Some Tips and a Tease …

A terrific resource for associations and membership organizations is ASAE & the Center for Association Leadership. Among a wealth of comprehensive management information, ASAE offers insights and ideas for development staff, as well — in the form of journals, newsletters, programs and printed reports. You can access the organization, and its library of “knowledge resources” at www.asaecenter.org.

That’s where we found the feature, “Marketing Meltdowns,” a compilation of ideas from three marketing experts that “will mend your membership efforts, recondition your convention, and pep up your promotions.” And it comes with the caveat: “It helps to be a little outrageous.”

From “How to Arrest a Membership Decline,” by Tony Rossell, Marketing General Inc.: Membership marketing meltdowns are most likely to occur in four areas: economic expectations, promotional testing, product adaptation and market potential. “At the first sign of stagnant or declining membership, you’d be wise to examine one of all of these potential problem areas. But preventive maintenance is even smarter.”

From “How to Recover When Your Convention Conks Out,” by Kevin Whorton, Whorton Marketing & Research: “Consistent downturns in convention attendance and exhibits become leading indicators of downward trends for your association as a whole. That’s why it’s critical to develop a deep understanding of your convention’s downturns and upturns.

From “What To Do When Your Promotions Are Pooped,” by Ron Rosenberg, QualityTalk: “Creating a successful marketing campaign can be complicated, and there are a lot of ways to mess it up. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If your promotions have been in a slump, three simple strategies will dramatically increase response rates.” They are: Make sure your promotions get opened; promote benefits, not features; and inspire action.

Of course, that’s all just a tease. In the article, Rossell goes into detail about each of those four areas; Whorton offers 10 specific ideas to boost convention performance; and Rosenberg examines three outrageous marketing efforts that had big results. Log on to www.asaecenter.org to read the whole thing.