Let’s be blunt; businesses are struggling at the moment and therefore looking for ways to cut their costs. This can mean re-examining expenses to see what is non-essential and can be done without. For some, their association membership might be a cost to deliberate. One company owner admitted he has joined a few associations and knows he needs to put time and effort in to get the advantages of this – but he feels too stretched to do this, which makes the costs seem unjustified.
It’s a tricky situation. On the one hand, associations offer many benefits that could help your business survive the economic downturn. And on the other, you could argue it is prudent to do away with the expense until better times. In all honesty there is no right answer, as everyone’s situation is different and needs different actions. However, it does beg the question: How do you ensure you get a good return on investment for your membership fees?
Step 1: Choose the right associations
Justin Hawes, the Managing Director of Scan Display, has decades of experience with both local and international associations. His advice is, “Don’t just join an association because it is there!” Instead you should do your due diligence, he says, and verify that the association has the following:
- credibility within the industry
- good representation in the industry (or at least the objective to be)
- a few networking events a year
- member benefits that justify the membership costs
Step 2: Be clear on what you want to achieve
By the time you have decided to join an association, you should have a clear idea of which of its benefits you want to take advantage of.
Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) Association Manager Lee-Ann Alder differentiates between the types of benefits EXSA offers. She says, “Belonging to EXSA has both material and non-material benefits. The non-material benefit is the sense of belonging to an association. Being part of a community that shares common interests, experience and hardships. It gives you an opportunity to network, share skills and knowledge, and to gain insight and knowledge.”
The non-material benefits can be harder to measure the worth of, but these are the often the ones that, over time, can make the biggest difference to your business.
Materially, Lee-Ann highlights the more tangible benefits of EXSA, such as: a membership listing on the EXSA website; being able to share news on the website and social media channels; VAT cost savings; and discounts to attend various workshops and events.
The non-material benefits can be harder to measure the worth of, but these are the often the ones that, over time, can make the biggest difference to your business. Networking can result in leads and new clients, even new employees, suppliers or business partners. And having a community to share your challenges with is an amazing resource that can inspire new business practices and provide the support you need to pursue them.
Step 3: Put in the effort
“If you want to get a lot out of your association membership, you have to put a lot in. Don’t just join an association and assume benefits will flow. Get involved, and go to conferences and meetings,” says Justin.
He lives this advice, and has been an active member of EXSA, the Event Greening Forum (EGF) and the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES) – including serving on all of their boards. He says, “We have been members of IFES for over 12 years and have had more than twenty times the return of the membership we have paid in direct business we have received from this organisation’s members. On a local front, we have been involved in the EGF through which we have gained information and knowledge on sustainability, which we as a business have been able to implement.”
“SAACI acts as an advocate for the industry to give the ‘voices’ of our members the chance to be heard on the issues that affect their business.” – Glenton De Kock
Don’t forget the big picture
It’s worth noting that all of the benefits discussed so far are direct ones. However, there is another indirect benefit to joining associations: when you support a professional body in this way, you help it in its role to set a standard for your industry, and represent you and your interests on a broader level.
Glenton De Kock, the CEO of Southern Africa Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), highlights this as being one of the many benefits SAACI offers; “SAACI acts as an advocate for the industry to give the ‘voices’ of our members the chance to be heard on the issues that affect their business.” The authority that SAACI welds, as a body, ensures the conference industry is well represented in discussions that affect it.
Greg McManus, the Chairperson of the Event Greening Forum, similarly believes that this is one of the most important aspects of the EGF’s function. He says, “One of our roles is to build relationships with government so that sustainability is a part of the conversation we have when we talk about how best to grow the events industry. Sustainable development is critical to the long-term health of our industry, and this is in everyone’s interests.”
