Know Pain Points to Drive Association Revenue Growth

Know “Pain Points” to drive Association Growth

Maybe Hill Street Blues character Sgt. Phil Esterhaus had it right when he said on every show “Hey, Let’s be careful out there!” Confirming Association renewals and recruiting new members can be as challenging as working a precinct in an iconic television show. However, if we know the issues along with the dollar impact on members we know the “pain points.”

Dollar Impact

Put yourself in your member’s place. Knowing the issues is important. However, understanding the dollar impact of issues shows your Association’s grasp of the enormous challenges they must overcome to be successful. Companies have choices, new Associations and single issue coalitions represent deep competitive threats. Executives seek solutions to business obstacles, with fewer membership dollars they renew or join Associations that help them achieve business objectives.

Identify Pain Points and Deliver Value

Identify, quantify and qualify policy impact and confirm member participation in the most critical areas:

  1. What is the dollar impact of policies on members and prospects?
  2. Are your member’s participating in areas that impact them?
  3. If education programs are important from a dollar impact perspective, are they engaged in these programs?

Does this approach Drive Association Revenue Growth?

Yes, one Association utilized this information to accelerate member engagement. In another situation an Association doubled new member revenue.

Know Pain Points to Drive Association Revenue Growth

A new CEO discovered that their predecessors invested heavily in a large number of educational products that none of his members were buying. Where were the “pain points” supporting the business decision? Clearly an unfortunate situation.

pain points

 

Free eBook “Accelerating Strategic Member Engagement” is available for all Association Executives at www.potomaccore.com,www.icimo.com, and www.verticalleapconsulting.com.

By Dan Varroney

3 decades of experience working with multiple Industries and understanding different Association challenges by helping build strategies that add long term value. Comprehensive understanding of Associations, as Senior Vice President for the National Association of Manufacturers’ National Membership & Grass Roots operation, as President of the American Solutions Advocacy organization, & as President and CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth. Considerable background on impact of legislative and regulatory policy on Industries, has provided analysis on economic performance and M&A trends in outlets that include CNBC, CNBC Europe, Fox News, Fox Business, Dow Jones Marketwatch, Bloomberg, and the BBC. Strategic perspectives are frequently sought out by CEO Update, a leading source for Association news and information. Authored over 145 blog articles on Strategic Planning & Member Engagement. Facilitates knowledge sharing among forty -five Association CEO’s at the Growth Strategies & Member Engagement Forum.  Served as a member of the Prince William County, Virginia Strategic Business Planning Team. District Three Councilman in the Village of Palatine, Cook County, Illinois, twenty one years. B.A. in American History from the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. and earned a Certificate from the Yale School of Management, New Haven, Connecticut in Leadership and Team Effectiveness. Member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).