Effective Association Communications: Plan, Focus and
Achieve Results 
Printer Friendly Version
Association Management Competency Standards developed
by the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) call
for association executives to:
- Understand various types of communications and processes
used.
- Seek out and listen to messages from members.
- Evaluate current member communications efforts and develop,
implement and manage a member communications plan.
Jim Pealow, CAE, managing partner of Association Management,
Consulting & Evaluation Services, says some associations fail
to set specific objectives and allocate resources to their communications
efforts. Pealow believes that failure to recognize communications
as a distinct activity puts an association at risk. Some associations
approach their communications activities in a helter-skelter fashion,
placing little focus on ensuring their strategies are aligned
with association objectives. A communications plan, in Pealow's
view, is an absolute must.
It is important to remember that communication is the tool used
to build positive relationships with stakeholders. It is a means
to an end. A formal communications plan requires associations
to identify stakeholders, and prioritize those stakeholders in
terms of their importance to the association. For each key stakeholder
the association needs to identify their desired strategic positioning
with the stakeholder, select the messages that will help achieve
that positioning, determine the devices/techniques/practices that
will be used to convey messages, identify performance indicators
to measure activity, and, determine frequency. "Having a
formal communications plan," says Pealow, "will increase
the chances of success."
CSAE's Association Management Education Program (AME) reinforces
Pealow's point of view, and proposes six reasons why associations
should establish a communications plan.
- Objective Setting: Planning helps an association
clearly define objectives toward which communication/relationship-building
activities should be directed. An important aspect of the objective-setting
process is to achieve consensus on what the priorities are and
what can be achieved given resources and other factors.
- Message Development: Planning also helps
an association decide what key messages it wants to convey.
- Audience Definition/Segmentation: The planning
process compels association staff to define what messages they
want to deliver to what audience segment.
- Strategy/Tactic Development: The planning
process also encourages discussion about the kind of strategies/tactics
required to ensure that key messages are delivered effectively
to various audience segments in a manner consistent with overall
program objectives.
- Resource Needs Identification: Planning
helps to identify the kind of human and financial resources
required to execute strategies and tactics in support of communication
objectives.
- Effectiveness Measuring: Finally, planning
allows for the development of an agreed-upon approach that an
association will utilize to assess performance in meeting its
communication objectives.
Retail Council of Canada has identified three key stakeholder
groups: internal (members and non-members); consumers and the
public in general; and, governments and others (including universities
and other educational institutions). According to Diane J. Brisebois,
CAE, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada, a wide range
of benefits will accrue to associations who consistently deliver
a clear and concise message, in an appropriate and timely manner,
to each identified association stakeholder. In addition to strengthening
and promoting the association's cause, an effectively managed
budget is achievable as messages are targeted to specific stakeholders
rather than the entire world. "And," notes Brisebois,
"well targeted messages can be easily measured."
Measuring performance is a critical element in any association
communications plan, yet it is often overlooked. In these days
of dwindling resources and continued calls to "do more for
less", it is imperative that associations know how effective
their strategies have been. What communications approaches work
the best in your environment? What approaches are the most cost-effective?
Are your messages getting the results you intended?
Retail Council of Canada has a communications department consisting
of a vice-president and three other staff members, whose day-to-day
activities are guided by a clear mission and a detailed set of
objectives. The department has responsibility for press releases
and press conferences, publication of magazines and newsletters,
web site design and content, and promotional endeavours. Many
associations in Canada don't have the benefit of a communications
department - the typical CEO in the association sector shoulders
the responsibility for actualizing association ideas, intentions
and plans through their communication initiatives. "In the
small association environment," Brisebois suggests, "choose
a staff person with good writing and marketing skills to serve
as gatekeeper for everything that leaves your association office."
A communications plan may well result in the identification of
competencies currently not available to the association executive.
Pealow says, "If there is a competency gap, it is the responsibility
of the association executive to acquire the required knowledge
or skill for the organization. This can be accomplished through
engaging in relevant learning, allocating an individual to the
task who possesses the desired competencies, or acquiring outside
expertise."
Executives in smaller associations need not be overwhelmed -
there are many resources available to help you ultimately win
with words. The Canadian Society of Association Executives has
a Best Practice Exchange on their web site (www.associationplace.com)
- the site provides communications practices that can be used
to determine how your association measures up against other associations.
Network with other association executives and use benchmarking.
"You do not have to reinvent the wheel," says Pealow.
Brisebois also urges association executives to conduct an audit
of their existing communications vehicles - examine everything
from simple letters to publications and promotional pieces. Look
for duplication. Look for weakness. Determine where your money
was spent and what return you experienced for that investment.
Be honest. Confirm that your communications efforts actually reached
your target stakeholders - don't extend yourself if it isn't truly
in your association's interest to do so.
CSAE plans on developing templates and resources for specific
association functions, including communications, in the near future
- a wide range of new resources will be added to the web site
resulting in easy access.
Bob Hamp, CSAE's Communications Manager, is responsible for internal
and external communications and media relations. In addition to
his day-to-day responsibilities at CSAE, he is a willing and able
advisor to CSAE's membership. "If any CSAE member needs advice,
a sounding board, or information to assist with their communications
practices," says Hamp, "I'd be more than willing to
help." Don't hesitate to call CSAE if you're struggling with
an issue.
When evaluating your association's communications activity, put
yourself in the shoes of your targeted stakeholders, keeping in
mind that the average Canadian is bombarded with over 2,300 promotional
messages of some nature each and every day. Which of the 2,300
messages you receive each day do you absorb and respond to?
"Too much crap lands on people's desks," says Brisebois,
"most of which is untargeted and poorly written." Retail
Council of Canada has found that their most successful communications
initiatives have been timely, to the point, smartly written (in
as few words as possible) and get to the point in the first paragraph.
Again, if your message is not directed to the appropriate public,
it will not, no matter how creative and succinct it is, achieve
your objective.
"Know your customer before you write or send anything,"
states Brisebois. "That's the key!"
Sandi L. Humphrey CAE
|
