ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT & MARKETING RESOURCES

BENCHMARKS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR ASSOCIATION AND NONPROFIT STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS:

20 IN’S AND OUT’S FOR 2003

Published in the January 3^rd edition of Association Trends

by Stephen C. Carey, Ph.D., CAE

President, Association Management & Marketing Resources

As we do each year, below please find our list of issues, benchmarks and best practices in terms of what’s in and what’s out for 2003. Our finding are reflective our client database of over 500 trade and professional associations and the trends tracking we do with them. Some are tongue in cheek, but most speak to the ever-changing management and personnel practices of our community. Thanks to the many of you who have written with your helpful suggestions and criticism!

This has been a particularly difficult year for the association community, with recessionary and security considerations forcing many association to “review and renew” programs, services, budgets and ways of doing business. Please review our “What’s In, and What’s Out” list in association management below and feel free to applaud or take exception to one and all! Send us your suggestions for the coming year as well!

WHAT’S IN, STILL IN OR COMING IN	WHAT’S OUT, STILL OUT OR GOING OUT
“Changing of the Guard” at ASAE, PCMA MPI and the Association Forum of Chicagoland. New looks and philosophies at these four key association and hospitality related organizations.	Veteran CEO’s in these key positions
Understanding that “getting the right people on the bus” is more important than specific qualifications. (Read Built to Last and Good to Great by Jim Collins)	Developing the plan before the right people are on board.
A renewed interest on “process.” Being more inclusive of volunteer and staff input into important decisions and planning. Understanding that process is part of the “process.”	Boards and executive staffs making decisions without input from the troops.
Increasing diversity of boards of directors as more reflective of member populations, and especially in international constituencies and mentoring of younger leaders. This is just beginning to have impact in many associations preparing for leadership changes and challenges.	White, male or female, US based members of boards.
With poor business conditions, emphasis on accreditation and certification programs of all types continues to be most important as stepping-stones to the fewer jobs available in many professions.	Working without a credential or certification
The development of tighter controls and transparent policies and procedures in the budgeting and expense reimbursement areas by association boards. Boards going to the “one strike” policy in these areas.	Association executives who still “don’t get it.”
Double Digit Rising Health Insurance Costs. Average pass-a-along costs are $7,500 to $15,000 per year for POS and PPO family coverage.	Associations paying for all increases in costs. Associations are passing through higher percentages of these increases than before.
E-mail marketing of most products, programs and services will become the norm as more and more members shop electronically in their positions.	Leaving e-mail promotion out of your marketing vehicle mix.
When my insurance agent moved into a bigger house while I put off the kitchen remodeling project—this told me something…terrorism and security related insurances are more widely available.	No coverage available
Exigency plans and succession planning. Volunteer leaders in associations are more concerned with having detailed alternative operating plans and succession plans in place.	Associations that have no planning depth, upon which to rely.
OVERHEAD. Ensuring that the product, program and service marketing plan decisions account for every nickel in expense, including all management support staff and CEO time, as well as the rent, water and lights.	Making product, program and service budgetary decisions without knowing actual costs.
Satellite telephones for emergency situations when land and cell lines are not operational. Keeping two weeks payroll in cash in a safety deposit box in case of disaster. Forming partnerships with sister associations locally and in other locales for sharing resources in case of emergency.	Turning a blind eye to future security situations.
Monthly or quarterly credit or debit card electronic payment of dues to make them more digestible to members as dues rise in a poor economic climate.	Not using electronic financial advances to reshape the association’s financial billing menu.
Seamless bridging of the electronic processing of all web-based applications, such as member applications and updates, publication sales and meeting registrations, directly to the financial package and ordering tracking and fulfillment software.	Downloading member updates and orders and re-entering them in the old AMS order processing and financial systems.
Market and needs assessment research and environmental scanning activities to ensure we are headed in the right direction, and to provide “early warning” of problems in the industry / profession or association. Use of alternative scenarios to role and “game” unanticipated events and develop courses of action. Strategic planning must contain these components in the future, tied to metric evaluation systems and the budget.	Homemade, “head in the sand” research, which does not use valid statistical methods when needed, and planning without research and scanning the current and future environment.
Using technology to assist members in finding solutions and not just to improve the association’s internal I/T capabilities.	Focusing I/T on internal solutions and not member profession or industry problems.
From the ASAE Fellows list serve, selected “in” readings this year were Biographies such as Samuel Adams, and Harry S. Truman and other non-fiction works such as: Jihad Vs. McWorld, Sea Biscuit, Fast Food Nation, Founding Brothers, The American Sphinx, The Answer to How is Yes, Crossing the Unknown Sea and Golf in the Kingdom (this is about strategy and not just golf).	Association functional area books, that are not grounded in benchmarks, best practices, and real world examples that use story telling and modeling to assist overworked association executives see through the clutter.
True “communities of practice” where members can form their own electronic communities with volunteer moderators to exchange information and tackle problems in any area members feel important and beneficial.	More formal and less interactive electronic venues, which are not sufficiently electronic to allow the exchange of attachments, photo’s and other electronic connectivity without worry about viral infections.
Continued moderate mental and fiscal “lockdownitis,” given past and the current security and recession related environment. Staffs continue to be somewhat conservative concerning spending funds on research or assessments for future needs and programs. Associations are still not tapping reserves as capital for needed future research or projects.	The aggressiveness and pro-activity of associations of the late 90’s and early 2000 in searching for new products, partnerships and markets.
A wish for a Happy and prosperous New Year with a 50% increase in nondues revenue and a 30% increase in membership!	Good-bye to this elongated and persistent business downturn!

The trends, benchmarks and best practices above, which many associations are moving toward, is where the savvy association executive and volunteer leader wants to assist in leading the association. It’s not easy, but adopting a few of them, depending on your position in the marketplace, will keep you moving in the right direction. Continue to let us know of trends you spot during 2003 so we can report on them for 2004!