Hand Holding Red Horseshoe Magnet Attracting Pawn Figures

Career Services, Innovation and Telephone Calls All Urged by New Membership Report

by Media

Taking a look through Marketing General’s 14th annual Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, some numbers and findings definitely jump out. (And although this is a survey of associations, the results have merit for business publishers as well.) Phoning people is still quite effective. (Gasp!) More social media plans are getting put in place but still aren’t delivering in a big way. Planning year-round engagement is a must now. And members bring in members.

“After facing several years of unprecedented global events, associations have begun to emerge from the heavy toll of the pandemic,” the report states. “Findings in the report focus on the marketing strategies and tactics that associations have adopted to grow their membership over the past year.”

Here are the takeaways that caught my eye. (You can download the report here.):

How’s your career portal or professional development? More than half of associations report increases in the use of career services (55%, up from 37% in 2021). Results show a positive correlation between associations with growth in membership numbers and those with upticks in many areas of engagement, including career portals. Nearly three-quarters of associations have increased virtual professional development opportunities during the past year (73%).

Calls to action. Telemarketing is employed significantly more by associations reporting increases in their renewals over the past year. Survey results indicate that associations with increases in new member acquisitions, renewal rates at or above 80%, and increases in their five-year membership levels consider phone calls to be significantly more effective in generating membership renewals.

Go after testimonials. Of the marketing channels used for member recruitment, email (48%), events and meetings (30%), and member referrals (28%) are considered the most effective. Organic social media, which is the second-most-used channel, is only considered highly effective by 14% of those who use it, below personal sales calls (19%). And that’s with half of respondents having a strategic organic social media plan in place.

In-person is still desired. By far, the most common reason members join is to network with others in the field (63%, identical to 2021). After that, executives believe members join for the continuing education/professional certification (36%) and to access specialized and/or current information (35%, up from 32% in 2021).

Once they join, continue to reach out. Associations reporting renewal rates at or above 80% more often provide an emailed or mailed welcome kit and/or a welcome phone call to onboard new members. And associations with increases in membership are significantly more likely to begin their renewal process immediately after welcoming members compared to associations with membership declines in the same period.

Say “grace” period. Results show that associations with renewal rates at or above 80% are significantly more likely to offer a two- to three-month grace period. In comparison, a significantly higher percentage of those with renewal rates under 80% do not offer any grace period at all. About half of respondents offer accommodations for hardship when members are renewing. Close to one-third of associations provide automatic annual credit card renewal (37%) and/or installment renewal payments (34%) as options when renewing membership.

Engage year-round. Lack of engagement remains the top reason that executives believe members do not renew their membership (52%, up from 50% in 2021). About one-third of respondents report that members do not renew because they either forgot (34%), they believe the membership lacks value (34%) or members have left the field. More than half of those surveyed have developed new products and services (62%), re-evaluated and streamlined internal processes (59%), and expanded their marketing efforts (54%). Other causes for non-renewals include a lack of brand awareness, company mergers and industry shrinkage.

Keep innovating. Innovation seems to drive membership success, as executives reporting increases in one-year and five-year membership levels and increases in new member acquisitions and member renewals are significantly more likely to consider their association to be extremely or very innovative. About one-quarter of respondents currently have a framework in place for innovation and new ideas (26%, up from 20% in 2021) and one-third are working on developing a process to support and grow innovation and new ideas (32%, up from 27% in 2021).

Again, you can download the report here.

 

Media Library (51)

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act — A Bill Not Ready for Primetime

by PolicyTech&

Proponents and opponents of the main tech-oriented antitrust bills currently before Congress all agree on one thing: To have a chance of passing before the midterms, a floor vote will likely need to happen before Congress starts its August recess. Whether born of desperation or a desire to test-run novel approaches to legislative PR, bill proponents have enlisted the help of, among others, an online tabloid news outlet and a British comedian in their efforts to sell voters on the merits of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA).

But legislatively overruling decades of legal precedent, which is what supporters of the bill are proposing to do, is no laughing matter. This legislation has wide-ranging potential consequences and thus requires careful deliberation, not a rushed vote. Neither AICOA nor its companion bill in the House has had a single hearing, where experts have been questioned about any collateral repercussions that might result from them. And make no mistake. AICOA is rife with potentially serious unintended consequences. Below is a sample of issues related to AICOA in its current form.

For decades, the overriding goal of the antitrust laws in the United States has been to protect the interests of consumers. The consumer welfare standard, and its attendant focus on economics in evaluating the relative benefits and harms of corporate actions, has worked extraordinarily well. This is particularly true in the tech space, where it has helped unleash a level of innovation that is the envy of the world. Remarkably, this has led some to surmise that antitrust law is in need of a major overhaul.

AICOA seeks to deliver on this promise by overturning years of antitrust precedent. While Congress can do that, to do so based on legislation that has never been properly vetted, is overbroad, and leaves foundational terms undefined, will create great uncertainty for consumers, businesses, the enforcement agencies, and the courts.

Take, for example, the ban on “self-preferencing” in section 3(a)(1). Looking at the text, the provision seems to ban companies that are covered by the bill from selling or promoting their own products or services if they are in competition with those of their direct competitors. But this interpretation is subject to uncertainty. Not only is the proposal itself silent on what it means by terms like “preference” and “materially harm competition,” these terms are also undefined in existing antitrust law. And this is to say nothing of the practical challenges associated with implementing the rule, even if the above interpretation eventually is confirmed by the courts. A list of search results, after all, must place someone or something first, and deciding which product or service “is the best” is inherently subjective.

Another example of the proposal using language that is woefully unclear centers on the issue of content moderation. Section 3(a)(3) prohibits “discrimination in the application or enforcement of the terms of service.” The Democratic bill drafters, Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) and Representative David Cicilline (RI), have made clear that, as they see it, the sole goal of the bill is to regulate commercial practices, and they dismiss out of hand any connection to content moderation. The lead Republican sponsors, Senator Charles Grassley (IA) and Representative Ken Buck (CO), on the other hand, are just as adamant that they see AICOA as a helpful tool in fighting what they contend is a liberal bias among digital platforms, and that their support for the bill is contingent on this interpretation.

Irrespective of which side ultimately might prevail, their incongruent understandings of what the bill is meant to do make two things plain. First, whether the Democrats agree or not, since Republican lawmakers have made clear that their support for the bill is conditioned, at least in part, on content moderation concerns that will be part of its legislative history, which could well affect how a court would rule if an appropriate case should come before it. Second, given the importance of the issue, not least in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs, it would be almost reckless not to get more clarity on what the bill actually is intended to do in this area before moving it forward.

Beyond these specific examples, however, the bill more broadly gives the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission tremendous leeway to decide what is lawful, which companies are covered, whether such a designation applies to the company’s entire business or only a part of it, and for how long a designation remains in effect. And while section 4(a) states that the enforcement agencies “shall jointly issue agency enforcement guidelines outlining policies and practices … with the goal of promoting transparency …,” the very same provision also says that these “guidelines … do not … bind…” those same enforcement agencies. How the legislative text will be interpreted and implemented, in other words, is left to the whims of whoever oversees the enforcement agencies at any given time.

It would be unreasonable and impractical to demand that a legal text be fashioned with such precision as to leave no room for doubt. That said, the operative language in AICOA is so unclear and malleable that it would be highly vulnerable to shenanigans and political abuse. Because of this, it would behoove bill proponents to find some agreement about what they are trying to accomplish before attempting to push this bill across the finish line.

BethGreenatAMPLIFY

‘Make It Matter’; Brief Media’s Social Good as a Core Business Principle

by Media

This article was written for us by Al Rickard, CAE

Contributing to the social good is a mantra for today’s organizations, including associations, for-profit companies, and media organizations.

Elizabeth Green, CEO and founder of Brief Media, told a fascinating story about a partnership to advance an important cause in the opening keynote address at AMPLIFY, the annual conference of the Associations, Media and Publishing Network.

Entitled “Mission Critical: Social Good as a Core Business Principle,” her talk was an inspiring example of how serendipity led to a meaningful and productive business relationship that makes a difference in the world.

Vets, Pets and People

“Our vision is to guide the most critical decisions in veterinary medicine,” Green said, explaining that Brief Media is a leading veterinary publisher that develops practical, peer-reviewed educational content and point-of-care tools for more than 259,000 veterinary professionals worldwide.

Supported by a team of practicing veterinarians, the company has unique expertise that it uses to help eradicate a deadly disease through the Mission Rabies project, a partnership that grew out of a chance encounter at a conference.

“I was in the United Kingdom at a conference having lunch with one of our business partners,” Green recalled. “He happened to mention that between 50,000 and 100,000 people die every year of rabies, predominantly in Africa and Asia, and that more than half of them are children. It’s not an easy death; they die in isolation without their families. I was horrified when I heard that number. He then told me about a nonprofit organization called Mission Rabies.”

Mission Rabies traveled to small villages in Africa and found that if it could administer rabies vaccines to at least 70% of the dogs in that community; human mortality from the disease dropped by 95% within five years.

Green learned that very few people in the United States knew about Mission Rabies, so she signed an agreement with the organization and began promoting it to U.S. veterinarians. The success of the program led to a sponsorship from Merck Animal Health, which provides many of the rabies vaccines for free and is now also funding many of the in-person missions by U.S. veterinarians who travel to villages in Africa and Asia to vaccinate dogs.

“We were able to take the knowledge that we had in veterinary medicine use it to save human lives,” Green said.

Moreover, for those interested in pursuing careers in animal care, understanding dog trainer qualities can complement grooming expertise. While dog trainers focus on behavior and training, groomers contribute to a dog’s physical well-being, creating a well-rounded approach to pet care.

By working together, groomers and trainers can enhance the effectiveness of vaccination programs and ensure that dogs remain healthy and well-adjusted, thus supporting global health initiatives and improving the overall quality of life for pets in need.

The Social Imperative

“So why social good?” Green asks. “There is a lot of pressure right now on organizations to do good in the world. Believe in what you’re doing. Make it matter. Make it about something that your stakeholders care about that will be sustainable over a long period of time. Be authentic and make sure that it’s not just a check box for doing something good.”

The Power of Storytelling

Green explained that her company used a wide range of media—blogs, newsletters, podcasts, social media, etc.—to publicize the success of this partnership.

“But the most effective tools were the videos of volunteers when they come back from their projects talking about their experiences,” she explained. “It wasn’t Brief Media, our sponsor, or Mission Rabies telling the story. These were actual veterinarians who had been out in the field telling the story.”

Finding a Partner

Green noted that partnering with an established organization was the key to success.

“Mission Rabies had expertise and the infrastructure in place,” she said. “So it was easy for us to partner with them because they already knew how to navigate the logistics. They also had relationships with the governments in each of the countries. Then we have the relationships and access to all of the U.S. veterinarians that that they didn’t have. So we were able to send more people to the program and they were able to do more drives.”

Al Rickard, CAE, is president of Association Vision and a member of the AM&P Associations Council Executive Committee. You can reach him at arickard@associationvision.com.

BillyWilliams

‘We Changed Our Practices’; Committing to Organizational Change in DEI Is a Team Effort

by DEIMedia

This is a special article written for us by Jen Silber

In 2021, SIIA introduced a new award to highlight the outstanding work of members committed to antiracism and elevating equity across their organizations and the associations and industries they represent.

At AMPLIFY 2022, representatives from a couple of these organizations offered insights into how they are driving meaningful progress in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

The session, “We Are the Change Makers: How Association Pros Are Driving Multilevel DEI Progress,” featured Bibiana Campos Seijo of the American Chemical Society, vice president of C&EN Media Group and editor-in-chief of C&EN; and Billy Williams (pictured), executive vice president for ethics, diversity and inclusion at the American Geophysical Union. AGU was the recipient of the inaugural Equity Award, honoring an individual or team demonstrating significant progress and identifiable achievement toward efforts related to advancing DEI.

The session was moderated by incoming Associations Council President Stacy Brooks Whatley, director of marketing and communications at the American Physiological Society and editor-in-chief of The Physiologist Magazine.

The discussion was thorough and wide-ranging, with the presenters generally agreeing on five essential concepts:

No one can do everything. But everyone should be able to do something.

Williams noted that AGU’s work happens in partnership with other institutions and organizations. AGU shares its goals and data with anyone who needs it, no matter where they are in their DEI process. One of the key elements of DEI success, he said, is multi-institutional partnerships.

Campos Seijo gave credit to her team and said the Trailblazers program, which highlights rising ACS members from under-represented communities. It happened because the magazine staff felt it was important to do—not because she told them it needed to be done. The ACS inclusivity guide was developed by a committee of volunteers. Because people felt strongly about getting it done, they were able to do it.

This is work—it will take time and energy. Don’t expect overnight results.

Brooks Whatley cautioned people not to be discouraged if their efforts seem smaller or slower than the programs being highlighted at AMPLIFY. “The programs that you’re putting together and that you have passion for are what we should be celebrating,” she said. “You don’t have to be a rock star.”

For AGU, antiharassment conversations began in 2015 internally and with other scientific organizations.

It’s a large task to overhaul an organization. One way to make it happen is to break DEI efforts into small practices that can be incorporated into all aspects of the organization’s work.

“One of the things I’m proudest of at AGU is that we have a policy-based foundation that helps provide the coverage for everything we do,” Williams said. If an organization’s mission statement mentions the principle that DEI is an essential element of success, staff don’t have to ask for approvals or permission when doing something in a new, more inclusive, way. “Not only did we change our policy, but we changed our practices; this is one of the first big changes toward cultural change.”

Campos Seijo said ACS develops its editorial calendar with a diverse range of feature subjects in mind. “There’s a standard that we need to set for ourselves, and we need to apply that consistently.”

Talking about progress is a critical aspect of making progress.

There needs to be a balance between words and actions. If you work hard to advance equality—but no one ever hears about it—you’re really only doing part of the work.

Brooks Whatley noted that SIIA commonly invites outside experts to give talks about DEI work, which glosses over the work being done by member organizations. Taking the time at AMPLIFY to let organizations trumpet their DEI work gave them a chance to celebrate achievements and inspire others by letting people see what’s being done and what can be done.

Stick to your principles.

There may be negative reactions to the visible changes, which is why it’s helpful to have diversity principles stated in your organization’s mission statement or core values. “When it comes to DEI, I don’t think you should need to have a business case,” said Campos Seijo. “We’re going to continue to do it because it is the right thing to do.”

Jen Silber is senior editor at American Staffing Association. She began her career with a foray in dot-com publishing but has now been working as an editor in the association world for nearly 25 years. She’d generally rather be where the weather is cold.

 

AI report

RFI Response: National AI Research Resource Interim Report

by Policy

SIIA provided feedback on the interim report of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force (the Task Force):

We congratulate the Task Force for its excellent report. The report demonstrates robust engagement with the challenges of expanding access and pathways to ensure a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible AI R&D ecosystem in the United States. We view the establishment of a NAIRR as a critical means to achieve these goals.

The full report can be read here.