The Role of Association CEO


Whether your association budget is large with many staff or your budget is small with few or no full-time staff, the responsibilities of the CEO are common and many. The difference is the CEO of the small association is responsible beyond the level of leadership but also involved directly with implementation down to the administrative task. Consider these major responsibilities: Membership Development, Membership Benefits, Membership Administration, Governance, Volunteer Development, Meeting/Event Management, Government Affairs, Market Development, Education, Operations, Communications and Cheerleader.

Need C6 Support? Ask me for a quote on many projects like: Newsletter design, newsletter strategy, newsletter production, strategic planning, budgeting, evaluation of endorsed programs, governance structuring, bylaws, education programming, member database selection/conversion/optimization/training, discussion facilitation and more.

Contact Me

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Newsletter Distribution

How tight should you control your association's newsletter distribution? Do you restrict distribution to one key person at a single member? Some associations contend that if the company wants more of their people to receive it, they must upgrade their membership.

While I appreciate the $1 to $2 cost issue to print and mail each newsletter is an important consideration, the greater consideration is: Who can derive value from your newsletter content? The most valuable newsletters I have seen from aftermarket state associations regularly contain news that should accrue beyond the primary contact.

If your content promotes your own education, golf outing, conference and more you will want all key employees to receive your newsletter. Most primary contacts will not pass along your newsletter. At best, the content is filtered and metered to employees to serve the company's interest, not the associations'. Furthermore, imagine how it may make that store manager or salesman feel to receive their own newsletter addressed to them personally.

Beyond the self-serving promotional nature of your newsletter, if it really does contain valuable news, consider the value you create in the minds of employees who may one day move to another employer who does not hold membership in your organization. And what of the young employee who grows up appreciating the value of your organization.

I suggest you don't skimp on distribution. Get all you can get from your thoughtful dues strategy but then make sure as many of your member's key employees as possible receive your newsletter.

1 comment:

  1. You have given awesome information about association's newsletter distribution. You have also given very nice information about own education, golf outing, conference and more you will want all key employees. I really appreciate this fantastic post.
    Association Management

    ReplyDelete