Staying relevant as an association brand in the digital age

Rumour has it, according to this Harvard Business School article; association membership is declining across the board. That trend is not exclusive to America. In South Africa, many professional bodies and associations are working harder to make ends meet. The state of the membership value proposition needs a good rethink to adjust to the changes around us. We can take a look at consumer-facing brands for a few ideas for how to stay relevant in the digital age. And that’s the focus of this blog. Let’s start by looking at how the digital age is affecting associations and professional bodies.

We have more access to information than ever before, and this is fundamentally changing the game

We have more access to information than ever before, and this is fundamentally changing the game. That’s because members can keep up to date and enhance their skills in a variety of ways. MOOCs - Massive Online Open Courses – provide a diverse range of high quality learning offerings from established and credible providers. You can study anything from Arts and Humanities, Business, IT, Social Science, to Language, Learning and Teaching, from interest level right up to professional certificates and degrees. Examples of MOOC platforms include Coursera, EdX and FutureLearn. Learners typically access course materials for free, and these materials are not static PDF downloads, they are learner management systems with quizzes to assess knowledge, community forums to engage with other learners, and even peer review and rating systems. Formal certification usually carries a fee, but this pales in significance to the full cost of attending these institutions. Advances in technology make what was once the preserve of an elite few, a privilege of millions of people across the world. The landscape of learning is changed forever.

In our digital age we are more connected than ever before

In our digital age we are also more connected than ever before. There are hundreds of social networks out there and newer generations are shifting the networking landscape through their behaviours and choices. They place less value on formal and traditional means of networking, and use social networks and digital platforms to set their own rules and create their own communities. With social networking platforms, and the likes of EdX: “Accelerate your future. Learn anytime, anywhere”, and FurtureLearn: “Learn new skills, pursue your interests, advance your career”, we need to rethink roles, and ask questions such as: • What value do we offer? • How relevant are we to our members and to our industry or profession? • Why will current and future members choose us, given their needs are met in many ways?

It is more difficult for us to create and sustain meaningful relationships with current and prospective members. And that is also true for bodies offering a licence to practice – most professionals now have more than one body to choose from. A reconsideration and assessment of the real state of the membership value proposition is needed. Benefits need to offer real value, value as directed by the needs of the member, and this will be different from what they historically needed from their association. To be able to state that you ‘belong’ is no longer enough. Membership needs to be “felt”.

Membership needs to be felt – what we can learn from consumer-facing brands

Consumer-facing brands can provide some tips. Denise Lee Yohn, branding expert, author and TedX speaker, advises that forward-thinking associations might want to think about shifting from what she calls pseudo-clubs with annual meetings to communities that organise year-round, around common values and goals.

“Associations, which currently serve as industry advocates in the political and regulatory circles in some cases, might consider how they might play a similar role with consumers and advance a cultural agenda.” – Yohn

Take the example of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, still talked about as one of marketing’s modern success stories. The aim of this campaign was to celebrate women as naturally different, and to inspire them to be confident with all their own physical variations. Whilst there are critics of the campaign, it is still one of the most talked-about campaigns, largely because it focused on values and community, and sparked a change in the conversation around women, beauty and advertising. The campaign changed the dialogue in wider culture and society.

Too often we market ‘outwards’ with products and there is little alignment with what happens inside and outside the organisation. This is backed up by Yohn’s research. Great brands see their brands as strategic platforms. They focus on what their brand does, rather than selling a product, and form emotional connections with communities. Brand for them is not about marketing a logo; it is a core management tool that guides activity. These brands offer community, significance and life enhancement, cultivating a strong culture inside the organization first, one that really is based on their mission and values. Here’s Patagonia, designer of outdoor clothing and gear:

Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

If you take a look at their home page, you’ll quickly get a sense that these are not just words. When last were you presented with an opportunity to learn more about an environmental issue, and to sign a petition, when purchasing a pair of shoes?

It might sound far fetched to have such a sophisticated agenda when thinking of your own professional body, but advancing meaningful agendas and offering a real sense of community (that’s more than a free networking event!) might become essential in a fast-paced and changeable world.

Associations advancing agendas and offering community, significance and life enhancement

The great challenge for the associations and professional bodes of tomorrow will be to stand out and to form strong emotional bonds with new entrants to the world of work. Presenting a really bold vision of the future, and engaging on changing a critical conversation for the wider benefit of the profession and society might be a turnkey to success. Start inside and build a culture around the brand – and then extend outwards. Rethink the digital requirements to connect meaningfully with a wider audience, and keep asking – are we delivering to real needs, rather than historical ones?

Here is the full TedX talk “How important is crafting your brand in the digital age” by Denise Lee Yohn.

Ripcord Promotions creates impeccable events for industry associations and professional bodies. Call us on +27 11 482 2835. Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RipcordPromotionsPCO/