For years, association executives have endured book after book explaining two things. First, how young professionals are essential to the future of associations. Second, how we couldn’t possibly understand the deep complexities of this critical audience (without help). Hell, some of our consultant friends have already started to scare us with the next generation, now in high school. Spoiler Alert – Whatever you are doing, it’s wrong. In last month’s blog post, Why Are Volunteer Leaders Killing Good Associations, (available HERE), we discussed the trust gap between current volunteer leaders and emerging audiences. Let’s explore some of the mistakes associations make that generate this gap. Learn What Association Executives Successfully Engaging Young Professionals Have to Say First, though, in a quick shameless plug, during our Webinar Wednesday this September 19 (register HERE), we’re going to discuss Association Laboratory’s research-based white paper on the challenges and solutions to engaging young professionals. […]

Association Laboratory’s ground-breaking environmental scan Looking Forward 2018 (access HERE) revealed how many association executives believe their volunteer leaders are creating substantial governance challenges that threaten the long-term viability of their association. Historical Membership Models and Governance Systems are Failing In Looking Forward 2018, 86% of association executives believed that membership acquisition, retention and engagement was the most serious association strategy issue. Association Laboratory has worked with hundreds of associations on the research and development of membership strategy and four aspects of strategy development are clear. The association must understand its markets and how these markets are changing. The association must accept that as audiences change, their needs change. New or emerging markets with different needs will require a different relationship with the association. An evolving relationship means that new models of engagement or membership must constantly be adapted or introduced. If the association doesn’t evolve, member engagement is diminished. […]

Association Laboratory’s Nikki Haton is scheduled to speak at the New England Society for Association Executives 2019 Annual Management Conference.   The upcoming 2018 Annual Conference will be held January 16-17, 2019 in Framingham, Massachusetts.  Nikki will be  presenting “Building a Leadership Pipeline”.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                       ASSOCIATION LABORATORY RELEASES LOOKING FORWARD 2018 ANNUAL ASSOCIATION ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING PAPER  June 25, 2018 – Association Laboratory has once again released its annual association environmental scanning paper, “Looking Forward 2018,” a collaborative research effort conducted with leaders of the association management profession. Looking Forward 2018 is the nation’s longest running and most comprehensive environmental scan of the association strategy environment. This year, more than 300 association trade and professional association CEO’s and senior staff assessed fifty-two different factors impacting association members and fifty-one different implications on association strategy.  Combining this year’s research with eight years of bench marking data makes this year’s paper the most relevant research publications in the industry. “Looking Forward 2018 Association Industry Business Environment and Strategy Scan” is […]