess
  • Why engagement? What’s important to you about it. What you’ll do with more of it.
  • The challenges to engagement: what stands in your way?
  • Rethinking engagement: the broad skills and approach required
13:00 Networking Lunch
14:00 Inspire
  • A fresh approach using the 3Cs of Community, Content and Conversations
  • Case study 1: Membership Engagement
  • Case study 2: Sponsor Engagement
15:15 Coffee Break
15:30 Apply
  • Applying the 3Cs principle to your Association: work in groups on your plans
  • What might get in the way: looking ahead to identify and tackle possible obstacles
  • Action planning and next steps: what lies ahead, what you will do next
17:00 Close of Masterclass -You’ll leave with a framework to apply and the basis for a fresh approach to engaging your community

Delegate Fees

Early-booker (up to 17 May): € 445.00
Late-booker: € 555.00
Prices are subject to VAT at 20%