27 December 2001
Perhaps one of the most important yet most overlooked preventive maintenance in many associations is that of preparing its members to perform for the association with success. One of the ways to do this is to encourage association members and leaders to participate in events outside of normal association affairs.
Attending conferences, meetings, or educational seminars provides opportunities and advantages that can't be duplicated by other means. There are advantages for the individual attending as well as the business, association, or organization they represent. Sending a member or supporting their participation in appropriate activities can be a valuable and worthwhile investment for the association. Attendees are being told they are important to the association they represent. They gain a broader perspective of association related affairs and may make contacts important to the association. Attendees may also learn specific skills or gain ideas and information that they can bring back to help improve the association.
Where associations sometimes miss an opportunity is that they provide support for attending events only to the top rank. The closest they come to broader support is supporting new officer attendance at an orientation. While this is a good means for recognition of achievement in the association, it misses the opportunity to find and develop new talent for association leadership.
If your association hasn't considered supporting attendance at conferences and similar events, now may be the time to do so. This opportunity is not just for large associations with hundreds of members and large budgets. It can be even more valuable for the small association or the regional or local chapter with a limited budget.
How does supporting attendance at conferences assist your association? Among the many benefits participation increases the attendees enthusiasm and affinity for the association. Participants bring new ideas and information back to the association. Being represented at appropriate events expands the associations presence and involvement in the larger community. It increases opportunities for membership recruitment and association development. Participation in the broader scope of association affairs can minimize or prevent stagnation and decay which often occurs when association membership becomes ingrown and the focus limited. Your association can be represented both on a formal or informal basis at conferences and meetings. The participant can take association materials to disperse to people they meet. They can oversee the distribution of materials at a swap table or information booth. The association can also sign up as an exhibit center participant which the representative attending the conference can assist to manage.
Besides the top rank of board members and senior staff, consider the membership at large. Members after all, are your potential future board members and committee chairs as well as the source of revenue, ideas, and support. Also consider students, interns, or even association partners or vendors. Attendance or participation can also be part of the association awards structure, a way to acknowledge accomplishment, involvement, tenure, or support. It can also be a means to provide an opportunity for a future potential leader to let them show how they can function for the association.
Member participation in conference or similar activities can enhance understanding of the profession, avocation, business, and interests of the association and how it relates to the larger picture. Face to face contact with others encourages idea exchange and enhances awareness of potential and possibilities for association development and involvement.
Conference attendance also provides a means to check out speakers for your own events. Observing how the event is run, what seems to be effective, and what needs improving can assist your association in the planning of it's own events and activities.
There are all kinds of opportunities from national and international conferences to university classes. Visit the meetings of affiliated groups or entities with similar interests. It is important to consider all the possibilities available and develop criteria to ascertain what events will provide the most benefit both short and long term, to the association. and which are most in line with the association's goals.
The basic concept for conference or activity participation should be a clearly defined policy. This policy should outline the specifics of conference sponsorship including what is expected from both the attendee and the association. This document will vary depending on the size of the association and the complexity of the the issues involved.
Don't let money be an obstacle or an easy way out of considering sending a representative. Sponsorship should be included as part of the standard association budgeting process. It should be viewed as any other project or program under consideration. It should evaluated from the overall financial perspective of the association as to costs versus return and value in relation to association goals. Participation provides tangible as well as intangible benefits to the association.
Sponsorship or support is not an either - or situation. It can be a variety of options based on the resources of the association. Options could include paying partial or specific expenses such as airfare, conference registration fee, or a certain percentage of total costs. Options could also include covering all expenses or assisting the potential attendee in obtaining sponsorship from other businesses or entities or other funding sources. Sponsorship can be an outright support to the participant or a reciprocal agreement.
Conferences and expositions are often held annually. Other meetings, special events and educational opportunities may be one time only. When to participate is a question of event scheduling and of when (or how often) the association should participate. Do you really need to send someone to the annual conference every year? What about rotating who will represent the association at a regularly scheduled event?
Getting the most out of event participation is dependent on establishing a solid set of criteria for sponsorship or support. Clearly define the types of events, the reasons why these events are worthwhile to the association, and what benefits the association can expect from participation. Define the requirements and restrictions for considering a representative. Outline the details of what role the association will take and what role the recipient of the association's sponsorship will take. Ensure that follow- up is in place and carried out.
Don't look at sending a representative to a conference as only an expense, a black hole, with no return. Look at it as a purchase - something you are buying for the association - a service or product. In this case you may be purchasing the potential for increased member participation. You may be purchasing the ideas and information to make your own events or programs more successful and profitable. You may be purchasing the expertise and experience needed to lead your association in a new and beneficial direction.
Georg W Nietzche: "A man has no ears for that which experience has given him no access."
Edward Stanley Jr.: "This company took off with a great team of class A people. Now if we want class A people, we have to hire class C's and make them into class A's."
Philip Wilber: "The expense isn't what it costs to train employees. It's what it costs _ not _ to train them."
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