Beyond the Logo: Building Real Partnerships to Grow Non-Dues Revenue

March 19, 2019

Bruce Rosenthal, Strategic Advisor and Consultant, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC

Kate McNulty, Director of Business Development, American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR)

Copyright 2019 Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC

Who We Are

Supporters of association entrepreneurship.Evangelists for successful corporate partnerships.• Bruce Rosenthal: Experience helping associations

increase revenue and member value with corporate partnership programs.

• Kate McNulty: Experience as an association director of business development and as a corporate partner.

What We’re Talking About Today• Beyond the logo!• Current trends

• Business decisions/ROI

• Achieving alignment

• Program components

• 5 additional tips

• 10-point assessment

• Q&A / discussion

Current Trends

It’s all about Business Decisions

• Associations are making business decisions

• Members are making business decisions

• Corporate partners are making business decisions

The Great Big ROI Disconnect

Most Associations are Selling

Companiesare Buying

VisibilityAwareness

AttitudeBehavior/

Engagement

Achieving Alignment

Align Your Association and Each Company

Your Association• Mission• Member needs• Visibility needs

Each Company• Goals for biz dev,

branding, knowledge leadership

Align!

The Objective is ROI

• It’s not philanthropy

• There’s plenty of competition for your association’s corporate program.

• Companies have choices.

Determine Each Company’s Business Goals

• The beauty of asking

• Probe each company’s:

o marketing goals

o marketing tactics

o ROI measurement

o criteria for success

Package Benefits as ROI Solutions

• Key areas of interest to corporate partners:o Business developmento Brand differentiationo Thought leadership

• Customize for eachcorporate partner

Negotiating the Win-Win

• Finding the win-win

• Getting to “yes”

Components of a Strong Corporate Partnership Program

Components of a Strong Program

• Strategy

• Business plan

• Resource allocation

• Culture change

Strategy

• Leadership

• The challenge

• Goals

• Guidelines

Business Plan

• Tactics

• Methods

• Road map

• Measurement

Resource Allocation

• Staff – dedicated

• Staff – other

• Expense budget

Culture Change

• Roles for CEO/ED

• Roles for board

• Roles for staff

• Celebrate success

5 More Tips for Successful Corporate Partnership

Programs

How to Maintain Connections

Key contact leaves / company merges• Plan ahead• Senior executive contacts

• Rebuild the relationship• Move on

Are In-Kind Partnerships a Good Idea?

Three success strategies• Services that are needed• Market price

• Operational services

Make Your Corporate Program Appealing

Four ways = T.E.A.M• Think tank• Expertise

• Audience• Member demographics

Innovative Ways to Partner with Companies

• Research• Guidebooks• Guidance on regulatory compliance

• Career guides• “How to” guide for members• Anything members need!

The Way to Set Corporate Partner Fees

• Do NOT set fees based on actual cost.

• Do NOT set fees to meet a revenue gap.

• Do NOT set the same fee for every company in a category.

Corporate Relations Program Assessment

The Importance of Program Review

• The need for program review to keep up with changes

• Internally: Associations need more revenue and content

• Externally: Corporate partners’ needs and priorities are changing

You Might have an Outdated Program if ...

1. Program hasn’t been evaluated

2. Board and staff aren’t on board

3. “Heavy metal” categories

4. “Chinese Menu” of benefits

5. Benefits are “logo”, ”visibility”, “recognition”

You Might have an Outdated Program If ...

(continued)

6. Sales pitch is “We need your support”

7. Prospectus sent èn masse

8. Association competes with itself

9. Treat sponsors/partners like an ATM

10. Don’t know partners’ business goals

Paradigm Shift

What is a paradigm shift?The future is not an extension of the past.The paradigm shift:

• from transactional corporate sponsorships• to transformational corporate partnerships

Case Study: Assessment and Progress

ANCOR (mid-sized assn.) case study about:

• Decision to revamp the program

• Commitment of CEO, Board, staff

• 6-month review process

• Hiring new staff director

• Implementation process

To Create a Corporate Partner Program

• Assess your current program

• Be entrepreneurial

• Incremental change

• Scale based on your organization’s capacity

• Have a plan

Partnership Professionals Network

• Networking and education about sponsorships/partnerships• Idea Exchanges• Training Workshops in Washington, DC and Chicagoland • Meeting/Workshop announcements and notes:

www.brucerosenthal.associates/ppn

Wrap-up and Discussion

Contact Information

Bruce RosenthalPrincipal

Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC

301-922-6179

bruce@brucerosenthal.associates

www.brucerosenthal.associates

Kate McNultyDirector of Business Development

ANCOR

kmcnulty@ancor.org

www.ancor.org

Conversation? Questions?