How Social Media is Rewriting the Association Playbook

The Frontier is Now

Ryan Cohn

Vice President, Social/Digital Operations

Sachs Media Group

How Social Media is Rewriting

the Association Playbook

TODAY’S CHALLENGES FOR TOMORROW’S ASSOCIATIONS

“The most significant problem facing association

boards, CEOs, and senior executives today

is the task of creating organizations

capable of thriving in the 21st century.”

ASSOCIATIONS NOW


EXAMPLE: American Medical Association

1965: 75% of all physicians were members

TODAY: 25% of all physicians are members


“What will be the significance of

associations in 10 or even 20 years?

Will we still have an impact on society?”Association Trends


1. Membership Struggles?

2. Lack of Interest from Millennials?

3. Conference Registration?

4. World Becoming Too Complex to Deal With?

How Will Your Association Evolve?

TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK IN THE MIRROR

HOW HAVE THE NEEDS OF YOUR MEMBERS CHANGED?

WHAT DO THEY NEED FROM YOUR ASSOCIATION?

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING FROM OTHERS?

TODAY: INFO IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE

TODAY: INFO IS ACCESSIBLE ANYWHERE

EASY ACCESS = INFO OVERLOAD

HOW DO THEY VIEW YOUR MESSAGE?

CULTIVATE – ANALYZE – DELIVER

“Don’t worry - Focus on what you do best.

We’ll let you know what’s important.”

CULTIVATE – ANALYZE – DELIVER

Association Message:

“Don’t worry - Focus on what

you do best. We’ll let you

know what’s important.”

PROVIDE “JUST-IN-TIME KNOWLEDGE”

“The right knowledge at the right time for the right purpose

for the right strategy, all revolving around the fact that the

knowledge is instant, fast and transitory.”- Jim Carroll, author of Ready, Set, Done: How to Innovate When Faster is the New Fast

THE OPEN-SOURCE ASSOCIATION

“Developer groups would have access to online collaboration

tools where they gather input, come up with ideas, and put

them out for the community of members to test.”-Rebecca Rolfes, author of The Competition Within:

How Members Will Reinvent Associations

• Knowledge ecosystems

• Member empowerment

• Adaptive collaboration

• Continuous loops of

experimentation, application,

feedback and refinement

MARKET EXCLUSIVITY, PROVIDE VALUE

Create and Market Two Levels of Information:

1. Publicly Available for Association

Branding and Marketing

2. Limited Access for Members Only

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONTENT

• News and Blogs

• Resource Guides

• Social Media Pages

ADD VALUE TO EACH CONSUMER

Great Example:The Geek Squad’s How-To Videos

KEEP IT SHORT (TALKING POINTS)

TWEETABLE TIDBITS

140? GRASSLEY ONLY NEEDED ONE

FIND THE CONVERSATION SWEET SPOT

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUR TOPIC

RISKY RISKY

SWEET SPOT

GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT

YOUR GOAL: Keep Them Happy and Engaged…

…Without Losing

Him Forever

FOCUS ON SMALL GROUPS & ADVOCATES TO EXTEND REACH OF THE ASSOCIATION

NOT EVERYTHING YOU POST TO FACEBOOK GETS SEEN BY YOUR FANS

News Feed Placement Determined By:

1. Past Interactions with the Author

2. Past Interactions with the Post Type

3. Reactions from Other Users for that Post

4. Negative Feedback on that Post

IDENTIFY EACH POST’S AUDIENCE

…AND ONLY TARGET THEM.

HOW TO TARGET POSTS ON FACEBOOK

1. 2.

3.

MEASUREMENT: WHAT CONTENT PRODUCES RESULTS?

MEASUREMENT:WHAT CONTENT PRODUCES RESULTS?

TRACK BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITY

Segment Audiences and Form Lists =

Highly Relevant Email Campaigns

LIMITED ACCESS FOR MEMBERS ONLY

• Private Social Groups

• eBooks + White Papers

• Industry Studies

• Webinars

• Conferences

• Partnership Programs

ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTED AUTHORITY

Increased Availability of Options =

Members Need to Differentiate

Offer Members Opportunity

for Special Credentials, Awards

• Don’t give to everyone

• Must meet minimum standard

• Market as vital for consumers

COLLECT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS

Empower SMEs to Lead the Conversation

• Consumers View as Trustworthy and Credible

• Members Require Expert Analysis and Guidance

CONNECTING IS EASY. TRUST IS HARD.

Ease of Connecting via Social =

Too Many Requests

CONNECTING IS EASY. TRUST IS HARD.

Become the Trusted Networker,

not the Gatekeeper.

Provide Verified Introductions.

Connect the Right People.

Technology

How Social Media is Rewriting the Association Playbook