Professional associations provide their members with increased networking opportunities, political and economic influence, and access to cutting-edge knowledge. But to manage a successful association—no matter how big or small—you need to foster the idea sharing opportunities that make these benefits possible.
For many association managers, this means maintaining:
- websites,
- e-newsletters,
- print publications,
- live events,
- and membership opportunities.
To make these offerings possible, selling sponsorships and other advertising opportunities is often necessary. Luckily, from a sales perspective, associations have a compelling case to offer potential advertisers: a highly-engaged audience of professionals with shared needs and interests.
The 3 Keys to Success for Association Management
One challenge many association managers face is juggling sponsorship and advertising sales with the production deliverables. This often comes down to focusing on 3 critical components:
- Filling the Gaps: Short an ad placement in your next print publication? Looking for a worthy partner for your next e-newsletter campaign? Robust CRM record keeping helps. How so? Generate lists of past advertisers, drill down into the categories that apply to your current need, and start contacting them.
- Team Communication: Set up processes that ensure the people responsible for your sales and sponsorships have a direct line of communication with those who are responsible for creating deliverables—print ads, web ad placements, and more.
- Invoicing Efficiency: It’s easy to lose information in the months between a sponsorship sale and an event or print deadline. Methods such as e-sign contracts allow you to loop your accounting team in on each sale, so no information—or money—is lost along the way.
Focusing on these factors can help keep your association’s momentum going for years to come. Improved processes translate to happy advertisers, which means repeat business. With a smoother sales process, you can devote more time to the most important ingredient of a successful association: the members!
Partner With a Team That Understands Association Management
At Ad Sales Genius, we create software that caters to associations and trade organizations. By combining a powerful, sales-focused CRM with full-featured production, delivery, and accounting capabilities, our software enables association managers to maximize productivity, quality, and communication. From expo booth sales to e-newsletter placements, Ad Sales Genius has you covered.
Interested in learning how Ad Sales Genius can help you manage your association? Schedule a free personalized demo today!